-50-Lunch meeting.
"The unplanned questions sometimes give us hope. While soothing our soul at the same time." [Chrisitian]
.....
'Isn't our marriage just a deal for her? Then why is she so interested in where I go?'
Realizing her question was a little abrupt, Riley tried to tone down her voice and question.
"I mean, I was really worried about you Mindy. Why did you leave without informing me?"
"My boss called me last night, it was urgent and I forgot to tell you. I hope you won't mind?"
'Why wouldn't I? You left me alone here.' She wanted to shout at him with the same words. But she knew it will further lead to another argument. And since it was because of work and not her. She was a little grateful. Because she did not want to hurt him. Although she wasn't exactly satisfied She couldn't possibly say anything harsh words to him. 'It's not like you are his real wife.'
'As if I didn't know that. Thank you, my dear head for informing me.'
'Glad.'
She gritted her teeth in annoyance. Can their subconscious voice annoy people to the extent it did to Riley? Or am I special?
'I was being sarcastic.'
'But I wasn't.'
Thinking it was better to talk to Mindy. Then to argue back and forth in her head. She smiled and said in a gentle tone.
"No. No of course not. It's just that I hope from next time you can inform me first before leaving."
"Okay. I will make sure to do that." He replied, to her while gazing at her.
"That's great. What would you like to eat?"
"Thank you for asking but I had breakfast earlier in the morning."
Riley noticed the strange choice of his words, she noted he was not saying her with the endearing word. It seemed he was trying to avoid calling her Honey from the morning.
'What just happened? Why do I feel like he is angry at me and just trying to fake his emotions?'
'No. He is not just trying, he is doing so.'
"I. I." Riley tried to inform him about the meeting they fixed earlier. She wanted to make sure, he remembered his lunch meeting with Stuart.
Christian noticed her reaction and asked in an impatient tone.
"Yeah?"
"My friend is coming over for lunch today. I hope you can take some time for our meeting."
Christian recalled their last night's conversation.
"Okay. I will make sure to come before lunch."
"Great. Thank you."
"Glad."
Riley though didn't say anything but she sensed his hostility from their interaction. It seemed he was deliberately making distance with her. Which was good! considering they were married only for show. But why was it bothering her? Why was she hurting in the process of it?
'Why do I feel like I am losing something very important? Why was I so stressed because he left me last night? Why did I felt so bad when he didn't call me by his regular endearing word; honey? Why do I feel so sad when he just said Glad? Why? What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking so much about him? Am I starting to like him? Or is it more than love?'
Seeing her in a daze, he cleared his throat to get her attention.
"Ahm. I am going to work."
"Uh. Yeah. Just a last question."
"Yeah. What is it?" Riley noticed his change in demeanor, he sounded impatient?
"I. You were wearing something else last night. Did you change clothes in the club?"
Christian raised a brow at her, she was noticing him. A little too much of what he expected! Though he was liking it.
"Yeah. Someone accidentally spilled a drink on my clothes yesterday so a colleague offered me his clothes for a change."
Riley laughed nervously trying hard to tone down her doubts. And asserted "Oh. Okay. I guessed it too. Since your style of clothing is different."
He witnessed a huge transition in her tone but decided to let it slide. Because for now, he wanted to leave before he could commit something she wouldn't want. Seeing her in his shirt and noticed one white kitten hair and embellishing her beautiful silky hair. While a few strands were swinging freely in the air urging him to run his hands throw them. And more than that he saw something suspensive in her eyes. Something that was forcing him to go near her and make her his.
Contrary to his emotions, he turned around and left without a goodbye. It was because he was failing to control himself.
This was also a reason he didn't think it will affect her. The tips of her lips sealed as an ant of anxiety crawled on her skin till he disappeared from her eyesight. As he stepped out of the house, something changed in her. Something that she couldn't realize. The air seemed to squeeze her even though there was no air conditioning. Sucking all the moisture from the pores and she froze right in the middle of the room.
Everything that happened in an hour with Beggar rolled before her like reels of a movie and she kept staring at the entrance till her phone rang. Which broke her chain of thoughts. Walking over she pressed the answer button placing it near her ear.
"Jelly bug. It's me."
Stuart broke her trance and pulled her to the real world. 'What's wrong with me? Why am I so sad?'
"Jelly bug. Are you there."
Softly sighing she hummed a response.
"Hmm. Yeah, I am listening."
"My phone broke earlier, so I called you from this number to make sure you have a way to contact me. Since you wanted us to have lunch together."
"What happened? How did your phone break?"
"Ah, it's a long story, I will tell you when we will meet."
"Okay. And about the lunch meeting Stuty pooh, I will text you the address of our home. You can come whenever you want to."
"You mean, you still in for the lunch."
"Of course, Stuty pooh, I promised you. It is."
"Great. I will see you then."
"Also, Mindy, My husband."
"Yeah. Yeah. Tell him to prepare for our meeting. I am going to ask him a few questions."
His words made her shudder, he and a few questions. It was a bad idea. Too bad. He had his fair share of scaring every boy who wanted to date her. And it was the same line he used every time on her and her father. Who in turn always allowed him to do whatever he wanted. And the result was always the same. The poor boys only ended up staying away from her after a meeting with him. She doesn't want to imagine that with Mindy. Although Mindy didn't seem to be a coward yet at the end of the day he was just a small singer. How can he manage a businessman like him?
"Stuart. Don't you dare to scare him? Okay, he is a great man."
"That will be decided by me. You just promise me, you won't interfere in between us."
"But."
"No buts, Riley Brown. He married you, and I need to know if he deserves you or not."
"Okay, baba I am not saying anything. Do whatever you want to."
"Don't try to escape. Just Promise me."
"Okay baba, I promise."