Chapter 19 | Love at Sixty
Nick, Nate, and Gin sneaked their way down the stairs and into the kitchen where the backdoor was. Felix, Axel, and Jackson followed closely behind them, but not tiptoeing like the other three were. It almost seemed like they were spies trying to get their mission done.
“What are you doing?” Rita asked with a raised eyebrow. She just got out of the kitchen where the boys were supposed to go into.
Startled, Nate stepped back a bit as he almost knocked the glass of water off of Rita’s grasp. “Oh, nothing,” he said as he scratched the back of his neck, laughing awkwardly as he threw her a sheepish grin.
“We were just wondering if we could help you down here,” Nick lied and flashed a charming smile, enough to make Rita believe him. Rita smiled back and led them inside the kitchen.
Axel sat down the counter stool and flashed Nick a glare. Nick only grinned at him and opened the refrigerator behind him. Gin sat beside Axel and watched his brothers: Nate was in front of the sink, staring at the dishes after Rita told him to wash them; Felix snatched the apple Nick just picked from the fridge; and Jackson now had the feather duster in his hand, his eyes looking bored and dull as he dusted the spotless kitchen counter.
“You know what, nana, why don’t you take a rest?” Nick said as he closed the fridge with a loud thud. “We will do the groceries for you, too.” He flashed Rita a convincing smile and winked at the boys meaningfully, telling them with his eyes to quickly back him up.
Nate got the hint and quickly said, “Yeah, go ahead and rest, nana. Such a beauty like you shouldn’t overwork and get tired.” He walked up to Rita and gently gave her a massage on her shoulders to which she quickly swatted his hands off of her.
“Don’t be stubborn, nana,” Felix added and led Rita to sit on the counter stool. As she sat down, Nate’s hands found their way again on Rita’s shoulder. This time, however, Rita allowed herself to enjoy the much needed massage on her stiff shoulders. “Nate, lead nana to her room while we check what we should buy in the market.”
Nate glared at Felix, but quickly shifted his expression into a darling smile as Rita stood up and turned to face him. “It’s nice of you boys to help out. You don’t need to, but I could really use a bit of your help. The moon goddess will bless you a hundred fold!” she said and flashed the six young mean a warm smile.
Nate, now feeling guilty, took Rita’s hand and gently ushered her upstairs to her room. When the last strand of Nate’s blue highlights disappeared out of sight, Felix quickly helped Axel stand and Jackson left the feather duster on top of the table to guide his injured friend. Nick led the way out of the backdoor through the kitchen and Gin followed behind them, tiptoeing carefully like a five-year-old afraid of getting caught stealing a candy.
“Where do you think you’re going?” a guard asked out of the blue, startling all of them. Their eyes widened as they glanced at one another, panicking as calmly as they could. “And why do y’all look like you’ve seen a handsome ghost?” he further asked; his right brow raised in suspicion while his hands were placed on the side of his hips, looking like an impatient mother ready to scold her naughty children.
“Indeed,” Nick began, smiling casually, “you are handsome, sir. Ghosts would be more than surprised you exist.”
The guard grinned upon hearing his comment. He ran a hand through his gray hair and posed like a model – his head held high, trying to look wistful, and his right hand on his hip while the other tucked coolly in his pocket. At first glance, he definitely looked nothing like a sixty-year-old divorced man.
“The sun would be envious of the hotness you radiate,” Felix added, fueling on the guard’s confidence.
“The moon goddess would have fallen in love with you if she had met you sooner,” Axel said in a poetic tone and the guard smiled even wider as he stared into the distance, trying to look dreamy as he slowly nodded his head.
Gin suppressed a laugh and said, “The beauty of the sun and moon combined would be no match for your celestial charm.”
Then there was Jackson who hesitated, but said nonetheless, “No other earthly being could surpass the appeal you posses. Bless us with your charm, sir.”
The guard was still in his pose and stayed like that for about a minute then glanced at the boys with a satisfied smile. He took a long, deep breath in and slowly exhaled. His expression changed from a smile to a grim frown upon releasing the very last air from his inhalation.
“I am grateful for the compliments, boys, but those are facts I already know,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone and walked closer to where they stood. “Where are you going? Boss clearly told us to keep an eye on you.”
“Well…” Nick trailed off as he thought of an excuse. “We are going grocery shopping for Nana Rita. Yep. That’s what we’re up to. Right, boys?” he said, urging the others to respond. The other five quickly agreed and nodded casually.
“Rita?” the guard repeated; his tone changing into a gentler and softer one, saying Rita’s name like she was his lover. “Don’t try to trick me. I’ll check if you’re telling the truth.” He grabbed his phone sticking out from his back pocket and the sound of dial pads filled the silence among them.
Rita picked up from the first ring and asked in a soft voice, “Rico?”
Rico cleared his throat and motioned the boys to be silent. He turned off the loud speaker mode and moved away from the boys, clearly not wanting them to hear their conversation.
“Are they dating?” Felix asked incredulously, suppressing a chuckle.
“Love at sixty isn’t impossible after all,” Nick said, nodding his head.
Gin chuckled. “You won’t wait ‘til you’re sixty to fall in love, will you?”
Nick only stared at the youngest, speechless.
Rico came back and was in a better mood after talking to Rita, his frown gone and was now smiling. “Off you go. Thanks for helping my Rita. I mean, Rita. Just Rita. I said Rita!”
Felix chuckled. “We heard you, buddy.”
Rico was left flustered as he watched the boys get into the black Rolls Royce. As the car drove out of de Lima’s residence, Gin spoke. “Don’t you think we’re forgetting something?”
“Like what?” Felix asked beside him. Gin only shrugged and racked his mind, but couldn’t think of anything.
After a while of silence, Nick’s phone rang. “Oh, look. Nate’s calling,” he said, unbothered.
“Oh,” Axel breathed. “We left Nate behind.”