Neil went inside the office to see Onita still sleeping peacefully.Shaking his head,he went to his desk and called the canteen to order lunch.After ordering,he went to the small bedroom and taking out his cell phone made a call.
The call was answered in two rings and a sweet voice answered with a "h.e.l.lo."Though the h.e.l.lo was sweet it was called in a sing song voice.
Neil smiled and said,"h.e.l.lo Al,my pal.How are you doing?Are you ready and packed to come back."
Alicia smiled a bit at the laconic voice and answered excitedly,"Yess!I am..And so is Ru!We"ll be seeing you there sooooooonnnn!"
Neil laughed at Al and said,"Yes you will.And I may have a surprise for you!"
"What surprise?when?where?how?",Alicia asked like a little girl.
"Al pal,It"s a surprise!So you will know the when,where and how of it when you get here.Alright, I have something important to ask you.I want to buy a gift for a girl!Tell me what to get her.."
"Squeaaaaaalllllll",Alicia shouted into the phone making Neil lift the phone away from his ear!At the same volume she continued,"Am I getting a sister in law?Is that the surprise!Mi Reu Long!Did you get engaged without telling us?Or did you get married?And if you did,I demand that you send the pictures now and have a re wedding when we are there."
"Your imagination is as wild as ever."Neil replied laconically when Alicia paused for breath."And no I am not engaged or married and I do not have a girlfriend!I am asking for a gift suggestion for a friend"s daughter who is 2 years old.And before your imagination runs more wild..give me a good idea."
Alicia who had already started thinking of ways to bond with her new sister in law felt deflated like a balloon and did not ask mush after that though she wanted to.She knew most of his so called friends and no one had a *daughter*"
It could be a business acquaintence but then Neil would not have asked for her opinion,just let the PR department prepare a gift.But controlling her curiosity,Alicia said,"Well what did you usually get for Ru when he was small?"
Neil just scratched his head in thought and answered,"Action figures or toy guns,swords and all.."
"Well there is your answer.You can get the same things for her also."
"But that"s for boys.."
"Are you going to make a s.e.xist remark,Neil Long?",interrupted Alicia in a stern voice.
Immediately realizing that he had been about to commit a grave sin in Alicia"s book,Neil immediately backpedalled."I just meant boys usually enjoy these more..But you are right.I will give her a toy sword so that she can kill all monsters...Uh,Alicia,Are you bringing my brownies or are you going to come here and then make them?"
Alicia thought of the brownies that she had been making and how they had gotten burnt and could feel her face heat up.Clearing her throat,she said softly,"I will be making them when I reach there..and now I have to go..So byeeeeee.Love ya!
And Neil,if I do not like the surprise,I will not make anything!!!!"
Neil disconnected the call with a smile on his face went outside.Al had started to address him as Long Mi Reu on and off..He had tried to dissuade her so many times but she claimed that he would forget his name if he did not answer to it regularly.Neil opened the file on Onita that he had received last night on his personal email and started to read through it.
The initial pages held the basic details like the age,qualification,name of parents and siblings,friends and current whereabouts.Neil skipped reading these parts and went straight to the small part about Omaya Dew.She had studied in the same school as Onita.But where Onita had been known as a book worm,Omaya was outgoing and a social b.u.t.terfly.She was athletic,part of the drama team and an outstanding student.As Neil read this report from Omaya"s school,he turned the page to read about her high school but the next page was about her brother..Confused about the lack of her information after her middle school,Neil looked back at the report on his hand.
Only then did he notice the date of birth and date of death on the file.The girl had been 17 years when she committed suicide.That meant she was 16 years when she was pregnant!Words like Minor,statutory rap*,etc started swirling in his mind.
Getting up,he went outside and checked the father"s age on the court file.Presently the man was 22 years..That meant,that the boy was 20 years when he seduced Omaya..
Picking up his cell,he called the detective again and said,"I am texting you the name.Get details."
Disconnecting the call,Neil messaged the name and went outside to answer the knock on the door.This woke up Onita who had been in a deep slumber.Waking up with a jerk,Onita looked around and realized that she had fallen asleep.She took in the uniformed employee who was currently laying the table and then sat back with her hand on her forehead.She had been knocked out by that whisky and now she had a bad headache.
Neil looked at Onita and said in amus.e.m.e.nt,"Good afternoon,sleeping beauty.Since you are up from slumber,let us fill out stomachs with food..."