Chapter 5 Next move

I gritted my teeth as my anger rose. I was angry at the people of this house, my family. I was angry at myself for neglecting my nephew. He was all alone. Even Ryan's mother had left him. That bitch! She married my brother for money and ran away from her responsibilities, taking the money and property Shane had named after her.

"Nobody. Nobody will ever harm Ryan. I'll make sure of it. Shane left his property for his son and no one else will have a claim on it. I won't let it happen."

Giving a soft smile she nodded her head. "I trust you with this Sean but there's one more thing."

"What is it?" I asked as I held her hand.

"Sean I...I tried to oppose the decision but I guess I don't have a say in the family matters anymore. I.." She took a deep breath, blinking back her tears. I felt like whatever she wanted to tell me was not going to be good.

"Your parents can't give their time to their grandson so they want to send him to boarding school."

"No way in hell!" I seethed as I stood up from the couch in rage. "I'm not going to let that happen. They pushed me away from themselves. They pushed me into loneliness. I know how it feels like to be alone. I can't let Ryan feel this way. I can't let him suffer what I have suffered."

"That's why I called you, Sean. It's only you who has the power and will to change their decision. Your nephew needs you, dear. He has the right to live a normal life which he isn't getting here."

I sat on the couch and held her hand. "I'm sorry grandma. Sorry for being late, sorry for being negligent but I'm here now. I'll take care of everything, alright?"

I wiped the tears that ran out of her eyes. "Where is he? Can I meet him?" I asked.

"He must be in my room. He doesn't like to stay in his room as he loves to spend time with me." She chuckled.

As always, she was taking care of him like the way she took care of me.

"Let's go."

We went to her room and found Ryan busy coloring his book. His back was towards us. I didn't know why but my heart was drumming at an alarming rate maybe because I was going to meet him after ages? Grandma called his name to which he looked up and my heart almost stopped. He looked like a replica of my brother.

"Grandma, see how nicely I filled the colors in the car." He ran up to her, waving his masterpiece in the air. He hadn't noticed me yet.

"That's my boy." Grandma smiled. "Ryan, see who has come to meet you."

And that's when he looked up. He studied my face for a few seconds and then hid behind Grandma, peeking through the side. Smiling at him, I kneeled and waved at him.

"Hi, Ryan."

Grandma tried to usher him to me but he didn't budge from his position so I softly held his arm and pulled him to me.

"Are you afraid of me?" I asked him softly and he shook his head in no. "Then why are you hiding from me?" He didn't answer me, instead, he gazed at Grandma who smiled at him.

I held his chin and made him face me. "Do you know me?" I asked softly.

Nodding his head he replied, "I have seen your picture. Grandma says you are my uncle."

My heart fluttered, and moisture started to develop in my eyes. He knows me! I rose my eyes to Grandma and mouthed thank you to her. She was truly a perfect guardian.

"So Ryan tell me how are you? Do you go to school?" I asked to start a conversation.

"I'm good and yes, I go to school. I'm in elementary school." He replied a bit hesitantly. I didn't complain as I understood his reason for hesitation.

"Who do you play with? With whom you spend your time at the house?" I asked as I needed to hear his honest opinion about the conditions in the house. He again faced grandma and again faced me. I saw the reluctance in his eyes.

"You can share anything with me. I'm your uncle, right?" I patted his cheek.

"It's only grandma who plays with me. Others are busy. I don't even have friends to play with."

I nodded my head. "Do you like it here? In this house?"

"No." This time he didn't hesitate to answer. "I get bored here."

There was a reason to ask him that as I was going to ask him something he might not agree with but I needed to know what and how he felt here.

"So, if you get a chance to go out of this house for some time, will you accept?" I asked with full hope.

"Sean, what are you saying?" Grandma interrupted. I looked at her l gave her an assuring nod l knew what l was doing.

"I've never been out of this house except for school." He mumbled lowly, his lips curling downwards.

"That's why I'm asking... would you like a surrounding change?"

"Like a trip?" His innocent question had me grinning.

"Not exactly a trip but a different house."

"But you are a stranger and grandma says not to go anywhere with strangers."

I laughed. "Didn't grandma tell you that I'm your uncle?" He nodded. "Then how am I a stranger?"

He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out so he scratched his head to think about what I had said. Cute!

He again glanced at grandma maybe for permission. "Can I grandma?" I was contented that he agreed. He was just unsure if it was okay to go with me or not.

"Ryan, can you please go out and play in the living room? I have something to discuss with your uncle." She said to him to which he nodded and dashed out of the room.

"He's obedient. You've taught him good lessons." I mumbled as I watched his disappearing figure.

"What are you trying to do?" She asked firmly. Sighing, I stood up on my feet.

"Grandma, until I figure out something about the problems related to him I want him to live with me. I want him to have a surrounding change. He has been living in this house like forever, he needs fresh air to breathe. Please allow him to stay with me at least for a week." I reasoned out.

"I understand your concern but you are a busy man, Sean How would look after him when you're out for work?" She said as she walked to her bed sat on the edge

"Grandma, there are a few people who work at my house, I'll have them look after him and if needed I'll appoint a babysit-"

"What is the need of taking him there when you're going to hand him over to a babysitter? And let me remind you, Sean, I've never given him under anyone else's care. I have been looking after him by myself and I will not let you hand him over to strangers just for the sake of surrounding change." She rebuked as if I had said something terrible.

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"But grandma..." I met her eyes but the intensity of disagreement in her eyes made me avert my eyes. I sighed. "I'll take off for a week if that's okay with you."

She raised her eyebrows. "And you think you know how to look after a child?"

Goodness, why is she being so tough?

"Grandma, I've friends who know how to take care of a child. I'll ask them for guidance."

"Hmm, that makes sense." She nodded her head. Phew! Finally, she understood.

"But your friends won't be with you 24/7 to guide you which means you'll be alone with Ryan. What if something goes wrong? What if there's important work you have to attend to? What will you do, leave Ryan alone?"

"Goodness, grandma why are being so difficult?" I groaned.

"I'm just listing the certainties."

I couldn't understand what was wrong with her? I needed Ryan to be out of this house, I needed to keep him under my watch so no one could harm him or send him to boarding school. I had already been ignorant enough l didn't want it anymore l knew l would get busy with work and won't come up with a solution if he stayed away from me that's why I needed him in front of my eyes . I had to make grandma understand but she wasn't agreeing to any of my suggestionsgb

I kept staring at her, thinking of ideas and suddenly an idea popped into my mind. She won't come live with me then why not lie to her? A small lie wouldn't hurt, right?

"I don't live alone, grandma. I have someone living with me all the time."

She crossed her arms across her chest giving me an intimidating look. "Who? Another man? Housemate? Do you think he'll be able to do what you can't? All men are the same, Sean, they tend to create one or the other problem. And a child needs a womanly touch to

be comfortable."

"You didn't hear me completely grandma. It's a woman who lives with me."

I cursed myself for my desperate need to keep the kid with me when I heard a loud gasp that came from grandma. She stood up from the bed and rushed to me with excitement in her eyes.

"You have a woman living with you and you never told me? Who is she? What's her name? What is she to you? For how long has she been living with you? Is she your girlfriend? Is she good with kids?"

The interrogation! Ugh! Now, what new lie should I come up with? What should I tell her about the woman living with me who actually isn't living with me?

So much for playing safe, Sean.

What have I gotten myself into?

I was going to spill out another lie but before I could answer I received a phone call from Miss Hart.

"Hello," I said as I picked up the call.

"Sir, I have done proofreading the document you asked me to and have mailed it to you. Please review it so that Icon convert it into the hard copy for you to sign "

"Okay, I'll check it when I'll get back home." I hadn't even hung the call when grandma bombarded me with questions.

"Home? Was she on the call? You still haven't told me who is she?"

"Yes, it was her. And P.A. she's my P.A," I said absent-mindedly as I cut the call.

Shit! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Why Miss Hart? Why did you call me?

"Your P.A? Are you in a relationship with your P.A?"

"No! I'm not in a relationship with my P.A. She is not my girlfriend." I said in a heartbeat. I didn't want misunderstandings.

"Then why is she living with you?" Her doubtful eyes held me nervous.

Well done, Sean. Clear the coast now.

I was almost on the verge of telling the truth when an idea struck me. I could use Miss Hart's name to lie to grandma. Miss Hart won't know about it and grandma would be happy to handover Ryan to me.

"Ahem, she...she umm, she needed a place to live. Yeah, that's the reason, she needed a place to live for some time as she had no home so I gave her a room in my house to live in. And before you conclude anything, we only share a professional relationship and yes, she is good with kids."

What the actual fuck did I spurt out?

She looked at me skeptically which forced me to avert my eyes. Please accept the lie. Please, please, please.

"Why did she chose your house? There are tons of houses to live in. Hotels?" Another logical question. Damn! Why didn't I think of it?