Chapter 8 Chapter Seven

• It was getting to the evening when Lilly and Shane finished working in the studio. Satisfied with their hard work, they both nodded and smiled.
• "Finally, it's just as it used to be" Shane commented.
• "Yes" Lilly replied in a dreamy voice as she remembered that faithful day she was carried into the studio by him.
• Shane looked at her, noticing that she appeared to be lost in thought, he smiled. "I use to think that he was born a painter, but I'm still surprise why he didn't make a career out of it."
• "Maybe he likes painting just for fun."
• "I guess so. Considering the fact that he was very good in the business world. He really worked his sweat in that company, only for him to just...leave it" he shrugged. He still can't understand how his father was able to abandon the company he worked so hard for after the divorce. Normally, even if they divorced, shouldn't he still be working in the company?
• Lilly glanced at him when he said nothing else, seeing his face closed up in a frown, she knew he was thinking about his father. She was driven by a force to hold his hand and comfort him but her boldness wasn't that strong, so she only called him "sir?"
• Being called out from his thoughts, Shane smiled to her and sighed, "now, let's go see what Paulina has made for us. I'm sorry I kept you hungry with me."
• "It's nothing sir, I hardly think of food when working."
• "I see" Shane nodded, looking at her thin figure but not wanting to make a comment about it least he annoys her like last night, "and I guess you work a lot?"
• "Not that much. Everybody has their own duty, though it's being changed every week but there are some that are specially left for one to do."
• Nodding, Shane asked, "how long have you been working here?"
• "Two months at most. But in weeks it's nine weeks."
• "Okay. I'm really famished, I need to take something before I faint here. But I don't think I will faint, I will just eat you" he joked, deriving a chuckle from her.
• They packed what they used to work and left the studio, Shane locking it after him. They walked the distance from the studio to the main house in silent. Not that they don't know what to talk about, but that they don't want anyone seeing them converse so casually.
• When they got to the house, they entered through the kitchen door to see everywhere bustling. Lilly noted that it was time for dinner as everyone was busy and they greeted Shane at the sight of him. She dropped what she carried and washed her hand to join in the cooking. While Shane, also washed his hand but he went to the refrigerator to search for something to snack on while waiting for food.
• Paulina pushed open the kitchen door and was surprised to see him rummaging the refrigerator, "sir, you are finally done."
• Shane turned to look at her while putting a prickle in his mouth, "yeah and I'm starving."
• "Oh sir, that would be expected. But don't worry, I made this for you knowing you would be really hungry when you return" she walked to the microwave and opened it, carrying out a plate of hamburger and handed it to him.
• Shane happily accepted it, "why thank you Paulina, it's why I speak highly of you" just as he was about to take a bite, he saw Lilly busy chopping the vegetables, "what about Lillian, she has been working since morning with me and I'm sure she is just as hungry as I am."
• Paulina wasn't expecting him to say that, so she was at lost on what to say, "well, she can only be patient for the dinner to be ready. There isn't anything I can do about that."
• "I see" Shane turned to the dishes hanger and picked a plate, taking a knife from the hanger, he cut the hamburger in halves, putting one half on the other plate, he took it to Lilly and placed it on the table she was cutting the vegetables on, "here Lillian, I kept you busy so it's expected of me to feed you."
• "But sir, I made it for you" Paulina protested.
• "I know and since it's mine, I can share it. Besides, how hungry I am, one hamburger won't be enough for me."
• "Which is why you should eat all."
• "No need to get all worked up Paulina, this is going to be an appetizer. If I take it with a bottle of milk I will be okay" as he spoke, he walked back to the refrigerator and took a bottle of milk, he smiled to Paulina and left the kitchen.
• Everywhere was still in silence and Lilly had paused from chopping the vegetables since he dropped the plate of half hamburger beside her, now with everybody looking at her, she didn't know what to do again.
• "Well, since sir gave it to you, you might as well eat it so that it won't go to waste" Paulina said while opening one of the sizzling pots to stir what's inside.
• "Thank you Mrs. Paulina."
• "Be fast with it and hurry with that vegetables" she ordered before leaving the kitchen again.
• "Yes" Lilly answered and dropped her knife, picking up the plate, she started eating, she was really hungry after all.
• Nora approached her then with a smile, "you must be very hungry. I actually saved half of my food for you, hoping to give it to you but I didn't expect sir to give you his."
• "I wasn't expecting him to do so too" she replied with a mouthful.
• Nora smiled, picking up the knife and started cutting the vegetables, "Sir seems to be fond of you."
• Lilly frowned, "why would you say that?" She raised her voice a little.
• "Shush, don't shout" she looked at the other maids who appeared to be minding their own businesses before looking back at Lillian, "this morning, he personally asked for you."
• "What? No. Mrs. Paulina was the one that asked me to go meet him. You were the one that told me she was asking for me."
• "Yes, but sir had already come to the kitchen and asked for you. Mrs. Paulina only sent for you because she told him she would send you to him."
• "Oh" Lilly was surprised, why did he ask for her personally? Could it because he wanted her to see the inside because of last night? "I didn't know it went that way."
• "I know. Besides, you guys work in peaceful harmony."
• "How do you know that?"
• "I came by, thinking the work is too much and you guys will need help but I guess I was wrong. You didn't need any help at all."
• "I didn't see you."
• "I know."
• "Just what are you two whispering about?" Diana asked, "shouldn't you focus on getting those vegetables chopped before Mrs. Paulina gets back?"
• "And why can't you focus on your tomatoes?" Nora replied.
• "Hmph. Why am I bothered, it's you two that she would shout at anyway."
• "Since you know that why did you bother them?" Gina asked with a raised eyebrow.
• Diana looked at her and scoffed "who invited you fatty?"
• "Don't you dare start now" Gina was vexed.
• "Please not now okay, I wouldn't want Mrs. Paulina seizing my food tonight" Martha pouted.
• "All you care about is food, I wonder why you are not fat?" Patience wondered aloud.
• "Oh please, this body of mine is not meant to be fat."
• "Keep telling yourself that until 'boom' you will be fatter then Mrs. Paulina" Patience joked and the rest of them laughed.
• The said Mrs. Paulina entered then and they all shut up at once, "whatever that is amusing you girls I don't need that. Mrs. Lockwood is back and we need to hurry up now" she said, dropping the plate Shane used to eat in the sink.
• "Yes Mrs. Paulina" they all chorused, forgetting about their earlier discussions and carrying on with their work.
• ***
• In the living room, Shane was sitting on the couch, sipping from the bottle of milk while his mother was making herself comfortable on sofa, she dropped her handbag on the side stool beside the sofa, "so, how was the findings?"
• "You won't be surprised to know that we did find residues of explosives" Margaret answered and Shane smiled.
• "Indeed. So what is to be done now?"
• "I suppose the company's PR will handle that one" she paused for a sigh "now the people and the families affected will see that we were wronged. Someone is trying to frame us and who knows, the press might help us in digging out who it might be."
• "Definitely not. The press won't be helping us in digging anything. The most important thing is that the PR will have that news released first thing tomorrow morning. That will put off the complaints of the families and the people, thereby giving us time to find out who sabotaged the bridge. Even if we don't find out who till next year, no one will blame us. Besides, they don't expect whoever that did it to leave out clues. I'm pretty sure they were not expecting us to think of inspecting the area for explosives. Now, the only people that will help us is the cops, it's now their own duty to find out who endangered lives. As a matter of fact, releasing the news tomorrow about explosives technically puts us out of the issue. We didn't do it means we didn't do it and our evidence is in that area and the information the inspectors got" he sipped his milk again.
• "You are right."
• "Of course I am" he smirked.
• "So, we should just carry on then?"
• "Actually mom, this incident affected us in it's own way. Even if the press release tomorrow will prove us innocent, we still need to do something to regain our position."
• "What do you propose we do then?" Margaret asked, kneading her temple tiredly. Her short blonde hair covering half of her face and her pale gray eyes settling on her son.
• "I say we compensate the affected families."
• "What? We are not the ones responsible for their losses."
• "Exactly mom, but we have to take the advantage when we see it."
• "What advantage? I don't see any advantage but unnecessary expenses."
• "Don't think about the expenses mom. Imagine what the society will say when the Lockwood's Inc and Enterprises, although already proven innocent but we still compensate the families affected and also took care of the hospital bills of those injured. The press will go wild with this news and our name will be the headlines for a couple of days and with us supporting the news behind the scene, it will last if possible two months. It will bring us to the limelight, our runaway investors and clients seeing how not only the press but the people vouch for us, they will all come running back and it will also attract new clients. Who wouldn't want to work with talk of the town company?" He raised an eyebrow.
• Margaret sighed, "you are right but it's going to cost us son. Ten people died and nearly fifty is in the hospital, do you know how much that will cost us?"
• "And how much do we charge a single client? How much do we make from a single contract? Mom, you have to spend to gain. Forget the expenses, no matter how much it won't reach fifty million, let to talk twenty even. Just bring out a few millions, compensate the families that lost lives with a million or half a million each then pay the hospital bills of the wounded. That's all, then sit back and enjoy the show. The ones that wants to ruin us don't know they paved way for us. Imagine how annoyed they will be when they see us soaring instead of falling" he sipped once again from his milk with an all too knowing smile on his lips.
• "Hmm" Margaret contemplated, "you are absolutely right son. Just why didn't you come back sooner?"
• "I'm here now" he grinned.
• "You will be starting work tomorrow."
• "Yes I know."
• "You can then do all these things you said. The boards will oppose but you will explain and convince them like you did to me know. The result will show them that you are indeed the rightful heir for that seat."
• "I know. Don't worry mom, I came back prepared."
• "I know you did son. Now if you will excuse me, I need to freshen up before Paulina serves dinner" she stood up and sighted Abigail entering the kitchen, "Abigail send for Julia and Rebecca for me, I need their help with something."
• "Yes ma'am" Abigail curtsied, "sir" she curtsied again to him before entering the kitchen. Margaret picked up her bag and climbed the stairs to her room while Shane relaxed on the couch, a smile on his face as he thought of how many ways to buy the boards hearts by uplifting the company.