Chapter 5

His official phone rang on the coffee table, making him stop and check the screen.

“Sorry about that,” he started talking to Stacy again. “I thought it was the call I’m expecting. As I was saying, I hope you still remember Tarrus. He's one of the directors on Capricorn’s board now. You know how indecisive he can be. So I have to meet with them again tomorrow.”

“It's okay,” she sighed audibly. “I wish you luck with them.”

“Thanks, dear. Let me leave you now.”

“Bye, take care of yourself.” She said and disconnected the line

Blake's phone started ringing again. He snatched his phone off the coffee table and swiped across the screen. “Rob, what do you have for me?”

It was his private investigator who was calling, and it was six am the following day.

“Sir,” Rob started. “I found out that Miss Harrison left the hotel at 4: 47 am this morning and she already flew out of Canada at six am.

“Did you find out about where she lives now?” He asked impatiently.

“Yes, Berkeley,” Rob answered.

“She lives in California?” Blake sat on the edge of the sofa.

“Yes, sir,” Rob confirmed again. “She is now an associate professor at the University of California, sir.”

“Good job,” he stood up again. “Did you get her phone number or something?”

“Yes, I did. I already sent it to your email.”

“That's alright, Rob,” he put his hand in his pocket. “I will check it now.”

He cut the line off and sat on the sofa again to check his email for Tasha's phone number. It was right there in his mail. He swallowed hard on seeing the number before he dropped the phone on the coffee table. I have to go find her. He told himself.

He picked his phone again and dialed his sister, Jolie's number.

“Hey, little bro,” she said jovially from the other end when she picked the call. “What's up? Are you back in town?”

“No sis,” he said. “Guess who I saw yesterday in the hotel where I went for a meeting?”

“Hmmm,” she smirked. “You know what? Just tell me. I don't want to guess.”

“I saw Tasha in flesh and blood.”

“Tasha? Your Tasha? Oh, my God!”

“Yes, that was how I felt.”

“Did you talk to her? Is she living in Canada now?”

“I approached her, but she refused to talk to me. I guess she's still annoyed with me.”

“Of course,” Jolie retorted. “As it should be.”

“Sis, not now, please.”

“Okay, okay,” she sighed audibly. “I'm sorry.”

“She all but ran away,” he told his sister. “It shocked me. I didn't expect her to jump up happily on seeing me, but running away…?”

“It's okay, just leave it at that,” Jolie admonished. “People react to situations in different ways.”

“No, I don't want to leave it like that,” he fiddled with his shirt button. “I have to talk to her.”

“So, what do you want to do?” She asked with no particular interest.

Blake told her what he had learned through Rob and that he wished to go look for her.

“Don’t tell me you want to go to California.”

“Yes, I will surely go,” he told her. “But not now. I'm missing Stacy and Jayce already. It's been over a week. So I will come home first and go after Tasha later.”

“Fair deal,” Jolie said. “At least you will have some time to think properly before you make a mistake.”

“You think going after Tasha is a mistake?” he asked exasperatedly. “Don't you get it? I feel guilty all these years and I think talking face to face with her will clear my conscience.”

“Oh no, Blake!” Jolie sighed into the phone. “You can do that over the phone. I don't think you have to go see her.”

“I want to see her,” he insisted.

“You should be very careful about this journey you want to embark on.”

“What do you mean, Jolie?” He exhaled.

“Have you thought about how going after Tasha may affect your marriage?”

“What are you trying to say, Jolie? He ran his hand through his hair. “I only want to apologize to her. What are you saying?”

“What if Tasha still wants you? What if talking to her makes you realize you still want her, Blake?”

“It's okay,” Blake said louder than he intended to. “I will think about it. How is Perry?” Perry is Jolie's husband.

“He's fine,” Jolie replied. “I think his dad is serious about stepping down for him to take over before the end of the year.”

“Wow, that's awesome!”

They talked more about her husband and kids before they disconnected the lines.

He sank back into the couch, admitting to himself that he truly had to think hard about what he wanted to do. He knew his marriage with Stacy was not the lovey dovey kind, but they had both grown to love each other enough to keep their marriage going smoothly.

He knew he didn't want to break up what he had with Stacy. He loved the way their lives were.

******

Tasha's plane touched down at 1:34 pm. She went through the immigration and quickly picked up her luggage and walked out straight to the car park, where the ride she ordered was already waiting for her. The driver pulled up in her driveway at 2:06 pm. She hurried out of the car and rushed inside with her luggage in hand.

"Mom," she called out softly as her mother opened the door for her.

"It's okay," her mother pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry, he can't do anything to you."

"I don't want him to look for me," she sobbed into her mother's shoulder. "I don't want him to ever get to know about Tyson."

"Even if he knows about him, he has no power to take him away from you. She made Tasha sit on the sofa. “Do you hear me?"

Tasha nodded.

“Tyson is staying back in school for practice,” her mother explained to her. “Grant will be there and he will bring him home later.”

“Mother, what are you doing?” Tasha sniffed. She knew her mom had planned to have Grant in the house that night.

“What do you think I am doing?” The older woman handed her a piece of tissue.

Tasha took the tissue and blew her nose. She smiled at her mother. Now that she was home, she felt much better.

“I want you to be happy,” her mom sat on the arm of the couch and cupped her face. “You've been sad for too long. Why don't you allow Grant to make you happy?”

“I understand what you are trying to do,” she narrowed her eyes at her mother. “And I don't think I am ready for that, mom.”

She stood up abruptly and walked towards the stairs.

Her mother followed on her heels, “young lady, we are still talking!”