Chapter 62. A date
Jackson Johnson
Johnson Mansion
Georgina was stunned by my words, then she turned, picked up the key, opened the door, and drove off. I watched as the gates of the large electric gate opened until she disappeared from my sight. I went back to the garden, hoping she would finally leave me and my family alone. Before heading home, I planned to have a peaceful dinner with my family and, of course, talk to Máxima.
"Son, I thought you had left," my father said when he saw me arrive.
"No, no, I've been invited to dinner..." I sat in the chair I was going to sit in before seeing Georgina. I looked at everyone as silence fell among them.
"Weren't you going out to dinner with your date?" he asked, surprised.
"Not anymore." I smiled, and seeing my smile, they raised their eyebrows. My father looked at my mother and then at me.
"Isidora, our son has smiled at us." I almost rolled my eyes at his comment, but yes, it was indeed rare to smile with them.
"Well, well, when will dinner be served?" My mother gave the order to the maid, and we began to talk, as we did every year, about the details of the company's annual event. I approved several expenses since I was the one paying for everything, but they helped me. After dinner, I said goodbye to them and walked Máxima to her car so we could leave.
"Come on, say it," she said suddenly a few meters from her car. We stopped and looked at each other in silence for a moment.
"I know, I sincerely apologize for what I insinuated this morning at the office. I shouldn't have assumed something like that, but..." I looked at her with narrowed eyes, and she interrupted me.
"Fine, I forgive you." I raised an eyebrow.
"Thanks, I wasn't going to be able to sleep." I muttered under my breath, and she burst out laughing.
"Come on, go rest, unless..." she stopped her sentence.
"Unless what? What?"
"You're going to see Lilly."
"Máxima," I used my warning tone, but she didn't care.
"She's a good girl, you know?" I tried to suppress a smile in front of her.
"Thank you. She is..." Her eyes looked at me intently, as if she wanted to hear more. "Well," I looked up at the dark, starry sky, "I can't believe what I'm about to say."
"You can," she said in a playful tone. When I looked back at her, I shook my head with a smile.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'm really glad to see you've finally found someone to have adventures with." I felt a tightness in my chest at her words. "...someone to walk through life with, whether the journey is short or long, but the important thing is to live it." I pulled her in for a hug; her words had struck a chord within me.
"Thank you." When we separated, she smiled with her sparkling eyes.
"Well, go on, I have to go, they're waiting for me at home and..." I raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't you break up with your partner?" She smiled, caught.
"We've worked it out." She winked at me before getting to her car. She left, and I was about to go when I heard my mother behind me. I turned, and she was coming from the back garden.
"Mother, I was just leaving. Do you need anything before I go?" She walked towards me, and when she finally reached me, she hugged me. I was surprised and slowly hugged her back. We stayed like that for a few minutes. When we separated, she caressed my face with both hands.
"I'm so happy to see you like this, smiling, experiencing something new." I caught her hands and kissed each one.
"It just happened, maybe with a little help, but I know that maybe..."
"Stop thinking, just enjoy while you have her by your side." I couldn't help my lower lip from trembling. "Sweetheart," she was moved. "You're a good man, forget the past, give yourself a chance, you've always deserved it." I could see the tension in her jaw. "Don't let the ghost of the past ruin your present and your future."
"I know you know what happened."
"How could I not know? You're my son, Jackson. Even if I don't say much, even if we don't have the relationship a mother usually has with her son, I'm here, do you see me?" I nodded slowly. What was happening to me? I wanted to cry, to hug my mother. Her eyes glistened. "It hurt me, I assumed it took away your confidence, but you've managed to cope with it, so let go of the burden you carry on those shoulders, and live." I hugged her tightly; now all I wanted was to see Lilly. To hug her and just breathe in her scent, to feel her.
"Thank you, Mom."
"You're welcome, son. Go, get some rest..." We parted and, with promises to see each other more often, I headed home.
On the way, I took a detour. Almost twenty minutes through traffic, I arrived at the apartment complex where Lilly lived. I parked across the street, took out my phone, and hesitated to send her a message. It was late, the night was cold and... then a car appeared, parking almost in front of mine but on the other side of the street. A man got out, and I realized it was Lilly's father. Another person got out from the passenger side, and it was her. I got out and walked over to greet them politely.
"Good evening," they both turned to me, surprised.
"Jackson, is something wrong?" She was carrying a bag in her hands, her father smiled at me.
"Jackson, good evening, how have you been?" I approached to shake his hand that he extended toward me.
"Good, and you?"
"Good, we went to get dinner at the last minute, have you eaten yet?"
"Yes, I just came from my parents' house." I could see the surprise in her eyes.
"Oh, that's good." He looked at his daughter, who was still looking at me from her spot. "Well, I'll leave you two to talk, unless you want to come up and..."
"No, no, it's fine, thanks. I just came for a moment, then I'll leave."
"Alright then, good night, it was nice to see you again."
"Thank you, Mr. Bradley, likewise." We said goodbye again, and he took the bag Lilly was carrying. She watched to see if her father had left, then turned her gaze to me.
"Is everything okay? I didn't know you were coming."
"It was unexpected. I just..." She softened her gaze. "I just wanted to see you for a moment before going home."
"Oh, Jackson," she whispered. I closed the distance between us, leaving a meter between our bodies.
"I just..." My gaze stayed on her brown eyes. "...wanted to say goodnight."
"From your parents' house? You know it's almost an hour away with the night traffic?"
"I know." I tried to suppress a smile. Her hands reached out to touch my body, and as she did, I took that step to be closer to her. "I just wanted..."
"I know," she whispered without looking into my eyes. She just slid her hands under my jacket, wrapping them around my waist, pressing her body against mine, and resting her cheek on my chest. "I can hear your heart beating..." I automatically wrapped my arms around her. I closed my eyes and breathed in her scent. "I've wanted to do this since this morning."
"Me too."
"I already have our date for our second outing," she pulled back to look at me but didn't let go. "Tomorrow. After work. What do you think?"
"You tell me the time and place, and I'll be there." I stroked her hair that fell over her forehead.
"Good, then get ready. Because I'm not going to let you rest..."