CARA
“Spilllllllllllllllllllll!”
“Girl chill.” I say smiling
“The only thing that’s chilling is the bottle of whine we are popping right now.” She says as the waitress strolls towards us with a bottle of wine in a bucket.
I blame Liam. Now I can’t but narrate everything that went down. I blush recollecting our date especially the part where all we did was gaze at the stars in silence for God knows how long.
“Someone’s blushing. This is not the Cara that strolled in month’s back. This is a whole new one and I like her better. With the way Mr Johnson is going, we just might be hearing wedding bells very soon.”
“Slow down Veronica! The walls have ears and he hasn’t even asked me out yet.”
“I don’t care. I want the whole of Ireland to hear. Knowing my boss, he likes to cut to the chase. He might just skip that part and ask you to marry him.”
“I’m out.” I say dragging my chair out from the table.
“If you dare stand up from that seat, I'll chop off your legs and feed them to my bunnies.”
“Then you have to promise to be quiet about this.”
“Okay. Spoil sport.”
“Liam, Mr Johnson came.”
“Girl I'll smack that formality off your lips.”
I laugh so hard causing a few heads to turn to our angle.
“I went to Liam’s place to discuss something with him then I noticed he wasn't feeling too good. Liam hates hospitals and taking drugs. He’ll rather lie in bed and shiver all year than pick up his phone to call his doctor.”
“That's something but he went ahead to marry a nurse.”
“Did you know her?”
“Not so well but I've heard a lot about her.”
“Sometimes I wonder if I can ever measure up. Once people start to find out there might be something between us, bloggers will come after me and find out I'm a nobody.”
“That's a very terrible thing to say to yourself. You are not in a competition with Flora. Be yourself, just the way you are and for the record, you are a brilliant lawyer and a very beautiful woman. The man two seats away from ours seems to agree because he can't take his eyes of you.”
I slowly turn to his side and confirm what Veronica just said.
“He is such a fine gentleman and he reeks of wealth.”
“And how do you know this?”
“ Because of his looks and there is a man on dark shades with something connected to his ears sitting not too far from him. He keeps staring at him and around the restaurant.”
I follow her gaze and my eyes land on the mam she's talking about.
“How and when did you notice all these?”
“I'm conscious of my environment.”
“What's he doing here anyways if he's as wealthy as you say he is.”
“I'm sure he is friends with the owner. The elder was smiling at him and tapping his shoulder when we walked in.”
“Veronica, you really like to take note of your environment. There's no doubt.” I say laughing.
“Now back to our snowhite fairytale except there's a sick prince instead of a dead one.”
“And the dwarves?”
“Consider this a plot twist.”
“You amaze me every single time.”
“Noted with kind regards. Now back to the story!”
“I called the doctor and then he came home to administer treatments to him. There was nobody to stay with him so I did.”
“You lived in his house?”
“I was alternating between mine place and his.”
“Please tell me you aced your nightie game.”
“Large t-shirts and pyjamas?”
“If I didn't love you, I would have stayed clear of you after this information you just dished. Ever heard of silk night dresses?”
“I didn't want to pass the wrong message.”
“I get. I was just kidding anyways. But please tell me you faked a slip while both of you were coming down the stairs.”
“Why would I?”
“So he can hold you and then both of you can get lost in each other's eyes then one of you will lean in for a kiss and the rest they say us history.”
“Remind me how we became friends again?” iask shaking my head.
“You fell in live with me the moment you laid your eyes on me and insisted I be your friend if not you would quit your job. I had to think about your future generation.”
“Of course you had to. Anyways we talked, played games and I helped with a administering his drugs and preparing his meals. Here comes the sweet part. He took me to this part of the house that was so beautiful where we talked about our childhood memories. The next day he surprised me with a picnic date. We ended the night staring at the stars in silence. He got jealous that Fredrick was always calling me.”
“I might have told Frederick that your heart might belongs to someone else.”
“What if I had a short with him?”
“I'm sorry. I just wanted him to know what he was diving into.”
“I get your point.”
“Do not look back. Act like I'm saying something funny. Laugh.”
“Why?”
“Just laugh. Do it.”
I laugh and stare at her while I'm trying to figure out what is going on.
“Hello pretty ladies.”
“Hi.” we chorus.
“I’m Benjamin. My friends call me Ben.”
“Hi Ben. Unfortunately my friends taken. As a matter of fact, she's getting married to him very soon.”
“Veronica!”
“It's true. It's only a matter of time.”
“I'm so sorry.” I say trying to make the already awkward situation less awkward.
“At least I can be her friend right?” he says turning to Veronica.
“Platonic friend, yes. Mr Ben?”
“You have a last name right?”
“Please forgive my friend. She had a lot to drink.”
“I'm just playing safe.” Veronica says smiling from ear to ear.
“Benjamin Albert.”
“That name rings a bell.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. Most be mistakening it for someone else.”
“If you say so. We were about leaving though.” Veronica says standing up.
“Can I please get your names?” he says looking at me.
“Or her name?”
“I'm Cara Bloom and my friend here is Veronica Smith.”
“Great to meet you ladies. Here's my card, kindly send me a text or call me. Have a lovely night rest.”
“Here is mine tell the secret agent guy to call me.” Veronica says before flashing her teeth in his face.
Once we were outside, I turn around and give her a nasty face.
“Why where you being rude?”
“I was trying to protect what's my boss.”
“You are wasted and I'm calling you a cab.”
I hail a cab for her and bid her good night after secretly taking a picture of the driver his car and giving him her address.