The Seductress

Susan bolts out of the couch at the sight of the man who’d just walked in.

“You’ve grown so pale Susan” He groaned as he stops in front of her. Susan eyes filled up in hot tears.

“Miguel!” She gasped out, voice bellying lots of emotions as she swept her eyes over him. His grey hairs; it was longer and styled to perfection. He’s grown a lot more older than she last saw him, and his warm eyes was tinged with sadness. With a step forward she collapsed his arms and gave way to tears.

Miguel holds her lean frame to himself as he hugged her. Pain twisting in his gut at how lean she was. She isn’t that graceful young looking lady from years ago. He kissed her hair continuously as his shirt muffled her loud sobs.

Wayne rakes his hair and cussed under his breath. Hell!. how did he get here?. How did he manage to track them all the way from Los Angeles?. Miguel… his godfather and Fiona’s godfather too.

Miguel has been his dad closest pal even before he courted Susan. They had grown up together and scaled through thick and thin before finally becoming billionaires.

The bond they shared was unimaginable. He grew up thinking Miguel was his uncle. He grew up to the sound of miguel’s laughter echoing down the hallway in his dad’s mansion. He grew up to seeing Miguel teasing Susan in front of his dad. Found him sides by side with his dad in all the pictures hung around the mansion. Family vacations and he was always there. Fiona was his favourite and she’d come to love him as much as she loves Greg. He never had a wife and enjoyed the flings and smash-and -pass kind of life.

A week before Greg died was when they last saw him. When Greg died he wasn’t there. Not even at the funeral. Never picked their calls or answered texts. Susan was devastated cos she was so close to him. She felt betrayed that he’d abandoned them when she needed him the most. Fiona couldn’t get over it for months and it felt like they lost two people instead of one.

And now years later he’s showed up at their doorstep like nothing happened, like it was just a day ago since he left. Funny thing is Wayne was never mad at him. He knew Miguel better and knew he’d never abandon them.

Wayne sighs and shoves his hands deep into his slacks pockets as he returned his gaze back to Susan sobbing against his chest.

“I’m so sorry Susan, for leaving you for this long” He groaned, the anger evident in his voice. Angry at himself. He slowly pulled away as his eyes stops on Fiona standing at the doorway. She bite down at her lips, fiddling with her fingers. Nineteen yet still petite, beautiful and always childish.

“It’s r-eally you h-uh” She voiced out, her voice wavering slightly. He nods and a vein twitched in his jaw. She sucked in her breath.

“You’ve changed a lot” She sniffles and wipes her wet cheek.

“…. I never knew you’d come back” She added with a teary scoff, anger etched in her voice. a dark shadow crossed his face. Fiona words hurts him than anyone else.

“Fiona… you don’t hate me do you?” He groaned. It was all too familiar. it felt like yesterday when he’d ask her the same question with a funny face after he’d reprimanded her. And she’d giggle and run into his arms, saying she could never hate him. She struggled to push back the tears. Now that seems like a billion dollar question as she watched him across the living room, Taller than before, with his usual cool gait.

“For the first time Miguel….” She trailed off and shook her head. “I’m not sure of myself anymore!” She croaked, choking on her tears as she curved her feet, running down the hallway to her room and slamming it so hard that that the hinges creeked. Moments later the clicking sound of the doorlock followed.

Susan shut her eyes and placed a palm over her mouth. Just when she vowed she’d protect them she had failed sooner than she expected.

Wayne cussed as Miguel lowered himself into the couch. He knew what was coming next, Miguel had always been softhearted and he’d always be.

He watched as Miguel took off his glasses and soon, he was sobbing.

Miguel stared at the closed door for the thousandth time.

“Fiona…. I hate myself for letting you feel this way… you know I’d rather die than make you hate me… you just have to hear me out” Miguel pleaded as he stood outside her door. Hours had dragged on slowly and he’d let himself sob out the pain and anger.

Susan and Wayne had let him relieve his emotions. They knew him too well. Well enough to know he doesn’t need to be consoled until he had sobbed out his pent up emotions and that naturally took hours.

The continuous muffled sobs from Fiona only cut right through his heart. He’s pleading for over an hour and she wouldn’t budge.

“Come on Fiona, two minutes and I’m out… you could kick my ass out too if that’s what you want” He said it the same way he always told her whenever she was sulking, only that it didn’t seem to work this time. He clenched his teeth and pushed back his hair. Susan watched him from the living room and gave him a sad smile.

Wayne was out on the patio, probably on a glass of wine and trying to clear his head. Miguel sighed and took a step back.

“I’m sorry Fiona, but I’d just have to leave. I can’t bear to hear your sobs anymore… ” He faltered and paused hoping that would do the trick. That had always been the trick.

It worked. Ruffling of bedspread and shuffling of her feet and soon the door creaked open and she stuck her messy hair mass out. Her face pinkish from crying. She wiped her runny nose and stared emotionlessly at him. It tugged his heart.

“Just two minutes Miguel and I’d kick your ass out of our lifes if it’s not worth the time” She stepped out, siding past him and striding to the living room.

He sighed out in relief and followed suit. Fiona plonked down the couch beside Susan and hugged herself. Miguel leaned against the wall and hung his head. It took him a full minute to overcome the shame he felt before he started.

He was a dick. Dammit he was!. He had this unsatisfying urge for anything in skirt. Greg had advised him to get a wife and settle down. But he couldn’t. Greg had told him one night that they would be having a business trip and he wanted miguel to tag along, but he had declined. He couldn’t go with him cos he was going on a vacation with one of his flings. Greg had been displeased but the dick he was he couldn’t change his mind.

A week later he was in a first class flight with a sexy Russian girl and all the cash one could dream off. She was heavenly, Russian girls were always so sexy and he couldn’t wait to get down with her.

They had crazy fun. Had wild sex all day in the expensive convo he booked. Ate out in expensive restaurants and several tours. He felt good, she was good and for the first time he wanted to keep her little longer.

A week later the fun ended. It took a glass of wine and a quickie to stop all the fun. He woke up hours later to find himself in a deserted part of the town, miles away from the city. Stripped bare of his clothes except his boxer briefs and a short note. His phones, money, and car was stolen by the Russian girl.

It was a setup from one of his clingy girlfriends he had dumped. She wanted commitment and had been mad when he had called it off. She had promised to pay him back. He never knew it would come as a sexy Russian bitch. It had taken him a week to walk the long miles back to the city. He had painful blisters and several bites from insects. It took him another two weeks to treat himself and put a call across his secretary.

Soon he was on his way back to Los Angeles. He returned home to the news of his best friend’s death. It was a big blow, one that sent him straight to the hospital. He never forgave himself. As long as he was concerned he killed Gregory. He fuckin did.

He knew of the many times Susan visited his home. But he gave strict instructions not to tell her of his condition. It was shameful and he wanted to get better before he could face her. He was more like a betrayal, running after a girl while his best friend was six feet beneath the ground. Only that when he was okay months later, he was greeted with the sad news that they had moved out, Greg’s properties confiscated cos he was running a huge debt.

When he was done with his shameful tale it was late noon. Fiona sighed and shook her head. Susan face was expressionless and Wayne who was leaning against the doorframe took everything in one bit.

“Dad had always warned you Miguel” Fiona broke the silence, running her hand through her hair.

“Maybe If you had agreed to go with Dad, he would still be alive, cos you know he’d never take that flight… you would have chosen another, it’s a good thing you know you’re also responsible for his death” She voiced out accusingly.

“Fiona!” Susan reprimanded tugging at her arm. She rolled her eyes and got off the couch.

“I’m famished mom, I’d be in the kitchen if you need me” She gives her a tight-lipped smile and trudged to the kitchen. He obviously can’t come into their lives after years of waiting, things don’t work that way.

“She’d get over it Miguel.. try to cheer up” Susan smiles at him and he shrugs and leans off the wall.

“I’m sure you’re exhausted. I’d go cook something nice for you” She tells him and walked past him to the kitchen.

Wayne sighed as he watched him. Miguel is feeling do damn guilty right now cos he knew it was true. Greg would probably still be alive cos he would have booked a different flight, not the one his Dad loves to take.

“Miguel… care for a drink?” He asked and Miguel sighed.

“Sure thing son…” He mumbled and trailed after him to the patio.

*****

“I’m sorry Wayne, I never realized how stupid I could be to have declined Greg. He was my best friend and best friends are there for each other…” Miguel mumbled as he chugged down his wine.

“There’s no need feeling guilty Miguel, You and I know you’d do anything to have saved Dad.” He shrugged as he leaned against the railings.

“So how did you manage to find us?” Wayne asked after some time. Miguel sighed.

“I knew Susan had always loved Miami and so I figured out y’all might have moved down here. It was hard to track every rented apartment here but I finally did” A small smile tugged at his lips as he said those words. Silence followed as Wayne mind wandered. Thousands of thoughts filling his head.

“You know Miguel….” Wayne started after a while.

“I find it so hard that Dad had a lot of cash and yet he never left a will, nothing for his family. Just huge debts that surped all the properties he had acquired over the years!” He groaned, taking a swig from his drink.

Miguel sighed and quietly sipped at his wine. Long minutes passed and Wayne thought he hadn’t heard what he said.

He finally groaned and chug down his wine.

“Who said he didn’t leave a will…. son” He mumbled and cocked his brows at him.

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