The humid night air was refreshing just the same as it wasn't clogged with his father's expectations of him. He'd checked his phone. His battery was dying and it was getting late. Public transportation wasn't a given in the village at night. Mika cursed himself for not having rented a car from the hotel he was staying at in the city. Instead, he'd opted to charter a taxi, thinking he'd be back before the nightfall. Renting was expensive.

He'd walked towards the Village centre. The street before the house was usually quiet but as he walked the Village came to life. A few bars and shops were open with customers piling out into the street. Music played to enliven the dark night. Most persons were still in their funeral clothes like Mika. He'd hoped no one would recognize him. In the village square hoards of bike taxis were parked along the side of the road. The drivers of the bikes sat perched on them, some with drinks in hand, others with cigarettes, some with both. Mika approached one of them that was texting on his phone. He put on his best Mesukan accent.

"You going on the road 'ere?" Speaking with the local dialect was the best way not to get scammed.

"Wer' you goin'?" He asked looking up from his phone. The light from the phone illuminated a scarred chin and hooded eyes.

Mika not wanting to tell his exact destination replied, "Just going to Kompong,"

"Ey Kompong. That's a hour ride 'ere."

"I know but I need a ride eh,"

"No one ere' ain't riding out. The Alpha son died so we celebrating. Better you stay up at the Guesthouse down deh road." The biker said shoving his chin in the direction of the Mesuka guest house.

Mika looked around. Several other bikers were paying attention to their conversation. There weren't any cars around with red plates indicating that they were taxis.

"That's alright," Mika said before going to another biker. After asking several of them, they'd all said no. Insisting that they weren't riding out because of the funeral. They were all drinking though to celebrate Elijah's life. Mika bet most of them didn't even know what he looked like apart from his picture on the funeral programme.

With no other option, he decided maybe it would be best to stay in the guest house after all.

On his walk, he pulled out his phone and typed in Sherrice's number.

She picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hey hun," her honey-like voice crackled over the phone.

"Hey, were you sleeping?"

"Yea, I didn't too long get in, had three hair appointments back to back, so as I got in I just collapsed in the settee and knocked out."

Mika chuckled as he imagined Sherrice dropping her bags at the front door, kicking off her sandals and falling into the settee without a second thought. She did that whenever she had a busy day of braiding hair. Now that she was pregnant it probably put more pressure on her ankles. They'd begun to swell recently.

"How was the conference?" She asked.

"The conference?" Mika's eyes roamed the night sky searching the stars for an appropriate response. One that wouldn't lead to more questions. "It was good," was all he found.

"What do you even do at an administrative assistant's conference or retreat anyway? Type up your itinerary for the day?"

"Haha, no. We spent some time listening to people tell us how important our job is and then just eating hotel food and drinking," he said surprisingly easily.

"Michael, I hope you didn't indulge. Remember we are staying sober in solidarity,"

"Yes, I remember. I only had water."

"Well, you could've had juice."

"Nope, not even that."

"You're too sweet."

Mika walked up to the entrance of the guest house property. His phone beeped signalling the last 5% of the battery. "Look uh, I'm not going to be coming in as early tomorrow, possibly will be on the later flight," Mika said remembering that he'd booked an early flight out but now he's stuck in the village.

"Having too much fun with your office assistant buddies?"

"No not that but they had some last-minute changes to the itinerary that we need to type up so we'll have to type it over."

Sherrice laughed. "Okay well then since it's so important, I guess you have to stay huh."

Her laughter warmed his heart like a cup of chocolate tea. The lies burned his throat though. Sherrice was his little slice of heaven. And now she was going to bring forth an angel. He couldn't ruin the life he'd built by letting her know where he was really from. What his roots were. At least that's what he'd convinced himself. To her, he was Michael, an unassuming administrative assistant just going through life. Not the heir of an entire Village kingdom in another country.

"Well hurry home, Daina and I are waiting for you," She said.

"We don't know if it's Daina, the baby could be Daniel."
"I'm telling you it's Daina."

Mika had been pacing outside the guest house and the security guard was staring.

"Okay well we'll see won't we?"

"Yes we will, " She declared.

"Well don't forget to eat something. And take your vitamins."

"Yes Yes, I'm getting up now."

"See you soon alright."

"Alright, hun see you soon."

The security guard approached Mika with his hand on his baton. His rounded belly hung over his belt and the keys jingled as he walked.

"Ey you, what you want?" he called through the gate of the property.

Mika approached the gate while tucking his phone in his pocket. "Night sir. Just wondering if I can get a room to stay for the night."

" Why you not going home?"

"Well I came for the funeral 'ere and they ain't no taxi going back out," Mika said, hoping the security guard would take some pity on him. Mika ensured he was standing in full view of the security lights. The security guard looked him up and down and sucked air in through his teeth. His eyes brightened for a second as if he'd recognized him but the expression disappeared.

"That's a nice suit dere," the guard said. " Me sure a man like you can have his own car."

Mika didn't want to offend the man as he was his last hope. " Ah, I wish I did but I spend too much money on the suit 'ere." The security guard's laugh sounded like he was choking on hair. His belly jerked as he laughed.

"But you accent strong eh, you from aroun' ere?"

Mika furrowed his brows at the line of questioning. Was he going to let him in or not?

"Well you know I was born here but went away."

"Ah, I see plenty o' young people grow up and leave the little Village. The Alpha sit up in his house and not recognizing that people out here suffering bwoy."

Mika stiffened at the sudden mention of the Alpha. He managed a soft laugh. "I don't know much about that, I just need a place to stay."

The guard stared at him with intensity. His gaze felt like it would cut through him. The lightheartedness suddenly disappeared and Mika felt like he was under a microscope.

"You don't look like you will cause no trouble," the guard finally said. He unhooked the keys from his belt and unlocked the padlock of the gate. He removed the chains and creaked open the gate just enough for Mika to slide through.

"You wait dere," The guard said while fumbling to lock the padlock again. "I going call the office let them know we have a guest."

He went into his guardhouse. The tiny white wooden structure didn't match the architecture of the guest house. The guardhouse though a little shabby looked a lot newer than the guest house. If Mika could guess, the house was probably as old as the compound as they had similar brick walls and golden accent mouldings around windows and doors. The parking lot was scarce with only three cars parked in the front.

"Alright, you just go straight ahead to the entrance dere. Miss Patsy will take care of you."

~~~~

The foyer had a midlewy and unventilated scent and the counter was coated in fine dust. Behind the counter was a small lady hunched over a large book. A standing incandescent lamp illuminated the room.

"Goodnight," Mika greeted the lady.

"Goodnight," she croaked without looking up " Name?"

"Mik- uhm, Michael Duke,"

She scribbled his name in the book. "How long you stayin 'ere?"

" One night."

"Breakfast?"

"What?"  Mika could barely hear. Her voice was barely above a whis[er.

"I say if you want breakfast in the mornin'," she said a little louder with slight irritation.

"Oh no," Mika said quickly. It was late and the lady was probably a little tired.

"$15000."

Mika pulled out his wallet and paid her with the little cash he had left. He still had to charter a taxi and hoped what he had could cover it.

She led him up the creaky wooden stairs to a small room with an en suite bathroom. It was simply furnished with a queen-sized four-post bed, a dresser and a small tv. He just needed to be off the street. He wasn't sure he would even sleep.

He laid on the bed trying to clear his head. He used the drained battery to watch videos of himself and Sherrice with her 4-month bump just being at home. The phone died when he was watching them dancing to a popular song in the kitchen while he cooked. She helped him more than she would ever know. With those sweet memories, he fell asleep.