Cool After Storm

Dimitri sighed when he parked some streets to where he lives. A very strange habit he had grown over the past few years.

When asked why, he just looks and shrugs. No definite explanation for doing so.

He looked back at the food he bought for him and his friend who was staying over then the encounter he had with the golden-brown-haired lady resurfaced in his mind.

If he was going to be true to himself, he mostly was at fault because he had been taking a call from one of his clients who liked to provoke him at any instance he got.

He got into a heated argument with the client in question and when he threw his phone at the passenger seat, he realized he was still on the road driving and hadn't been watching where he was going. Then the lady filled his line of vision and he had to press the break on time else it would have been a different story.

He had already caused enough drama for his family and this will just make his dad view him as irresponsible over again and again, he doesn't know how much longer his mum will take his shit.

"No more drama for you boi" he muttered then got out of his car and grabbed the food from the back seat.

He properly locked the door and began walking in the way of his apartment building.

Why he chose to live in an apartment building instead of the penthouses his dad left for him to stay in was best known to him.

He could have the world in the blink of an eye, at the snap of his finger everything would be handed to him. Everything money, power, and connections could buy. Only that, nothing else.

He wants something else, not the regular thing he can get, something that would not be easily handed to him when he requests for it. Something that would at least put him to the test.

At least.

Even with his and his father's business blossoming, he still didn't find any satisfaction in anything gotten from the hard work.

Most times, he likes to think investors like to take things easy with him due to how he suffered in the past. So, he tells himself he doesn't deserve all these. All is a product of his father's years of hard work and resilience.

Something he lacked so badly.

In no time, he was standing in front of his apartment building.

He stood there for a while then let out deep breaths before proceeding to go inside. He enters his apartment, removes his shoe by the door, and pulls out his jacket.

"You could have knocked," Aiden said when he turned to glance at him from watching a show on TV.

"I live here dummy" he threw his jacket on Aiden then walked up to the kitchen to lay out the food for them to eat.

"What did you bring home, boy?" Aiden walked up to him and went to grab some plates. "I hope it's not cold because I can't stay hungry any longer"

"Then don't eat. I got delayed on my way so, you either eat it like that or wait for me to warm it up" Dimitri shrugged when he looked at him.

"You are not very nice" Aiden comments, he grabs an apple and takes two big bites from it.

"Not to you my dear friend" he continues pouring the food onto plates and then putting them in the microwave to heat up.

He set the timer to fifteen minutes when it would be done in just five minutes.

"How many minutes?" Aiden asked.

"Six" he responded in a serious tone.

"You're provoking me with just a minute extra" Aiden glared at him and he shrugged and then grinned.

The two men sat in silence for about a minute or two then Aiden looked up at Dimitri from his phone to ask.

"Why did it take you time to get here?"

Dimitri raised a brow at him the sighed "Nothing in particular" he responded.

"How about trying to kill an innocent woman you went all ballistic at?' his subconscious taunts and he groaned.

"I knew it," Aiden shook his head and then relaxed against the counter after grabbing another apple from the fruit tray. "What happened?"

Dimitri shoots a brow up "You don't think I might have caused something bad to happen?"

"You are not entirely bad luck, just a little loose screws here and there but you're still tolerable and I don't believe the press more than my best friend"

"Aww, that's the sweetest thing anyone said to me" Dimitri batted his lashes which provoked a dirty look in his direction. "Frankly, nothing. Nothing important" he said when the hurt look the young woman had on her face flashed through his mind.

"If you say so," Aiden said.

Then Sofia, his estranged cousin's glare filled his head and he let out a sigh. He and his family are willing to welcome Sofia with open arms if only she stops bei-

"Hasn't that stayed in for almost twenty minutes?" Aiden's voice brought him back to reality "It should make a 'bing' sound unless it's broken"

Dimitri looked at his watch and saw that it was almost thirty minutes since he put it in and it didn't make that 'bing' sound.

He turns to check the food only to realize he didn't turn it on and the timer thing was probably broken. He turns to Aiden.

"Guess we'll have to eat this like that or wait for another six minutes" Dimitri laughed.

"You damn idiot"

---

"Shh, don't make too much noise" Audriana whispered.

"Think they are still asleep?" Sofia whispered back.

"I think so, just don't make so much noise"

Both ladies quietly got inside and then walked gently to the kitchen with their shoes in their hands.

"We would have put our shoes by the door when we came in" Sofia whispered when they placed their shoes on the floor.

"Tomorrow please" Audriana sighed. "I'm tired"

"Same here boy" Audriana rolled her eyes and then went to look for something they could eat. "Anything we can dabble quickly?"

"Pancakes, donuts, rice"

"Eggs?" Sofia asked.

"You're making the omelet" Audriana brought out the pancakes from the fridge and then went to warm them up in the microwave.

Sofia went on to start making the omelet.

"Guess we would have something decent to eat this late if I didn't delay or trip here" she sighed.

"Blame yourself one more time and you'll get the back of my palm as a reward" Audriana glared at her.

"What can I do? I still have all these feelings bottled inside of me like they will burst any time from now," she lets out a sigh. "It's all getting to me" she sounded frustrated.

"Stop bottling them up then. Let them out, you might not feel completely relieved but that will be a problem half-solved"

Suddenly, Sofia felt sad, she looked up at her friend with somber eyes.

"Audri, about earlier. When we were in the car, I didn't mean t-"

"Oh come on, no. I understand you" Audriana smiled at her then took out a bottle of milk for them to share. "Good thing you're my bestie, else, I'll have your behind smacked" she joked.

"By who exactly?" she rolled her eyes.

Audriana stopped to think for a while before letting a smile grace her lips. "Hmm... probably, Miles?" she wriggled her brows with a grin.

Sofia stopped what she was doing "Miles? My mum's doctor?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Oh please, you think I didn't notice how he looked at you? He seems to care for you a lot" she grinned.

"Because I am his patient's daughter. Miles is a good man and although he was transferred here over a year ago, he seems more like family" Sofia grinned at the thought of the moments she spent with him and how caring he has been towards her since he became her mum's doctor.

"I know that smile" Audriana passed her a glass of milk and took some for herself.

"What smile?"

"You like him" Audriana stated and didn't wait for Sofia to answer when she asked "Tell me you're done making the omelet. This is like a talent of yours I am proud to flaunt to my many bachelor friends," she said sarcastically.

"First, you have no friend aside from me, and if you want a good omelet, you should be able to wait for hours to get it. Maybe one to three hours," she shrugged then put the pan on the counter for them to eat. "Ain't eating from a plate"

"Too lazy for that? Me too" Audriana passed her a fork and they started digging in. "I'll give you credit for this. It tastes good, I'm surprised" she whispered the last part.

"I deserve the credit genius, I made it"

"Thank GOD you aren't burglars," the voice of a woman said and it scared both friends.

"Mom,"

"Mrs. Bernard," they said in unison as they looked at the kitchen entrance to see Moana Bernard standing there with a baseball bat in hand.

Moana chuckled and walked up to the girls then she hugged them each.

"You were going to head-on face burglars?" Sofia asked with worry.

"Where's dad?" Audriana asked, "You would have woken him up, like what if it was a real burglary and they have guns?" Audriana was exasperating.

"I have always wanted to face burglars and beat them to a pulp," she grinned and placed the weapon on the floor.

Sofia smiled and then looked at Audriana "I love your mum even more now" she grinned widely.

"I'm panicking here Sofia Maya Ana Gabriella De Leon and you’re trying to encourage her to do something like that?”

“What? Your mum became way cooler than before and I am just appreciating her for that” Sofia bumped fists with Moana “Dear fierce woman of great strength, I seek your wisdom and light in the right path, Milady,” she bowed and it made Moana laugh.

“It’s good to feel young once again” Moana joined them in the late-night eating.

“Yeah, unlike someone here,” she pointed at Audriana who rolled her eyes.

"I don't want you doing these dangerous kinds of stuff. Yours and dad's safety is a priority to me and if you get hurt, I'll be worried and that means I will not be able to do anything or achieve my dreams like you want me to do" she fake cried and said the words she uses to keep her mum from showing how much of a dare-devil she is.

"Yes Mum, I heard you" Moana rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious Mum,"

"I will never do anything bad to make you worried about me or your father," she kissed her forehead. "I appreciate you caring for us, it showed that we raised a caring and brilliant young woman"

"Yeah, trying to get to my head" she rolled her eyes.

"Why the late night eating and what exactly happened that made you not come early today?" Moana asked looking at both ladies.

Suddenly the atmosphere changed. Audriana and Sofia exchanged looks and let out sighs at the same time.

They would have laughed that they did the same thing at the same time but that wasn't the time for that.

"Something happened? Tell me, what happened?"

"Sof"

"There was a problem at the hospital, Mum is undergoing some new treatment which may or may not take the cancer from her" Sofia swallowed hard when she said those words.

Moana held her arms wide for her to get in her embrace.

"I don't know how it will happen but everything will be good," she kissed her head "I know it, I don't know yet but I am sure it will be over soon" she assured.

"That's why I am glad that I have you guys in my life. I know that no matter how rough things get, you guys will be with me every step of the way"

"Keep that assurance with you girl, we gat you" Audriana patted her back and her mum invited her to join the hug which she did.

They stayed in silence, just enjoying the comfort they brought each other. The silence was cut by the voice of Kingsley who was standing by the kitchen entrance, only he was holding a jug.

"Thought it was a burglar" he shrugged and then came to hold his wife. "No one told me about the midnight party going on here"

"It's an all-girls party hubby," Moana said and he laughed at that.

"A jug? Seriously Dad?"