22. A Lover’s Secret
552 Words
BEN’S POV
It was torture to see Angel worried like this. The whole plane ride back she had hardly spoken a word and the minute we got in the car she was trying to tell us that we didn’t need to come with her. Like we were going to ever leave her alone.
Her mood only worsened when we got out of the lift and found her family waiting.
“What are you doing here?” She asked rudely.
Her father laughed giving Curtis and I the once over. “My precious mother in law is in the hospital of course I had to visit her.”
Angel scoffed. “Well if you’ve seen her then please leave. Seeing you will only worsen her condition.”
Angel moved to get past him and we follow like lost puppies but her father wasn’t giving up any time soon.
“My sweetheart,” her grandmother greeted and Angel rushed into her arms.
Her grandmother was pale and clearly frail but she seemed to be good enough to smile and comfort her granddaughter. She beamed when she saw the two of us.
“Ah, do I finally get to formally meet the men courting my granddaughter?”
Angel laughed as she straightened herself up. Curtis and I stepped forward.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m -.” She put her hand up to stop him and shook his hand.
“Smooth hands, confident smile you must be Curtis.”
He laughed and nodded. She put her tiny hand out for mine and I shook it carefully. “Rough hands, dark and mysterious features which makes you Ben.”
“I’m sorry to hear your unwell.”
“Nonsense I’m fine.” She looked past me. “My useless son in law go and pay my bill so I can leave and go to lunch with my future grandson in laws.”
Mr Dawson looked down at his feet. “I have no money.”
“I’ll handle it.” Curtis spoke up.
He look over at me and we exchanged a nod.
“It’s fine, Curtis you don’t have to.” Angel pleaded.
“Look what shame you bring us.” Angels grandmother cursed at Me Dawson.
Without another word he left.
“I’ll handle it and treat us to lunch.” He left.
I put a hand on Angel’s shoulder. “I’ll go and get you a cup of coffee.”
“Thank you.”
I kissed her on the cheek, very aware that her grandmother was smiling at me like a Cheshire Cat.
ANGEL’S POV
I waited until Ben left the room and when he finally did I crashed on the chair next to my grandmothers bed.
She patted my head.
“It will get easier ma dear.”
I shook my head. “Lying to them will never get easier.”
“How close are we now?” She asks.
I pull my phone out and open the phone: every single item Curtis and Ben has bought me so documented here, prices for meals and now travel expenditures are all put down as well.
“A couple of thousand.”
“Well at the way those boys look at you. It won’t be long before they’ve paid our debt off on their own.”
“I wish I didn’t have to do this.”
“You’ve fallen in love with them again, haven’t you?”
I nodded. “Probably deeper than I did the first time. I don’t want anything to ruin it.”
She puts her hand on mine. “Then we make sure no one ever cottons on.”
She winks at me and I smile, wiping away my stray tear just in time as Ben and Curtis came back in with plans for lunch.
- Writer
