2.

Dimitri walked into his parents’ mansion. He stripped out of his jacket and handed it to the maid who stood by the door. When she offered to inform his mom that he had arrived, he promptly stopped her.

His flight had landed in Watford the previous night. After an eight-hour flight, he opted to sleep in a hotel for the night. As soon as he woke up, he prepared everything he needed and left for the family home. He had been away for seven years. It was not his intention to be away that long. One thing led to another, and he got too busy for his usual travels home.

A lot had changed since the last time he visited. It didn’t surprise him much. His mother liked to remodel the house, once in a while. This time, she didn't only change the furniture but also the paint. Their mansion used to be red. It was blue now. The glasses for the windows were no longer plain but etched with flowery patterns. Fracturing the lights that broke through and giving off colour in a few places.

Dimitri raised his head when he heard the sound of footsteps. He spotted mother walking by the balcony, her head bent as she stared at her phone. She wore brightly coloured pants with a dark dress shirt. Her usually dark brown hair was now highlighted at the tips. Dimitri couldn’t see her face from where he stood, but he knew it was her.

“Morning, mother.” She jerked to a stop, her head whipping around before she spotted him downstairs. He waved at her.

“Dimitri.” She gasped.

She stared for a split second more, then hurried towards the stairs. She descended them quickly while Dimitri scampered up to meet her. He opened his arms, and she embraced him, holding him tightly.

“This is such a big surprise!”

“I missed you too. I missed you too.” He kissed her cheek, one side and then the other. “Look at you. You are still the most beautiful woman I know.”

“Ever ready with the flattery.” She cupped his face and stepped back to look him over. “When did you arrive? Why didn’t you tell us? We would have sent a car.”

“Then it wouldn’t have been a surprise, would it?” He walked her back down the stairs, holding her close to his side. “I arrived last night.”

“So, you were in town when I called this morning?”

“Yes.”

Dominic immediately thought back to the woman he hit because he had been distracted by his mother’s call. Ayesha. She was very hard-headed and refused to allow him take her to the hospital. Dimitri didn’t think of insisting because she seemed like she had made up her mind, but he was deeply worried. He didn’t know how hard she fell or how hard he had hit her with the car.

“How was the flight?”

“It was good." He sighed, snapping out of his reverie. "Slept for most of it, to be honest.”

“You must have been tired. I didn’t know you’d be coming, but I can have someone prepare your room. Are you staying here, or do you plan to return to your hotel?”

“I think I’ll stay for a few days until I find a place to live. Somewhere in town.”

If it was even possible, her eyes brightened and widened further. “You are staying? Don’t get my hopes up. How long will you stay?”

“Indefinitely.”

She gasped. “What…what brought this on. I am happy you are staying here, don’t misunderstand. I am just shocked that after so long you want to move here permanently.”

“Mid-life crisis?” He joked and earned his mother’s unimpressed glare. “Fine, I just wanted to finally be home. It’s been years since I spent more than six or, at most, ten months here.”

“So, what about your business. Are you going to manage it from here?”

“I will. Might even start something here to keep me busy in case I feel too relaxed down the line. All the same, I am going to settle in. House and all.”

“We have to celebrate.” She nearly jumped out of her skin with excitement, and Dimitri could only stare at her with amusement as she ranted on. “We’ll invite all your friends; I am sure they would be happy to see you after so long. And your dad, we have to tell your father.”

“I thought he would be home.”

“He is at the office right now. He will be back in the evening. I have no doubt he will be so happy to see you.”

She looked around the room and then yelled. “Valarie! Valarie.”

The girl came running in from the kitchen. “Yes ma’am.”

“Prepare a room for my son. He is going to be staying with us. And as soon as Regina gets back from her errand, send her to me immediately.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She relaxed against the sofa, propping her elbow on the back. "I am so happy your home."

"Me too."

“I think we should throw a little party.” He chuckled. “A small gathering. Here in the house. We'll invite some of your friends. I am sure they would be happy to see you.”

“I don’t mind. If it makes you happy, plan your heart out, and I will do my best to be presentable.”

Later, Dimitri stood in front of the mansion. He sent one of the chauffeurs to pick up his suitcases from the hotel. He left his mother to occupy herself with the party preparations.

“Sir.” He turned around, and the chauffeur handed him a dark blue mini backpack. “I found it in the trunk of the car.”

At first, he couldn’t think of how it ended up in his car. He had no clue who owned it. The car was a rental, and he had looked it over before purchasing it. There was no bag in it when he bought it. In a flash of memory, he remembered helping Ayesha sit in the boot of his car. She had been frantic about her shopping bags and the accident. He took the bag off her to have better access to her wounds.

“Thank you.” He sighed, reaching back into his pocket for his phone. “I’ll take care of it. Valeria will tell you where to put the bags.”

Dimitri started to scroll through his contacts before he realised he never took Ayesha’s number.

“Brilliant.” He muttered, slinging the bag over his shoulder.

He had every intention of taking her number, so he could call her and check in to see if she was feeling better. He got sidetracked in his own head and left without taking it. At least he knew where she lived. When he had time, he planned to stop by the apartments and try to return her bag to her.

He waited outside till everything was taken in. He followed soon after, slinking the bag over his shoulder.

His mother strutted out to meet him at the door. She started to speak but immediately noted the bag.

“Odd style for you. Isn’t it?”

“It’s not mine. I caused an accident before I came over here—”

“—What?”

“Calm down. Nothing bad happened. I hit someone and tried to help with the wounds. She forgot her bag in my car, and I only just realised now that I had it.”

“Is she…” his mother’s voice dropped to a dramatic whisper. “Is she in the hospital?”

“She is at home. I offered to drive her to the hospital, but she adamantly refused. In the end, I couldn’t force her.”

“She is not pressing charges?”

“I don’t think so. She didn’t seem so angry after she chewed me out the first few seconds.”

“That’s good. When you settled yourself in, come to the kitchen. I asked them to prepare something for you to eat.”

"Alright."