Love At Last

MY DECISION

I felt really excited preparing a new recipe I would use to sweep the judges off their feet but now, I could feel the excitement I felt ebb away. The time and effort we – I and my staffs – put into the preparation felt thrilling. Even now, nana was on Cayden’s side. ‘How screwed up could all these get?’

I finally decided to take nana’s advice and not miss out on any one. I’d accompany Cayden and be sure to be back in time for the competition.

I called together my staffs and explained in details what I wanted them to do for me. I had to place someone else in charge while I was away and that ‘someone else’ wasn’t Jarod even though, I knew for a fact that he was the best candidate to take my spot in taking the lead. I told them they needed to manage until Jarod showed up; at the end, I only trusted Jarod completely.

The next afternoon, nana helped me prepare for my flight. I wasn’t going to stay long so I didn’t have much to pack. I only had a small bag packed with a few clothes as I didn’t want to give myself the impression that I’d be staying long in New York.

“This should be enough, right?” I raised the bag up to nana who was sitting in my bedroom.

“You want to be psychologically prepared to be back on time for the competition, right?”

“Exactly nana! As always, you’re the best,” I did the ‘thumbs-up’ sign and smiled.

One hour before the flight, I was ready to leave. I stayed back a bit to bid nana and Jacek proper farewells. Nana as usual gave me an earful of advice and encouragement. Jacek didn’t look happy to see me leave; he cried, which broke my heart to pieces.

“It’s okay, Lily. Get going already,” nana took a crying Jacek from me and tried to console him.

I teared up on seeing my poor baby cry so much. I really felt bad leaving him behind but I trusted nana would do a good job in looking after him.

After holding my baby for few minutes, I said farewell and left them.

*CAYDEN’S POV*

It was finally the day of my flight. I found it hard to believe that after all said and done, I was going back to New York with Lily as my woman. Thoughts of her flooded my mind. I wondered if she was going to accept my request and get on the plane with me.

I got up earlier than usual that day, feeling the rush of adrenaline in my body. I sang and listened to my favorite songs while dancing hysterically, tending to my morning duties. Lily kept coming to mind; ‘will she disappoint me and not show up?’, thoughts like that made way in my heart. I decided not to over think it, the flight was in hours, not minutes. I still had time to prepare myself physically and mentally.

I had sandwich and coffee for breakfast that morning; I wasn’t a heavy eater. I believed in eating light for breakfast.

While I settled down to read a couple of fashion magazines I had lying around, I checked my phone multiple times for ‘missed calls’ from Lily but oh well, I didn’t find anything. I thought of calling to ask if she bailed out, and shrugged. I decided to take the risk and wait for her at the airport like I said.

Few hours later, it was noon. I made my way to the airport ten minutes to the scheduled time of my flight. I wore a black tuxedo suit – my favorite – and a designers shoe to complement the whole look. For that very day, I shopped for a special shampoo which helped me align my hair to the back, giving anyone who stared, a clearer view of my face. I sat, waiting for Lily. I hoped fervently that she would come as I couldn’t stop looking around, glancing through the hall, and checking out for petite women in particular.

Five minutes to the time and Lily was still nowhere around the vicinity. I brought out my phone to call her when I sighted her from quite a distance in a black beautiful flowing gown. She held to herself a small silver purse on one hand and a small travelling bag – which I believed to contain her clothes – on the other. She complemented the entire look with a pencil-heeled black shoe – which added a few inches to her original height – with roses in front and packed her hair in a bun.

As I stared at her from a distance, all I did was admire her beauty and elegance; she sure dressed the part. I couldn’t believe my eyes; this woman in front of me was going to be my woman for the next few days.

I grinned so brightly and muttered to myself, “she didn’t disappoint me after all,” I chuckled. When I saw how she paused and looked around, I stood up and raised my hand to alert her of where I was. She saw me and accepted my invitation to come over.

“I was scared to death, Lily. I thought you wouldn’t show up.”

“And you said all that nonsense yesterday as to how overly certain you were that I’d show up?” she jeered. Lily would always be Lily – sarcastic.

“This is the only bag you have with you?”

“Are we going on a vacation?” she retorted. I giggled and raised my hand signifying a ‘fine ma, you win’. “We’d be back in time right?” she asked.

“If all goes well, yes. By tomorrow, we should be back here so you don’t have to worry about making it for your competition in two days okay?” I assured with a smile.

“Better.”

“You look beautiful by the way,” I complimented but in a rather flirtatious manner.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Are you flirting with me right now?” she asked. I held her by the waist and pulled her in closer. “You’re my woman for now, remember? Let’s act the part properly,” I brimmed with mischief.

She didn’t push me away immediately, which surprised me a bit. She just giggled and tapped my chest gently. I let go on my own volition.

*JAROD’S POV *

I had not set my eyes on Lily ever since the last incident at the bar. I remembered everything vaguely, but I knew for a fact I made her mad and that it had to do with the ‘mail box sabotage’.

I bought flowers and headed to her house to properly apologize to her. I somehow managed to get wind of the fact that the competition we prepared earnestly for was in two days; we had work to do.

I got to her house and nana who was consoling Jacek greeted me. I was surprised; I wondered why Jacek was crying. I gave the flowers to nana and held little Jacek in my arms.

“What’s wrong, little one?” I asked mildly.

“My…mu…mmyy…,” he could barely speak.

“It’s okay,” I laid his head against my shoulder and caressed it. “What happened to his mom, ma?” I asked nana.

“She traveled.”

“Traveled?” I was puzzled. We had to prepare for a competition in two days, where could she have gone to?

“Yes. She had work to do in New York,” nana replied.’

“New York?” Nana got me more confused. ‘What exactly is she saying?’ “She had work to do? What kind of work, ma?” I asked almost at once.

“She went with Cayden. She didn’t tell you?”

What?!! She went with Cayden to New York? Two days to our competition and without informing me?

“What kind of work, nana?” I suppressed the urge I had to flare up. I couldn’t scold the old lady in front of me.

“You’ll have to ask her yourself, Jarod. I don’t know what exactly is up with you two.” “Are these for her?” she was referring to the flowers I gave her earlier.

“Yes ma’am.”

“You can’t tell me what’s going on?”

“When is she going to be home?” I asked, completely ignoring the question she asked.

“So you can’t then,” she muttered. “By tomorrow, I guess? She has to be back in time for the competition,” she said.

“Thank you,” I bowed slightly.

To avoid further questions, I excused myself and left the house, fuming with rage.