Chapter 19
“Thanks for the seafood.” Becky took Colin’s hand as they walked out of the family room. It was Thursday, two days after they last saw each other.
They hadn’t seen each other since and he really wanted to see her that night, even though he and some other top executives had already stayed very long in the office after the closing hour. The plans for the acquisition of the Singapore company were at a very top gear now.
He branched at the popular HOUSE OF CLAWS to get her seafood boil and wine, knowing how much she liked seafood
“It’s nothing, sweet.” He squeezed her hand and kissed it. They talked for about five minutes, leaning against his car before Becky said, “I better let you go. It’s late already.”
“I will call you later,” he said reluctantly and kissed her on the lips. ‘Don’t sleep until I call.”
“No, I won’t,” she smiled up into his face. “How can I sleep before a good night call from my baby boo?” she teased him.
Colin smiled too and opened his car door. He looked at her again, “by the way, you look good in this flowing gown,” he complimented her African print gown.Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.
“Thank you.” She blushed.
Colin got into the car. He then held her hand through the window. “I’m missing you already, sweetheart.” He stroked the back of her hand.
“Me too,” she smiled. “I’ll be waiting for your call.” He started the car engine. “Make sure you don’t sleep until I call.” He blew her a kiss and drove away.
When she got back inside, she and Betty, who had been feeling lazy to cook or even pick up the phone to order dinner, settled down on the front porch to eat the seafood boil Colin brought. Their parents traveled on a two-week cruise the day before and they had given their maid a holiday, too.
Since the girls could take care of themselves. The cruise was a dream come true for both their parents. They saved up for three years before they could make it.
“You are so lucky to have found love with a man like Colin,” Betty said as she popped a piece of shrimp into her mouth. “Yeah,” Becky poured wine into their glasses. “A man like Colin.” She smiled. “Talking of love,” she dropped the bottle of wine. “Are you still having dinner with Kevin tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” Betty picked up a wineglass and sipped from it. “I guess so.” Betty, a postgraduate student of New York University, was one of those people who wasn’t keen about being in a relationship. She only dated once in a while and so far, she had always said she was yet to meet anyone she could fall in love with. Although she had never lacked suitors.
You guess so?” Becky retorted. “Kevin seems to be a nice guy. What’s going on? Are you sure you won’t have to go to the convent at last?” Becky said jokingly to her sister.
Becky and Colin had double dated with her and Kevin twice and they both loved him. Kevin and Betty were running the same program at the university.
“Honesty, sis,” Betty dropped her wineglass on the small coffee table between them. “I don’t know if I will ever fall in love. I like my life just the way it is though, I don’t need a man to validate my happiness.”
“Why girl, fall in love,” Becky broke off a small piece of lobster. “You are surrounded by people who are in love, you know.”
She nodded with understanding and said, “I know.”
Apart from the fact that their parents were evidently still very much in love with each other. Every other married person in both their maternal and paternal families had very loving solid marriages.
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The following night, Kevin drove up Andrews’ driveway and stopped the car. It was already after ten. The street lamps lit up the streets brightly as usual.
They both sat in silence for about two minutes before Betty said, “Kevin, I am so sorry, I thought this would work…” her breathing was ragged. She looked up into his eyes. She felt a stab in her chest, seeing how unhappy he looked, though he was trying to hide it.
“It’s okay, I get it,” he said in a small voice, sounding wrecked. “I’ll see you in school on Monday, right?”
Betty breathed deeply and said, “yes.” She opened the car door and got out of the car. She folded her hands on her chest and watched him drive away, waiting until she couldn’t see his car tail lights anymore.
Betty walked up to the front door and let herself in as quietly as she could. Not wanting to disturb her sister if she was already asleep. She walked to the kitchen and brought a small bottle of water out of the fridge. She sat down at the dining table and drank the water straight from the bottle.
She heard her sister’s bedroom door upstairs and listened to her footsteps as she came down the stairs.
“How was your outing?” Becky asked before she got to the kitchen doorway. “I heard Kevin’s car pulled up. I hope you enjoyed yourself?”
Betty said nothing. She just sat there, with her left hand cupped around the bottle of water on the dining table.
Becky walked into the kitchen and hugged her sister from the back, “I said how was your outing?”
“So so,” Betty shrugged. “As usual, I ruined everything.”
“Wow,” Becky pulled out a chair beside her sister and sat. “Don’t say that.” She reached out for her other hand and squeezed it. “You did the right thing. You can’t force love.”
She nodded and sucked on her lower lip. That was what her mother always told her; never to force love, never to fake it.”
“Love will find you, when it’s time for it,” Becky cupped her cheek. “Before that happens, continue to enjoy life to the fullest.”
“I feel bad for dashing another man’s hopes again, that’s all.” She sighed.
“I understand,” Becky stood up. “Don’t dwell on it too much. Now get up, have a long bath and get under the covers.”
“Yeah,” Betty stood up. “That’s exactly what I am going to do.” She hugged her sister tightly. “Goodnight sis, thanks very much.”
“Yeah,” Becky hugged her younger sister back. “Always…always, darling.”