As Neil was pondering over his dilemma,Onita returned with little Alicia.The IT expert had just been asked to leave and submit a report later.Neil was thinking hard whether to confide in Onita about this new development.After knowing her profession,he had looked her up and had been amazed that she was well on her way to making a big name for herself in the financial arena.Her a.n.a.lysis were usually accurate,practical and to the point indicating that she was a very practical person.But,presently she was an emotional mess.He had no idea how she had managed to become a hard core financial journalist,.He would have doubted that if he had not read her articles for himself!
Having thought it through,Neil decided that the matter about Omaya"s pendant and suicide could wait until they had found more leads.He would have to subtly probe for information until then.If it was true that Omaya had not committed suicide,then it could be that Onita and Alicia were now in danger.He had to arrange a meeting for out of court settlement at the earliest.
There was also something else that he needed to talk to Onita about.Leaving his chair,he went to them and picking up the little cupcake started to blow b.u.t.terflies on her tummy.Onita smiled at Neil"s playful ways.She wanted to ask Neil if he had found something but was scared to..What if he had found nothing?And what if there was something that would implicate her sister?
Just then,Neil looked at Onita while addressing little Alicia,"Little cupcake.I told you about my best friend no?That aunty is coming tomorrow?Would you like to come with me and surprise her?"
Onita"s reaction was as Neil had expected.She had frozen on the spot.Looking back at little Alicia,Neil could only continue the conversation.
Alicia pretended to think her answer and then answered in a resounding "Yes."But in the next moment as if she had thought of something,she scowled and asked,"Itthetuptaketoo?"
Neil did not understand what little Alicia had said and looked at Onita again for clarification.But she was still in the same position with the deer in front of the headlights look.Ha!He knew!For some reason,she was scared of seeing Alicia.He really could not fathom what she was scared of.Impatient,little Alicia pulled at Neil"s tie like a bell pull and demanded,"Itthetuptaketoo?"
This time Onita was broken out of reverie and answered,"She is asking if Al is little cupcake too?"
Neil laughed at the little Alicia"s scowling expression and the way she had placed her hands on her hips as if ready to reprimand him.His laugh made her scowl harder prompting Neil to answer,"Of course not!You are the only one as sweet as a cupcake!"
Satisfied with his answer,the sweet cupcake gave him a smacking kiss on the cheeks and then tried to pull him along to play with her.
Onita looked at her smiling daughter and thought back to the time she had become friends with her daughter"s namesake.Over the months,she had seen Alicia dote on her family and her family dote on her.Whether it was Ah Hai who she had met a couple of times or her husband and son.Even she had been unable to stop herself from treating Alicia like a sister.
When Omaya had ran away,Onita had thought of Alicia.Though she had never confided her past,Onita had seen the pain that sometimes reflected in her eyes.Every time,Onita had thought of Omaya"s refusal to hold the baby,she had wanted the baby to have all the love in the world.Finally,Onita had named her Alicia,so that she would have all the love her namesake did.It was also a reminder to Onita,of the good times and friends she once had.It was to remind her to not resent the baby as well and love her like her own baby.
She did not understand why at that time she had not tried to get help from her friends.Maybe she had been too prideful.By the time she had realized that they would have helped without pa.s.sing judgement,it was too late.She had already hurt them with her actions.
She had done the biggest wrong by Qi Cheng as well.She knew Al and Qi Cheng had been friends even after she left.She had kept an eye on their accomplishments and always felt proud that she had once had such amazing friends.And now she wondered if she would be able to face them..
If Neil or even Alicia had known the thoughts that were pa.s.sing through Onita"s head currently,they would both have bonked her on the head.Both placed high importance on being loyal friends whether they were in touch or not.
There was also one thing that Onita was unaware of.If Alicia had wanted to know Onita"s whereabouts,Ryu would have found them for her.The fact was that Ryu had indeed found her a few days after Onita had disappeared.But realizing the situation,he had wanted her to come to them on her own.He understood all about wanting to fight the world to stand on your own two feet.Silently,he had paved the way for her to get her work permints.A right word in the right ear had given the right job at the right time and a place to stay that was safe for a single mother.All this because, Onita Dew was someone that his wife considered a friend.But even after everything had settled down,she had chosen to not contact them.If Onita only knew,how much Ryu Long had done for her,she would have kowtowed to him and not doubted herself for a minute.