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Chapter 32

Daniel's P.O.V

"Say what?" My heart was beating so hard in my chest, to the point that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Everyone outside the library was looking at me like as if I killed the Prime Minister. I wish I could. That a** just cut-off my single-parent allowance from the Centrelink. Anyhow, let's go back to the real business.

CHLOE.

The mother of my son. The mother who once abandoned her son because she doesn't want him. CHLOE. The woman I despise the most.

Why is she here? Oh. That's right. It's been 5 years now when she was sentenced to imprisonment and she's done her time.

"Hey mate. Are you still there?"

I heard Alex speaking on the other line. I didn't realize that I was gone from reality by thinking about this new mess.

"Yes. I'm still here." I answered while wiping the tiny drops of sweat that built up in my forehead. "Where is she? Did she see Jared? What did she do?" My voice was shaking from worry about my son.

What if she took him? What if she took my son away from me permanently? I will not let that happen.

"Relax Danny boy." Alex replied. "Jared is with your mum and they aren't home when she went to your place."

I sighed in relief. "And how did you know it was really here?"

"I was driving down the road and saw a woman trying to peek through your window. So I stopped by and asked the woman. Turns out it was freakin' Chloe!" Alex narrated over the phone.

"What did you do then?"

"Well, she asked me if I know where her son was...."

"And?" I was silently praying that Alex didn't forsake his godchild.

"I told her that she doesn't have a son and even if I know where her son was, I wouldn't tell her."

I heaved another sigh of relief. "Thanks man. You really are the best! What did she say afterwards?"

"She said that she'll never give up until she is not a part of Jared's life and then she stormed off." He finished. "So what's your plan?"

"Yes. We have to plan. I need the tribe now." I said. 'TRIBE' is what we call our group circle. "Please, let the tribe now that I need them. Please let us meet at Dianne's bar later today. And make sure that Angelo wouldn't know about this."

"Are you sure? I think he has the rights to know."

I massaged my temple from the stress caused by Chloe. "Yes I know that. At least he doesn't need to know just yet. I want to fix this thing without involving him or Jared."

After setting up the meeting by relaying the message to Dianne and Veronica, we hanged up and I went back inside the library.

Angelo was still making the plan. He was busy scribbling and writing down thing on the paper.

'I will fix this thing by myself.' I thought to myself while looking at most beautiful soul that I have ever met.

Angelo must have felt me looking at him. He glanced up at me and showed me his most angelic smile. My favorite smile that can dissolve all my worries and stress away.

I smiled back at him. 'Angelo and Jared is my family. No one can destroy us. I will never let it happen.' I thought. And that was my final resolve.

Later that night, I went to No Limits to meet up with the rest of the tribe, but without Angelo. He didn't have any shift on Friday nights and he was busy making essays for Social Ethics unit.

As soon as I came inside the bar, I easily spotted Veronica. She was wearing a green short wig and holding some kind of aerosol. Alex and Dianne texted me before driving to the bar that they are going to be a minute late because they have to run some errands first.

Veronica spotted me on the door. She was waving at me like a car's wiper in full mode.

I walked towards her and gave her a hug as soon as I came close to her. It's been almost  months that I know her and I can say that it's been great to have her as a friend. She really love Angelo like as if they are siblings.

"So what is this big issue all about that I have to fly all the way from Melbourne with a box of this Glen 20?" she huffed, looking down at the box of disinfectants beside her while waving her can in front of my face.

"I am not really sure about...." I was cut off when Dianne came barging from the door screaming.

"Verooooniiicaaaaa!!!' she screamed out of her lungs.

Veronica stood up and threw her can of disinfectant in my direction.  Fortunately, I managed to avoid getting hit by it.

The two girls run to each other and were screaming like they never seen each other for eon. In fact, they just saw each other last week in Melbourne. Veronica invited Dianne to her fashion show and she stayed there for 3 days.

After the meet-and greet part, we seated on our usual spot to discuss my situation.

"So what's the problem tribe people?" Veronica asked. Obviously, she was the only one who didn't know about the Chloe's issue yet. Alex already told Dianne about it and it was Dianne who sent Veronica the distress signal.

"It's about Chloe." Alex answered.

Veronica gasped dramatically then looked at me with wild eyes. "Who is this bitch? Are you cheating on my best friend and you impregnate this Chloe woman?" She suddenly became the scary witch.

Good thing, Dianne was there to explain things to her. "Close enough deary, but no." she patted Veronica's shoulder. "You see, Chloe is Jared's mother. And she is back now demanding to be a part of Jared's life."

Veronica looked at me surprised, her mouth was hanging open until Dianne had to close it literally.

Alex sighed. "So what should we do?"

"Me! Me!" Dianne raised her hand up in the air like a child wanting to recite a poem, and I feel like it is not a romantic one.

"So what's your plan love?" Alex asked.

"I say we kill the bitch!" Dianne answered proudly.

I was right. It wasn't about romance. Alex and I both looked at each other and made an invisible pledge to never make Dianne an enemy. EVER.

"I second that!" Veronica agreed.

"Wait. What? No killing. Calm down guys." I tried to settle their hot heads down.

Alex put his arms around Dianne's shoulder. "We don't need to see blood here, love."

"Who said anything about blood?" Dianne asked no one in particular. "Of course we don't need to see blood. That is so gross."

"We don't?" Veronica asked, and it sounded like she was disappoint.

I made another pledge not to crossover Veronica as well.

"We don't need blood, you sillies!" Dianne looked at Veronica like as if Veronica was the answer. "You bought the disinfectant I asked you to buy?"

Veronica nodded. "Springtime scent" She held a can and put it in the table.

We all looked at Veronica except Dianne. She has a smile that saying she's planning something. And it is not a good one.

"Don't look at me." Veronica complained. "I just spend $200 to buy those cans. Ask Dianne. That's her idea."

We all turned our attention to Dianne.

"Well, explain this please." I asked politely. A hint of sarcasm was added.

"Oh come on. Don't you get it?" Dianne asked, as if the answer was easy as saying our real name.

The three of us shook our heads in confusion.

"You see, Chloe is a dirty bitch. If she is dirty, then she is full of germs. No, actually she is a germ. And if we spray this disinfectants straight her dirty body, then she will dissolve and BOOM! She is gone forever!" Dianne finished proudly.

"Owww.. I get it!" Veronica clapped her hand.

Alex kissed Dianne and said, "That's my girl!"

Dianne flicked her hair like she won the first place in a quiz bee. "I know right."

I face palmed myself. 'How did I become friends with this crazy people?' I thought.

"Guys. No killing. And no disinfecting Chloe. We are ethical and decent people. CALM YOUR TITS DOWN!" I tried to stay calm.

"Awwwww... bummer." I heard Alex whispered.

I looked at him with a death glare. Alex sat up straight. "Oh yeah. We need to be civilized here." He did a fake coughed and tried to look serious. "So what is the plan?"

"We kill Chloe with Glen 20" Dianne said.

"Agree!" Answered Veronica.

'Oh not again.' I thought.

"Seriously guys. I need you to be serious." I almost pleaded.

Veronica seated next to me and put her arms around my shoulder. "Come on Danny boy. We are just trying to lift your spirit up."

"Thanks guys. I appreciate it. But we have to be serious now." I replied. "So what do you suggest we do?"

"Simple" Dianne replied. "We tell all about it to Angelo."

My heart started to beat so fast at the sound of Angelo's name. I couldn't let Angelo to get involved in this mess. "I can't. At least not yet." I answered.

"Why not?" Veronica's tone of voice was becoming higher than the usual, which means her protectiveness over Angelo is raking out.

"Because I don't want him to be involved in this mess."

"Listen here you white boy." Veronica leaned closer to me. The couple was just watching us from their seat and enjoying how Veronica roasted me big time. "Whether you like it or not, Angelo is involved here. He is involved in whatever that is happening and is going to happen in your life. He is your life, you said so yourself."

And that hit me. Angelo is my life. That is why I should not have him carry some of the burden of this mess. If Chloe wanted to take Jared away, then the future that Angelo and I planned for our family will crumble down to nothing. I would not let it happen.

"Yes. But I don't want Angelo to carry my burdens for me." I looked at Veronica's eyes. "Give me time to fix it my own way. If I feel like it's going to fail, then I'll let Angelo know about it."

Veronica looked over Dianne and Alex. The couple nodded in response.

"Fine." She huffed back to her seat. "I'll give you 2 weeks to fix this mess. After to week, if you didn't tell Angelo yet, I will."

"Deal." I replied.

"So what are we going to do with this box of Glen 20 if we're not killing Chloe?" Veronica looked over at Dianne.

"Uhh, the bar can use it perhaps? I'll pay for it." Dianne replied.

Veronica pushed the box towards Dianne's direction. "Oh honey. No need to. It's all yours."

"Are you sure? That is a lot." Alex asked.

"Well you can pay me by giving me free drinks. This Chloe-Daniel Saga is exhausting." Veronica; complained.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ..." Veronica cut me off.

"Oh shush it Danny boy. We are the tribe. We are one. Your problem is our problem."

Dianne stood up. "Okay then. Guys, it's on the house!"

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