The Airegin Mafias - Chapter 1 Part 1

The living room of the Pedro's was furnished with the most expensive materials that could be found in the world. The floors were made of glittering marbles, the sofas were made of Plume Blanche Diamond and were neatly arranged to form a square opened at one end.

Lord Frederick and his wife Silvia sat at one side of the living room while Don Pedro and his wife, Mabel at the other side and Laura, Frederick's younger sister was sitting at the middle end. Don Pedro's wife had a six months old baby in her hands while Don Frederick's wife stomach showed signs of her four months old pregnancy. The two families laughed hard as the men cracked jokes and recounted their funny experiences in turns.

Both drug lords, to the wives were gentlemen and the best husbands that one could ever have. Both of them were romantic and caring in their ways, even the extended family members could attest to their husbands' gentlemanly behavior. However, they only knew of their husbands as business tycoons with investments in different sectors of the economy. Nothing about their husbands seemed to them connected to drugs, the only time the thought of it ever came to their minds was when the Airegin government once accused and invited the men to court for a case connected to drug trafficking, their husbands had won easily by bribing the judiciary and even the government lawyers with huge sums of money. Another similarity between Drug Lords and the men were the mean looking thugs that surrounded them but that could be easily explained; as business tycoons and politicians, it was expected for them to have bodyguards like that around.

"Humn... Before we forget honey, why don't we first state the main reason for this visit," Silvia interrupted the laughter, speaking to her husband.

"Oh! True," Lord Frederick agreed with a smile. Then he turned to Mabel, "we actually came to see you." He said in a serious tone. 

"Hmm... I guess I'm being sidelined here," Don Pedro said jokingly. 

"Oh yeah! You're being sidelined," Frederick replied him in the same manner and they all laughed it off. 

"Well, Mabel." Lord Frederick continued, "I'm sure Laura is not a stranger to you."

"Of course not," Mabel replied, rolling her eyes as she considered the statement awkward. "I and Laura are best of friends."

"Good, that makes it even easier. Laura has stated her interest in fashion designing. She told us her dream of building one of the largest outfits in the industry and since you are already at the top, we deemed it fit to bring her under you to learn." Lord Frederick said.

"Hmm... So she wants to come and learn from me so that she can become my competitor right?" Mabel said jokingly, adjusting the baby in her hand as she stared at Laura who was smiling sheepishly. 

"Well, big heads like you in the industry should not be afraid of competitors," Lord Frederick replied with a laugh. 

"Okay, so what does she know about the industry right now?" Mabel asked, staring at Laura for an answer. Everybody else's gaze turned to Laura.

"Nothing really, I would like to learn from the scratch." Laura answered. 

"Okay, please give me a minute." Mabel said and got up with the baby in her hands. "Angela," she called as she moved towards the corridor leading to the other rooms in the house. 

"My lord," a maid answered, running out from the corridor. 

"Here," Mabel said, handing over the baby to her. "Put him to sleep."

"Yes, master." Angela curtsied and took the baby from Mabel. 

Mabel returned to the living room and sat back where she was previously seated. "Sorry, I had to make sure that the young man is comfortable," she apologized. 

"Come on, Mabel, that's normal." Lord Frederick said. 

"So, Laura." Mabel continued with a smile, turning back to Laura. "What school did you attend and what did you study?"

"I'm a graduate of the University of Bextord and I studied microbiology," Laura replied. 

"Hmm... Strange. You studied microbiology and you're interested in fashion designing," Mabel commented. "Well, since you want to learn it from the scratch, I'll like to ask how you intend coming to my firm everyday considering the distance of your house to this place." Mabel asked Laura but turned to Lord Frederick as she believed he was the right person to answer the question. 

"That's another matter entirely," Lord Frederick said, "I'm suggesting she stays here with you people," he said and turned to look at Pedro's face for approval. "What do you think?"

"Oh! That's a nice idea," Mabel exclaimed, looking at her husband's face to see if he agreed with them. 

"Of course, she's welcome here anytime," Don Pedro said, then he turned to look at Frederick. "But you are not welcome here," he said. 

"Me? What do you mean?" Frederick asked with a surprised look and added a brief smile.

"You're always over protective of her and I'm sure you'll be checking here everyday to see how she's doing. If I catch you here or any thing about you here for her first month of staying here, I'll send the dogs after you." Don Pedro joked and everyone roared in laughter. 

It was true. Lord Frederick always jealously protected Laura, his kid step sister whom he had taken from his mum when he was seventeen and she was just one. He always wanted to make sure that she was safe and comfortable. 

"No, Laura is a big girl now and won't be needing me around her everytime." Lord Frederick protested. 

"Okay, we will write those words somewhere as proof, just in case we see you here again soon." Don Pedro added and everyone laughed again. 

After some more light discussions, the Frederick's family finally decided to leave for their home. 

"Angela!" Mabel called again after everyone had gotten up from their seats. 

"Master," Angela rushed into the living room with her head bowed. 

"Please, get the kids for me. Carl's parent are leaving already."

"Yes Master." She curtsied and turned back into the house, she returned few seconds later with two children; a male and a female, both four years of age, but the girl was a few months older than the boy. 

"Mum, I don't want to go now." Carl said sulkily as he went to hug his mother by her legs. 

"Don't worry Carl, you'll be here again to see Anne very soon," Lord Frederick was the one who replied his son. He pulled him away from his pregnant mother and carried him up in his arms. Carl resisted and struggled to come down from his father's hand, Lord Frederick finally let him go. The parents waited to see what he was up to.

He dipped his hands into the small pockets of his trousers and brought out a chocolate bar wrapped in a colorful nylon. He unwrapped it and ran to where Anne, the Pedro's first child was standing. He hid the chocolate bar in his hands and placed them behind him as he stood at her front. 

"Anne, open your mouth." He said to her. She obeyed and opened her mouth wider than expected. "Close your eyes," he sang melodiously, closing his eyes to exemplify. She obeyed. Then he put the chocolate bar in her mouth. "Now close your mouth open your eyes," he said, putting his hands up in the air. 

Anne opened her eyes and closed her mouth, she slowly licked the bar to see what it was and then a smile appeared on her face. 

"Thank you Carl," she sang. 

"You're welcome," Carl replied, smiling. He took in a deep breath and then a frown appeared on his face, "I'll be leaving with Mum and Dad now, my Dad says we'll be back very soon to see you." He said. 

A frown appeared on Anne's face also, she was quiet for a while and looked up blankly, thinking of something. Then a smile appeared on her face, she placed her hands on his head and drew him closer to whisper something into his ears. 

"I would tell the driver to bring me to your house after school," she tried to say in whispers but ended up making it loud, everyone listening to them laughed out loud. The two kids turned and stared at their listeners surprisingly, wondering what the cause of the laughter was. 

"Be a good girl," Carl turned back to Anne and shook her hands. 

"Be a good boy," she replied back in the same manner. Then Carl gave a smile and turned back, running into the hands of his waiting father.

...to be continued