Oh, she loved her sister.Reyona almost gaped in shock when she saw her car parked in Maxwell’s home.To make their story whole and believable, they had gone to the children's services department that morning in Maxwell’s car.The car that Reyona had left sitting pretty in her parking space that morning was currently in front of Maxwell’s parking lot like it had always belonged there.As Reyona helped Junior out of the car, she almost laughed out loud when Maxwell’s domestic staff came out of the magnificent door and lined up at the entrance.Six of them to each side of the door, they all bowed and chorused. “Welcome home, Mr and Mrs Rohan”Before Reyona could laugh at the ridiculous gesture that she was sure her sister was behind, the culprit herself was coming out of the house with a hooting sound and a confetti tube in her hand.“Welcome home, lovebirds!” Toria said as she pulled the string from the tube and a shower of confetti rained down.Junior clapped his hand excitedly while
She moved closer to Reyona, leaned her back against the headboard and started talking out loud as if in contemplation. “Hmm, I must be mistaken truly. I am sure I didn’t see that steamy look that passed between the two of you when he pulled you close. Oh my God, I am feeling feverish just from the thought of it” she said as she hastily dropped the crisps bag and blew herself with both hands while exhaling. “Phew” “Did you see how easily they were talking and laughing together all day?” she continued, now directing her question to an imaginary audience in the room. “One could almost swear that they have been married for years. And the looks? Damn, I almost shouted, “Please, get a room!” Reyona shook her head in exasperation as she tried not to think back to that afternoon to see if Toria was not exaggerating after all. But, of course, she was just being Toria. There was no way she had… “And that little conversation they had when we were leaving? I am sure it had something to do with
The first time had been a combination of the unexpected.They had gone all week with no message from the woman.Reyona was already thinking she had decided not to visit that soon when she received the notification.It was the weekend and Reyona had to forfeit the gym session she had planned to rush over there.As it was, she went there with her sporting clothes on because she was at the local gym centre when she got the notification.She rarely goes out to exercise, but that day, she had wanted the company of adrenaline and determination around to take her mind off her bothersome thoughts.The lady will be there in thirty minutes.There was no way Reyona could make it back home to change and get to Maxwell’s place before the woman got there.So, she rushed over in her tank top and tight-fitting leggings.He was waiting for her outside and she ignored the way his eyes took in every inch of her body as he came towards her.“Not one word,” she said to him in a tight tone as she removed t
The second time was not so rough.Then the third time was more of a recipe for disaster.Reyona had been in the middle of a late dinner meeting she and Samantha were having with a new client.She had to round things up quickly and apologised to the man.Samantha was there to stay till the end of dinner with the man.“You are a lifesaver. I owe you one” she whispered to Samantha.“A raise would be enough thanks, ma,” Samantha said cheekily, and their client laughed.Reyona rushed out of the restaurant while Samantha and the man started discussing the philosophy behind every employee requesting a raise at every opportunity they could get.“Couldn’t the woman be a bit more predictable?” Reyona muttered in frustration as she checked the message she got again.It was ten minutes already, and she could only hope she would be able to make it on time.Maxwell’s call came through just as she was driving out of the parking lot.Reyona quickly connected it to the car speaker and picked it up.“H
The second time was not so rough.Then the third time was more of a recipe for disaster.Reyona had been in the middle of a late dinner meeting she and Samantha were having with a new client.She had to round things up quickly and apologised to the man.Samantha was there to stay till the end of dinner with the man.“You are a lifesaver. I owe you one” she whispered to Samantha.“A raise would be enough thanks, ma,” Samantha said cheekily, and their client laughed.Reyona rushed out of the restaurant while Samantha and the man started discussing the philosophy behind every employee requesting a raise at every opportunity they could get.“Couldn’t the woman be a bit more predictable?” Reyona muttered in frustration as she checked the message she got again.It was ten minutes already, and she could only hope she would be able to make it on time.Maxwell’s call came through just as she was driving out of the parking lot.Reyona quickly connected it to the car speaker and picked it up.“H
Reyona marvelled at her acting prowess.Maybe she had a second career lying in wait for her after all.But then she had taken it too far when she mentioned the school.She wished she had stuffed her feet in her mouth before the words got out.After all, all she had known about it was the name of the school, and she had video-called the children when they were leaving for school on their first day.That was last week.Junior's squeal of “Reyona, you came!” was the first hiccup of the night.Macaulay looked confused for a moment.“I thought you were not going to…”“...come back from work!” Reyona said as she suddenly hugged the boy, muffling the remnant of his words against her body.Still holding him, she smiled at Macaulay as she hurriedly said “How can I not come back from work, darling? I always come back. I am sorry that I came back late today.”Maxwell quickly led Macaulay to the living room, and they were soon seated after Reyona had lingered behind to remind Junior of their deal
“Consider what?” Reyona asked in confusion.“Staying here. I think it would help to prevent the kind of thing that happened tonight, you know.”“I have a place of my own. I don’t need to move in with you to do this. I can…” When he raised his brow at her intended statement, she narrowed her eyes and said “Tonight was just a fluke. Next time…”“Next time, it might even be worse. Then they might take them away. And then all our effort would be for nothing. Is that what you want, Reyona?”Why was he coming closer?“I don’t think…”“What are you afraid of?”Her initial discomfort disappeared in her temper at his insinuation.“And who said I was afraid of anything? What would I be afraid of? You? Right, don’t flatter yourself, okay?”“So, you agree with me that nothing is stopping you from staying here?” Maxwell asked while standing just a few paces from her.His hands were still in his pockets, which made not much of a difference anyway because his eyes were doing enough work of messing w
She was not stalling.Not at all.She just had a lot to do.“Like sit at your desk and stare out of the window?” Reyona’s subconscious reared its head to poke at her ironclad reason.She sighed and thought of how ridiculous her situation had become.It had been a week since she moved in with them, yet it did not look like the awkwardness would end anytime soon.Oh, he made her as comfortable as possible, and she realised he was serious about renovating his home office if she wanted.She had told him not to bother about it and had chosen to stay in her room to do whatever she wanted to do anyway.But then he seemed hellbent on not leaving her alone.He was always trying to involve her in one thing or the other.For the past two days now, he had changed tactics.Junior was his secret weapon.He would simply send him to invite Reyona to join them.For dinner.For their walks.For the basketball he was teaching the kids.And for every other little thing that Reyona was certain that he was