A Toast

SELENA’S POV:

 

A FEW DAYS LATER….

“Thank you so much for putting me through this, Will. Especially during the weekend!” I appreciated as I concluded the video call in my home office with one of the young personnels in the marketing team.

He was nice and nerdy in his late twenties, and extremely knowledgeable. He had a whole lot of great ideas, him and many others who were trying so hard to impress me in order to replace Mrs Karen’s position. We were closely together because I had picked one of his ideas for the store which was almost to be closed.

I heaved out a breath adjusting the pearls on my neck, listening to the soft music playing outside the room, shutting my laptop as I mentally prepared myself to get out of this beautifully designed room requested by my husband.

Today was a surprise housewarming party, planned by Henry, after much persuasion by his family members. He had invited business associates, close friends, and old family members. According to what he had shared, this was also to wrap up the speculations going about him, stating different opinions about him such as, he had been heading to a brothel which was uptown about forty minutes drive away from one of his establishments based on my research.

I had research because I needed to know if it was true that my husband, the man I was developing feelings for, was actually sleeping with prostitutes.

Thankfully, it wasn’t but I still kept my distance because I was not trying to get my heart broken by another man in the space of a year. It had been tough but I made it work picking up the traditional line said by every working person every time he tried to hang out, I have so much work to do, another time. Henry was the most understanding person ever, so he never made me feel pressured but remained calm and even encouraged, trying to even help but I had been dismissive.

I headed out into the party which had been going on for about an hour and a half, and a whole lot of people were present, laughing, talking, drinking and feasting. I smiled as I walked through the crowd, in my white beautiful patterned with blue roses sun dress. It was so gorgeous and felt so beautiful on me.

“Beautiful Selena!” Cherry exclaimed as soon as she saw me and I grinned embracing her.

Cherry turned out to be their cousin who had moved in with them when they were all in high school. Henry was in his sophomore year, Olivia was a freshman so they instantly clicked majorly due to Cherry’s bubbly personality. She was so beautiful and according to what I had learnt from the night I had met her, she loved to try new things. Apparently, she had just tried theatre that night of the dinner which is why she was dressed that way. 

“Not too loud, it’s Monica Scott to the rest of the world.” Olivia cautioned, proceeding to go ahead to hug me.

“Right. So Henry’s going to make a toast soon and his beautiful wife has to be by his side. He’s been looking all over for you.” Cherry informed me and I looked around.

“Alright, let me go look for him. You two look so beautiful and smell amazing by the way.” I had been working on giving compliments back as my therapist had been teaching me to embrace all the compliments and look myself in the mirror telling myself reminding myself of those compliments.

They smiled at my comment and I walked off in search of Henry, and I was suddenly dragged by the man I was searching for into one of the downstairs rooms without a single word uttered.

He shut the door with a key and tucked the key in his pocket, making my eyes go wide and he looked at me with stressed lines forming on his forehead.

“Did I do something wrong?” He asked, and I furrowed my eyebrow, acting confused, like I hadn’t been different.

“If I did something wrong or crossed a boundary, I truly am sorry.” The desperation in his eyes was so heartwarming, for the first time in all over four years it seemed like someone truly cared about my change in attitude, it was weird but nice.

I rubbed my glossy lips together, “I’m sorry for making you feel like you did something wrong because you didn’t. We have to make a toast, so let’s talk about this later.”

I tried to convince him but he shook his head speaking in his deep voice yet sounding vulnerable, “I’m not leaving here until we fully resolve this. Look…Selena…I haven't been in any real serious relationship and I’m trying to be an amazing partner to you, even if it’s as a friend, whatever you want me to be for you, I will adjust so YOU can be happy, that’s how important you are to me.”

“I never went to any brothel, and I should have addressed that as soon as it came out. I never did when I was by myself and neither will I do that when I’m returning home to you. Your distance this past ninety-eight hours has last left me truly bothered, so I need you to please communicate with me about anything weighing you down, work, life because you are that important me and even though I said I married you for your personal reasons and to help you, I still had my selfish reasons.” He concluded, walking towards me and with tears brimming in my eyes I had a question in mind.

“What selfish reasons?” My heart was racing so fast not just as his words but at the thought that he might actually have feelings for me.

“One, because you are gorgeous. You seemed like all I needed to make life complete and after these past few months, it’s glaring you are. You make me so happy and it’s important to me to know I have that same effect on you.” He responded and my back was now against the wall and he was standing right in front of me.

“You do.” I told him and he smiled, staring into my eyes as he cupped my cheek with his warm hands making my eyes close and body melt at his touch, “You are so perfect!”

I smiled, opening my eyes and looking into his eyes, praying he didn't hear how loud my heart was pounding. 

“Can I kiss you?” He asked, and I looked from his left to right eye appalled at how he could be such a gentleman but rather than responding to his question, I made the move, staring at him with affection and kissing him.

As our lips moved in perfect sync with his hands on my waist which left the little version of me dancing at how perfect all this was, a loud startling knock came through the door.

“Henry! Come on out bro! I can’t find your wife anywhere. I think she might have left you.” Henry’s friend, Carmeron, knocked on the door and Henry and I broke looked at each other and proceeded to laugh out loud.

Carmeron turned out to be the man who I had seen in the elevator that day wearing a leather jacket, he was a jester and I had met him earlier today and discovered they had been friends since they were kids.

He knocked again, and Henry kissed my forehead, “Let’s head out together.”

I grinned and took his hand in mine and he kissed the back of my hand.

“Together.” I muttered.

We headed out and Carmeron laughed boisterously walking off as he saw us, shaking his head at himself and we chuckled going ahead to make a toast in this beautiful cozy mansion which was feeling like home just with the man next to me.

“And to beautiful grandchildren.” Mr and Mrs Scott said in unison making the above fifty guests burst out laughing.

I chuckled at the idea of children.