10

I got out of the cab staring at the old villa. The villa looked more like The Hanging Gardens of Babylon which was made of glass and wood. Three stories tall it rested upon the bricky cliff and was sea facing. Trees adorned its sides and the huge balcony stood out prominently. It was on the second story where Edward usually held the mini parties. Lined with steel railings and plants it stood out like a ship's deck. 

The cab driver helped me to pull out my bag and I thanked him. Turning around I saw Selena coming towards me. Her frilly sundress was flying and she caught it with her one hand while her other hand balanced her hat.  

"You came early. What changed your mind?"  

"I needed to go out. We could also start preparing."  

"Good. Here give me your bag. All the staff is so busy we have a small party tonight."  

"What party?!"  

"Dad said it's a casual gathering nothing much."  

"Oh."  

We walked up to the villa. I finally settled into my room which was on the second floor facing the sea. The seawater was different from back at Edward's place. It was clear aqua blue and in the afternoon it was more bright. There were no windows with balcony but only huge white curtains that covered the glass. I shifted the curtains and gazed out of the glass and smiled when I spotted two familiar figures playing on the white beach.  

"David! Robbie!" I shouted while walking towards them.  

The two were diverted from their Frisbee game and Robbie sprinted towards me.  

"Hey, Tess!!! Robbie hugged me and I almost jerked back.  

"Hey... Rob. You have got sand on your head." I dusted his headed.  

"Tessa." Dav came and hugged me.  

"Congratulations again, Dav." I patted on his back.  

"Thanks. So where is Dylan?" Dav winked at me.  

He's on a business trip getting busy with a lady.  

"He's on a business trip." I almost blurted out about what kind of business he was doing but refrained from saying.  

"Oh, when will he return?" This time it was Robbie. 

"I don't know it's a really important one so he is quite busy."  

Really quite busy.  

"Oh that's alright he will come soon," Dav said.  

"Yeah me too." I sighed. "Anyway can I join the game?"  

"Yeah!!!" They both shouted. 

We played on the beach and then returned to the villa. As we entered inside the hall we saw Selena approaching towards.  

"Oh, I was going to call you guys. Get ready now."  

The party was going smoothly with the soft music playing in the background added to its charm but in reality, I was getting bored. Standing near one of the artificial blacks twigged trees to put up I was playing with off white lights which hung like fruits over it and gave a sort of reflection on the glass. In the reflective glass, I saw a red figure approaching me.  

"From what collection are you wearing that dress?"  

I turned around to see a beautiful dye blond lady with her hip cocked to one side giving me a tight forced displaying her whitened teeth and full plum-colored lips. She was wearing a deadly cleaved gown and her 3-inch heels clicked on the floor.  

"Good evening to you too, Glendora."  

"It looks eh...earthy." She checked me from up to down.  

I was wearing a simple olive-green knee-length dress with half sleeves folding at the elbow and just an inch high black sandals which Serena gave. The only jewelry I wore was my ring and my mother's silver chain.  

"You look amazing as always." I smiled at her.  

She looked at me for a while with a curious and irritated expression on her face and then stood beside me.  

"So when is our dear Dylan coming back from his business trip?" She asked while I still looked ahead.  

"Oh, he told me he will return by tomorrow." I lied casually.  

Oh, really tomorrow? Way to go ahead.  

"Oh, that's nice to hear." She replied back in a cool way but it couldn't fail to notice the slight anxiousness in that.  

"Same here." I kept on gazing ahead finding a possible way to get out of here or she might start drilling me with questions and the next thing you would know is you made a laughing stock in a magazine. I unconsciously twisted my ring on the finger and her head jerked at that.  

"Is that your wedding ring?" She half laughed while saying that.  

"Yeah, it is." I still didn't look at her.  

"That's a really plain ring. Oh, I still remember a couple of years ago when Dylan and I were dating he used to gift me such expensive jewelry every month. Those were some good times."  

"That must be good for you." I still smiled.  

"Hey Glendora, can I borrow my soon sister-in-law for a while I need to talk to her about the wedding." David suddenly came from behind standing right behind the two of us.  

"Oh yes dear Dav why not." She winked so wildly at him I thought she had got something in her eye. And with that she-cat walked her way to Selena.  

"I am still not writing vows for you."  

"Oh come on I saved you from that!" He pointed at a Glendora talking to Selena.  

"I didn't ask for help anyway. And you can try it. You are not that bad."  

"I am no poet Tessa. But whenever I say I Love You to her I pour my heart out on that. With those three words, I promise to fulfill everything I am capable of and try harder when it is beyond my capability but never back down." I slowly turned sideways looking at him while he was gazing at Selena in a rare way as he did.  

"That is it!!" I grabbed his shoulder.  

"What is it?!" He looked at me in a confused.  

"That is your vow. You should say that."  

"But it is not poetic or grand." 

"Who wants a long yawning poem anyway which you won't even remember. It is simple short and most importantly honest. I think it's perfect."  

"You sure?"  

"I know that I am going to attend a wedding, not a poetry competition."  

"Yeah, you are right at that one."  

"I know." I folded my hands.  

"So why does Glendora despise you again?"  

"Three reasons." I pointed three fingers to him. He turned around with his glass of wine with an interesting look on his face and nodded me to go on.

I began.

"Number one: She thinks I am the gold-digging Cinderella girl. You know Edward adopted me from the orphanage."  

"Okay." David sipped his wine.  

"Number two: Selena asked me to be the maid of honor instead of her. I think she is bugged by that."  

"Yeah, I agree with you on that one the phone calls from her were relentless. Sel was trapped but then I told her to tell Glendora that I wanted you to be the Maid of Honor. Which I really wanted." I grinned back.

"And the last reason." I waved my ring finger on which my wedding ring rested. "I married Dylan Gray."  

He burst out laughing at that but immediately stopped as the nearby guests were staring at us. He apologized softly.  

"I think the third one is enough for her hatred against you."

"Hey, I didn't drag him to marry me. It was uh- planned."  

"Yes you didn't drag him but he was dragging himself in the court like those criminals. I mean I still find it so ridiculously daring that he was drunk on his wedding day but then again it's him we are talking about here."  

"Snatched those words right out of my mouth. But please don't get inspired by him. We had a tough time reviving him from that state." I frowned at the memory.  

"No, I won't try that. You were patient I got to hand it to you. Selena wouldn't tolerate it." He finished his wine. "So how you are going to manage your office work and the wedding planning? "  

"I will work here. Spencer doesn't really need me much now. I am already way ahead of my schedule." I yawned really bad and instantly covered my mouth.  

"You look tired. You haven't rested since you arrived here. Go and sleep." 

"Yeah, I should. Good night Dav." 

"Good night, Tess."  

I made my way towards the stairs and in between, I was stopped by people who were introducing themselves and asking the whereabouts of Dylan which I politely replied to each one of them. I saw Edward looking towards me and I smiled at him and then went ahead.  

"What are you doing Tessie?" Robbie said from behind.  

"Reviewing something." I was at the beach early morning sitting cross-legged on the sand in my jean shorts and a shirt.

He sat beside me looking at me while I was busy looking from page to page. "You work so much."  

"You have to work to live Robbie." I was still bent overworking.  

"Can we like just talk for a while?"

I stopped at that and glanced at him. There was a hint of sadness in his voice. I closed my folder and capped my pen.  

"What happened kiddo?" He half-smiled at me.

"I don't know. I mean I don't feel like you know after you left um married you weren't there. So now you are here." He drifted off.  

He was missing us. With me gone he had no one to have fun with except David who used to come once in a while.  

"I am just married not old kiddo. Anyway, what do you want to talk about?" I shifted to him closer and he rested his head on my shoulder.  

"Anything."  

"You will have to start making friends in school Rob. I mean more of the time I won't be there always like this you know that. But call me anytime and I will be there okay?"  

"Yeah, you don't have to say that. I know you will be."  

We sat like that for an hour talking. My work long is forgotten. The only thing that made us go back was my rumbling stomach. We both entered and I saw a huge similar figure from behind sitting on the couch laughing with Edward.  

"Dylan!!!" Robbie shouted from behind and ran towards him.

At first, Robbie was doubtful of Dylan but during his birthday when Dylan loaded him with the expensive toys his point of view had changed. I had questioned Robbie's loyalty but he said that he was always on 'Team Tessa' adding later that Dylan wasn't also that bad.  

He turned around and got up and picked Robbie whirled him around like I used to do.  

"Did you get something for me?" Robbie asked him with curiosity and excitement written over his face.  

"Yes I did and I will show it to you later but first I need to greet your sister."  

He marched towards me with a look in his eyes which I couldn't describe but it was intense and I was rooted to my spot. I kept on staring at him not being able to make a single move. He still looked damn fine. He had his white shirt buttoned-down in his way and his black trousers creased with every step he took. His hair was messed up probably because of the long flight and his eyes were turning green. In a second he was right in front of me with way too much proximity staring at me intently. An arm suddenly twisted around my waist brought me close to him. He was switching his view from my lips to eyes and then finally resting on my eyes.  

"I missed you." He said with his oh so rich voice which was a little bit heavy. And he smiled at me. That smile. Okay, I almost believed it.  

Come again?  

"Come again?" I said it in a way too high a tone.  

"I said I missed you." He didn't smile this time but his look got more fierce.  

"Oh, you did?" I asked not sure where this was going.  

"Yes, I did." He replied in the same tone and tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. My ears were already red by now and my waist was tingling in a weird way.  

I didn't say anything because I was processing a lot over here. He turned and said.  

"Edward I will talk with you later I have a lot to catch up you know." And he winked at him while Edward winked back at him.  

"Catch? What do we have to catch? " I asked him not wanting to know the real meaning of it but still.  

"Oh, you will know." He stared back but I was frowning at him now. And suddenly I was almost lifted off the ground he had held me more close leading us to the stairs.  

What is going on?  

I gawked at him until we reached our room. I shoved him off.  

"What was that back there?"  

"What was what?"  

"You know what I am talking about."  

"Oh that, you know. Letting them know we are a happy couple." He casually shrugged it off while checking his phone.  

Now it made sense. But I didn't like it. It was very convincing. I had a reason to doubt it was beyond that.  

I snatched his phone and said, "Why do that?"  

He looked at me and was definitely aggravated by me. "I believe you yourself said that we had to cooperate during family events. Remember?" He snatched the phone back.  

"But we are going to divorce in two months why put up the show?" I snatched the phone back again.  

"Because our parents think that we are in love. Edward said that you had retired early from the party yesterday. He believes you were missing me at that time."  

"What?!" I flung my hands in the air. And he caught the phone.  

"Yes, I thought you were acting your part out. It's okay they believed you anyway."  

"What?! I was not acting I was genuinely tired. Just arrived yesterday and then played with David and Robbie. The party was boring. I got tired."  

"You don't have to explain it to me. Doesn't really matter." He waved off.  

"Okay, but what's with the endearments?"  

"What?"  

"You are calling me honey." I frowned at him. He stopped pacing and looked at me with a slight frown.  

"We have to use that to make it sound convincing. You don't like it?" He smirked at me.  

Boy did I miss that smirk.  

"Well, it is awkward."  

"Then what should I call you? Sugar? Chocolate? Candy?"  

"Stop, please. I may not eat those things ever again."  

"Oh, you stop being so dramatic and get on with it. Cooperate." He stressed to cooperate.  

"I know, I know. It's not every day that you start behaving like this. We have been ignoring each other for months."  

"Well then adapt to the change." And he sat on the bed interlinking his fingers and resting his head on them staring at me.  

"Youse awfully happy after your business trip." The comment just snapped out of my mouth and I regretted it a second later.  

"Yes, it was good. Thank you for your concern." He looked too happy but mostly he was gazing at me so intensely.  

"Stop looking like that."  

"Like what?" He got that look again.  

"Never mind. Would you please leave the room?"  

"Leave the room. Why?"  

"Well, I am staying here."  

"Honey. We are a couple. Couples stay in one room. It will be awkward if we stayed in two different rooms." He smirked.

I groaned in response balled my hands angry at the fact that he was right.  

"Fine! Stay here." I went and shut myself in the bathroom.  

After a while, I came out and saw he was peacefully sleeping on the bed with his shoes on. I smiled at his sleeping site and had to say he looked like a kid. I realized I had missed him in the past months. Removing his shoes and keeping them aside, I resumed my work.