3. THE PAST 3

From that day onward, they do call or chat each other up and sometimes go out for dinner. Yvonne met with Ray's parents likewise Ray met with Yvonne's parents. Their parents accepted and gave their blessings to the relationship. One morning, Ray, his parents, and sister were at the dining, having their breakfast when Mr. Russell, Roland, brought up a topic. "Raymond," Ray looked up from his food to his Dad, "How are things in the office?" "All good. The sales are better than before..." "Son, No business talks at the dining room." His mom glared at him and his dad. They continued eating, Suddenly his Dad spoke up, "You aren't thinking of marrying that Malconde girl, right?" He looked confused at his Dad's question, "Malconde's girl, You mean Yvonne?" His Dad nodded. "Why can't I?" "You can't marry any of our competitor's daughters in this world of business today. It can lead to your downfall." "Not everything is about business, Dad." He dropped his cutlery on his plate, irritated. "What if she was sent to get information from you to bring us down? I can't allow this infatuation to bring us down." "It's not infatuation, it's love." He replied. "I don't care. She's still one of our competitor's daughters." "Dad, why didn't you say all this from the onset? Why now?" "Hmm... I thought you would use your head but..." He interrupted his father, "Stop beating about the bush... Go straight to the point." His mother spoke up for the first time, "You don't talk to your Dad in that manner like you are talking to one of your employees." "Yes, Mom." He tried to calm himself down. "Am sorry, Dad." His Dad spoke up, "A friend of mine brought a proposal. You are getting married to Mr. Fabian's daughter, Susan." He stood up in shock, "What!!! Susan." He shook his head negatively. "No... Not her. I met her in Paris just recently." "You took her on dates in Paris too." His Mom countered what he said. "I did but only twice or thrice, Mom." His Dad nodded in agreement, "It's okay, Son." "It's not and I don't like her talk less of loving her to the extent of getting married to her. I want Yvonne." "Susan loves you and you know she would do anything for you." "She can do whatever she wants but I still don't want her, Dad." He adjusted the chair in anger and went back to his room. He took his car keys and came back downstairs. On getting downstairs, he meets only his Mom in the sitting room, "Am going out, I might stay out late." "Where are you going to?" "I am going out to clear my head." She nodded, "Okay." He hugged her and turned to leave but she held his hand back, he turned to look at his Mom, "You should think about what your father said earlier, please. It would benefit you likewise your Dad's interest." He closed his eyes to calm himself down, "I will try, Mom." He squeezed his Mom's hand assuringly and went straight to the only place that came to his mind. Soon, he got there. He messaged his friend that he was at the gate. The gate was opened to let his car into the house. His friend, James, gave him a handshake, "Guy..." "James, how are things?" Receiving the handshake. "All good. You don't look bright like you use to." James noticed his dull mood. "Yea... Let's go in first." They went into the house. Getting into the house, Raymond explained his plight to James without hiding anything from him. "The only advice I can give to you is to go after what you want so you won't regret it." "It's complicated... James, I love Yvonne very much." "The answer is in you already. Go for it." "Thanks. I know you won't judge me, that's why I came here." He pulled off his stockings and shoes, stretched himself on the three-seater couch to rest, and slept off. He rested for two hours. Waking up, he saw no one around him, "James!!!" James answered from behind, "Yea. You've woken up." "Am sorry, I slept off. Everything is just stressing me out." He sighed. "I understand. You got stressed from what was happening. Your baby called you." Immediately, he picked up his phone, "Shit... 10 missed calls." James took his seat beside him, "I didn't bother to pick up before but had to when it continued ringing. I picked up and told her you were asleep though." "Oh... Thanks." He called her up, she picked the call immediately like she has been expecting his call, "Hey babe. I miss you." "I miss you too, Mond. I called earlier but James picked up and told me you were asleep... After 10 missed calls." He playfully glared at James, "Don't mind him, Kitten." He placed the phone on speaker, "...Yea because he doesn't have a girlfriend, that's why he doesn't understand how it feels..." James spoke up from where he sat, "Am listening to you, Yvonne." "Babe, you kept your phone on speaker. Ahhh." She yelled. James talked before Raymond could, "You were saying something... I don't understand how it feels..." Raymond turned off the loudspeaker, "Stop disturbing my Queen." He playfully eyed James. "Am sorry your Highness." James playfully bowed for him. Raymond nodded, "Baby, are you busy?" "No am not. Want us to go out?" She asked excitedly. "Yes. I want to show you my house." She squealed, "Finally!!! I will get to see your house today." Laughing, "You will finally get to see our house, Kitten. I am picking you up in the next 10 minutes." "10 minutes is okay, I am almost true with what I am doing. I love you." "Love you more, Kitten." He ended the call and dropped the phone on the center table. James spoke up after some minutes, "You should fight for her, Man. If you love her." "James, I love her more than I love myself. Everything is just frustrating. He knows how I feel about Yvonne and he's still telling me to end things between us and go after that spoilt brat." "Yeah, what he said is not good, and not to forget, this Susan girl got feeling for you." He shrugged, "I don't f**kingly care. If I had dumped her for Yvonne, maybe I would have cared enough but nothing like that so... She and her feelings should f**k off." "To be honest, Yvonne is 10x better than Susan. You were sent an Angel so don't think of losing her." "I am neither thinking nor planning to." He balanced on the couch. "Ray, I, and the guys concluded on going out tonight." "Where? I might decide to join you." "To the club. We are going to party hard." Ray laughed and nodded, "Am going to pick up my baby. Later." He stood up. "Okay. I'll walk you to the door." They shook hands and Raymond left. Raymond picked Yvonne up from her workplace and drove off to his house. Right from inside the car before Yvonne got out, "Wow... Wow... Wow... It looks beautiful." He smiled at her reaction, "Thanks. Wait till you get inside." He entwined their hands and left her into the house. She gasped in admiration and amazement, "Wow, it's warm and comfy." He helped her sit on a sofa and knelt in front of her, "Babe, you like it?" "I don't just like, I love your house." "Kitten, it's our house." Placing a set of keys on her palm. "Our house." She hugged him in happiness, "Thanks, Mond." They prepared lunch for themselves, ate, and rested. They spent the day in his house till night. "I have to get going." Yvonne sat up straight from Ray's body, checking her phone for the time, "Am almost late." "Kitten, what's the time?" "Few minutes to 8. Are you going somewhere?" He stood up in a rush, carried Yvonne on his shoulder, and went to his room. "What's with you carrying me like this?" She asked giggling. "Please, help me choose the outfit for tonight." He dropped her down on getting into the room. "Where are you going to?" Going to his closet. "The guys are going to a club to party hard as James had said." Following her to his closet. "James would kill me if he gets here and I'm not dressed." "Is he picking you up? You are such a baby." "Sorry, I meant if he finds am not dressed right now." She laughed, "You should be careful at the club." She chose a set of clothes for him to wear before going back to the sitting room to pack her things, also giving him time to dress up. He came back, "Are you true?" "Yes. I am." She walked out first with him following her from behind. He dropped her off at her house before driving straight to the club.