As events unfolded at the restaurant, back at the company, Mia was outraged. It was nearly 2 p.m. and there was no word from Marco or his useless assistant. Nevertheless, she wasn't one to sit idly by, so she immediately called Marcelo's number.
On the other end, Marcelo was puzzled as he looked at his phone, recognizing the number but unsure why he was being called. Nonetheless, seeing the insistent calling, he decided to answer.
"Good afternoon, Miss Palacios, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"
"Hi Marcelo, it's nothing too important, really. I just found it odd that you and Marco haven't shown up today and I was wondering if you are okay or if something happened that I can assist with."
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Palacios, but we're fine. A meeting got away from us and we're currently attending to a client. It's very likely Mr. Lombardo won't make it in today. However, I will stop by the office to check if there are any urgent matters and in case something requires Mr. Lombardo's signature, I'll take it to his house."
Upon hearing "house", Mia hatched a plan and told him:
"Don't worry, there's nothing pressing. Better you stay with Marco. If anything comes up, I'll call you to come into the office."
"Thank you for your kindness; have a good afternoon, Miss Palacios," Marcelo said as he turned and met Romina's eyes. She seemed to have overheard the conversation but hadn't done anything wrong—or had she?
"Is something amiss, Mrs. Romina?" Marcelo asked, noticing her intent gaze.
"It's nothing. I just think it's time for you to return to the office. Marco won't be going in today. I know you're his friend, but business cannot be neglected."
Marcelo got her hint and didn't want to be seen as slacking off, so he approached the newlyweds to say goodbye. Marco wanted to ask why he was leaving, but Romina gestured for him to let Marcelo go. He nodded, mentioning that if anything important came up, he would be at home.
Marcelo nodded back and left.
After a moment, Alexa joined Mariana and the twins, while Marco approached his mother.
"I didn't expect you to be so curious," he said.
"What's going on, Mom? You know Marcelo is not just my assistant but also my friend. I don't think it was right to send him away to the office."
Romina looked at him mockingly and said, "Ever hear the saying, 'the devil knows more for being old than for being the devil'? Well, I teach him a few tricks. I want you to understand I didn't do it to be mean, but if I hadn't done it today, you'd have unwanted guests later and make things uncomfortable for your wife."
"What are you talking about, Mom?" Marco asked, intrigued. He thought he knew his mother well, but sometimes she acted on her own.
"It's simple. I overheard a conversation by Marcelo—don't look at me like that; I didn't mean to overhear—I was about to leave when I heard that girl you brought home, and if I'm not mistaken, she called because she was looking for you. I know her type of woman, and let me tell you, if you don't pack her off back to her country, she'll cause you trouble."
"Mom, I'm not an idiot. I've noticed, but I can't just send her away like that. Her family has been very kind to me, and I still have business with them."
"Well, you figure it out because I'm sure she'll be a pain in the—"
"Mom, that's no way to talk," Marco chided, shaking his head.
"You're my son and I love you, but now I love that little one growing inside that still-flat belly even more. So, you better behave, Marco, because if you don't, even at your age, I can still teach you a lesson."
"Mom, I promise I won't do anything stupid to damage my relationship with Alexa. I'm not foolish. Miss Palacios will leave on her own accord soon enough; I'm just pulling some strings. So don't worry."
"If you have it under control, I'll be at ease. Now there's someone else I'm worried about."
"I know, but there are people watching over my princess and all her relatives, except for that wicked grandmother. That vile woman will pay dearly for what she's done."
"Do you know?" Romina inquired, and Marco simply nodded, his eyes closed when suddenly a tug on his trouser leg brought him back to reality.
"Uncle, our sister will live with you," the boys said, with Xander pointing, "Can we come over to play in your pool?"
"Of course. You'll always be welcome."
Alex looked at Marco and, with a gesture, got him to lower down to his level.
"What's up, little Alex?"
"Uncle, we've got a business proposal to discuss with you," at hearing this, Marco chuckled, finding the children's words amusing, and said:
"If you want to be Boy Scouts or something, I can help. It's profitable for kids your age." The twins shook their heads in unison, saying, "That's not our business."
"Then, youngsters, tell me what it's about."
Xander took over this time, instructing Alex to let him explain. "See, we won't just visit Alexa; we'll also protect her for you and ward off any boys that come near her. You pay us to buy our favorite sweets, and you'll see she won't look at anyone but you."
Marco, smiling at having gained two little allies, asked, "How did you come up with this business?"
Both looked at each other but decided Alex should respond. "Well, you see, on the day they held the luncheon for our princess, that spoiled boy who came to see her offered us a dollar to tell him if Alexa was seeing anyone. We took it, then he left us a number before he left. But we made a pact and decided not to tell him anything because we found him super annoying, especially when he told the princess she'd eventually be his girlfriend."
"So we just took the opportunity. It's best to let them think we're simple-minded, but we're not, uncle."
Marco smiled, foreseeing headaches for Mariana, but delighted with the children's cleverness. He shook hands with both and said, "It's a deal. Now, I'll give you my number, and you text me your favorite candy names. You'll get your payment from me every Sunday." The kids beamed, their enterprise a success, but before they could celebrate too much, Marco added, "One more thing—stop calling me uncle; from now on, you can call me 'brother-in-law' or Marco. You're siblings to my princess, so you'll be treated as such."
They proudly accepted their new title. Marco stood up and went to Alexa, embracing her waist and winking at the distant boys, who responded with enthusiastic thumbs up, signaling support.
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Comments
Nanami Tomoe
haha they make a good deal with their age😄
2024-08-27
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