Holding On

ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ-ᴏɴᴇ

George Lancaster had just nearly finished reviewing the files his secretary had brought him when Zain entered his office.

“Hey. I think I'll be going now for lunch, George.” He informed.

George nodded, then smiled, wriggling his eye brows teasingly. “Still no going for lunch with your business partner, huh?” He'd noticed how happy Zain got whenever he was going out for lunch, and there was no doubt he would not be alone. As a male himself, his perceptions allowed him to guess his companion would be a woman.

“Come on, George.” Zain drawled, ever so his evasive self. “By the way, I spoke with the head engineer and he said they were having a hard time with the building since the architectural plan is quite nuanced.”

George chuckled. “Poor engineers. I'll go there to once again supervise them for the weekend. I know you'll barely be able to do so wanting to sort out the problems in your own company. I hope they're settled soon.”

“Thank you, partner.” Zain smiled, but there was something about it George couldn't pick. “I'll be going.”

Zain was a man who was dedicated to his work and quite talented, and George liked him for that. Yet there was a little something peculiar and mysterious about the way he behaved with George. The man was too damn bent on maintaining just the professional relationship between them even while to the other members of the board of directors and other employees, he displayed his friendly nature.

George stretched wearily to ease some stiff muscles when the door closed behind Zain, missing the initial stages of his marriage to Emma where he would take her out on dates. They'd always enjoyed time together. Naturally, much time into the marriage, the dates and outings became less and less until it'd become intermittent presently.

After sorting out the files some minutes later, he decided it was time to renew some memories and called Emma. She picked after it dialed for a few seconds. “Hello, wife.” He crooned, feeling warm.

“Hello, love.” She returned with the same tone he'd used, and George shook his head.

“I just wanted to pick you up and take you out for a lunch date. You know it's been quite a while since we had one. Are you at work?”

“Actually no. I'm on my way to a restaurant.” Came her reply.

“That's no problem at all. Just tell me where and I'll come there.”

“The thing is...” She began, and her silence was the telltale of her nervous uncertainty. “I'm actually with Zain.”

“Zain?” He asked, surprised.

“Yes.” He heard a slight suck of her, as if she was holding her breath.

“But we talked about 18 minutes ago and he didn't mention anything about picking you out for lunch.”

He didn't know what to feel about the fact that Zain had lied to him.

Eventually though, he decided that Zain had really not lied, and that perhaps he only had the intention of inviting Em on his way out. “Okay. Tell me where you guys are, and I'll come there.”

“The thing is...We're almost done and about to leave.”

George was left stunned for a couple of seconds. “So soon?”

“Uh, yeah. I just...had a lot of things to do back at the Fashion House. You know with the upcoming fashion show and all.”

“I see.” George sighed, unable to even shake the disappointment in his voice.“Okay, see you tonight, sugar. Love you.”