LIAM

I open the door of the car for Laura and we walk into the ice cream shop across the street with the large bold neon sign in front of it that reads 'Brandy's'.

It is Fiona's favorite ice cream shop. She always got ice cream from this shop at least once a week. She had a very sweet tooth. I had always told her to cut down on sweets because it could be dangerous to her health. I would have just let her eat all the sweets she wanted if I knew her life would be this fleeting.

The ambient cold air that hits us from the air conditioners as soon as we pass through the French door is almost as chilly as the ice cream we came to get.

I go to the counter and order a vanilla flavoured ice cream for my self and Laura's favorite mint chocolate flavoured ice cream for her. I always think she has such a weird palate. Why like something that tastes like herbal toothpaste? I chuckle inwardly.

“Princess, after getting ice cream, we are going to see grandma.”

“Yippeeee...” she says happily.

We pick up our ice creams and head over to mother's office. “I miss grandma.” Laura beams on seeing mum’s office.

“But she picked you up from school two days ago.”

“That's because you promised you'd pick me up but you didn't.” she says folding her arms and making an angry face.

“Princess, I was in a meeting. I picked you up the following day.”

“That’s because I refused to speak with you.”

“I’m sorry Princess. Daidi is picking you up throughout next week.”

Her face lights up at the promise. I hope I don't fault.

We walk into the luxurious office and head straight to Georgia, her secretary’s desk.

“Where is my mother?”

“Good day sir.” she responds fidgeting.

“Georgia, I'm running out of patience.” I say to my mother's secretary.

“Sir, she's busy and currently not on seat. She went for a job outing.”

“Does this place not have an address or has she left for space?”

“She strictly instructed that she doesn't want to be disturbed, hence her reason for sending me to the office to attend to the clients despite her being short of workers at the hall.”

“Of course she's busy, she's knows what she has done and she knew I was going to show up.”

“Daidi, isn't grandma around?” Laura asks

“She is. As a matter of fact, Georgia here was about giving us her address. Isn't that right?” I ask glaring at her.

“Yes sir.” she replies hurriedly scribbling the address on a sticky note.

“That wasn't so hard, was it?” I smile picking up the sticky note containing the address.

I should have known she was nowhere else other than the event centre for the charity gala. She has talked about nothing else but it since the beginning of this week. Knowing Georgia, I'm sure she must have called her to prepare her for my spontaneous visit.

I carry Laura on my shoulders as we make our way into the hall.

“Grandma.” Laura shrieks with joy as she sights my mother. I put her down from my shoulders and she runs to meet my mother.

“The best granddaughter in the whole wide world!” Mother says as they do their favorite dance ritual.

“Mother?” She ignores me knowingly.

“How’s my girl doing?” she ask squatting to kiss her forehead.

“Very well, grandma. Daddy has been a good boy today. He bought me ice cream.” Laura mumbles into mother's ears.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

I stare at both of them as they talk about me like I’m not standing right there.

“Why is Cara in my house?”

“Good day to you too son.” Mum stands up to face me squarely.

“Daddy says she's a stranger.” Laura says back to her usual way of calling me.

Ever since she heard a girl in her call her father Daidi, she immediately started calling me that. I knew it wasn't going to last for long.

“He did?”

Mother frowns at me probably wondering why I did.

“Princess, can you excuse grandma and I for a few minutes. You can play over there.” I lead Laura to one corner of the hall.

“Okay, Daidi”

And we are back to it again.

“What is this I hear Laura say? Why would you tell her she's a stranger?” Mum berates me angrily.

“Isn’t she? Or have you forgotten how she disappeared from the face of the earth.”

“Do you know what that poor child has been through?”

“I don't care.”

“Why are you so mad at her? I thought both of you used to be love birds until God knows what you did to her that made her end things with you.”

I'm livid with anger at this point. “Did I hear correctly? What I did? For the sake of peace, I'm just going to act like I didn't hear what you just said. Of all my apartments, why did you choose the one closest to me? If I had known, I wouldn't have signed it neither would I have given her the job.”

“As I said earlier, she has been through a lot and I felt if she was with company, she would feel safer and not wallow in pain due to her mother's passing. Both of you need each other...”

“I don't need nobody! I have Laura and that's more than enough for me. If your motive for sending Cara down to my house is to bring us back together, you have woefully failed. There is no way I'm going to have anything to do with her ever! I'll rather pick up someone from the streets!”

“Son!”

“What? I said what I said. Mom have you already forgotten what she did to me? Have you forgotten how much I suffered because of her? How could you make me go through that again?” I choke out painfully.

“You should be glad I sent her there. With that beauty and shape of hers, she would have the whole of Dublin’s finest men at her doorstep before noon tomorrow.” Mum says nonchalantly.

“I don't give two hoots! She's not even as beautiful as you are exaggerating her to be.” I scoff, though I know deep down that I agree with mum on that. After all I was unconsciously ogling her when I first saw her.

“You lie! Liam. I don't want you making life unbearable for that poor girl. I know what you can do. If I knew you hated her this much for reasons best known to you, bruised ego I suspect, I wouldn't have asked her to come back here.” Mum spits angrily.

“It’s not too late. I doubt if she has unpacked."I retort.

“You left her to unpack alone?”

“Should I have summoned my workers to do so on her behalf?” I say sarcastically.

“This is not the gentleman I raised.”

“Whose side are you on?”

“Both of you.”

“Do you know what she did to me? I'm your son for heaven’s sake. Your only child at that. You are meant to be on my side. This girl in question broke up with me over a text. Someone I intended to spend the rest of my life with.” I say shaking my head.

By the time I'm true with her, she will wish she never stepped foot in the Dublin.

“Do you know what she went through? How almost alone she was having to be the only one there for her mother while you were off to business school and you were in a hurry to marry Fiona without thinking twice.”

“I searched the whole planet earth for her!” I say wondering how my own mum could be so insensitive to the pain I felt.

“You didn't search enough!”

“Please tell me you didn't know where she was all this while I was looking for her?”

“Son...”

“Mother, answer the question with a yes or no response!” “Initially, I didn't know you were looking for..” She says with a guilt-ridden voice.

“Gracious God!” I say rubbing my hand all over my head, something I do whenever a situation starts to stress me.

“Can you just hear me out first?”

“At this point, I don't think I'm interested in anything you have to say. It's all in the past.”

“I just got to find out you've been searching for her months later and you already started seeing Fiona. Emotionally and mentally, she was not in the right frame of mind to be caught up in such web. I didn't...”

“Stop. I have heard enough. Do let her know that I won't be biased with staff efficiency just because she came in through you. If she flops, she's clearing her desk. There's no room for slacking.”

“She’s new to the system, Son. She needs time.”

“Time is what I don't have. I'm not going to babysit a grown ass woman. She resumes work by 6 a.m first thing tomorrow. In fact, Veronica has just been promoted to Finances. Cara is now my new assistant. If she's not interested she can quit and come work for you!”

“You can't be serious?” She says in disbelief.

“I mean every word that just came out of my mouth. You know me way too much and you know when I'm very serious. Enjoy the rest of your day, Mother. Laura, come and kiss grandma goodbye.”

“We just got here not too long ago.” she says on the verge of tears. “Princess, grandma is really busy. We'll come visit her another time.” “Bye Grandma.”

“Bye Cupcake.”

Mother gives her a final hug before we head out and head home.