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“No, Sir.” He replied and I told him to drive into the gas station. It could only be Vanessa if it wasn’t Alba. Sebastian never took the car unless Roger could not, and that was very rare.
“I’ll be back,” I said before walking into the gas station to see a young girl behind the bar. I noticed how she immediately perked up at my presence and I shook my head inwardly. She had to be fifteen or sixteen.
“What can I do you for, sir” The innuendo in her voice is very blatant and clear and I was a little irritated.
“Did a young woman just walk into this place? She was driving the SUV parked out front.” I said, and the girl was already shaking her head.
“I don’t remember any other woman.” She was lying, but I didn’t push it. I walked around the store but I didn’t see anyone else, so I tried the female bathroom.
I knocked on the door, and there is a soft shuffle. Then I heard the thud of something dropping beside the door before it finally opened to reveal a red-eyed Vanessa.
“Hey, are you all right?” I asked her, bending slightly so my eyes were on the same level as hers and holding her face with my free hand. She looked very shocked to see me, as she had just been caught doing something bad. There was no one else in the bathroom with her and she then suddenly, as if she just remembered something, pushed me out of the bathroom and shut the door firmly behind her.
She looked guilty as hell about something, but I could not tell what that was.
“Christian? What are you doing here?” She asked. Her voice was a little wobbly, and she cleared her throat.
“I could ask you the same. I was driving back home with Roger when I saw the SUV parked out front.”
“Oh. Uhm, I came to get some medicine. I wasn’t feeling too well, so I came by.”
“Why didn’t you just text me to get them for you?” I asked her. She was lying and I could tell. She was keeping something from me, and I knew she was fine this morning before I left the house. And she also did not look sick.
“I didn’t want to disturb you. Could we maybe get out of here?” She said, already walking out of the store. I noticed she did not bother to get the drugs she’d claimed to come for, but I didn’t comment on it.
I ignored the red-haired girl’s wink when I walked out of the store as well.
I wanted to accompany her while we drove back, but she insisted on driving alone, claiming that she did not want to make me sick as well, even though her claim to be sick was bogus, I didn’t call her out on it too. I let her have the space she so clearly needed, but I promised myself that I would ask her what was wrong again until she told me.
She drove in front of us for the next twenty-five minutes until we got to the house and immediately after we arrived, she went hurriedly to her bedroom, locking herself inside it. She even ignored Beanie when he came out excitedly to greet her.
I knew then that something was very wrong, and she would not tell me until she was ready to.
I was in my office, where I retired to get some work done, still trying to take my mind off the fact that Vanessa had not come out of her room in two hours, my father called and I answered. I decided that ignoring him was only immature and it was better that I picked up his calls and addressed whatever issues he wanted to discuss.
“Dad?” I answered, keeping my voice stoic.
“Hello son, how have you been?”
“I’m good, dad, and you?”
“Good, good. It’s great to hear you’re being nice to your family once again. After blaming us for something that was so clearly not our fault.”
“Is there a reason for this call dad, I’m a little busy right now.”
I heard his grunt of dissatisfaction with my tone and I ignore it, waiting for him to get to the point. I already had some idea of why he would call me. It was the same reason my mother dropped everything to come to visit me here. Something she would never have done.
“There’s no need to sound like we’re pestering you, Christian. Everything your mother and I do is for the growth of this family. I thought you would understand that by now.”
When I said nothing to that, he sighed again and continued.
“We had dinner with the Wrights yesterday. They wanted to know when you’ll be coming back to the city. Summer is the best time to set the wedding before their second IPO, but we wanted you to come in person to discuss it with them, too.”
“Like I said at the gala, and I’m going to keep saying it, Thea and I have nothing to discuss dad, I will not marry her. You and mum can have all the dinners you want with the Wrights. It won’t change the fact that I will not marry her.”
“Now don’t you raise your voice at me, Son. You should know when to put duty above interest. All your life, I’ve taught you that. Why do you think this should be any different?”
“Because I’m in love with someone else.”
