Secret Life of Fox Tail - Chapter 5.Bobby and the Advertisement Operation

Back at the lodge Mr. Browns was desperately searching for me, he felt relieved upon seeing me. “I was about to call the forest rangers reporting you are lost Ms.Ms. Maria” he said rushing up to me. “I am sorry for causing you such trouble Mr. Browns, I was lost in the mountains today but I managed to find my way back home, I am clever right” hoping to change the mood in to a cheerful one I said to Mr. Browns. He laughed wholeheartedly and with relief. “Please come to dinner today around same time yesterday.” Having a heartfelt dinner I returned to my room all alone again, remembering about the fox I quickly opened the window so he can crawl inside if he comes around and I was hoping for him to come. Lying in my bed I went through the things that happened today when there was a sudden knock on the door, behind the door Bobby was waiting for me. Bobby? Why him? Why now? All these went through my mind.”May I come in, I want to talk with you Ms. Kurenai” he asked politely, “Please come in, take a seat Bobby” I said letting him enter in to my room.

He came in without a word and sat on the couch and looked down without even lifting his head he started mumbling “I am sorry Ms.Ms. Kurenai, I didn’t mean to get angry this morning, but hearing something like this means father has told you about our family situation. He doesn’t care what I think about, he killed my beloved mother and I detest John anyways since father bought him here. Inquiring about our family situation when you are a complete stranger just made me so frustrated that’s why I got angry this morning; I have also been punished by my father for my misbehavior, please forgive me.” I looked at him and pitied him that’s all I could do at that moment. “It’s okay Bobby, I know I shouldn’t have meddled but I asked you that on impulse of my own, but I want to know what are your future plans if you got this place as your inheritance and why do you detest John?” I questioned him. Still looking down, I could see his clenched fists on his knees trying hard not to fly in to a rage again. “It’s okay Bobby if you don’t want to say it, but please treasure this place, because there are a lot of people like me who would love a vacation in this lodge” I said very politely. He looked at me with lonely eyes “this place doesn’t have lot of customers, almost every holiday season we are out of customers, and also to let you know you are the only customer we had for this whole year, Ms. Kurenai” he said. My eyes opened wider than ever, “only me? Why? Why don’t you do advertising more than the internet?” I started questioning. “we don’t have that much money because we don’t get any customers, without customers we don’t have an income, that’s why I want to sell this place and set up an hotel in the town area where there are plenty of people wanting to do reservations” Bobby said. I kind of understood Bobby’s’ frustration but I felt sorry for him at the same time. “I have a good idea Bobby, let’s make an advertisement on the computer and email it to my university, I am sure the word will start to spread soon since its summer holidays now, will you help me work on it together?” I asked Bobby willfully. Accepting my offer he nodded his head, soon we began making preparations on the leaflet that had to be designed. Together we gathered some quality photos of the lodge surroundings and made an eye catching leaflet together. With contact details and website address for further details. Finally the document was complete, and we both agreed this to be a surprise for his father. With lots of hope we posted the leaflet to all my friends in and out of the university, teachers, departments, chairman board and definitely to Mr. Browns.

After a long night I returned to my room with coming to good terms with Bobby. I was surprised to see John on my bed all stretched out, but I had no strength left in me to fight with him or push him off my bed. As I neared the bed I saw him sleeping so soundly like a little child I just didn’t have the heart to wake him. Changing into my night clothes and turning off the lights I crawled in to the bed. As I laid in my bed I could see the moonlight shining through the window and shining on John, I felt like my heart skip a beat which was very awkward. Without my knowledge the next thing I knew I was caressing his head gently, suddenly he clutched my hand kept it next to his chest, looking at him I had fallen asleep. Waking up suddenly in the middle of the night I looked at the clock and it was only 3 a.m. in the morning, I looked at John and it gave me a fright he was no longer there but the fox was there sleeping so soundly on my bed. Why is the fox here? Where is John? Did he leave? What is going on? I questioned myself. Softly touching the fox I felt relaxed, his fur was so soft and smooth, warm and gentle just like Fox Tail. Hugging the fox I fell asleep again.

Waking up in the morning I was surprised to see I was hugging John and been hugged back by him. I ran through my memory hard as I could but all I could remember was seeing a fox around 3 a.m. in the morning how come John is here and I am hugging him to be hugged back? I was totally confused, looking at him closely I wondered what I saw in the morning, a dream? I questioned myself but it felt so real. “Good morning my sleeping beauty” John said kissing my forehead. I was so startled early in the morning, I almost fell out of the bed when I was caught by John and been pulled back in to the bed. “Are you alright? You almost fell” he said to me. Clutching on to John’s arms I was shaking, “were you sleeping with me the whole night or did you go out and come back?” I questioned him. “I slept next to you the whole night, why are you asking like that Maria?” he frowned. “I was sure around 3 a.m. I saw that fox he was the one sleeping next to me” I said to John. He patted my head while I was trying to figure out the confusion for myself when there was a desperate knock on the door “Ms. Kurenai, Ms. Kurenai quickly come out, you have got to see this” shouted Bobby. Forgetting John was in my room I ran and opened the door, upon seeing John on my bed Bobby’s mouth fell wide opened, when I looked back I remembered John a bit too late. “What the hell are you doing in our guests room John, wait till I tell dad about your improper behavior?” said Bobby impatiently grabbing his collar. John was almost about to fly in to a rage I could see it in his eyes, quickly stepping in to the middle of the fight I desperately tried to separate them, after a hard push I managed to separate them falling straight in to John’s arms. Seeing the situation Bobby was so angered “what are you planning to do to Ms. Kurenai? Why are you behaving like this? You never done anything like this in the past John?” he asked without even taking a breath. While staring at Bobby in amazement John put his arms around me and hugged me so tightly I couldn’t even move “she’s mine, you will not have her whatever you do, she was always mine so I don’t even care if you tell dad what I am doing I will not let her go again like I did once, I will not hurt her” said John in a very serious voice, hearing all this I was really scared “John what do you mean, you won’t let me go once like you did, have we met before for you to say something like this, who are you”? I asked looking in to his eyes, but he was not looking at me but glaring in to Bobby’s eyes. “Ms. Kurenai, I apologize for my brothers misbehavior, all I wanted to say was our advertisement is a success, reservations are pouring in, the telephones are ringing nonstop and my dad wanted to see you that is all I have to say, I will see you when my stupid brother isn’t around” saying all that he left the room closing the door behind him. I wanted to question John so badly but I felt him shivering like a puppy on a rainy day. Pulling away from him and sitting face to face with him trying to look in to his eyes, but every time he avoided mine and hung his head down, feeling sorry for him clasping his face in my hands I made him look at me by force, but I had no courage to ask him what so ever he was talking about earlier, something in my head said John is mentally scarred by something he doesn’t want to tell. Looking at his sad expression on his face melted my heart that I eventually hugged and kissed him on the cheek, hugging me back John finally said “dad is going to kill me” I laughed back at his comment thinking he would be okay now but his expression has turned even duller “What you meant that seriously? I asked John. He nodded his head “I won’t let it happen, I’ll always be with you” I said in re assuring voice to John. “Shall we go to my place in the mountains Maria?” asked John. I wanted to go too so I agreed to his proposal without hesitation but first I got to meet Mr. Browns and sort things out if Bobby has snitched on us. Nervously I headed towards the lobby to meet Mr. Browns.

To be continued...