Chapter 34: THIRTY-FOUR

Human life ***TEN YEARS AGO***

22-year-old Lucas just woke up from an odd nightmare, he couldn’t quite place it, but when he saw the beautiful brunette who slept beside him, his newly married wife, Amelia, he forgot all about it as he recalled their intercourse last night and smiled.

The door to the room burst open and a male toddler, about three years old, entered and ran to his parents’ bed.

“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!!! You’re awake, yay!! Now we can go out to play! You can come with me in the playground today daddy!!” Bambi, Lucas’s son, pranced up and down on the bed excitedly.

Bambi’s disturbance woke Amelia up, who always wonders how this son of hers manages to escape from his wooden cot.

“That’s enough jumping for you Bambi, let daddy sleep, he has a trip to make today.”

Bambi frowned. “So, daddy won’t be able to play with me again today?”

Lucas let out a sigh and took Bambi into his arms, sad to disappoint his little boy once more.

“I’m sorry Bambi, daddy won’t be around during the weekend. But you can play with mummy and nanny Rosalyn, you’ll still have so much fun.”

Bambi creased his brow, folding his arms stubbornly while he sat on daddy’s lap.

“I don’t want nanny, I don’t want mummy, I want daddy, daddy never plays with me, I want daddy,”

he began to let out tears.

Lucas’s eyes found Amelia’s seeking for a solution, she just shrugged and came down from the bed, no more sleeping for her for today she reasoned, leaving father and son in the room.

When he’d said he wasn’t ready to become a father, this was what he meant. He had so much to deal with; his parents’ company was running down and he was the only heir to the De’ Clans, one of the wealthiest families in the city of Bandera, this was his sole responsibility. There was nothing he could do when he was almost out of college and his girlfriend, Amelia informed him amidst tears that she was pregnant. Being from the reputable family he was born into, he had to take full responsibility, marrying Amelia three years after she gave birth.

He had an important board meeting today, and he needed to fly down to the neighboring town, Chester, but now he wasn’t sure if Bambi would allow him any more postponements of the important playday. Don’t get him wrong, he loved his family, he loved his wife, they were blessings to him, but there was just so much going on in his life right now that he had to deal with.

He looked the teary toddler in the eye.

“Bambi, I’m sorry, but can you play with mommy and nanny one last time for daddy? Daddy promises that this will be the last time.”

“But daddy always promises!” Bambi cried.

Knock-knock-knock.

“Come in!” Lucas said, somewhat glad that there was an interruption.

Nanny Rosalyn entered the room and proceeded towards Bambi.

“Ok dear, time for breakfast, daddy has to work today, you can play with mommy and I, we’ll take the slides you always love.”

Bambi didn’t argue, he knew that there was no winning against Nanny Rosalyn, he just let her carry him away, crying into her shoulders as she did. Lucas was more than grateful to Rosalyn. At least there was only one person in this place that understood him. Rosalyn knows how important that company is to his family, as her family has served the De’ Clans for many generations. She was his nanny growing up, and now, she was Bambi’s nanny.

He got up from the bed and proceeded to continue his packings. The meeting was today, then whatever the outcome was, he would spend the night in a hotel there and come back home the next day. He might be too tired to play with Bambi tomorrow, so he might move their playday till Sunday.

After packing and freshening up, he came downstairs with his luggage bag. Amelia was in the kitchen, making breakfast with nanny while Bambi sat at his high chair.

“Won’t you at least stay for breakfast?” Amelia asked as he entered to greet them holding his luggage.

“No, I can’t spare another minute again. I was supposed to leave last night but the flight was delayed, I will have something to eat on the way, I’m sorry dear.” He hurried forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and went over to do the same with Bambi, before going out of the house.

The driver was already waiting for him outside, and as he came out, he proceeded to take the luggage from Lucas as he entered into the back seat. After putting away the luggage in the boot, the driver hurried forward and began to drive Lucas to the airport. As they travelled, Lucas hoped in his heart that this meeting would be successful. He could not afford to lose that company.