He sighed a relief from frustration when Ishtar changed her mind.
Understanding the burden Ishtar had always carried on her shoulders to protect the family from when she was younger and now a lady, remorsefully, Bob Lee raising his eyebrows.
"Look honey, it's not what I want you to do but for your safety together with our son Bimbo, I think it is our only way out."
Holding a fixed distress gaze at him, Ishtar listened to him. The thought of her son being harmed proved to a major frustration. And on the other hand, she also understood that her husband can't do the needful to protect their lives from danger because, having been born to rich parents, Bob Lee was spoit by a silver spoon in his mouth. He never got a chance to bring out the strong man in himself.
She exhaled heavily to calm her mind down from hundred hurts and anxiety.
"I get it. Besides, I've have always been the shield that safeguards the family from when I was thirteen years old."
Suddenly, Bob Lee's mom together with her grandson showed up in the living room from touring around the stunning looks of Ishtar's contemporary house. They had heard rough and loud voices before they showed up from upstairs wearing curious gazes. The grown-up woman looked at Ishtar and Bob Lee.
"Smiles on your faces are lost again uh?"
Five years ago, when another woman came in between their marriage, Bob Lee's mother was used to constant misunderstandings between the two lovers as they used to stay in her mansion. Majorly, she held no trust in her son who deliberately made Ishtar's eyes wet on a regular basis back then. And now, the judgemental eye she held on him could tell that she suspected him to be the cause of the current friction.
On watching his mother's up and down accusing stars, Bob Lee shrugged:
"It's not what you think mom!"
Ishtar's eyes were already bloodspot red, all filled with tension and frustration when the grown-up woman observed her. Obviously, this convinced her that her son has once again made the lady sad. Bob Lee, knowing so well the tears he made Ishtar shade in the past when his mother was also present, there was no way to convince her that Ishtar's eyes were red for a very different reason and not because of him.
"You need Ishtar in your life you know that right? Am worried... worried that a beautiful butterfly can fortunately fly back in your life the second time, but not the third time if you happen to hold it recklessly again."
Giving unsteady facial expressions, rolling his eyes around the living room glass walls and morden furnishings, Bob Lee's boldness was out of the window. The openness of his mother in the presence of Ishtar and their son Bimbo made him guiltily shy. Ishtar turned her eyes at him, and by watching his gesture, she noticed how shrank he seemed to look.
To save the moment, all of a sudden, Ishtar composed herself in an indifferent smile and said:
"Ma'am, there's nothing for you to worry about."
Defensively, Bob Lee panicked.
"Of course mom! What my wife is saying is true. Me and her are good. Nothing for you to worry about."
Looking at him and her mother-in-law at the same time, quickly Ishtar supplemented:
"Yes ma'am. We're only trying to talk our way on how to deal with issues that may sabotage us this time."
Slightly convinced, the grown-up woman, still holding side judgemental eye on her son, she replied:
"Hmm...!"
And then walked closer to her daughter in law.
"My wary is, by the time my son wedded that irresponsible hell of a woman called Nadia Browne, he was legally married to you. He told me you signed the devorce papers, little did I know he was only lying to me to make me attend their wedding."
Bob Lee's mother sighed and with a grieving frown she added:
"I was foolish!"
Ishtar held her hands so touched and said:
"No ma'am. You were not!"
The grown-up woman insisted:
"It's all my fault. I wouldn't have stood by my son when he was making reckless decisions. Forgive me for raising your husband wrongly. I betrayed you!"
Ishtar held her hands more emotionally to calm her down.
"It's alright ma'am. Besides, it's all in the past now."
At this point, Bob Lee's mother can stand ten toes down with unwavering confidence in the middle of her son's relationship to make sure the mistakes are not repeated. Ishtar is the perfect thing that has ever happened in their lives and they know it.
Looking straight into Ishtar's eyes, Bob Lee's mother sighed with a strong emotion.
"For give my son's imperfections. If he ever make you shade a tear again, I will disown his foolish ass."
However, Ishtar had nothing against Bob Lee at the moment. Infact, even though she could not just show it openly to him due to the pain he took her through, it was of great pleasure for her to be back in the life of a man she has ever loved with all her body, mind and soul besides him being the father of her cute son.
With a slight smile at her mother-in-law, Ishtar nodded, as a sign that she accepts her polite request. Bob Lee, standing on the side with guilt stare, he gave a humble vulnerable look and a handsome smile at his mom and Ishtar, to show them that he was sorry and ready to be the best version of a husband for Ishtar.
Gently, he stepped toward them.
"Am sorry. I think I need to go to church and cleanse my mind off the impurities of this mess called Nadia Browne, so that I set my mind and body free for my beautiful family."
He turned and looked at his son who was on the coach, sketching pictures in his art book. Coincidently, their eyes met. Bimbo wore a lit face at Bob Lee.
"Daddy, can you take me to the park? Every Sunday my friends have their dads playing in the park with them."
With no hesitation, Bob Lee responded:
"Of course son! Just tell me when and it's done."
He added:
"Come here..."
Happily, Bimbo hurried to his father. With high spirit, Bob Lee lifted his son up on his chest side.
"What's that one thing that you enjoy doing?"
The little boy grinned and answered boldly:
"Drawing and shading pictures. I want to draw the park with all my friends and their fathers in it!"
Bob Lee was amazed.
"Wow! Now that dad is here, we're going to do that together. Lets drow anything you think of in this entire world."
Very happy, Bimbo asked:
"Like the zoo and all the animals...?"
With joy, Bob Lee answered:
"That's correct _ the lions, zebras, the long necks of giraffe, birds in the sky and all the fish in water _ just mention it and we shade it."
Bimbo was so excited. It was high time for Bob Lee to put him down. And as he did put him down, he asked him to avoid strangers when they get to the amusement park tomorrow.
Shinig his eyes wide:
"You mean tomorrow is Sunday?!"
"Sure! We gonna have fun."
The little boy ran excitedly to meet his mother Ishtar. He couldn't believe it.
"Mom, tomorrow is Sunday and dad is taking me to the amusement park!"
With a smile of approval, Ishtar shrugged:
"Sure, go and have fun."
And before Bob Lee walked out of the glass door, he turned a calm face to his mother and Ishtar. With beaming faces, they both looked at him back.
"If you could excuse me, I got to go to church now to avoid the fire."
...
But then, so crazy how he ends up in a busy bar where he sits down on a smooth coach in the VIP with a big bottle of brandy on a table infront of him and a whisky glass in the hand, pouring heavy sips down his throat. Never in his life has he been so perturbed, so horribly anxious like he was frowning his face.
"How the hell am I gonna get out of this mess that I put myself into?"
He added:
"I lost everything my father left for me and my mother... all because of my foolishness. I fell for a wrong woman because she was good in bed, beautiful... and her harming voice. I did not know that Nadia Browne was a snake. That witch destroyed my life!"
All alone on the table, as he watched others enjoying themselves happily, after anther sip of whisky, he paused in a deep thought and added:
"How am I going to tell Nadia Browne that I need a devorce? Ever since I lost everything, she has been paying all the bills including my mother's... Dammit!"
Back to back, his pro max phone started to ring. Only to take a quick glance at it, then get back to pouring rounds of the strong drink in a whisky glass and down his throat.
It was Nadia Browne calling.