The feeling was immense, overwhelming, heartwarming and shocking. Just as, if not similar to how he had felt a little over twenty-five years ago when Leah, his wife announced her pregnancy when they had almost given up on having a child after Leah was diagnosed of having a ten percent chance of conceiving.
He had been so shocked and the happiness he had felt was as much as the grief he had felt five months later when Leah had lost their child from emotional and physical pain and discomfort during a road attack orchestrated by a business rival. The pain had been with them for most of the past years. Especially Leah, who's condition deteriorated at the loss of the little chance she had of having a child or children of her own.
As much as they loved and valued their Master Ande Maverick - Richmond and Raymond's father and the entire family, they couldn't help but question a few times whether it was truly worth it for Leah to risk their hard-obtained child for Lydia Maverick ; Richmond and Raymond's mother's protection, which had caused her to have the Miscarriage during the attack.
Eventhough they ended up with the greatest loss during the attack, he knew the Mavericks shared a great percentage of their pain from guilt and to him, unnecessary self-blame over the incidence. Leah almost slipping into deep depression afterwards had caused the family to feel worse. Especially Lydia Maverick, who was almost due with her second pregnancy of Evana - her only daughter and was very fond of Leah.
In the end, Leah had to forcefully snap herself back from her depression when Ande Maverick had personally showed up unannounced at their doorstep in the middle of the night, begging them, especially Leah to help with his depressed wife who had locked herself up in their bedroom despite seemingly being in labour.
The already existing bond between them and the Mavericks had intensified and strengthened from there after Lydia delivered her daughter and decided to name her after Leah, which they had refused, telling the Maverick couple and a few family members present at the hospital they didn't want the girl to be named from feelings of guilt and overgratitude. Then Old Master Maverick and his wife; Evana Maverick decided to name the girl after her- her grandmother.
Being older and more experienced than them all, the older couple had waited for the name to be primarily given before explaining their reason for giving the name; Eva or Evana, meaning LIFE corresponds and fills the void of he and Leah's lost child. The lost girl child's void caused by death had been filled with life by the newborn girl child.
The explanation, though emotional and had caused both him and Leah to go back to grieving for a brief moment, then a new sense of happiness and comfort filled their sad hearts when Lydia had placed her new born child in Leah's hands carefully but casually, before turning and pretending to be sleepy, stating that she was tired and her child having two parents can be with her godparents while she got some sleep. Then drifted off to sleep for real soon after, leaving him and Leah no chance to object. It hasn't been surprising that Evana has grown to share a bond with them.
Now thinking about those sad-to-happy memories, Brian Lewis felt a sense of familiarity and had to take a deep breath to control his messed up emotions and focus on the issue at had. He heard Millicent Baron's voice and focused on it;
You can leave with your men now, Stella's not here."
" Good " Carlos Ridge replied in a relaxed manner. " For the sake of my future trainee and his sister, I'll leave and visit Stella at your hospital with my son Later. It's been very long since they last saw eachother."
" What has your son got to do with Stella?" Millicent Baron retorted with an extremely irritated expression.
" I am not going to be your trainee Old Man." Leo objected seriously.
" Aunt," Michael called gently but sternly, looking at Millicent Baron. " Let's leave."
At that moment Chris, who was on a phone call a couple of feet away since less than minute back finished up, and stepping closer to Michael, whispered - loud enough for the three close by to here;
" It was your mom, she wants you home for a family get-together dinner. She's been trying to get to you but you're not picking up."
Michael's expression turned worse and he let out a grunt in displeasure and irritation but otherwise didn't reply. Turning his attention back to Carlos Ridge, he glared at him and his men before turning and beginning to walk away in the direction he had come from; where he could see his personal assistant ; Conall in the driver's seat of the car they had left at Mrs. Klaus' house, waiting patiently. While from the half-closed window, he could see him with his signature silver rimmed spectacles, busily typing on his silver Laptop while looking up or around occasionally, and cautiously.
Walking briskly with his friends following him, he noticed from his peripheral vision, Carlos Ridge and his men leaving while Millicent Baron spoke urgently on a phone call as she and her guards made their way to the car they came in.
Though she sounded upset and was complaining to whoever was on the other end, Michael could bet from her tone that she was speaking to her husband; Griffin Baron.
" Michael!" Brain Lewis who was a short distance away behind, holding onto Leo and Leona's hands in each called abruptly. A brief moment later the twins separated from him and moved forward.
" Mr. Lewis." Michael responded calmly with a light impatience as he stopped in his tracks and looked back at the older Man who had a slightly serious expression on his face. On catching up to Michael, Brian Lewis said with a light smile tugging at his lips;
" Congrats, on your company."
An alert and cautious look crossed Michael's face a millisecond after a shock captured his neutral look. Understanding the young man's emotions, he quickly assured him. " Don't worry, only Mr. Maverick and I know about it. I just want to congratulate you, young man." Nodding continuously in approval, Brian Lewis raised his right hand and patted Michael's shoulder fondly.
" Well done. Just know that you have Maverick Group of companies' support if you ever, need any sort of help."
" Thank you, Mr. Brian." Michael said with a light smile. " Is this from you, or Mr. Maverick?"
" Us both." Brian Lewis replied with a light chuckle, then began walking briskly forward." Come on, let's catch up. I know where William took the girls."
" Do you think that man.... William is safe for Stella? And the other girl..... Anabel?" Michael asked as he walked beside Brian ." He knows a bit more than a normal stranger should. Who's he?"
Upon his last question, Brian Lewis found himself stopping unintentionally and staring at the young man. He looked a tiny bit taken aback and contemplative. A seemingly long moment passed as both men just stood looking directly into eachother's eyes. Being the smart young man he was, Michael detected the complicatedness and deepness of the situation and pulled the left side of his lips half-heartedly into a smile, then asked knowingly;
" He isn't just a stranger, right? And the entire family is hiding....from my family. Right?"
Sighing deeply and audibly in a mixture of resignation and awe, Brian Lewis replied; " Yes."
" Hah!" Michael let out with a humourless chuckle, shaking his head as he turned away - his gaze looking up into the horizon at nothing in particular. However, the familiar set of eyes and the undeniable intense look William had looked at him with earlier was all he could see at the moment. Then turning back to look at the older man, he continued; " My family, more specifically my dad wronged them and now wants them dead."
The last was a statement. He had figured out the simple half of what Brian Lewis couldn't tell him. And at that, the older man could only nod in reply before adding;
" There's a lot you need to know - Little Master, concerning yourself and your family. But right now, we're out of time and this old man can't reveal everything to you right now. I can . But it's too complicated for you to be told here - like this."
Listening to the older man speak so seriously and mysteriously, Michael felt his heartbeat quicken and his muscles tense up further. A possibility running in his mind from William's familiar visible characteristics. And with how the entire family seem to have the same eyes as his, he felt his suspicion growing. But nonetheless, he kept quiet for Brian Lewis to continue.
" All I can say is, that family, is absolutely harmless. If anything, it will be us getting too close to them that will put them in danger. Now Little Master remember something. The Barrett's are very important people to you. You're free to investigate their real or complete identity. But be very discreet as you would with Stella."
When Michael remained tensed and unresponsive, Brian Lewis flashed him a bit forced smile that took quiet an effort to bring out with the degree of tensed and serious emotions coarsing through him. Taking Michael a bit firmly by his shoulder, he steered him in the direction they were originally headed;
" Come on, let's get going. It seems Leo and Leona and the Little Masters are getting impatient." He chuckled in amusement, his eyes looking at the other cars disappearing from sight down the road in the direction William's car had gone.
" Okay." Michael finally spoke up in a slightly rough voice. His eyes having a deep and scary look upon closer look. His hands then pushed into the pockets of his pants, were balled into tight fists and his jaws clenched tighter afterwards.
******************************
Driving into their small three-bedroom apartment's compound, William got out of the car a very short while after a really quick packing. Getting out of the car, his gaze shifted to the now familiar car he had had a brief confrontation with its driver on the way for following him.
Squinting briefly at the young driver that looked to be his age and that was. Irritating him lesser now that he had gotten accustomed to, he quickly looked away and made his way to the back seat, where Ava and Eva were were still keeping a weak Stella awake and conscious with all sorts of narrations and complaints.
Having already unlocked the doors upon arriving, he opened the right side backdoor and reached in.
" Stella?" He whispered gently before turning to Eva who was near him and holding Stella in a tight embrace to hold her upright in the seat. " Come on out. We need to get her inside."
" Willi ..... she's not talking." Ava, who was on Stella's other side worriedly as she busily and frantically rubbed Stella's hand in hers for a second, stroked her face gently and her hair or back in the next. It could be seen that she was applying all the care-skills or tactics she remembered, or deemed necessary or important at the moment from her young and small memory to keep Stella awake as her Uncle had asked them to;
" It's okay Ava. You two did great." William assured the little girls as calmly and gently as he could at the moment - kissing Eva gently on the middle of her forehead. Then beconing Ava to come closer quickly, he repeated the action with her before holding Stella firmly and carefully as possible in his position and instructed. " You both should get out the other door.....okay? I'll bring Stella out."
" Okay." Both girls replied together with a single nod of their heads, and complied.
" A - Ana - bel....." Stella's weak voice filled the car at the same time Arnold Barrett's worried and suspicious voice was heard from the house's doorway;
" William..... what's going on?
In the next moment, as he carefully emerged from the car with Stella in his arms still mumbling Annabel's name, Anorld Barrett's anxious and slightly angry voice asked next; " Who's he, William?"
"Sorry I didn't give you a heads up Arnold". William apologized as he wheeled himself towards them with a grimace on his forehead. " But things turned a little unexpected and I couldn't contact you. My phone turned off."
Turning briefly towards the young driver of the other car now carrying an unconscious Anabel in his arms as he followed a short distance behind them, he continued. " That's Conall, Michael's personal assistant. He was asked to follow and help out."
" By Michael?" Anold William asked in a less doubtful and angry voice - his eyes scrutinizing conall and searching cautiously around at the same time.
" Yeah. I spoke to Michael on his phone." William replied. Noticing Anorld Barrett's questioning look after he nodded at him in understanding and visibly relaxed, he continued explaining the girls' state as briefly as possible. "Stella and Anabel need medical attention Arnold. But Reef is around C.C ." He just ended at that, knowing his brother would catch up. And he did.
" No. He would find out if things went as the girls foretold." Arnold Barrett said with a firm shake of his head in agreement.
" They all showed up. But we left before Ridge arrived." William answered. Stopping for a short moment by the entrance with an eyebrow raised in silent questioning.
" Hurry up - you two." Arnold said quickly, as he moved his wheelchaired self a little further away from the entrance than necessary. His eyebrows furrowed together in deep worry. " Get them inside.
The next moment, William and Conall rushed in with the girls. Turning his gaze back to Ava and Eva whom he was keeping an eye on from his peripheral vision all through the brief conversation, he noticed they were standing close to the cars - looking expectantly in the direction the cars came from, whispering occasionally to themselves.
" Ava! Eva!" Arnold Barrett called as he wheeled himself closer to his daughters who turned immediately and looked at him.
" Dad!!" Both girls responded joyfully, broad smiles on their cute and lovely faces. Their bright-blue crotchet hats on their heads did a good job at hiding their hair whilst adding to their beauty and cuteness.
" Come here.....my little princesses." Arnold Barrett said with a more cheerful and genuine smile at his daughters. His earlier feeling of worry and anxiety almost disappearing completely from the usual joy and light-heartedness he always felt from just seeing and being around his lovely beautiful little daughters. " What are you waiting for?
" Dad! Big brother is coming!!" The two girls said happily together - running to their father with broad and bright smiles. Their eyes filled and shinning with excitement, expectation and adoration as they practically threw themselves at their waiting father who held them carefully with laughter as his face was smeared with kisses.
" Really? Will he take long before coming?" Arnold Barrett asked as his own eyes and heart ignited with expectation and excitement. Much like Ava and Eva's. But almost immediately after, the visible light in his eyes dimmed and he seemed more controlled and reserved towards the earlier source.
" No. " Eva replied, shaking her head repeatedly. " Or.... maybe he will wait a little..... bit more."
" The beautiful doctor, and the nice older man.....and big brother's good friends. Another man, and Leo and Leona. They all will come too. " Eva continued, her smile not diming.
" Oh..... that's nice then." Anorld Barrett said with a smile as he adjusted each girl one of his thighs, then turned his wheelchair back towards the door. " We will...."
He was just beginning the second half of his sentence when the two girls sitting comfortably on him stiffened suddenly and looked upwards towards the window of the second room upstairs.
" What is it?" He asked, automatically tensing up and following the girls' gaze while his hands tightened protectively around them.
" Stella....Anabel...." Both girls whispered absentmindedly with panicked expressions. The next moment, William's frantic voice called out - filling the once calmer atmosphere;
" Anorld!"