Chapter 100: Strange visitors
Saturday had quickly come and God were a lot of people thankful. The hustle and bustle of the weekdays had finally come to an end. For some, the job they had didn't have an off day so it sucked to be them.
But not everyone was caught in the cooperate trap. Tessa was amongst the few lucky ones that didn't work on Saturdays. Not that there wasn't work but she had the option to work from home. However, she had different plans for the day.
Tessa decided it had been a while since she last saw her mother and decided to pay her a visit in town. It had been weeks since she last saw her. And she wanted to check on how she was doing.
Being the only one that Tessa had left, Tessa tried amidst her busy schedule to pay the old woman a visit.
She left her own house that afternoon and entered her mustang driving off to town where her family house was situated.
After close to an hour of driving, she pulled up into into her late father's yard, noticing all the flowers were well trimmed. She would smile to herself, giving an internal nod to the most likely suspect, Mr Johnson,a lifelong family employee of the Morgan family.
Then she noticed a strange black SUV parked in the driveway. Did her mother get a car? It was not exactly something she could dismiss. But then again, her mother never went anywhere and she even doubted the old woman still knew the in and out of a vehicle. Perhaps someone vame to visit then? That had to be the only other excuse she could come up with.
As she proceeded the garage to the main house, she passed by the lawn and flower beds and noticed a water hose running with water on the garden but no one to monitor it.
She assumed Mr Johnson must have left it to quickly get something or it could be one of his quick bathroom breaks. He usually had her watch the water when she was small and still lived with her mother.
She turned the water off before heading inside the house where on getting in she was hearing different voices and hysterical laughters emanating from within.
When she got in, she saw three men, all huge in size and dressed in fine black suit with abnormally pale white skin sitted with her mother at the dining table, enjoying a meal and discussing.
They all went quiet the moment she arrived, turning their faces to her.
"Aha...there she is. Tess! Come say hi to these fine gentlemen. They were your father's colleagues," Mrs Morgan, Tessa's mother said.
As Tessa scrutinized each of the men, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. They appeared older than her, yet too young to have been her father's colleagues. There was an unsettling aura about them, an oppressive energy that made her want to flee the room.
Despite her misgivings, Tessa approached the men, forcing herself to maintain the courtesy her mother had extended to them. She walked up to shake each of their hands in turn, but as she grasped one the men's hand, she couldn't help but notice the coldness emanating from him despite the fact that he had black leather gloves on.
Besides, who wore gloves to eat?!
The feeling she felt from Reggie's hand sent a shiver down her spine, leaving her to wonder if the air conditioning was turned up too high.
"Hello, I'm Reggie," the man introduced himself. "And with me are my colleagues, Gunther and Randal. We were juniors of your late father, may his soul rest in peace."
Holding Reggie's hand, Tessa could register a cold sensation off of him. 'Is the AC turned on? He's so cold!' Tessa thought as she shook Reggie.
"You are so big now from the last time we saw you. But of course you'd not remember us. You were only but an infant," Gunther articulated.
Tessa turned to him and gave a forced smile.
Something wasn't right about these men but she couldn't figure out what it was.
If they were truly her father's colleagues and worked with Shelly tech, why would they suddenly visit unannounced now?
All these years passed, why would they just appear and claim to be her father's close friends.
"Tess, won't you sit? These men were just talking about how your father helped them rise up the ranks," Mrs. Morgan said.
Tessa could see her mother's face, her expression was one of joy. She seemed thrilled to discuss her late husband especially how good he was to people around him.
"Thank you, Mother," Tessa said, taking her seat at the table.
Undeniably, her dad was a good man and her mom was lucky to be the woman he fell for. She herself was so proud to have had such a dad.
Her mother served her a plate of spaghetti and chicken.
As Tessa settled into her seat, she glanced around the table, taking in the spread her mother had prepared. The aroma of savory spices filled the air, enticing her senses. Alongside the plate of spaghetti and chicken sat bowls of vibrant green salad, tossed with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and slices of cucumber, all drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette dressing.
A basket of warm, freshly baked bread adorned the center of the table, its golden crust giving way to soft, pillowy interiors. Next to it, a dish of creamy mashed potatoes awaited, dotted with flecks of fragrant herbs. Completing the ensemble were glasses filled with chilled lemonade, their condensation glistening in the afternoon light.
The sight was a comforting reminder of home, and Tessa couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and nostalgia wash over her.
As Tessa settled into her seat, her mind churned with questions about the unexpected visitors. Unable to contain her curiosity, she ventured, "It's nice to meet you all, but I don't recall seeing you at my father's funeral. Were you not able to attend?"
Reggie exchanged a quick glance with Gunther and Randal before responding, "Ah, unfortunately, we were out of the country on business at the time. It was a great loss for us, and we deeply regretted not being able to pay our respects in person. However, we made sure to send our representatives to convey our condolences."
Mrs. Morgan nodded in agreement, adding, "Yes, they were kind enough to send flowers and a heartfelt message. It meant a lot to us during such a difficult time."
Tessa furrowed her brow, a flicker of skepticism crossing her features. She couldn't shake the feeling that something didn't quite add up, but she decided to let the matter rest for the time being. After all, she didn't want to cause any undue tension, especially in front of her mother.
Accepting their explanation, albeit reluctantly, Tessa redirected the conversation to lighter topics, engaging in polite small talk as they enjoyed their meal together. However, the nagging sense of unease lingered at the back of her mind, and she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Reggie, Gunther, and Randal than met the eye.