No Way To Escape | Novel

CHAPTER 28: TIME OUT WITH RICK

The music was playing on its soaring high with all three of us grooving to the songs and syncing our lips to the lyrics. Then after some time I could just occasionally hear the voice of Murph, shouting from the back to lower the volume but I was not ready to pay any attention to it. It was really funny to watch Rick shaking and jerking his head with excitement.

After having traversed about three miles together, it was time for Murph to leave us and get going for her business purpose. Getting out of the car she went to Rick's side and kissed him on the forehead, bidding us two good bye. While I saw her walking away, she turned around and spelled out to me, 'Take care'. I nodded her back.

'So where to now, sir?', I asked Rick.

'Get me to something amazing', he replied me with a bossy attitude.

'Okay then...um ... What about a restaurant with all the delicacies which monsieur likes?'

'Yayy!!'. He couldn't have got an idea of the -sewer word but what it mattered to him was food.

'Let's go then'

And with this I drove both of us to Rory's kitchen, a big restaurant down the Greta Street with its characteristic chef portrait up above the entrance. As soon as we got into the restaurant, what followed was a huge influx of different dishes including Pasta, Chowder, Grits, Nuggets, Grilled Shrimp, etc. While Rick started feeding upon all those, I looked at him with amazement.

'Are you sure you can-'

He stopped me by flapping his hand at me, showing me his palm with all his five tiny fingers and then continued, 'Don't worry uncle. I am a spec-specli-'

'Specialist?'

'Yeah yeah that... Have some for yourself too'. He slid two dishes to me and then became busy in his munching.

I gaped at him with wonder and started having my meal.

'So tell me. Have you got any friends there yet?', I asked him.

'Hmm... There's Dave, there's Beck, there's Happy and two-three more'

'So you make friends quite easily, I see. I must tell you, I had real difficulty in making friends when I was your age'

'That must be'

'Must be? How?', I asked astonishingly.

'I just know that'

'And what makes you think so?', I asked him, squinting my eyes.

'Well... You are really that silent kind of guy, who doesn't want to talk to many. It would have been really difficult for you to make friends'. I scoffed.

'Ha! You are right, kiddo'

'See. Am smart'. I squinted at him again, but this time it was more of a scowling one.

'Now I want you to finish all your food'

My phone started ringing suddenly. I took it out. Murph Calling – it read and I picked it up.

'I suppose everything's going fine out there with you two', she said.

'Absolutely! No problem... We are presently at a restaurant and just see your son. He is not noshing anything!', I replied sarcastically.

'Oh, you know he is a shy kid'. Of course, she didn't get it. 'By the way, it's still an hour to go. Just tell me. How did it all happen?'

'Oh, just a sec'

I told Rick to be seated there and have his meal silently and walked out of the restaurant to have a chat with my sister.

'Um... I don't know exactly. He was absolutely fine before. But suddenly, his behavior started changing. He slowly stared to get crazy, you know, losing all his sanity. He used to get angry very easily and at the end, you know –'

'Ah! Poor man. Must have been hard times'

'Hm'

'Just recently I had a chat with Uncle Pete. He's trying to cope up well with his loss'

'He should, yeah'

'How's all others? Fred, Bob, I mean', she asked.

'Hm, they are doing well too'

'I just hope everything gets back to normal again, as soon as possible'

'I hope so too, sis'

'What are the plans for now?'

'Um... Nothing much. Have taken a small break from work, for two days I mean. But I will do the necessary work from home. I just want to get out of all these things happening in my life lately and start afresh'

'You should, dear. Okay... one of my colleagues is calling me. Have to go. Just take care of Rick and yourself and I shall call you when the meeting's over, okay? Bye Liam'

'Bye'

She hung up the phone and then went away for her meeting. I stood there silently for some minutes, just in front of the entrance with my back to it, amidst all the honking of the traffic, wondering about the mice.