Dearest Visitor

Amidst the banters stemming from the living room, his mom's voice could be heard.

She has arrived.

He grabbed his food from the microwave and headed back to the sitting room.

Saw her sitting on the couch on which Riley had dropped his bag when he arrived, having Riley sit on her lap as she bantered with the boys.

"Welcome back Mom."

He said, going towards his seat.

As he sat to eat the food he had gotten.

"Uhm!

"All drama today is to induct the eatables", His mom teases him.

He smiled and looked away.

"Isn't it?" She whined further.

"Maybe," he responded,

" How was your day today, Mom?"

"Ah. Well, my day was supposed to be sparsely populated with activities today but due to some emergency that came up, and some compulsory to-dos, my day came off quite hectic."

He was about to say something when she continued, and her face grew smiley.

"And yes, Mr. Fred said he'd come to visit before going home today."

She said,

"Wow. What a perfect surprise."

Ryker thought.

"Actually, he's planning to come to see you.

So do not think about going anywhere yet."

Evelyn stated.

"Alright now, it's been a while I see Mr. Fred."

He said smiling.

Even though he does drop by at times to check on the Hartley's family,

Ryker and Mr. Fred rarely gets the chance to see each other, because often times than not Ryker is away from home, even on weekends that is customary for people to stay home, Ryker has this inclination to roam around, though he has his favorite spots.

But if not at the police station then, nowhere else they were likely to meet because of the itchy feet he has got.

He is used to coming back home to the news- 'Mr. Fred asked after you.'

Robert and his friend stood up to announce their departure and they took turns exiting through the front door.

Few minutes later, Evelyn stood up to pick up her domestic routines.

He picked up his phone again, realizing he hadn't checked his DMs for any messages from Mr. Fred. It's possible that he might have missed a message from him.

Disappointedly, he pocketed his phone, for none, no messages from him that he could find.

Ryker is feeling bored now, and the urge to take a stroll out waxed stronger with his mom throwing at him, questions he would rather not answer, periodically.

*****

Now he stood by the windows, his gaze peering through the glass pane and looking towards the neighbourhood and across the streets.

Vehicles engine reeving to and fro Randolph's boulevard, an exotic groundbreaking Toyota pickup truck caught his attention as it moved slowly along,

He has seen it a couple of times.

He moves away from the window to have a better view of the silver truck before it is completely trailed off the horizon, only to step outside and meet the sleek, glossy silver-surfaced truck parked outside the house.

He moved further onto the porch, looking fixedly at the driver's side through the windshield with keen expectations,

Even though the settling dusk and the darker interior of the vehicle successfully shrouded all outlines that could hint at whoever was there on the front seats.

He gave up gawking at the indecipherable and focused on the opening door of the truck as the suspense dissipated.

Mr. Fred Maureen stepped down from the truck, closed the door, and made it towards the house, his cop uniform bombarded with the coat of arms, crests, insignias, and whatnot, is expertly pressed.

"Ryker boy."

He said with a big smile, passing the keys from the right to his left hand in a bid to accept him in his arms as he hurried to meet him,

He opened his arm for a hug, and in an earnest, dearly hug, they greeted each other.

Because of the dislike and gaslighting he receives from people, even though he never shows nor feels disturbed by how most people treat him, his experience with the world makes him long for his dad; the more he attempts to move on, the more he yearns to see his dad.

If at least, just one more time, he just wanted to wake up one day, opening his eyes to see his dad's sitting by him on the bedside.

All these reasons contributed to make Ryker hold Mr. Fred Maureen in high esteem.

He is, by his standard a gracious man, an amicable man with a mellow personality. Sometimes Ryker wondered how he's able to integrate those qualities into the nature of his job, perhaps he is duplicitous, but he had never witnessed, nor heard of any frank dishonesty of Mr. Fred Maureen.

Ryker doesn't get thrilled to bits about seeing someone he hasn't met for a long time, but maybe sometimes, some things are just meant to change. It seems he has started to shift some of his beliefs and perspectives, and is adjusting some primitive but vital and unchanging facts, such as the fact that all human beings are subject to biological, psychological, and social imperatives. Respect is reciprocal. Everything is relative.

Perhaps the incident, and even the whole floppy day without much involvement.

He just needs someone he has always trusted, at least to some extent who won't bore him with questions, precautions, and some irrelevant career talk.

Ryker almost gets all lachrymose whilst the hug persists, it felt like his dad had come to him.

As they headed back towards the house, Robert, who was coming back from Mike's, joined them on the porch and exchanged salutations with Mr. Fred.

Finally, they made to go in, somewhat like an obtuse triangulation formation, Ryker and Robert entered first, followed closely by Mr. Fred.

Riley jog trotted to meet Jane's dad, excitedly dropping his fire 7 tablet and throwing himself at him.

He grabbed him in time and lifted him quite sprightly before holding him to the side of his chest.

Evelyn must be aware of the welcoming chatter in the living room as she appears behind her door with her receptive smile.

"Oh goodness. Mr. Maureen, good to see you again."

She expressed, advancing towards the sitting room.

Mr. Maureen stretched forth his hand in anticipation of a handshake as Ryker made to have a seat.

This isn't the first time he would pay the Hartleys a visit, and he definitely isn't the family/friend that pays the most frequent visits.

But he tends to refrain from most of them.

Except for his mother and siblings, he does not regard any other folks, like he does this man that mirrors his dad's attitude almost entirely.

Everyone had served a seating position by now, if not elatedly, well Ryker surely is.

"And how is Mrs. Maureen, I trust she must have been prepared for her seasonal trip with Jane coming home soon,"

Evelyn said.

"Yeah, you're right. Jane should be home already by this time tomorrow." He announced in his mellow tone.

Ryker pressed his lips against my teeth, drew in a long breath, and exhaled excitedly as he heard it again from her dad.

"Awesome, I would like to see my daughter before they take off again."

She commented.

"Of course, you can. In fact, you will."

With added emphasis, Mr. Fred stated with his mature smile.

Riley climbed down his lap to go grab his tablet,

"Mr. Maureen, what do we offer you now?

Just about to commence dinner preparation, you arrived."

He pressed his lips together, pulled a face, and mouthed,

"Thank you, but no I'm okay. Thanks."

He took off his cap which had concealed the faded mini crew cut that artfully gave him that look too good to be worn by a man in his late forties.

As they bantered a bit more, he also threw teasing comments at Riley, Robert, and Ryker at intervals, before he announced that they got to talk.

"[Clears throat] Attaboy! I heard how it all relayed, listening to Sergeant Oswald discuss every bit of the incident in a lucid account to the senior police staff at the meeting held earlier today, I was left in a daze, totally surprised!"

Ryker smiled benignly at his words,

"You should know it's not the incident that surprised me, seen a lot far too complex than that to be amused, even though I may be thrilled by the disbandment of those effing boys, but the only surprise I had was your contribution."

"I mean, isn't it as surprising to you, yourself?"

"You wanna tell me something, don't you?"

Mr. Fred proposed.

"Umm... Yeah sure." He replied, "can we just stroll somewhere else? Like outside there or...," pointing outside as he stood up.

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