Zenon's Game Chapter 198

Cynthia was expecting my call so she was already next to her mother when she picked up. "Hello?"

I handed the phone to Axel, with Cynthia on speaker.

"Hellooo!" Axel projected into the phone with great enthusiasm and an odd accent, "This is Sir Roland Chadwick the Second!"

Sir?

Cynthia's mom answered, "Who? You must have the wrong number."

We then heard Cynthia on the other line say, "No, mom, this is Bryce's dad. He's calling about Dubai."

"Yessss," Axel continued in an exaggerated, posh and unusual accent, "Dubai is a major mercantile hub within the Middle East. The climate is hot desert-"

"Sorry, you're Bryce's dad?" Cynthia's mom asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Axel confirmed.

I wanted to face palm at that response. At least he didn't sound like a Wikipedia extract anymore.

Zenon returned, walking into the living room with a bag of chips in his hand. He overheard the last part and stopped.

Zenon silently worded to me, "What accent is that?"

I raised both my hands to respond no clue.

"You have an accent," Cynthia's mom picked up on it too, "Are you not from the US?"

FFS

"I'm from Sweden, ja!" Axel responded, improvising as he went along.

"I didn't realize Chadwick is a Swedish name."

Zenon snorted and I gave him a look to keep quiet.

"Oh ja," Axel nodded, "My father was Hans Magnus Ronald – I mean Roland - Chadwick the senior. The first."

That sentence did not make any sense.

Zenon got comfortable on the couch, finding this to be more entertaining than he expected. He popped open his bag of chips and bit into one with a loud crunch, knowing it was going to irritate me.

"How unusual," Cynthia's mom murmured, "But uh, I guess that's not why you called."

I think we've all forgotten why he called by now.

"Nein, I called to settle your anxious thoughts surrounding our impending trip to Dubai. I can reassure you that Cynthia will be well taken care of within a protective bubble of safety," Axel said, taking the phone with him as he paced the room, moving his free hand around for dramatic effect.

He was really going off script now.

Cynthia's mom said "I'm sure you mean well, but I can't agree to letting my daughter travel half way across the world-"

"No, of course not! But if I guarantee you her safety, daily check-ins as well as provide you with full information upfront of my villa location and back-up cell phone numbers, would that make things better?" Axel negotiated.

"That wouldn't hurt," Cynthia's mom acknowledged.

"I can promise all that and more. My son is the light of my life, even though none of his friends understand why," Axel proclaimed, "I go through great pains to ensure Chadwick junior is safe and I will do the same with all the kids traveling with me."

He's starting to sound like a creepy Pied Piper.

Axel continued, "Your daughter will be taken on educational excursions through the city to help broaden her cultural horizons and inspire further creativity. It's a great opportunity to travel with her friends like Candace and Bia... Oma and others."

"That is true," Cynthia's mom said, "We haven't been able to travel much. I can't remember the last time the kids left the country. Can you guarantee adult supervision at all times?"

"At all times," Axel replied. He clicked mute and asked Zenon, "Bryce's already eighteen right?"

"And these daily check-ins, will they be video calls with my daughter?" Cynthia's mom asked, "Because as a mom, I can't go to sleep without knowing she's safe."

Axel clicked un-mute.

"Definitely. Cynthia is a young woman, coming of age, and very mature. I'm sure you can place your trust in her too," Axel said, lapsing in and out of his 'Swedish' accent.

"Alright," Cynthia's mom said and we heard Cynthia scream in delight, "Alright. Conditional upon receiving all the information you mentioned, like address, phone numbers and scheduled check-ins, I will consider it."

Axel finished with a flair, "Grazi!"

That's not even Swedish.

They hung up and I stared at Axel with my mouth wide open. What in the world did I just witness?

Sitting on the couch, with his legs up on the coffee table, Zenon slow clapped.

"Who do we have to call for Oscar nominations?" Zenon asked.

Axel took a bow, "I had to improv. She asked so many unexpected questions."

"Really? They all seemed pretty expected to me," I commented.

But there we go. We convinced Cynthia's mom to let Cynthia come to Dubai. And we made Axel do the convincing, which strengthened their bond and brought them even closer together...

Project Axel♡Cynthia, #Austerra, is well on its way.

What a manipulative matchmaker I have become.

"Now we have to make sure that Bryce's dad never meets Cynthia's mom," Axel said, losing his fake foreign accent as he handed me back my phone.

"That would be a disaster."

And it wouldn't be the first time.

Day 2 of Winter Break

I slipped my feet into rainboots and wrapped a woolly scarf around my neck. I then picked up my tupperware and stepped out of the house.

The cold December weather had stripped leaves off the trees on our street and left a gray tint to the neighborhood. By habit, I glanced over at Zenon's house before starting to walk in the opposite direction.

I maybe took three steps before I saw movement from the corner of my eye. I glanced back and watched the front door open and Bianca step out of Zenon's front door.

I froze mid-step.

Like a Frozen character.

Or some character. It's winter so my mind was basically Frozen.

I whispered her name like she was my arch nemesis, "Bianca."

Zenon stepped outside with her. He stuffed his hands into his pockets from the cold as he talked with her.