Once upon a playboy ✓ (Spin-Off Of Far yet Closer)

Yours

Standing on my balcony, I let the cool breeze caress me. It felt so soothing for my physical body but not for my mental state. Landon said right. I myself started inviting changes into my life but why should these changes need to be so complicated? Why can't they be small?

A knock on the door interrupted me and I turned around to find Nina at the threshold. I gestured her to come in. She came in and flopped on the couch while I sat at the edge of the bed. 

"Mark and Matt have some work here. So they are here." She said and I nodded. I really don't know why they are here and even though I wanted to ask, I felt that it would be rude.

"I wanted to see you. So I tagged along." She said and I again nodded.

"Where is Mia?" She asked suddenly and I was surprised with her question. 

I looked at her in surprise. I hadn't thought she would be concerned about that.

"She… she… is not here." I said looking down at my fingers.

"Then where is she?" She asked and I released a deep sigh.

"Somewhere. Where there isn't any chaos around her." I said and I myself felt difficult to hear my voice. It is laced with so much pain. 

"I… it's ok." She said and I remained silent. Silence streached for another few minutes before it got disturbed by her throat clearing, "I have something to give you." 

I looked up at her in confusion.

"Wait a moment." Saying that she exited the room and came back after a minute with a small bag in her hands. Looks like it's a laptop bag.

"This is for you." She said, placing the bag on the bed beside me.

"What is this?" I asked, eyeing the bag.

She sighed heavily, "This… belongs to your father. And now to you." 

I shook my head, "I don't want anything, Nina."

"Don't reject this Michael. You are the rightful person to receive this."

I shook my head vigorously, "I don't want anything. I don't even want those shares. I'll transfer them to Mark and Matthew. That's what I told him too. I don't….."

"Michael…" she said a bit authoritatively, cutting me off and placing a hand on my shoulder.

Looking at her who is having some serious expression, for the first time I felt like I was a 5 year old kid and was caught by my mother doing mischief.

"This." She stressed, "Belongs to you. Not Mark. Not Matt. Only you." She said all the while stressing the word you.

I have no other option but to accept.

"Whatever you do with this, is your choice but I suggest you to see this." She said again authoritatively. 

I just nodded.

She then moved her hand from my shoulder and placed it in top of my head, caressing me. For once I wanted to lean into her touch but I stopped myself.

I never met Nina before. Even when I left my dad, I left him without meeting his other family but since the moment I saw her, I only felt gentleness in her.

"Everything will calm down soon." She said soothingly and that felt like honey to my wounds.

"And you will bring Mia back." She said and my heart broke. Will I bring her? Will she come with me?

_____

"Be careful. Take care of your health." Nina said and I nodded.

They are returning back to their place. All four of us stood at the elevator waiting for it to come up.