The repercussion of the interview certainly left that small town in the countryside quite agitated. Although the heads of the two largest families chose the countryside to live a retired life, because it was more calm, it was becoming routine to see journalists coming to town looking for the Mantovani to interview Nathaniel.
Of course, when classes returned a few weeks later, Jake used Rapoxia to ensure the safety of omega within the college. Although it was still possible for certain people to get around the rule.
— I've already fulfilled my part of the agreement. Now try to sign the papers, you little brat!
Joseph Mckenzie seemed slightly annoyed that his grandson was avoiding signing the papers declaring Jake as his official heir.
Not that Jake did not want, it is just that more urgent things came up. In the end, the alpha sighed heavily and took the yellow envelope and took out the papers.
— Right, right. No need to make an ugly face, I'm already signing, see?
— And where is that boy?
Jake didn't even look up at his grandfather.
— Nath is watching class.
— And what are you doing out here? Go study kid! It was for you to be graduating!
— Hey, you were the one who took me out of the classroom saying that I could not waste time —Jake complained by putting the documents in the envelope and returning them to his grandfather.
Joseph complained a little more, but at the end he raised his feline eyes to the grandson and was categorical.
— Make room in your tight schedule to attend meetings with me.
— Will not ask me to leave work at the restaurant?
— This job will help you become decent people — Joseph drank a sip of the hot coffee and sighed — It is necessary to have this kind of experience if you want to command people in the future.
Jake knew what his grandfather was talking about, after all he worked the fields when he was your age. He did the same thing with his father and uncle when they wanted to work for the family. Start from scratch, know how the life of an employee at the lowest level works and move up in the career with your own effort.
It's okay that Jake was jumping a few steps, since he did not intend to open any company for now. But he was not like his father and uncle, Jake had already disconnected from the family and lived on his own. This was a golden experience within the principles of his grandfather.
— Take good care of that boy.
Raising his eyes clear to the grandfather, Jake was surprised to hear him say that. I mean, that grumpy old man hardly showed concern for anyone outside the family.
— Are you talking about Nath?
— And who else would I talk to?
— Hey! I'm your grandson. Shouldn't you tell him to take good care of me?
— Tsk!
Jake muffled his laughter when his grandfather turned away. Of course he would like Nathaniel very much, after all, it was the omega who negotiated with him the other day. And if their tastes were similar, then Joseph certainly liked Nathaniel.
— Don't worry, I will take good care of him, after all... he's my omega.
The door of the diner was opened and Nathaniel entered without mask, gloves or hiding in his cap. Wearing a pair of jeans and white T-shirt, the red-haired omega waved to old Joseph.
— Mister Mckenzie, I didn't know you were here.
Joseph looked at Nathaniel from top to bottom and smiled.
-—Humph... Now you look like real people.
The omega blinked a few times and imitated the old man's smirk.
— Moving forward isn't always as bad as you thought.
The old man looked at the grandson and then at the omega and shook his hand in a silent farewell. Nathaniel followed him with his eyes until the old man left his field of vision, only then he entered the diner and sat down in front of Jake.
— Sorry for the delay, my group was the last to present project.
— All right. Did you eat anything? Do you feel something? — Asked the alpha holding Nathaniel's hands, realizing that they were warm.
— I'm fine, I already said that I will let you know if I feel anything.
— I'm just worried. The doctor said you need to be careful and avoid overdoing it. Is your backpack heavy?
— Jake, my backpack is not so heavy that I feel bad. Relax.
— Even so...
Nathaniel sighed and smiled. Jake was over-protective of him. It was not for less, because of the change of season, Nathaniel got cold to the point that he needed to stay in bed. Of course the fright was big enough for your alpha to be worried without sleeping properly to take care of him.
And the fact that the omega was so quiet and calm with all that was even more worrying for the alpha.
— Let's eat first. We have to leave before the place is crowded.
— Sure. I already ordered an executive dish for you just like the nutritionist said.
In fact, Nathaniel's lunch was very diverse with the options of salad and a steak parmigiana. Just by smelling the delicious smell he realized how hungry he was, which made his alpha smile proud to have hit his guess.
The two boys had lunch together while talking about various subjects. If they could, they talked for hours while enjoying each other's presence. And even after, when they finished lunch, heading for the parking lot of the college, they continued to talk and play with each other.
The difference was that they walked hand in hand even in front of everyone. Although there were curious glances on the couple, they did not care. They just walked around the campus and went to the parking lot stuck in their own bubble.
The place where they were going was at the exit of the city, and the flow of cars even was great.
— Your brother goes there later?
— He said will wait for Matheus — Nathaniel answered looking at the phone reading the message that Guilherme sent him — I think my mother and Loreto go there later too.
— But it is likely that they will end up seeing the journalists...
— They know how to handle themselves.
Jake drove the car and nodded. He was right, those four could turn around later. The alpha needed to take care of his omega now.
The entrance of the cemetery already counted with some journalists who were distracted talking, leaving the couple unnoticed. Although such invisibility would not last long when the couple passed through the reception of the cemetery.
— Mr. Callegari — A manager received him and then moved his arm along the long corridor — This way.
As the uniformed woman led the way, Jake held Nathaniel's hand.
— You're okay, aren't you?
— I'm fine. And even if I don't... — Nathaniel turned to Jake and smiled — I know I can trust you to take care of me.
Jake was stunned and completely blushed, which in a way took a funny laugh from Nathaniel.
The extensive space in the back of the cemetery had several gravestones of various shapes and sizes. But it was at the bottom where the mausoleum was built.
Stopping in front of the mausoleum, Nathaniel and Jake took a deep breath.
— We made all the preparations you asked us, we moved the members of Callegari here and made the system of drawers inside.
— Right, and the space for flowers?
— We put a small flowerbed as requested.
— Thank you — Nathaniel would appreciate it, but then he turned to the woman before she left — Oh, please make sure only two people enter at a time.
— Huh? But won't that make it slow?
— It's okay, the Mckenzie security team will ensure order — Jake stated.
— The journalists will enter first, so they need to have the credential and proof of the appointment. The security team will check twice, one at the entrance of the cemetery and another here.
— Understood sir. In that case I will prepare the list of appointments to give to the security team. Excuse me.
As soon as the woman left, Jake looked back at Nathaniel. He had everything under control, and his acumen in organizing a small event like that was the big test. Nathaniel was making sure that the graves were not damaged because of the two-day visits they would receive.
Then the two boys entered the mausoleum. It was not exquisite, but it was a courtesy that Joseph Mckenzie gave to Nathaniel as an apology for the inconvenience with Jake's parents.
— I was surprised when my grandfather asked if you wanted something, you would ask for it here.
— I was never close to my father's family, but Matheus said that among the documents about the farm he found receipts.
— Receipts?
— That farm was in debt and my father paid the debts to my grandfather. So he gave the farm to my father — Nathaniel sighed crossing his arms as he saw the big picture of Ares hanging on the glass-covered wall — Anyway I think he kept some contact with my grandfather.
— And so you chose to make a grave for the whole family?
— Just for my grandfather... and when our time comes, we can be buried here.
— I want mine on your side — Jake laughed low, although the conversation seems morbid — Not even death will separate me from you.
— Seriously you're taking an oath in front of a grave?
— Here is no bad time, no! I lose dignity, but do not miss the chance.
Nathaniel let out a low laugh, and shortly after the woman returned asking for help from Jake about the security team. Under the promise that he would soon return, the alpha left his omega behind.
Staring at the photo of Ares, Nathaniel sighed crossing his arms.
— Finally you came home, dad — Whispered the omega smiling nostalgic — Now you can rest in peace, no one else will understand you wrong and I'm safe with Jake. We'll be fine.
Not that he believed that his father had turned in the grave in recent years, but he was sure that his father's departure was not calm. He probably had many concerns even when he was in the operating room donating his heart.
Nathaniel's scarred fingers touched the real name of Ares. Now he felt close to his father, could visit whenever he wanted. He would clean his plate and take care of the flowers. Even if the cemetery staff could take care of that, Nathaniel would still make it a moment to be alone with what was left of his father.
Reading the plaque with tributes to Ares, Nathaniel laughed low.
— You really were a great man, my hero and the person I most admire. You were a great father... And if you were here with me, you would be a babbling grandfather.
Touching his belly with considerable volume, Nathaniel could feel the warmth within himself. Raising his light-brown eyes to the picture of his father, he continued.
— The doctor said it is a high-risk pregnancy, because my body has been weak since the accident. Only that I feel so at peace that I don't even care about it. Maybe I feel this way because you're protecting me from wherever you are. — The omega lowered his eyes to the belly and sighed tired — Twins... I really pray that they are quiet, Jake alone already consumes all my energy.
— I'm back, baby.
— Speaking of the devil... All right?
— Yes, there are already journalists in the front. So I released the security team to take care of everything. But we still have time until they can get inside.
— All right, I already told him the news.
Jake smiled hugging Nathaniel from behind and kissed his cheek as he touched the omega belly.
— Did I mention that you look beautiful today?
— Yes.
— So can I speak again?
— You talk all the time. And I'm not complaining about it.
— If you complain in front of your father's grave, he'll pull my leg. We need to show that we're okay and that I'm taking care of you.
Nathaniel looked at Jake and knew right away that he was really afraid of being haunted. The omega sighed low and stared at the photo of Ares.
— If you pay enough attention to his photo, you will notice that his eyes are on you.
— Don't even play with it, Nath! — Jake petrified, and from the corner he looked at Ares' photo.
Nathaniel felt the fright that Jake took to notice that, in fact, the photo of Ares gave the impression that he was facing the alpha. The poor boy's heart was beating fast on Nathaniel's back, and he could only laugh.
— My God, Jake. It's just a joke.
— He's looking at me, Nath...
— It's just a photo, our angle gives that impression.
— No, he's super staring at me. Let's go, Nath...
— You're such coward — Nath still laughing by pushing the alpha's back out of the mausoleum. Before leaving he looked over his shoulder and smiled at the photo — If you want to haunt Jake, know that he usually sleeps after three in the morning when he is scared, see dad?
— Nath!!!!
Laughing, Nathaniel pushed Jake out the back.
It would take a lot of cuddle, pampering and kisses to calm the alpha later. But Nathaniel was willing to pay the price for seeing such a hilarious scene.