Page 59 of Jade: Chance Are

Nadra, I couldn’t have thought would get to this point, but I guess it slipped her mind not to heed my warning. My father certainly caught me off guard but not anymore.

I leave the room, Josh and Ken know to fire Traci, right away. Security will walk her out of the building, and she has twenty-four hours to leave the country.

Now, I need to find out how to deal with Nadra and my father. I called Raheem and Rilwan.

Time to eliminate people. I know Ril has been itching to take my dad down. Now is his chance.

thirty-three

Naseer

After planning with Ril and Raheem. I call Taimani to loop her into part of the plan that involves her. Knox had visited Jade in the hospital and because of my instructions, he wasn’t allowed in to her see. Jade asked me to come and talk to him before he left.

Jade is feeling better and discharged to my place, where I can keep an eye on her. She already told me Knox broke up with her. Smart guy, cutting his losses early. Jade feels bad that she hurt him. Taimani tells me how he’s been there for Jade and our children.

I bang on the door, and he opens it, frowning when he sees me. “If you came to gloat, you could do that and get it over with” he says turning his back to me. I step in and close the door. I follow him to the living room where he sits.

“I didn’t come here to gloat; I came to say thank you.” He looked surprised, which I expected considering a few days ago, my look was to rip him apart for boldly kissing my wife.

“Nice try, what’s your new agenda? You already got the girl. Lucky you, you met her first.” I ignore the last part of his words. If only he understood it’s not about who came first. Though I like that title, plus what Jade and I have is not about that.

“No agenda, I just heard about how you’ve been very supportive to my wife and my children, I came to say thank you for being there for them.”

“You welcome, she finally told you about them, I didn’t do it for you. I genuinely like them.”

“She hasn’t told me yet, but I found out anyway. I’ll wait for her to tell me when she’s ready. Please don’t say anything to her.” He nods. “I know you genuinely like them, that’s why I needed to say thank you in person. Mariam will attack me if I say anything but thank you or something not nice to you.”

“Mariam doesn’t attack people.” I chuckle, my chest will beg to defer.

“You’ve not pushed her button. I have and believe me it’s never pretty.” For a split second I remember the two times in the past she attacked me.

“What did you do?” he asked.

“Let’s just say, I tested her limit, and she showed me she has a dark side too,” I say with a smile.

“Whoa, I just don’t see her attacking anyone.” I shrug.

“Like I said, you haven’t pushed her button.” He nodded in agreement.

“She’s an amazing woman, I won’t say I’m not jealous that you met her first “

“It’s not about who she met first. The only way she would have chosen you is if she and I had never met. So, even if you had met me first and I met her later. She would still have chosen me, it’s just the way it is.” I had to tell him, so he understands it’s not about who came first but who is the real owner.

“Guess we would never know about your theory.”

“Oh, I know,” I succinctly state. I see a hint of a crinkled forehead but quickly replaced with a calm look. “Can you tell me about the twins,” I ask.

“What can I say, they are a lot like both of you. Mira, I would say is a lot like you and Micah is more like Mariam. He certainly has that attack when poked that you just talked about. Mira loves soccer and Micah is just doing it because it fills his time. I’m not sure what he likes. Mira is the fearless one of the two and Micah is the cautious one and the thinker.”

“You just sum Jade and I.” I smile.

“They are your children and from outside looking in, that’s what I see.”

“I don’t know, how they would react when they meet me.”

“They are happy children, just let them know you love them, and you will be fine.”

“Thank you,” I say rising and proffering my hand for a handshake. “If you ever need anything like a nice donation to some of those kids' programs you run, please do call,” I say handing him my card. “I mean it, I know our meeting isn’t perfect, but I want to say thank you and hope someday we can grab a drink together.”