Chapter 1048 - Jasper meets his father-in-law (1) (1/2)
~ Northern Ireland ~
Saturday
7:48 PM
In a mansion, close to Belfast…
Matthew Young is looking at the driveway of a villa located just outside Belfast. He is doing his best to hide his excitement because Ellie is coming for a visit! She didn't visit this place in more than fifteen years, and today, she is coming. His baby Ellie is coming!
Matthew remembers how three days ago he was in the meeting with four other underground bosses. They were discussing potential shifts in territories when his personal phone rang. He had to take a second (and a third) look to make sure his eyes are not playing tricks on him… the call was from his daughter, Ellie Young! She didn't call him since his wife passed away.
”Yes?”, he did his best to sound cool. He does not want Ellie to know how elated he is that she called him, but still apprehensive while thinking what is the cause for this unsuspected treat.
”I will come to visit you with Jasper if you promise to treat him well and not to intimidate him.”, Ellie went straight to the point.
”What?”, Matthew thought that he is dreaming.
”Is it a problem?”, Ellie curtly asked.
”No, no…”, he said after few seconds of silence.
”Do we have a deal?”, Ellie asked impatiently.
”Yes, yes.”, Matthew is not crazy to say 'no' to this. ”When should I expect you?”
”Saturday. I will send you the itinerary. Send someone to pick us up at the airport.”, she ended the call.
Matthew stood frozen in the spot for some time, and other four bosses wondered if he had a stroke because he was non-responsive.
Back to present…
Ellie and Jasper are in the back of a car which just passed a heavy iron gate.
Jasper observed guards stationed from the gate onward, each holding onto a machine gun which is hanging over his shoulder. Ellie told him that her father is not simple and that there will be guns, but this… he braced himself. He is here on a mission. He can't marry Ellie without asking her father for blessings, and blessings he will get. That is why he is here. Ellie did so much for him, it's time for Jasper to show her that he has a backbone and that he is not a weakling, and is there a better way to prove that than to face her father? The scary one… Jasper was silently giving himself a pep talk while observing armed people speckled through the property. Why do they look like they are ready for a war and that the attack is coming any minute now?
Jasper glanced at Ellie and saw that she is not paying attention to her surroundings at all. She is checking something on her phone… he craned his neck to see what… wedding dresses! Jasper smiled. Yup. That is why they are here. He wants to ask for blessings and to personally invite Matthew to the wedding like a true man who is not afraid of the scary father-in-law.
Ellie and Jasper alighted out of the car and staff lined up greeted her as Young Miss in unison while nodding to Jasper.
Jasper looked up at the impressive white villa and thought how all this looks like a scene from an old gangster movie. The only thing missing is a big Boss with a Cuban cigar in a suit, like Marlon Brando in the Godfather movies. And then the entered the reception room and he saw Matthew… he didn't have the cigar, but everything else was there, and the tattoo on his neck which disappeared under the collar of his shirt made him look scarier than the Godfather.
That stern face with a scar broke into a warm smile for Ellie. ”You are finally here…”, he stood up and pulled her into his embrace.