by Flame Dragon
Mathew was sweating profusely Natasha noticed that.
“You’ll be fine,” Natasha said patting his back.
“Okay we’re in,” she said as the guards opened a large gate.
The gate was as thick as a wall reinforced with military grade steel.
“How did she survive outside these walls without being kidnapped,” Mathew wondered.
“Hey Raghu how are you?” Natasha asked the security guard.
“I am fine madam, I hope you have been doing well,” the guard responded.
Natasha nodded smiling.
“By the way your dad is not in a good mood I think it has something to do with you,” he whispered in her ear.
“Oh god!” Natasha thought looking back at Mathew.
There were many employees working under the service of Cornello. The Rodriguez’s had people to do everything for them from cleaning to cooking and even washing. One of the employees welcomed them.
“This way please Mr Rodriguez is waiting for you,” she said.
“So fast? Can’t he even wait for like 5 seconds?” Natasha thought annoyed.
“Nice place you got here! Are you sure yours is not a royal family?” Mathew asked looking around.
“She is royalty in everything except name,” Sakshi said.
“Oh I see! Come to think of it Sachin looks like a beggar in comparison,” Mathew quipped.
“At least he is better off then you,” Sakshi said not looking amused.
“Tell me now does it feel to be a lackey to someone like Natasha,” Mathew asked her.
“Stop it you two, why can’t you guys just tolerate each other for heavens sake!” Natasha said annoyed.
As they walked towards the mansion there stood a large statue of an angel with spear in one hand and a jar on the other standing atop a demon. It was right in middle of the courtyard and surrounded by a pool of water with a fountain of water flowed out of the jar. Mathew stood there in awe starring at it.
“Impressive isn’t it?” Natasha asked when she noticed Mathew stopping there.
“Never seen anything like it,” he said amazed by the beauty of the sculpture.
“My dad loves art especially those connected to Christianity,” Natasha informed him.
“He has good taste’s,” Mathew agreed.
As they entered the mansion they found more of such artworks inside paintings, sculptures of stone and wood decorated the walls and rooms, even the main entrance door had images carved into it.
On the ceilings hung Chandelier’s of all shapes and sizes which beautifully decorated the rooms and gave it a unique look. Even the curtains looked plush and grand and the Sofa’s were covered in velvet.
Rubbing his chin Mathew wondered why would Mr Rodriguez invite a stranger like him here that too after learning he is a former gangster.
“This way please,” the employee guided them up the stairway.
“He is in the study room knock thrice and enter,” said the employee before leaving.
Natasha knocked thrice and the three of them entered.
The room was big and filled with book shelf’s 10 feet tall all neatly placed in rows and columns in the left side of the room. There was an open space at the front near the entrance with a tepoi surrounded by three Sofa’s. To the right side of the room there were huge glass windows nearly 8 foot tall they were all kept open to let the breeze in. Near one of those windows there was an aged looking man sitting on the chair. He was plump man with a big stomach and a thick moustache which was twirled at the ends. There was a woman employee standing next to him holding some books. The man wore glasses that were used to read.
“Good evening dad,” Natasha said bowing her head slightly.
“Good evening sir!” Sakshi wished him as well.
“Good evening girls,” he replied.
He pulled down his reading glasses a bit so that it rested on his nose and looked from above the rims of his glasses at Mathew.
Sakshi nudged him with her elbow.
“Oh ah good morning?” Mathew wished him.
“Oh crap,” Sakshi thought.
“Its evening,” Mr Rodriguez corrected him.
“Oh ya sorry good evening,” Mathew wished him again.
“Take them please,” he said handing his book over to the woman who took his books and began placing them back in their shelf’s.
He gestured them towards the sofa and they all made themselves comfortable there.
“The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald,” he said taking a seat.
“What?” Mathew asked confused.
“He doesn’t read dad,” Natasha answered.
“Of course he doesn’t, you really have a bad taste when it comes to making friends,” Mr Rodriguez said looking at Natasha now.
“We’ll I do read my text books you know!” Mathew said.
“Oh really? How are your exam scores?” he asked him.
“He is a topper in our class,” Sakshi said.
“Hmm…..interesting you need to work harder,” he said addressing Natasha.
“Yes dad,” she answered obediently.
“See her choice of friend’s isn’t all that bad,” Mathew informed him.
Mr Rodriguez laughed at that “Your right my boy you had me mistaken”.
“But still I heard you have caused my daughter quite a bit of trouble,” he said Mathew.
“No dad its not true I got into trouble ever since I got into that college, its not his fault,” Natasha defended him.
“So your going to blame the college now? You know it as well as I do that you were never like this, someone is to blame for this,” he pointed out.
“It was Sachin I think, that rich bastard has been after her since the beginning trying to win her heart, that’s were it all started,” Mathew said.
“Nooo!!!!” Natasha screamed in her mind.
Sakshi looked at Natasha and thought “Sorry sweety for bringing him here now its over for you two”.
“I am displeased Natasha……Mathew tell me more about this boy,” he said looking angry.
“Why? Why are you doing this to me……I hate you,” Natasha thought looking at Mathew she felt like banging his head with a piece of brick.
Mathew on the other hand took great pleasure at explaining to him every single detail including her kiss with Sachin.
Natasha was so embarrassed that she wanted to jump out the window. who in the world would want their most intimate moments shared with their parents?
When he had finished Mr Rodriguez said “Natasha you won’t ever see him again I will have him transferred at least then you can concentrate on your studies with no further distractions”.
Mathew had a smile on his face which made Natasha even more angry.
“But dad?” Natasha was desperate to stop him.
“It’s decided,” Mr Rodriguez said firmly.
“No it’s not,” said Mrs Mitchell Rodriguez as she entered the room.
She wore an elegant churidar with high heeled sandals.
“How long were you hiding at the door?” Mr Rodriguez questioned her.
“I didn’t! I just came from shopping when I heard my sweet potato was here I came running here as fast as I could,” Mrs Rodriguez said.
“Mom! Don’t call me that!” Natasha protested.
“Oh C’mon potato!” Mrs Rodriguez said.
“Woman mind your own business! We are having an important meeting here,” Mr Rodriguez said.
“Huh right! An important meeting without me? That too about our daughter? How dare you!” she glared at him.
“I am her father I have every right,” Mr Rodriguez said.
“And I am her mother I raised her! Besides I put up with all your stupid rules for so long…….I trusted you! But this is too far,” she said in a commanding voice.
She then looked at Natasha “Don’t worry potato he wont touch your boyfriend,” she assured her.
“Thank mom!” Natasha said fee
ling relieved if anyone could change her father’s mind it was her mom.
Most of the time her mom sided with her dad because she thought it was for Natasha’s own good but this time it seems she had a change of heart.
“By the way how was your kiss?” she asked Natasha.
“Mom!” Natasha screamed loudly.
“You can tell me everything after supper,” she said.
“She heard everything!” Natasha thought panicking.
“This is for her own good, just look at her grades its spiralling downwards,” Mr Rodriguez said trying to justify his actions.
“But that’s not true dad my grades are the same it’s just that I was outperformed,” Natasha objected.
“Silence! Don’t interfere when your parents are in discussion,” Mr Rodriguez said silencing her.
“See her grades are just fine!” Mrs Rodriguez pointed out.
“But…but its distracting her look into all the trouble she’s got into, even mixing up with thugs and criminals,” Mr Rodriguez said stumbling on his own words.
“Really potato is it true?” she asked Natasha.
“Well….Sachin was in trouble so I had to do something,” she said blushing.
“Ow That’s so sweet! But potato it’s a man’s job to protect a woman not the other way around,” Mrs Rodriguez proclaimed.
“Not that again,” Natasha thought.
“I think it’s best for her to finish her course first then we will find her a good husband,” Mr Rodriguez said.
“That’s so cruel you married me against your parents wishes but you won’t allow her to do the same?” she questions his decision.
“Situation’s have changed,” Mr Rodriguez asserted.
“No it hasn’t, besides I want our daughter to make her own choice’s,” said Mrs Rodriguez.
“Choice’s which she will regret some day,” Mr Rodriguez said.
“Do you regret marrying me?” Mrs Rodriguez asked in anger.
Mr Rodriguez chuckled he grabbed Mrs Rodriguez by the waste and pulled her towards him.
“Come here my busty queen,” he said and spanked her in the ass then kissed her lips and they both giggled.
Sakshi closed Mathew’s eyes “This didn’t happen,” she whisper in his ear.
“Yeah right,” Mathew thought barley holding himself, he almost burst into laughter.
“Mom we are still here you know!” Natasha protested at their embarrassing behaviour.
“What?” Mrs Rodriguez asked.
“For gods sake have some decency in front of us!” Natasha thought.
“Now now run along kids mommy and daddy are getting naughty,” Mr Rodriguez commanded.
“You guys are the worst,” Natasha thought as she got up and left along with Sakshi and Mathew.
The Deal
As the three of them were walking down the stare case Natasha turned to Mathew and said “What just happened that’s not how they usually are, my parent’s are better than that…….once you get to know them they are perfectly normal and not so…..weird,” she said trying to hide her embarrassment.
“I almost feel humiliated myself did they have no other time to do that,” Sakshi thought looking at Mathew.
“Come to think of it your mom is kind of busty,” Mathew said bursting into laughter.
Natasha got so angry that she kicked him in the shin.
“Ow!” Mathew howled in pain as he slipped and fell down the remaining stairs and crashed on the floor.
“Your lucky I am even talking to you….you ungrateful snake,” she roared and stamped her feet to the ground I anger before storming off.
“Hey! I almost died falling off those steps,” Mathew shouted as she left.
“I would be so happy if you actually died,” Sakshi said as she followed Natasha.
“Are you okay sir?” asked an employee as he came to help Mathew up.
“Who would have thought the Rodriguez’s had such short tempers!” Mathew said.
“She may get angry fast but she’ll cool down even faster, Miss Natasha doesn’t keep grudges,” the employee informed him.
“Thanks dude! The name’s Mathew by the way,” Mathew said thanking him.
“You can call me Ram, I hope you enjoy your stay,” he said with a smile.
Mathew turned to leave but then remembered something “W…w..wait! Where’s the kitchen by the way?” he asked.
“My friend you can’t steal from the kitchen its guarded by three chefs and 10 assistant’s it would be better to just wait for the dinner,” Ram said smiling.
“Who said I was hungry?” Mathew thought.
And so Mathew decided to have a look around he was excited. Mathew had an interest in cooking and the thought of three chefs who could teach him was a chance he didn’t want to miss.
“This is a damn big place,” Mathew thought. He wonder how did they manage to survive without getting lost here. The rooms and corridors were endless and sometimes it seemed he ended up reaching the same room again and again no matter how many times he tried.
He eventually decided to go upwards instead and thus reached the top. There was a room there filled with drawing and charts. A desk was at a window it was buried in papers and had a globe sitting at the edge.
There was a door that seemed to lead to the terrace so Mathew opened it and went out.
There was a telescope a big one and a slim man in suit was sitting in the chair tuning the telescope.
“Sorry about the room it may seem a bit messy,” said the man.
“Why don’t you have the employees clean it up?” he asked.
“They do that after I usually leave, a waste of time though because I would mess it up again anyway,” he said.
“I see that you are an enthusiast at these,” he said looking at a book placed near the telescope.
“I love watching the sky a bad habit of mine,” he said looking at Mathew.
“Nice!” he said looking up at the darkening sky.
“You must be Mathew right?” he asked Mathew.
“How do you know my name?” Mathew asked surprised.
“My daughter showed me the photo you gave her,” he said.
“Daughter?” Mathew was even more confused. “And when did I give my photo to anyone?” he wondered.
“Sakshi,” he reminded Mathew.
“Of course only Sakshi would be shameless enough to steal my photo,” Mathew thought. “Oh ya now I remember you must be her dad?” Mathew asked him.
“Correct the name’s Pramod shetty,” he said shaking his hand.
“Nice meeting ya,” Mathew said.
“Likewise,” Pramod replied.
“Tell me is it true…..that you were Rafiq’s heir?” Pramod asked him.
“What else did she tell ya hmm?” Mathew asked looking unhappy.
“Don’t get us wrong it’s just that for us protecting the Rodriguez’s is of primary importance and sometimes it means being a bit suspicious of others,” Pramod said trying to clear the misunderstanding.
“Looks like neither of you two trust me,” Mathew said looking grim.
“Can you blame us?” Pramod asked.
“Well guess I will have to earn your trust then,” Mathew said.
“If you can survive that long maybe,” Pramod told him peering through the telescope.
“What do you mean by that?” Mathew asked him.
“Rafiq wants you back alive….but what if—” Pramod stopped suddenly thinking deeply.
“What if?” Mathew urged him to continue.
“What if he gave up on you? What if he wants you dead have you ever gave a thought to that?” Pramod asked him.
“He would never do that,” Mathew answered looking down.
“How can you be so sure?” Pramod asked him.
“I have known him all my life he won’t do that,” Mathew replied.
“People can change we all change, don’t ever take anyone for granted,” Pramod warned him. “If h
e finally gives up on you then, it won’t be as easy as beating a few people up,” he told Mathew.
“Can you help me then?” Mathew asked him.
“Maybe,” be said turning the telescope a bit.
The sky was getting dark now and the stars were appearing in the night sky.
“Do something for me and I’ll make sure they will never touch you,” Pramod told him.
“What do you need me to do?” Mathew asked him.
He turned to Mathew and said “I need you to become Mrs Natasha’s boyfriend!”
“What?” Mathew asked in disbelief.
“I’m pretty sure you heard me right,” Pramod answered still looking through the telescope at the sky.
“I don’t understand,” he said confused.
“Well let me explain then,” he said offering to give Mathew a more detailed answer.
“You better do,” Mathew said irritated.
“Well you see Natasha getting into trouble herself thanks to this new boyfriend of hers—” Pramod began.
“She couldn’t help it,” Mathew cut him off.
“Please listen as I was saying Mr Rodriguez also has plans for her marriage with the son of a powerful politician you see this union will bring the family great political clout along with financial muscle,” Pramod explained to him.
“And it would seem that he can’t force her into an unhappy marriage if she already has her heart for someone else,” Mathew explained the rest.
“Very smart your right,” Pramod congratulated him.
“So in the end she is just a tool to be used for the good of the family?” Mathew asked outraged.
“She is the only heir, it has been willed by Mr Rodriguez himself you see this marriage will be for her own good, it will be so much easier for her then to expand her father’s business if she has political influence,” Pramod explained.
“I think it’s a bit of an exaggeration!” Mathew said unsure about this.
“It’s a powerful political family many of the relatives and both his sons are politician with high ranking positions in the government, this one marriage will change the entire game for both these families,” Pramod informed him taking notes in his book as he said so.
