"Oh, okay sitting beside you now…" he repeated "..is he literally sitting beside you or you mean in metaphorical way?"Aron Cutter felt that his credibility as a renowned TV personality is really at stake now. He looks as if he"s a dim-witted creature right now that he could not really get what his guests are really saying.
The couple chuckled. "I mean it in a literal way, he"s sitting right beside me now…" Ingrid answered.
"WHAAATTTT?????!!!! ARE YOU SAYING THAT "THE MISTER CLIFFORD BRIGGS" IS THE FATHER OF YOUR CHILD?" he considers himself now as being struck by lightning which makes his eyes stick out as though he witnesses a brutal vehicular accident. His heart beats rapidly, his forehead sweats.
Ingrid giggled again.
"Let me formally introduce to you the father of my son, Clifford Briggs, who is now my husband."
The host, the audience, the crew went still, holding their breaths, absorbing in their minds what they have just heard from Ingrid because her answer keeps on echoing in their heads.
After almost a minute of dead air, the host comes back to his senses but before he could speak, a slow clap could be heard from one of the audience and then one by one slowly applaud while they stand up, their eyes are fixed on the couple. Their countenance shows as if they"ve been mesmerized by an outstanding and breathtaking world cla.s.s performance.
The host wipes his reddening face with his right hand to awaken his still enthralled mind.
"My goodness!" he cries out.
The host almost shed tears for the reason that he could never witness this kind of beautiful life story in his lifetime and he was even the lucky one to interview them. He heaved a deep and lengthy sigh before he continued…
"Right now I"m gonna put my name at stake just to declare them as the couple of the century. Wow! This is so surreal. I am just so fortunate to know these things straight from the main source. Their story is one of a kind. Who would have thought that after all these years, they will eventually meet, be acquainted, proved the relationship and sealed it with marriage? I honestly, don"t know what to feel right now, should I faint first, or should I be overly excited?"
The audience laugh together and then unhurriedly went back to their sits.
The couple hold hands, smiling, as their eyes shifted from the host to the audience. No one can deny their chemistry on screen.
"Is this even possible?" the host suddenly burst out what has been bugging his thought.
"Yes, it is…" Clifford answered. "…the evidence is right your very eyes."
"Do you have a sister, Mr. Briggs?" the host asks out of the blue. He now has this desire to be part of this family.
"Yes, I have…" he paused. "but she"s happily married."
The host"s face become upset and he feel embarra.s.sed of what he just did but he concealed it again with a nervous laugh.
"Oh that"s good to know…" Aron grinned. "So, what"s your side of the story, Mr. Briggs?"
"My side of the story? Hmmmm…" he thought for seconds while he touches his chin.
"I"m really a private person, but once and for all I wanna clear everything and put to silence those who are trying to destroy us…" he smiled at the camera. But his smile is menacing, insinuating danger to those who try to ruin his family.
But then as he shifted his gaze to Ingrid, his face became gentle.
"…Ingrid and I met at the time we weren"t looking for love. Honestly, we"re on the point that both of us felt that we"re all settled with what"s going on and within us. My wife believed then that marriage was not her thing while I thought that marriage was a hindrance to my success because my mind"s sole focus was only to expand my business empire."
He paused again and looks at his eyes with full of admiration and love to his wife.
"But then she came unannounced and we met because it was the right time and at the right place."
♥…♥…♥…
At the same time in Vienna…
The Howards were busy preparing for the arrival of his guests next week. John Howard wanted everything to be perfect. His daughter will finally be back after she ran away some years ago. His schedules are also hectic as well in preparation for the grand opening of their new resort. Luckily, Lance is there to help him.
"Uncle John, we really needed more staff for the preparation. We need more yard workers, gardeners, janitors and I"ve already a.s.sign the HR department to add more staff. These applicants and they are still waiting outside, sir, waiting for your go signal."
"Okay, do what you think is needed, Lance. But give me their data first now before we hire them." Then Lance handed him the files of the applicants.
One by one John Howard thoroughly checked their resume.
"Bring them in one by one. Let"s start with this Orlie Richards."
A tall, medium sized man entered his office. John Howard then scrutinized him from head to toe. He observed that the man"s face gives the inkling that it just got healed from bruises. He also winced as he walked uncomfortably.
"Please sit comfortably, Mr. Richards. Are you feeling alright?" John Howard asks.
"Yes, sir, I am alright."
"What happened to your face? Did you get into a fight lately?" his voice became stern. The man lowered his face.
"Yeyes, sir."