As the plane landed on the airport and everyone else was making moves to get out, Desmond tried to distract his wife and the Perrys while giving Lucy and Sonia time to get out.
Once he was certain they had left, he let his gang leave too, and as they all trooped out of the airport together after taking their luggage, Desmond remembered a little detail he had left out in his conversation with the girls.
Desmond stopped walking abruptly and touched his abdomen, "I need to use the restroom quickly before getting into the car."
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Evelyn asked looking at him with concern as they all stopped.
"Yeah. I feel sort of bloated. Why don't you find Adolf and wait in the car? I will be quick," Desmond promised.
"I will come with you," Andrew offered eyeing Desmond suspiciously.
"Yes, please do," Evelyn said before Desmond could say no, and seeing the suspicious look in Andrew's eyes, Desmond agreed.
"I will be fast. Don't worry about me," Desmond assured Evelyn, urging her to leave.
"Alright let's go," Desmond said as he started walking after they watched the ladies walk away.
"Do you really want to use the restroom or do you have something else in mind? I noticed how you kept looking at the exit door of the plane while trying to stall us. Is there someone you saw that you want to meet privately?" Andrew asked looking around them as he followed Desmond.
Desmond stopped, "What..."
"Keep walking," Andrew urged him, and Desmond moved slowly.
"No. I'm not meeting anyone," Desmond said as he took out his phone from his pocket, but Andrew continued to look at him doubtfully.
"If you thought I was going to meet someone privately why did you follow me?" Desmond asked, trying to hide his amusement.
"To stop you. If you do something wrong and Evelyn finds out, you'll be in trouble, and then my wife will find a way to link me to it, and I don't want any trouble," Andrew said with a straight face that made Desmond laugh.
"You think I want to meet with another lady?" He asked incredulously.
"Why else will you be hiding? You don't look like you want to use the restroom. You definitely don't sound that way," Andrew said, and Desmond laughed.
"I need to make a quick phone call," Desmond said as he dialed Sonia's line while Andrew continued to watch him.
"Hey, Sony! Where are you girls right now?" Desmond asked immediately after Sonia received the call and Andrew raised a brow.
"We just got into a cab now. We are on our way to Tom's house. Evelyn and Janet didn't see us, did they?" Sonia asked, wondering why Desmond was calling and if he was alone.
"No, they didn't. You don't have to go over to the house. We are all headed to Harry's apartment. I think it will be best you meet us there," Desmond suggested, and Andrew raised a brow.
"Will Bryan be there?" Sonia asked, since she didn't want to waste any time in the company of the others until she was able to apologize to Bryan and then talk things through with him.
Yes, he had offended her. She wasn't disputing the fact that he had gone about everything the wrong way, but so had she too. And right now she wanted them to sit down together and figure out the way forward for their relationship. She wanted what she had with Bryan to work. And she did not want her pride or habits to get in the way of what they shared.
"Everyone will be there. So come over. You don't have to be in a hurry to get there. I will send you a text after I confirm they are not leaving there soon," Desmond said, and after Sonia thanked him, he hung up.
"Was that my Sonia on the phone? Is she in Ludus? I thought she was in Heden with Lucy?" Andrew asked in confusion.
"They were on the plane with us," Desmond said with a chuckle.
"I suppose they're the ones you kept staring at on the plane. Why didn't they say hello to us? And why didn't you just make the phone call in front of everyone instead of acting so suspicious?" Andrew asked as Desmond nodded as he pocketed his phone.
"They want to surprise my boys. I suggested they surprise everyone as well, unfortunately you know about it now. We should join them ladies," Desmond suggested as turned and they both headed in the direction of the exit door.
"Surprise? That's nice. I guess Sonia is ready to resolve things with Bryan. And I get to see my girl today," Andrew said with a pleased smile.
"Yes. Very nice," Desmond chuckled again since he knew that Andrew wasn't aware that his sons were on their way to Heden.
"Don't let Evelyn or your wife know about this. You know how women are. They are good at ruining surprises," Desmond said, and Andrew smiled.
"Sure. I'm relieved that this is what you were up to, and not meeting with any one," Andrew said, and Desmond chuckled again.
"Why do you keep laughing?" Andrew asked when he noticed the grin on Desmond's face and Desmond shook his head.
"You'll find out for yourself when we get to Harry's house," Desmond assured him as they joined the others at the car.
"How are you feeling now?" Evelyn asked, and Desmond flashed her a smile.
"Much better. We can leave now," he said as he got into the car.
He couldn't wait to see the surprise on all their faces. What a beautiful day to be alive.
*********
Tom and Bryan had arrived in Heden now, and were on their way to the mall where Lucy had told him earlier they would be going to see a movie and play games.
"So? What do you plan to do when you see Sonia?" Tom asked as he watched Bryan who was lost in thoughts as he looked out of the window of the car.
"Apologize to her and try to make things right," Bryan said with a shrug.
"Are you willing to do what she wants? By that I mean, not move in together yet?" Tom asked, and Bryan sighed.
"I don't think staying apart from each other is a good idea. It's not going to help bring us closer in any way. I know myself and I know my career. If we stay in different places, we have limited time to spend together, but staying together let's us see each other more often. I mean, moving in together will help us know each other better. We can go out on dates as often as she wants and even sleep in separate rooms if she wants us to, but I'd rather we live under the same roof," Bryan said, and Tom nodded thoughtfully.
"What if she insists on staying apart? Are you going to break up with her?"
"No. Breaking up with her is out of it. I'm going to have to keep trying to make her see reasons why it is not a good idea," Bryan said with a frown, hoping that Sonia would be willing to hear him out despite how he had ignored her earlier.
"If you know break up is not an option, then you must treat your relationship as such. You shouldn't act in the manner you did towards her next time. Since you always like to make the distinction, I'm speaking to you right now as your elder brother and not as the CEO of I-Global. If you have a problem talk it out, and try not to go about it in a way that everyone else has an opinion about your relationship. Real men don't leave their women behind no matter how pissed they are, unless it's the end of the relationship for them," Tom said, and Bryan sighed.
"I know I screwed up..."
"You both screwed up. You think we don't know she was wrong too? We do. But two wrongs don't make a right. Your screw up is what everyone has seen, and now no one cares about what she may have done behind closed doors, do you understand me?" Tom asked, and Bryan nodded.
"I do."
"Now, concerning your annoyance at Lucy...."
"I'm not annoyed with Lucy. I'm sorry I said all of that. I didn't mean it," Bryan quickly cut in before Tom could speak.
"I'm not sure I entirely believe you. You spoke out of the abundance of your heart. I think it's silly of you to want to compete with Lucy over her spot in Sonia's life. Imagine me doing that. Does it make any sense to you?" Tom asked, and Bryan sighed.
"I'm not competing with her or anything. We all have our places, I know that. How do you think you will feel if Lucy broke up with you just to go be with Sonia?"
"She wouldn't have to do that because I would let her go naturally if it will make her happy...."
"Do you think I wouldn't have let Sonia go naturally too if I knew about the issue with Lucy at that time? She broke up with me without even giving me a chance to...."
"That sounds like a Sonia issue not a Lucy issue," Tom cut in before Bryan could finish.
"Yeah. I know. I'm not mad at Lucy. Maybe I'm a bit envious of their relationship, but I'm not mad at Lucy. I wasn't thinking straight," Bryan said, and Tom nodded.
"Good. Now don't go around saying shit about my girl. The next time you do that I'm going to break your nose. I only let you off because it's the first time," Tom warned and Bryan rolled his eyes.
"Maybe you should give Lucy a call and find out where they are right now. Maybe they changed their plans and didn't go to the mall as planned," Bryan suggested.
"Good idea," Tom said as he took out his phone from his pocket and dialed Lucy's line.
Away from there, Lucy turned to Sonia, "Tom is calling. What now? Can I tell him we are in Ludus now?" Lucy asked as she stared at her phone which was vibrating.
"Hell, no! Why tell him that when he would find out soon enough?" Sonia asked incredulously.
"So what should I tell him if he wants to know where we are?" Lucy asked dryly and Sonia glanced at her wristwatch.
"We were supposed to be seeing a movie right now at the cinema, right? The car is quiet enough. I will play a movie on my phone and you can just tell him we are seeing a movie. Make sure you whisper to make it realistic," Sonia added as she quickly logged on her Netflix account and found a movie.
"I don't like lying to him," Lucy complained, and Sonia rolled her eyes.
"Don't go all good girl on me right now, please. It's not like you are doing anything wrong. It's a surprise! And when surprising people we tell little barely noticeable white lies like these. Everyone knows this. Right?" Sonia asked the cab driver and he chuckled.
Lucy sighed as she received the call, "Hey, Ace! Have you gotten to your destination now?" Lucy asked, and Sonia glared at her as she played the movie.
"Whisper!" Sonia mouthed to her.
"Can you speak quietly, Miss? Some of us are trying to enjoy the movie!" The cab driver said, and Sonia gave him a thumbs up while Lucy shook her head.
"You're at the cinema already? What movie are you seeing?" Tom asked curiously.
"Uhm, hold on so I can ask Sonia," Lucy said with an awkward giggle as she turned to Sonia.
"What's the name of the movie we are seeing?" She whispered.
"Coming 2 America," Sonia whispered back, since she knew the movie was airing in the cinema.
"Coming 2 America," Lucy said, and Tom smiled.
"Alright. I will leave you to enjoy your movie. Let's talk when you're done. I love you," Tom said before hanging up.
"They're currently in the cinema seeing Coming 2 America," Tom informed Bryan.
"Let's meet them there then. I will book the tickets and then we can surprise them after the movie," Bryan said, and Tom nodded in approval.
"That's good. I suggest you get a bouquet of flower of Sonia. Your fans would most likely spot you," Tom said, and Bryan nodded in agreement.
He would book that as well and have them deliver it to him in front of the mall before he goes in.
Both brothers smiled pleasantly at the thought of how surprised their ladies would be when they see them.