CHAPTER 89

"What is my daughter going to do on the rooftop of the hospital? Are you kidding me, Liam?!"

He handed me a small piece of paper that said; Come on up here, mom. On the rooftop.

"Isn't that Audrey's letter?"

When I realized that Liam wasn't really cheating on me, I hurried to take the elevator. Maybe later that child will jump over there, knowing that we were not on good terms when we talked in the past.

Gosh, please don't.

"If Audrey jumps in there, she won't let you go there," I heard Liam say. He came with me. "Because when you were there, she was expecting you to stop her from doing what she intended to do. So... I'm sure... she didn't have any plans like that."

"Are you a mind reader?" I don't care what I say. "Or maybe it's just too obvious on my face that I'm worried... or scared?"

Maybe the emotions I feel are mixed. Even my thoughts are no longer well-organized. The car used by Imelda added to my thoughts... that is probably mine. Then it's Audrey, I'm still worried.

"Slowly-"

I didn't pay attention to Liam anymore. After the elevator opened, I climbed a few more steps to the stairs that opened and opened the door directly to the rooftop, and-My mouth dropped when I saw the beautiful setup on the rooftop. It looks like a 'romantic date' is about to happen.

A small round table was in the center and there were two soft chairs facing each other. There are also prepared foods on the table that are still covered, and those two bottles of wine, the outside is already sweaty, so it means it's cold. And the decoration of the place... since it was already evening, there were different lights hanging, flowers also hanging and other petals scattered on the floor.

"What's happening here? Where's Audrey-"

"I'm here!"

From the curtain that was blocked to cover the place of the table from the strong wind, my daughter appeared there. She is pulling someone out... Henrix with a piece of rose and he is still in formal attire. Wearing a long sleeve with a brown checkered necktie, a black slacks and black shoes while his hair is brushed upwards, he looks a fine man–I mean, he looks handsome.

He made his steps forward... walking towards me. When his eyes did not leave the gaze of the two of us, while he was gradually getting closer to me, I could feel the gradual acceleration of my heart rate.

It's like... a horse is chasing me.

And it was as if I was inside a Barbie Movie when suddenly Henrix started singing a song that really reminded me of my old love for watching Barbie Movies. While behind him, Audrey plays the guitar.

I'm not even aware that my daughter can play instruments!

(Two Voices, One Song is now playing)

"Call me unfair for not telling you about this surprise, you didn't prepare," he answered shyly while scratching the back of his neck when the song ended. "Because it can't be called a surprise anymore if you already know what's going to happen."

"What is the occasion, Hen?" I'm still stuttering a bit because... I still can't get over the beauty of the song and because I enjoyed listening to it so much.

"September 18 is a special day, have you forgotten?"

I thought hard about what occasion there was on the date he mentioned... whose birthday, baptism, camp? What? I don't remember anything.

"You forgot that the same day Audrey celebrated her birthday... it was Gwen and I's anniversary," he whispered to me. "And now, I consider this day our anniversary--the exact day you choose to consider me as your second home."

My mouth fell open again, and for a moment I just laughed. Because he's telling the truth, actually. Him and Gwen's anniversary was the same day as Audrey's birthday, and the reason why I consider that as ours is because I still... uh… I was thinking I'm still wearing Gwen's shoes. Until now.

"For someone who is used to living in the shadow of others, can you blame me if I have mixed up the important days of my life?" That's sad, yes. But I didn't lose my bitterness. Laughter should not be absent in my hour now. "The only thing I don't understand is, why is there still a need to celebrate? In the current situation? What were you thinking, Hen?"

He said no answer, but kneeled his toes down to me. "Make this day our real anniversary, shall we?"

Right now, he's showing me a diamond ring. Wow? Is this the reason why he sang me one of the theme songs of Barbie in the Diamond Castle?!

Our companions at the venue, on either side, Liam and Audrey were excitedly waiting for my answer. But the happiness Audrey has on her face is quite greater than Liam has. And when I looked back again to the man who was kneeling on the floor, I didn't know how to answer.

"Hen..." As I heaved a sigh, I took his hand and forced him to stand up. "Maybe you can wait, right? I hope... I hope after all this, we can do everything we want to do. Just put Lucile in jail and everything will be settled, we have plenty of time for these kinds of dates and parties, perhaps?"

I folded his hand holding the ring and I made sure to remain the thing inside of his palm. "Let's do the things we want... everything... only if you allow me to close this affair by putting Lucile to the place where she belongs."

---

"At least you could have given him the assurance that he would expect an answer, a positive one, from you," Liam replied.

He was driving the car now and we were heading to the location of the text Liam received from Zia.

Without letting me know, Liam talked to Zia to work with us, because as we all know, she's one of Lucile's allies and it's also possible that she knows where Lucile is. Well, Zia dropped Lucile to us in exchange for the condition Liam gave her–that the artful monkey I banished would return to the Aether. Fvck!

"Do I sound like rejecting his proposal?" I asked, because clearly I wasn't really aware that… I really sounded like rejecting Henrix?