THE LUNATIC

Chapter six

Chapter six.

'Craig Howard.' Bett stood up to recognise his guest as he stretched out his hand for a handshake.

'Bett Adams.' Craig said sitting down ignoring Bett's hand deliberately and looked at Lucy who looked kind of confused. 'You didn't tell me we would be having company.'

'Lucy Walker. Craig Howard.' Bett introduced the two as he sat down recovering from the previous embarrassment.

'You didn't tell me you were waiting for a dude. Are you gay?' Lucy said trying to recover from her shock and then Craig laughed which confused her even the more and the spoke.

'And here I was thinking that you were his girlfriend.'

'Actually Lucy is a friend from work.' Bett said trying to feel less awkward about Lucy being his girlfriend. True he had a tiny crush on her but that was all. He didn't think it would go that far anyway. Lucy was way too jumpy for his own good and too add on she was a bully. He wouldn't manage her at all.

'Oh.' Was all Craig would say.

'Anyway to clear the air. Lucy Craig is my son.' Bett said in a bored tone and Lucy choked on her pizza. Both men looked at her with concern on their faces and simultaneously asked if she was okay. But obviously she wasn't okay. She was shocked she wanted to scream at them but just kept her mouth shut. She was waiting for an explanation but none came. She had known Bett for almost six years but not even once did she ever remember him talking about a son and definitely he didn't have to be this mature. Like the man who was being introduced to her as Bett's son was in His twenties. A clear sign of a grown up man. Finally realising that both men won't offer an explanation, she decided to ask again. Just to be sure she had him right the first time.

'Excuse me what did you say?' she was hoping he would laugh and say no it was a lie or we were just playing around with you but he looked dead serious.

'You heard me the first time.' He said in his same bored voice again. And then Lucy wondered why the hell they didn't have the same last name or why he hid him for so long. She also noticed they didn't seem fazed by each other. Bett was a sweet man. That much she knew but looking at him now as he looked at his son, he looked so cold and distant. As though reading her mind, Bett continued, ' and no we don't have the same name because his mother decided it was better to raise him up in another country with a richer man.' He finished his statement in a bitter tone and that's when Lucy realised it was her queue to leave. She suddenly felt like an intruder.

Wrapping up her pizza into its box and gathering her purse, she stood up and said she had things to do back at home and promised to call Bett and explain something about work as she walked out of the Café to her car. Both men looked at her walk out and when they were sure she had reached a safe distance, they turned to each other.

'Hello to you Dear father. To what do I owe this special invitation?' Craig said his voice dripping with sarcasm.

'Can't a father just want to see his son just once in a while. How could you visit the city and not even say a single Hello. That's not nice.' Bett was looking sad.

'How did you even know am around here.' Craig furrowed his eyebrows.

'I though you would never ask and of which I won't answer that anyway. But just to keep you at ease. I always keep tabs on you and you mother.'

'So now you decided to turn into a creep.' Craig said getting tired of the conversation already. He wasn't Bett's biggest fan.

'Am just making sure the both of you are safe. Am not comfortable leaving you in the hands of that man you call a father.'