Chapter 252: Call it what you want

Kristine and Chloe walked out of the apartment and saw Ronald. He was also getting down from his car.

''Isn't that your Ronald?'' Chloe pointed at him and Kristine turned. He was walking towards them from the car park. ''Did you call him to come with us?''

''No, I didn't''

''Hi, ladies'' he said to them.

''Hi, you didn't tell me you were coming to see me?''

''You said you were going to pick your mom from the airport today. I came to go with you''

''Oh, right. I did say that but I thought you would be busy this morning. I was going to call you after bringing her back from the airport''

''Well, I'm here now. I don't mind going with you''

''That will be great. I will leave her with you and join the girls in preparing the food for aunt'' Chloe said pushed Kris towards him.

''You…''

Chloe smiled and ran back inside, climbing the stairs to their floor.

''Shall we go?''

''En, let's go''

Ronald smiled finding her shyness cute. It was the first time she was acting shy in front of him and he took it as a good sign. She has always been a little too carefree with him. He was scared she was going to take their friendship too serious and won't be opened up to any changes though he confident in his ability to make her love him.

The three ladies on the top third floor of the building were looking at them from the window as they duo got into Ronald's car and he drove away.

…..

Ronald looked at Kristine whose hands were shaking even as she had them placed on her laps.

''Why are you nervous? We are just picking your mom from the airport''

''I know, right. but my mom can be a little… I am worried she might make things hard for you''

''Don't worry. I have a lot of good qualities. Here is a secret though; a lot of older people like me for no particular reason''

Kristine chuckled and looked at him, ''really? I didn't know you could brag?''

''If you think I'm lying, wait until your mother sees me. I bet she is going to like me. I am handsome''

''And you have confidence in your own looks too. I am learning about a lot of things about you today''

''And now, you are smiling. You look beautiful when you smile'' he said and turned to the airport road. His focus was on the road but he could still feel the piercing gaze of Kristine on him, ''you know… you shouldn't look at a man like that?''

''Huh? Like what?''

''I hope you are not seeing that actor in me?''

''Ray? What makes you think so?''

''The way you look at me is filled with so much affection. I know those aren't directed towards me too''

''I… I'm sorry. I just sometimes''

''It's alright. You broke up barely a month ago. it isn't easy to forget about people like that, but I hope you don't see him in me. I am my own person''

''I'm sorry''

''Instead of saying 'sorry', how about you start saying 'thank you' instead? I prefer thank you to sorry''

''Sor…'' Kristine pursed her lips and turned her face away. It was true for a moment she saw Ray in him. The way he always tried to calm him down was similar, but she knew they were different people and it wasn't fair to Ronald.

Ronald remove a tissue from his side and stretched it towards her saying, ''actually, it is good to have a good cry after something like that. It doesn't make you weak but, after crying once, you should let it go''

''I'm not crying'' she said, but her voice betrayed her. She snatched the tissue from him and he pulled over and got down from the car.

He leaned against the car and could vaguely hear her sobs in the car. He sighed and looked at her. She was crying.

''Should I make that man cry too?'' he suddenly asked himself, ''I really hate the person I like crying over another man''

He removed his phone and dialled a number that showed on the phone as 'first brother'. It soon connected and a husky voice spoke.

''Ronny, fancy seeing your call?''

''I have a favour to ask of you?'' Ronald said.

''Nice to hear from you too, little brother. This big brother and everyone else is doing well''

''Did you pick up Ginger from the airport yesterday?''

''My wife did, but Ginger said you found yourself a woman. Is that true?'' his elder brother asked.

''Are you going to help me out or not?'' Ronald asked impatiently.

''You little… what is it?''

''I want you to make sure Raylan Thomson doesn't get any projects to work on again. I want him completely out of the entertainment industry''

''What? What did that actor do to you? He is quite famous at the moment. It won't be easy to take him down''

''But, it isn't difficult to with you, so answer me. Are you doing it or not?''

''Will you perform the renal surgery on my business partner or not? I can even cause his agency to go backrupt if you agree to do that surgery''

Ronald sighed, ''that man's health is weak. His chances of survival is mild. It's almost less than 20% rate of success''

''But, you can do it if you put your mind to it. You are the only one I can trust to do this surgery. You are one of the top ten doctors in D-City who can perform even a 5% success rate surgery and succeed''

Ronald turned to look at Kristine and nodded his head, ''Send me the medical report, I will study it first but I am not promising anything yet''

''This girl must be really important to you?''

''Why? Are you going to tell grandpa about her?''

''No, but you should make sure our father doesn't see her. I sincerely hope what happened doesn't repeat itself''

''It won't. I trust Kristine, she is different''

'Then protect her. I will get on with what you asked me to do right away. Thanks for agreeing to perform the surgery''

''It wasn't an agreement. It was a coercion''

''You really have to put it that way?''

''Bye'' Ronald hung up and looked at the lady in the car. ''You really owe me one, Kristine Amanfo. I hope I am not wrong about you''

Ronald got back into the car and turned to face her, ''ready to go''

'En, what kind of call were you making? You had a rather serious expression on your face'' Kristine had sobered up.

''I was doing some cleaning up'' he said with a smile and started the car. Kristine wasn't sure what he meant by 'cleaning up' but she suddenly felt that it had a rather ominous meaning but she didn't ask further.

The ride to the airport was a quiet one except for the soft cool music of Westlife's 'beautiful in white' which was playing.

Kristine realised that Ronald was constantly humming to the song. It might have been a subconscious act on his part but she couldn't stop looking at him when he was doing that and would sometimes say the words out loud.

Looking at him, she smiled and found him quite adorable.

…..

Kristine ran into the airport waiting area looking for her mother while Ronald followed her with unhurried steps. He was patiently by her side.

''There she is'' Kristine pointed at a middle aged woman seated at a distance, 'let's go'' she subconsciously held Ronald's hand and walked towards the woman.

''Mom'' Kristine stood in front of the woman.

''You are finally here? I thought you were never coming. Who is he? New boyfriend?'' Mrs. Kate asked and looked at Ronald.

''Aunt, good morning. You are welcome to D-City. I am Ronald Mensah'' Ronald introduced himself.

''You got a nice lad there, Kris. I like him already'' Mrs. Kate said and Kris turned to look at Ronald. He had a look that seemed the say 'told you she would like me'.

''I hope your trip was a fruitful one?'' Ronald held the woman to stand up and even took the luggage with one hand while his other hand held unto the woman's hand as they chatted and walked out completely ignoring or should she say forgetting about her? Kristine sighed and walked fast to catch up with them.

In the car, Mrs. Kate sat on the front seat along with Ronald who was doing the driving while Kristine sat at the back. those two kept chatting about a lot of things she didn't understand.

Kristine's mother was a broker and it seemed Ronald had a lot of knowledge in that aspect so they kept talking about the stock market and other things she couldn't understand. She removed her phone to send a message to the girls to get ready and be at the door to welcome Mrs. Kate.