Written in the Stars

Episode11

Driven Point Of View

Driven took a seat before grabbing his tall glass of beer. He took a long sip, tasting the bitterness mixed with sweetness on his tongue. There was nothing better than a good old beer after a long day, he thought as he let out a breath of relief.

As he looked up at Mathew, he still couldn’t quite believe his old friend was really here.

Mathew Windsor.

The two of them went way back to high school, where they had played football together. Then came college, where they ended up sharing a dorm room. Mathew had studied architecture while Driven went into scientific engineering. Different studies, different careers, but somehow they had always remained close friends.

Then Mathew graduated and got a huge opportunity to work for a major architecture firm in New York.

It had been hard watching his best friend leave, but Mathew still visited whenever he had the time. Yet sitting here with him now, after an entire year apart, felt like stepping back into the good old days.

“So, how have you been?” Mathew asked while sipping from his beer. “Last time we saw each other, Kaylee had just left me… and you were still with your ex.”

Driven nodded slowly as he took another sip from his glass, savoring the cold taste.

“Yeah… those were the times,” he said with a heavy sigh. Then something crossed his mind and his expression softened. “You haven’t met Michaela yet.”

Realization hit him.

“You’re going to love her. She’s a real sweetheart.”

Mathew smiled warmly. “Well, from the photos you showed me, she definitely got your blond hair.”

Driven chuckled quietly at the thought of his daughter.

“The blond hair, yeah, that’s from me,” he admitted. “But honestly… she looks a lot like her mother.”

Silence settled between them for a moment as they both took another sip from their beers while the distant sound of the live band filled the background.

After a few minutes, Driven finally broke the silence.

“So, what brings you to South Africa, man?”

Mathew smiled. “Big project. I’ve got a client named Luther who wants to build a company for his daughter.”

Driven nodded, impressed even if he didn’t fully understand architecture.

“Well, I don’t know much about that architect stuff,” he teased, “but what I do know is that you’ll probably be here for a few months.”

He looked at his old friend and gave him a wink.

“And I’m not complaining. I’ve missed you, buddy.”

Mathew was one of the only real friends Driven still had from high school, and honestly, he had missed having another guy around to talk to.

“Like you said, I’ll be here for a while,” Mathew replied. “You’ll be seeing a lot more of me now.”

“Speaking of which, where are you staying?” Driven asked.

“I’m staying at the Pink Flamingos in town with my crew,” Mathew answered before taking another sip from his beer.

Driven nodded just as one of the waitresses approached their table.

“Can I get you gentlemen another round or something to eat?” she asked politely.

“We’ll take more of these,” Driven said, raising his empty glass before glancing at Mathew. “You want anything to eat?”

Mathew frowned thoughtfully before looking at the waitress.

“Do you still have those sticky ribs with chips on the menu?”

The waitress smiled warmly. “Yes, we do.”

“I’ll take the sticky ribs with chips,” Mathew said before turning toward Driven. “You joining me?”

Driven inhaled deeply while thinking about it.

He had already taken Michaela’s medicine home earlier, and there was a good chance Braire had made supper. He could always eat something small now and still eat later at home.

“I’ll just take a small chips,” Driven told the waitress.

She nodded before walking off again.

“Why don’t you just have the sticky ribs with me?” Mathew asked once she had left.

Driven let out a heavy sigh before finishing the last of his beer and setting the glass down.

“I would like to, but you know I’m married now. Braire’s probably expecting me to eat at home, and I don’t want to be rude, man.”

Mathew chuckled and shook his head.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he said before finishing his own drink. “Thinking like a married man now.”

He gave Driven a playful wink.

Driven smirked as he leaned casually back in his chair.

The waitress soon returned with two fresh tall glasses of beer, collecting the empty ones from the table.

Driven wasted no time picking up the new glass and taking another sip, savoring the moment while the music continued playing softly around them.

Lucas Point of View

He sat there with his cousin Joelien in his arms, holding her against his chest for a long time until her tears had finally dried. Seeing her in this much pain made the anger inside him grow stronger, especially toward her ex-husband.

He still could not understand why Driven couldn’t just leave her alone. The damage that man had caused her felt impossible to heal.

After a while, Lucas gently pulled back and rested his hands on her upper arms as he looked at her carefully.

“Why don’t I make us some supper?” he suggested softly. “I could make some of my famous meatballs and spaghetti.”

The last thing he wanted was to take her back to that empty farmhouse tonight. That place carried too many ghosts from her past, and sometimes he genuinely worried about her staying there all alone.

Especially now that her anemia had gotten worse. Gabrielle stayed with her during the day by helping out on the farm , but at night… it was different. Joelien was still a woman living alone on a large farm, and Lucas hated the thought of something happening to her.

“We could both do with some food,” Lucas added gently. Joelien looked at him before wiping the last of her tears away with the palms of her hands.

“I think that would be a good idea,” she admitted quietly. “I’m kind of hungry.”

Lucas took a deep breath before finally letting go of her arms.

“Then it’s settled. You can help me cook if you want,” he said while rising to his feet. “I kind of need someone to stir the sauce for me.”

A faint smile tugged at Joelien’s lips for the first time that evening. Lucas held out his hand toward her, helping her to her feet when she took it. Together they started walking toward the kitchen. As they entered the large kitchen, Joelien looked around before softly saying, “Thank you for having me.”

Lucas froze for a second at her words before turning toward her with a warm smile.

“We’re family,” he said gently. “And that’s what family does.”

He walked toward the fridge and started pulling out the ingredients for the meal.

“I know,” Joelien replied quietly. “It’s just… after my mother left, and after Driven left… it’s been lonely on the farm.”

Lucas gathered the ingredients in his arms before carrying everything to the kitchen island and setting it down on the counter.

“I can imagine,” he said honestly. He looked up and met her tired eyes.

“Well, you’ve still got me,” Lucas reminded her softly. “And Maribel and Talia too. We’re always going to be part of your life.”

Joelien lowered her eyes for a moment, trying to hold herself together as emotion tightened in her chest again. Hearing those words meant more to her than Lucas probably realized.

Silent fall in the kitchen and Lucas start with the sauce but after while he became worried why she went all quiet and when Lucas looked back at his cousin he noticed the sadness crossing her face and quickly tried to lighten the mood.

“Now come help me before I burn the sauce,” he teased while grabbing a wooden spoon and pointing it dramatically at her.

A small laugh escaped Joelien’s lips.

“There she is,” Lucas said with a grin. “I was wondering if you still remembered how to smile.”

Joelien rolled her eyes slightly before walking over to the stove. “You’re annoying.”

“And yet you still love me,” Lucas shot back proudly.

She shook her head, but another faint smile appeared on her face as she took the spoon from him and slowly stirred the tomato sauce bubbling inside the pot. The rich smell of garlic, herbs, and onions soon began filling the kitchen, warming the cold heaviness that had followed her all day.

Lucas moved around the kitchen comfortably, preparing the meatballs while soft country music played from the speaker near the counter. Every now and then he glanced toward Joelien, checking on her without making it obvious.

“You know,” he said casually while seasoning the meat, “you could stay here tonight.”

Joelien looked over at him. “Lucas…. This is already to much …. I am already feeling bad of crying like I did view hours ago”

“ We all are human Cuz ….. And I’m serious,” he interrupted gently. “You don’t have to go back to that farmhouse tonight if you don’t want to.”

Joelien stared down at the sauce again. “It’s my home.”

“I know,” Lucas replied softly. “But home shouldn’t make you feel lonely.”

Those words hit harder than she expected. For a moment, the only sound in the kitchen was the bubbling sauce and the soft music in the background.

Lucas sighed quietly before continuing more carefully. “I just worry about you, Jo.”

Her grip tightened slightly around the spoon. “I’m okay.”

“No, you’re surviving,” Lucas corrected gently. “There’s a difference.”

Joelien swallowed hard at that. Lucas finished shaping the meatballs before placing them carefully into the pan, the sizzling sound quickly filling the room.

“You don’t always have to be strong,” he added quietly. “Not around me.”

Joelien blinked quickly as tears threatened to return again, but this time she fought them back. “I’m trying,” she whispered. Lucas looked over at her and gave her a small smile. “I know you are.”

He looked at her then back to the pan and focus on the meat balls.

“ Okay only tonight I would stay “ said Joelien softly next to him. His smile wider more but he did not looked at her as he focus on the food. Knowing that his cousin staying over tonight by his house make him feel more relieve than ever. Because he was worried about her and about her safety sometimes. She was his little cousin and was like sitter to him.