Secrets We Keep

Secrets We Keep: Chapter Two

         The house was huge, way past an empty road filled with woods on either side, lying just in the outskirts of Ashport--where the woods met the beach. It was white and mostly glass with a veranda on what seemed like every bedroom. The kind you only see in magazines and home networks. 

        Angie was the first one I saw. We went through the driveway, past the house and through the back patio. There, she welcomed me with a warm hug. It was difficult not to notice the fact that Jonah had gotten his jolly personality from her, his mother. Scott, his dad, followed after, giving me a quick one-arm embrace. I’ve seen Angie and Scott more times than I can count, but just like Jonah, only through video calls. Beyond our virtual relationship, standing before them right now seemed surreal… and a bit awkward. It felt like we needed introductions again although they’ve known me and my parents long before. I’d always been socially awkward and introductions were never my forte so hopefully, they’d talk more just like they do through the phone. 

      The back patio had a long wooden table that could sit six people. There sat Patrick, Jonah’s older brother and a beautiful brunette sitting by his side, a sweet smile plastered on her face. It was strange seeing Patrick in a sky blue dress shirt and black dress pants. It was like there was some inside joke in there. He used to wear neutral colored shirts and straight cut jeans with low-cut Vans back when we were kids at camp… kinda like what Jonah wore now. It made me feel like I wanted everybody to know that we used to go to camp together… like I was proud I knew him before. But that would be inappropriate, of course. The brunette stood up and gave me an extensive embrace. 

      “It’s so nice to finally meet you.” She said. She sounded American. Not from London, where the family lived. “Jonah never shuts up about you.”

      She couldn’t be their sister. She looked older than I was and they didn’t move back to London until Jonah was thirteen and Patrick fifteen. 

      “This is Sarah, by the way.” Jonah said. “She’s Patrick’s girlfriend.” 

      I smiled at Sarah, suddenly blurting out: “You’re very pretty.”

      Sarah and Jonah laughed and I heard Angie and Scott from the background as well. 

      “Well, she’s very honest, Jonah.” Sarah proclaimed, taking her seat back to Patrick’s side. “She’s a keeper.”

      My cheeks flushed and I looked down the entire way to my seat. Sarah was tremendously gorgeous. She had this sweet little face with almond eyes with tall yet slender nose and thin rosy lips. Her cheeks were flushed and her skin glowed so smoothly that it had to be what a baby’s butt looked like. And it didn’t seem like she was wearing any makeup. 

      I tried to set aside my admiration of Sarah since I was seated directly opposite from her and I figured gawking at the Goddess before me was not something I’d like my boyfriend’s parents first impression of me to be. Good thing Angie started saying grace and then we went on to feast. 

      Dinner was Asian inspired. We had Thai crunch salad with peanut dressing and pan-seared Salmon with soy-mustard glaze on the table along with kebabs and Thai minced chicken lettuce cups. With someone who was familiar with the culinary industry, it was kinda impressive. 

      “Cayla,” called Sarah as she cut through her salmon. “Jonah tells us that you’re a chef.” 

      I nodded. “Yes. I’m focused on pastry now but I’ve been in a hot kitchen much longer.”

      “That’s wonderful!” She exclaimed. “I’m an event organizer and I’ve personally seen people struggle finding a good catering service. Maybe I can recommend you!” 

      I laughed nervously. “I haven’t really tried catering on my own. I’m running my own pastry shop back in the city but it’s just really more of a startup.”

      “I’m sure you’re just as good as Jonah tells us.” She assured me. “Even better probably.” 

      Jonah took my hand and commented, “Of course she is! She’s my girl.”

      I blushed. If anyone told me nine months ago that I would be here today blushing beside Jonah Matthews while he was holding my hand and calling me “his girl”, I would’ve laughed right on their face and gutted them with my paring knife. 

      “Awe, Jonah! You’re making her blush.” Angie gushed. Glancing over at Jonah, I smiled at him, feeling the blush on my cheeks. I looked up at everyone else and saw them chuckling. Patrick on the other hand was observing me with stern eyes. I imagined my face was as red as his but maybe that was just how he was since it was warmer here than in London. 

      Dinner ended with more of me blushing and more of them teasing us. Although I was grateful the awkward air between me and the parents had cleared up. I've prepared for this day ever since Jonah told me they were visiting and I've been anxious ever since. 

     The boys took position at the shore while I was helping Sarah and Angie make a cheese platter in the kitchen. Angie was taking everything out from storage while I cut the cheese and Sarah put everything into a wooden board. 

       “So, how was it?” asked Sarah as she placed the shelves of Camembert and Brie that I had just cut onto the board, just as when Angie went out to deliver a plate of canapes to the men. Sarah seemed to be following some sort of design for the platter that only she knew. “You know… it. I mean, after all those times you were apart, the build up must’ve been horrible... and exciting! I’m sure you guys made up for all those lost time.”

      I almost chopped off my index finger. Good thing Angie was out of earshot. Phew. Was she seriously asking me about Jonah and I’s s****l life?

      Sarah looked at me, confused for a moment. 

      “What?” she asked, before eventually piecing it together. Slowly, her mouth formed a big O.

      “Oh you haven’t done it, have you?” She shrieked; her sweet face in complete shock. “That’s so conservative! Hasn’t he been here for a week already?”

      I nodded, biting my lip while I unwrapped the Manchego from the paper. I watched her reaction carefully, hoping it wasn’t something that would lead me to believe that she thought I was weird or anything like that… until she slowly came to a realization that bled onto her face. 

      “Are you a…?” She asked softly. 

      If there wasn’t any hint of red on my cheeks before, I was sure there was now. In fact, I bet my face was red like the cherry tomatoes she was dumping onto the board. I ignored Sarah, focusing on the triangles I was cutting the Manchego into. Now was not the time for this beautiful stranger to find out that at the age of twenty-two, I had never done anything more than a kiss. 

      “Oh my God! That is so adorable!” she exclaimed. “Some self-control you got there, Cay. I mean, I never would’ve imagined myself at twenty four and still a virgin.” 

      I dunked my head deeper and lower, not wanting to respond to this awkward conversation. Just then, Patrick appeared behind Sarah, his face stricken with utter shock; the blush slowly creeping its way from his neck to his entire face including his ears. 

      Did Patrick Matthews just hear his girlfriend saying that I was a virgin?

      My knees wobbled as millions of needles started pricking into my entire body. How often does your childhood crush find out that you’re an old virgin? Even if it wasn’t true--although it is--it would still be embarrassing. 

      Patrick recomposed himself and proceeded on walking over to us. He was still a bit red and coughed up a little before speaking. 

      “Ladies,” he said before clearing his throat subtly again. “I was told to fetch the charcuterie.”

      “Oh it’s almost ready, babe.” Sarah said. “Cayla’s knife skills are impressive. We should invite her to our dinner parties—I mean, only if you want to, Cayla, and you know, if it’s fine with you to be our own personal chef garde manger. My cuts are always so uneven and terrible.”

      I swallowed an empty mouth. “Yeah, sure. I guess that’s okay.” 

      Sarah finished garnishing the grazing board and let Patrick carry it to the family’s little spot on the shore. I let myself be left behind a little to allow my dignity to catch up with me since I’ve left most of it back in the kitchen but even then nothing caught up with me.

      Jonah had a huge grin on his face when we reached them. He asked me to sit beside him and immediately planted a kiss on my cheek as soon as I did. Patrick was sitting at my left along with Sarah after him on their own blanket while the older Matthews couple sat across from us. In the middle, our carefully prepared grazing table sat proud on a stump amidst us along with a bottle of Glenfiddich and a cooler for the champagne. 

      Jonah handed me a glass of Glenfiddich, knowing all too well that I preferred scotch whisky over champagne. I smiled at him, muttering a little thank you before taking a sip. 

      “Good choice.” Patrick muttered beside me, his voice barely above a whisper.

      I felt a little tingle in my cheeks. I actually take pride in the fact that I didn’t like champagne. In my not so important opinion, it feels too pretentious for me. There’s nothing about it that I find good in terms of taste, I guess it just looks good when you drink it especially with the fancy glass. Well, if you put scotch whisky in a champagne glass it’d look good too. 

      “Did you have fun tonight?” Jonah asked me softly.

      I smiled at him. “I did. It’s nice to finally meet everyone in person. Thank you for tonight.”

      “See? I told you there was nothing to be worried about.” He replied, placing his lips on my bare shoulder after. “You always smell so good. Is that lotion or perfume?”

      I took a sip of my liquor as I chuckled. “It’s soap. You know me, I don’t have the luxury of time to put products onto my body. I’m too lazy for that.”

     “And yet you spend so much time choosing between chocolate brands for your cakes. In five different stores, might I add.” He laughed. “There must be some kind of injustice or imbalance there.” 

     I grimaced. “That’s an entirely different issue!”

     He smiled softly. “Still, products or not, you smell amazing.” 

     I felt the crawl of a blush onto my face. I don’t even know why I was fighting him with that since it was a compliment. Still, how can he turn something so simple into something sweet and adorable? 

     “Anyone up for a game of category?” Angie announced. 

     “Ooh! I like that! I’m in!” Scott exclaimed.

     Patrick beside me groaned, causing Sarah to laugh. For some reason, Jonah went wild chanting “Ahu! Ahu!” And pumping his fist in the air.

     “Patrick never wins.” Sarah informed me, bending behind Patrick’s back to get to me. 

     “How come?” I asked, drawing my face closer to Sarah's, I could smell Patrick’s cologne.

     “You’ll see.” 

     I went back to my sitting position and tried to take in all the commotion. 

     “I’ll give the first category and we’ll go clockwise.” Angie said. “We’ll go with Celebrities whose names start with the letter S!”

     Patrick groaned while Jonah laughed, clapping his hands. “Ooh mum, you’re terribly hard on Patrick.”

     “I’ll start!” Sarah cried, immediately starting the game. “Samuel L. Jackson!”

     Angie followed quickly, as if her answer had been prepared two days beforehand. “Sylvester Stallone!”

     “Song Joong Ki.” Scott cried.

     Everyone in the circle stayed quiet, raising an eyebrow at the patriarch of the house. 

     “Who is that?” Angie asked her husband.

     Scott shrugged. “I think it’s a Korean Actor.”

     “How the bloody hell did you know him, Dad?” Jonah asked him, ready to burst into laughter. 

     “Seamus Heaney’s daughter’s obsessed with him. He talks about him all the time. During golf, he kept going on and on about how he paid a good sum of money for her daughter to meet that lad!”

     Everyone finally burst into laughter. 

     “That’s ridiculous!” Angie replied. “I can’t believe you know that guy! Come on, Jonah, it’s your turn.”

     Jonah laughed once more before answering, “Sean Connery.”

     “Scarlet Johannson.” I said immediately after Jonah. 

     “Sir Michael Caine.” Patrick said with the same urgency.

     I almost coughed up my drink. 

     “You’ve had plenty of time to think and that’s who you come up with?” Jonah teased his brother. “Come on man! You do know ‘Sir’ isn't a part of his name, don’t you?”

     Angie chuckled. “For someone who owns a billion dollar company you sure are clueless, hun.”

     Patrick’s ears were red even beyond the darkness, you could see them pinking up because of embarrassment. This was not the Patrick I knew. He seemed more mature… well I suppose given that he should be twenty nine by now. 

     Sir Michael Caine… what a stupid answer. 

     And yet I find it extremely adorable. I glanced at Patrick, chuckling as Sarah said something to his ear. He caught my eye, and I immediately looked away. Back then Patrick was the hot stuff. He was everyone’s crush. He always picked up after Jonah in school, breaking his fights and stuff, but he was so reserved. He never really talked much yet he was extremely popular among the kids. 

     I sneaked a peek in his direction and found him taking a huge swig of his drink, his ears redder than before.