Chapter 72 - Martha Shudders By A Smile

Chapter - 72

As the clock struck seven, the doorknob clicked open.

"I think Alex is not back yet. I didn't see his bike outside," Martha said, entering the house.

"He is working too hard. I told him to take it easy from the first day," George said, berating Alex.

"At least he is sincere towards his work, not like some lazy slob I know," Martha said, defending Alex and in turn made fun of her husband.

"Who are you calling a slob? And what did that good for nothing son of ours achieve? He is yet to bring a girl home. What's the use of working so hard. Don't you think so too, Alex?" George asked Alex, who was staring at them as they walked into the living room, but then it hit him, "Alex? What are you doing home?" George was surprised to find Alex chilling at home watching TV.

"Alex, you are home? And where is your bike?" Martha questioned.

"Will you guys take a chill pill?" Mrs Flores said as she also appeared in front of them.

"Mrs Flores, you are still here? Don't you usually leave before six?" George was surprised to see Mrs Flores still there. Unless he is home early, he hasn't seen her ever wait for them.

"Do you want us to answer, or you are just going to bombard us with questions?" Mrs Flores reprimanded the two of them, "Both of you have grown so old, yet there is not an iota of patience in you."

"Sorry, we will be quiet," George shrunk back like a turtle.

Alex, on the other hand, was totally enjoying it. It was hard for anyone to pull one over George. Although Mrs Flores was their housekeeper, she was a very authoritative figure in the family. Even Martha had to bow down in front of her when she was angry. Alex heard from his brother that Mrs Flores has been working here as a housekeeper for about a decade or so. She was practically a family member now.

"Didn't any of you see the brace on his ankle? The blood on his shirt and the bandages on his arm? He was in an accident, got injured, and that is why he is home without his bike. And that is why I have not gone home already," Mrs Flores explained to them, but her tone was still reprimanding.

"You got injured? Again?" George asked, bewildered.

"What do you mean by again? Do you think he loves getting beat up?" Mrs Flores berated George.

"No, I didn't mean that. I... I... just... " George tried to explain but was cut short.

"Then, instead of asking whether he is fine or not, what was that again all about?" Mrs Flores did not give George any face.

George could only stand with his head hung while Mrs Flores scolded him.

"I am going now. You both better take good care of him after I am gone," Mrs Flores delivered her judgment, and without allowing anyone to respond, she picked up her bag and left.

George and Martha could only nod in agreement and watch the cruel dictator march away.

All this while Alex was giggling nonstop. However Mrs Flores acted with him, it was evident she loved him the most. Hearing his giggles Martha and George glared at him.

Both of them walked up to him and sat in front.

"Now that the comedy central is over, do you mind telling us what happened?" Martha asked.

"It's nothing, serious, mom. The bone is fine, and only the ligament is torn while there are only a few scratches on the arm," Alex told them.

"We will come to that later, but what I want to know is that how did everything happen?" Marth asked.

"The thing is, my chief asked me and another colleague of mine, Amber..." Alex, after that, narrated all that happened today without leaving a single detail.

"Are you telling the truth?" Martha asked as she looked at him with her squinted eyes.

"Yes, I swear on the holy book," Alex swore with his right arm up in the air.

"So you saved the girl?" Martha asked at the end.

"Yes, I did" Alex nodded.

"Was she injured?" She asked.

"Not in the slightest," Alex said with his nose held high.

"Since you got injured saving the little girl. I won't pursue this matter any longer, but you need to be careful with yourself too. Don't go around getting injured," Martha said, "This is already your fourth visit to the hospital," Martha said.

"Fourth? How do you know that?" Alex asked, "One of them was totally off the record," Alex looked at her mother suspiciously.

"Ahh... Did I say four? I guess I had the numbers mixed up. I was throwing a random number at you. See, I was bang on," Martha said, trying to make up some random shit.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you keeping tabs on me?" Alex asked.

"Me? Spying on you? Don't be ridiculous... hahaha... Why would I do that?" Martha laughed off at his words.

But Alex wasn't going to buy this easily. He continued to stare at her without saying a word. Martha was getting nervous under that stare. She had never seen Alex look at her with those deadpan eyes. It was intimidating.

"Fine... Fine, I knew about it. But mind you, it was not me spying on you, but Rachel called me and said that you paid her a surprise visit." Margaret finally admitted but defended her involvement, "She said it was something I needed to know, and that's all. I didn't do it deli...."

"Mom... Mom... listen to me, shsshh... shhsshh..." Alex tried to stop Martha from going on and on and held on to her by her arms. When she stopped, he continued, "I don't mind you worrying about me. I love it when you do, but I don't want you asking others to keep an eye on me and my whereabouts. I won't like it. Hmm...?" Alex looked at Martha, asking for her understanding.

Martha, for the first time, felt she didn't know her Alex. Though there was this trademark smile on Alex's face, it was not sweet and assuring in the slightest. Fear sprouted in her heart. She looked at George, who also had wrinkles on his forehead and then smiled at Alex.

She extended her arm and gently cupped Alex's face, and with a smile, she said, "I will keep that in mind. Now, you just sit here. I will bring your dinner here after I freshen up," Martha told Alex.

"I also need to freshen up and change my clothes too," Alex said and tried to get up. It felt like he didn't even notice the change in his tone. For him, it was all jolly and fun like always with Martha and George around.

"Use the bathroom below instead. I will get your clothes from your room," Martha stopped Alex from getting up, "George, help him."

"How can you enter your adult son's room? I will go instead, " George said, and without waiting for her reply, went upstairs.

Alex just sat there as his parents got themselves busy assisting him. It felt nice for a change to just sit there and not do anything while the others were on their toes, ready to serve him.

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