novelFather And Son Meeting
| ← Ch.014 | Ch.016 → |
Kerr turned and left without saying a word. His detached expression gave no clue to what was on his mind. He went straight to his car, entered, and started the engine without giving it any thought. He drove to the Riverside Garden; to an apartment reserved by the Gu Group for Nicole.
He drove by the apartment and lowered the car's window while the engine still ran and hummed. The low purring sound of the engine calmed him somewhat. He stayed inside the car and stared at a little boy who sat quietly by the garden.
The little boy was about five to six years old. He had neatly trimmed hair, clad in a simple white T-shirt that seemed a little big for him and black short pants that reached his knees. He sat quietly on a wooden bench and quietly played with a magic cube in his hand. He didn't seem to notice Kerr as he watched him.
Kerr quietly got out of the car and walked towards the boy. He then stood in front of him and continued to watch him play.
Jay felt the odd eyes that stared at him. He stopped playing with his cube and slowly raised his head towards the man in front of him.
Even at his young age of six, he could feel that the man was a person of great power. His presence exuded an aura that demanded attention. In a few brief moments, something in the boy told him that he was very close to this man.
Jay bowed briefly in a childish way and went back to his cube. He didn't mind if the man watched him while he played. Something in him wanted the man to see him playing.
"You can move faster."
He could see that the boy was very capable of this.
"Can you play magic cubes too?"
Jay quickly handed the cube in his hand to Kerr with a hopeful look.
Kerr bent down a little and reached out his hand to take the toy. It took him only half a minute to solve the magic cube.
"Uncle, you are so awesome!"
It had been a long time since he last admired someone so much that he had almost forgotten the details of that event. But as soon as Jay held his toy in his delicate young hands, his admiration for Kerr knew no bounds.
Kerr's face remained expressionless as he reached his hand out to touch Jay's soft hair. It was an instinct that he seemed to have very little control over. But even if he did, he knew that he would've preferred not to stop himself.
All of a sudden, a familiar voice broke his brief state of reverie. It came from a short distance away from where he stood.
"Jay! It's time for lunch!"
Nicole wore a simple white satin dress that fell all the way to her calf. Her long straight hair flowed freely down her shoulders. A breeze played slightly with a few strands as Kerr turned his sight towards the source of the voice.
"Uncle, would you like to join us for lunch? I would really love to have lunch with you! You can also help me with the magic cube after lunch."
Jay jumped off the bench and to the ground when he heard the voice of Nicole once more. He briefly turned his head to see where she stood and then grabbed the right hand of Kerr in his small young hands.
"Mom! I am here!" Jay called out to his mom who was looking around the area with her lovely eyes.
Jay's words took Kerr by surprise and he was stunned right away. He never expected that the boy was the son that Nicole mentioned to him before. He knew that there was something familiar in the boy's countenance but he was not able to immediately recognize it.
"It's time for lunch. I made your favorite braised fish, " Nicole said as she walked towards Jay's voice. When she reached the bench where Jay was playing, partially concealed from her by a tall tree, she was surprised to see the man that Jay was with."M-Mr. Gu? What are you doing here?" she said almost stammering.
The smile on Nicole's face immediately melted when she saw that Kerr stood there with Jay. Her heart jumped and stopped beating for a moment when she saw that Jay's small left hand gripped Kerr's hand firmly.
"I was just passing by."
Kerr straightened up and looked at her in his usual calm although deep inside he started to panic.
"Mom, do you know this uncle? He is very powerful. He solved my magic cube very fast! I have invited him to have lunch with us!"
Jay then ran the short distance to Nicole and hugged her thighs very tightly. His childhood excitement from meeting a new friend was obvious. His innocence brimmed in his eyes as he looked at her.
"Jay, we can't waste uncle's time. He is a very busy man."
Nicole reached down to Jay with her arms who still hugged her thighs very tightly. Her tone was evidently cold and distant but Jay didn't seem to notice or if he did, he never really minded it.
"I'm actually free today, "
Kerr replied back to Nicole in a low husky voice. He looked at her straight into her eyes as he accepted Jay's invitation.
He immediately recognized that she was on her guard. Her body was obviously tense. Uneasiness was reflected in her eyes and face.
"Yehey! Uncle Gu is going to have lunch with us!"
Jay exclaimed as soon as he heard Kerr's statement. He let go of Nicole's thighs and went towards Kerr with both his arms extended towards him; a gesture that kids did when they wanted to be hugged or carried. A wide smile was on his face as he went to Kerr.
Kerr extended one of his strong arms and reached down to Jay. He lifted Jay up in one arm, and had him in a sitting position on his heavily-muscled biceps. He walked towards the apartment as Jay cheered. Nicole stood still and watched them go. She was left dazed and dumbfounded by the unexpected events that unfolded in front of her.
Jay hugged Kerr' s neck as they walked to maintain his balance. He asked Kerr to wait for Nicole so that she could open the door for them when they finally reached the door.
Nicole found herself smiling unconsciously as she followed the two. She switched back into her calm face when the two paused in front of the front door. Kerr turned slightly towards her as she approached. She didn't want Kerr to see that she was smiling. She calmly approached the door and entered the password and the door automatically unlocked itself. She gently turned the knob and opened the door for Kerr and Jay who remained at Kerr's arms.
She headed straight to the kitchen to prepare another bowl and a pair of chopsticks. When she came back from the kitchen, she saw two men walking out of the washroom. One full grown man and a smaller man.
They both looked so much alike. The small man looked like the miniature version of the big man. She felt a lump in her throat and her breathing immediately became heavy that she almost visibly gasped.
Kerr sat opposite Nicole, and Jay sat next to Kerr. Jay enthusiastically and quietly ate his lunch.
Nicole felt uneasy and nervous. She felt awkward while she ate in front of Kerr.
"What gift do you want?"
Kerr asked in the same husky voice as he put down his chopsticks and turned to look at Jay.
"We can have a magic cube match. I'd never had a competent rival yet. So, I want to play with Uncle Gu, "
Jay's eyes lit up as he replied to Kerr. He paused only briefly when he spoke and then proceeded to continue eating after he spoke.
"Is that all?"
Kerr asked in a confident tone, still looking at Jay. He had never spent time with children before but his voice sounded like he was sure of himself.
Jay nodded back without saying a word. There was a slight smile on his lips as he continued eating.
"We'll play more after lunch, then. But you must eat and be ready. We have a difficult match ahead of us."
Kerr took a piece of fish and removed the fish bones and gave it to Jay. He saw Nicole do it for Jay as he spoke to Jay and he took his turn to do it.
"I'll be ready!"
Jay continued to eat happily. He anticipated a fierce match ahead as well as a fun playtime with Uncle Gu.
Nicole was so surprised with what she heard that she almost dropped her chopsticks and toppled her bowl.
Was blood indeed thicker than water? She analyzed the events that played before her but she was unable to come up with a logical explanation for what was happening.
Kerr raised his head in time and met Nicole's gaze. They looked straight into each other's eyes unblinking for some time. He said nothing but Nicole caught a glimpse of emotion in those seemingly emotionless eyes.
"Uncle Gu, is it really annoying to be so smart?"
Jay asked as he turned his head slightly towards Kerr. His face had an unmistakably innocent look as he asked his question. His admiration for Kerr led him to believe that Kerr had the answer to all of his questions.
"Being smart is a good quality to have but it must be handled with caution. It can give you a good life or bring you a lot of trouble if you are not careful. But overall, it is definitely not a bad thing to be smart."
There was not a single hint of impatience in Kerr's words or voice as he answered Jay's question. His voice was serious and yet he used words that were easy for Jay to understand. He also made sure to speak slowly and clearly so that Jay would understand everything that he said.
"But my classmates do not want me to be their friend. They do not want to sit close to me. I think I should not be in grade one."
Kerr stared at Jay for a long time. He felt a strong tug at his heart when he saw his own childhood reflected in Jay. He understood that outstanding people often grew up alone and lonely. He immediately took out his mobile phone and sent a message that seemed urgent. He then turned towards Nicole who watched him as he sent his message.
"I will pick him up for school on Monday. Don't waste his talent. He can never be happy in that school."
He knew that Nicole loved Jay very much, but she didn't know which school was best suited for Jay's skills and intelligence.
"Yes! Thank you, Uncle Gu!"
Jay exclaimed as he turned towards Kerr. He then ran into his room and came out a few minutes later. In his hand was a model airplane that he held very carefully.
"Uncle Gu, this is for you. Thank you for looking for another school for me." He extended his hands towards Kerr with the model airplane. His face radiated with a wide smile. His innocent face looked very happy and relieved at the same time.
"I made it myself. Uncle Fang wanted it so much, but I didn't give it to him. I want to give it to you."
Jay handed the model airplane to Kerr as if it was the most valuable treasure for him that he was now giving to his best friend. He looked expectantly at Kerr as if waiting for his approval of his work.
Kerr took the model airplane slowly and studied it from different angles."Not bad. This is a well-made model airplane. Very detailed too." He was almost whispering out the words as he studied every detail on the plane.
The model airplane in his hand looked nothing like the model airplane that anyone would expect a six-year-old boy would accomplish to build at his age. It was highly detailed and complex.
"Uncle Gu, let's play with the magic cube. You promised!"
Jay held Kerr's hand and led him into his room.
Nicole watched them go. Half of her wanted to stop them from going but the other half kept that side of her quiet and she said nothing.
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