"You are so generous with your praises, Helen. I am honoured to hear that." Rose smiled.She kept those words in her heart as her treasure. Ingrid is really her treasure, despite what happened to their family she saw how Ingrid accepted it positively and used the negative circ.u.mstances as her steps to success.
All of them fell silent; each has different thoughts on the matter.
"By the way, Mr. Vladimir, this meeting should be highly cla.s.sified. Do not rest until the culprit will confess who paid him to do it and the reason. Do whatever is necessary to make him disclose all information we need."
"Rest a.s.sure, sir."
"Good. Good."
The door suddenly opened and Clark emerged, running to their direction.
"Grandmas, grandpas, I think mommy and uncle Cliff will get married!" Clark happily announced.
All of the elders laughed, even Mr. Vladimir"s stoic appearance, his lips slightly moves upward but vanished swiftly.
"Why do you think that they"ll get married?" it was Rose who asked, still amused by her grandson"s a.s.sertion.
"Because mom said that uncle Cliff and I will do some testing, to find out if I am their son. Isn"t it great? Yippee I will have a complete family! I am excited about the test later." The child jumps up and down.
Helen was close to tears as she looks at him. "Come here, Clark." She embraced the child and kissed him on both of his cheeks.
"Why are you so adorable, huh?" then she tickled him.
After tickling the child, he slips from her grip and sits in between of his grandpas. "I am so blessed to have many grandpas and grandmas."
Clint was so entertained by the child"s merriment. He could not just sit and do nothing. He must do something to protect this child. But suddenly, he felt uneasiness when he is reminded about the DNA samples, its process and the DNA result.
....
Evening came. They were just enjoying having their dinner together, it"s as if that there"s no intense discussion happened earlier. All of them tried so hard to wipe away the tense atmosphere and just enjoy the good food the Briggs" served.
They were almost finished with their dinner when the butler announces the arrival of the DNA experts.
"Forgive me if I interrupt your lovely dinner, but the expected guests have arrived."
They looked at the butler and in turn he felt the scrutinizing stare of all the people present, as if he is killing their joyous moment.
Clark claps his hands soundly. "Yay! It"s test time. Come on, you guys! Let"s hurry. Aren"t you all excited? Because I am!" the child grinned to his mother and then to Clifford.
The child motioned to Cliff that he wanted to whisper something to him. Clifford indulged and bent his head down to Clark"s small hands.
"I know you are excited, too, uncle Cliff, and I just can"t wait that I could finally call you daddy!" Clark giggled after he whispered.
"You are such a clever boy!" he softly as he ruffled his hair.
All of them were just watching their interaction, and each having different emotions, amus.e.m.e.nt, concern and fondness.
Within minutes they went to the private room of the mansion. This is where Clint holds his cla.s.sified online conferences, cla.s.sified meetings. It"s a huge room painted mainly with white, gray and black. It has a long and customized conference table and black leather swivel chairs.
"What shall you do?" Clifford inquired the experts.
"We do the dry procedure. We will insert swabs that will sc.r.a.pe tissue from the inside of the client"s cheeks."
"How long DNA test result takes?" Ingrid asked.
"For a standard test, that is testing one father with one child, the test result will only take one to two business days once the samples are received."
"So you mean to say, that after you take the samples here, you will go immediately to your lab and test the samples?" It was Rose who questions.
"Yes, Ma"am. It has been a direct order from the higher ups since the request was made by our sponsor. May we know to whom should we take the samples?"
"Me! I am, Clark." The child raised his hands, making them all feel light as the tension once again builds up.