MY UNEXPECTED MARRIAGE TO THE LOVELESS CEO

Chapter 19

The phone rings and I answer it immediately. There's only one person who would call through this line; my Lisa. "Hello you," I say into the line and she's quiet for a moment. "How did you know it was me?" her musical voice echoes a moment later. I smile, grabbing another piece of chocolate from its box and pop it into my mouth, enjoying the sweet taste as it begins to unfold.

"Well," I suck the chocolate further. "You're the only one who would call at this ungodly hour," I run my eyes over the clock on the drawer next to my bed and realise it's anything past midnight hour. "Can't sleep?"

I prop my feet on the throw pillow. Wind from the half - opened window assaults my naked body. "Considering now that we are talking, I guess you know better," she simply replies, as cold as she has always been. "What's wrong?" I ask into the phone as I pop another chocolate in. "Someone making you upset?"

"Not really. I'm in Mustique if you are wondering,"

"Well, that's new"

"What?"

She asks. I cross my ankles. "You telling me where you are right now," I run a hand through my blonde hair. "Usually, you loved to run incognito didn't you?"

"Right. But, not always"

She sighs softly. I imagine she pinches the bridge of her nose right now as we talk. "Tell me about Mustique,"

I hug myself. "But spare me any details about your sickening aunt. She drives me up the wall, you know it too"

Lisa chuckles. "I forgot about your sense of humour," she notes. "Well..." there is a temporary silence before Lisa spins me stories about the weather, the beach, the house, the way a particular set of wooden swings stands proudly in the middle of crabgrass courtyard facing the best sunset in the whole wide world and some ancient perennials from Evelyn's shipwreck of a marriage.

"Won't you say anything?"

Lisa asks when her storytelling ends. I blink my eyes. "It's all the same here," I say. "Your mum invited me over for dinner and asked questions that made me doubt this whole fucking system again and again..."

"Roseanne..."

"And your grandma insisted I play on the piano which I did. Guess, I traumatised her by playing anything but classic,"

"Hmm, scandalous," Lisa utters. "What did you play exactly?"

"Autumn leaves,"

"You didn't. That's my favourite, you know?"

"I know. I might have played it because I missed you"

"Oh my love ..."

"And guess what your grandma said about it?"

"Humour me"

"She said a trembling thank you with a fully traumatised face. I guess, I must have spent half of the numbers she's likely to get this year and cut her life short by at least 10 years,"

If anything, Lisa laughs again. A quiet, almost unheard giggling but I know she's laughing.

"Feel better now?"

I ask as the clock strikes 1 in the morning. She tells me a yes. "I'll head home a day after tomorrow,"

"Okay" I nod my head albeit knowing she can't quite see me right here. "Are you alone?"

"Not really," she says. "With you running through my mind every second, I doubt I'll ever be alone,"

"That's so sweet of you," I smile. "I'll see you in 2 days then"

"Do you have anything in your diary this weekend?"

She asks. "Not sure," I reply. "I will have to ask the office if they have anything to assign me. Why?"

"Let's go out"

She mutters. "It's been long I last held your hand in public,"

"I thought you hated that?" I fiddle with the phone's wire. A smile ghosting my lips. "Me, overstepping the mark and eclipsing you in public,"

"Hate, no. Annoyed? Yes"

"Ah, now we know the truth," I laugh.

"I don't think anyone with the sane mind would enjoy hearing her wife's name being chanted by strangers the whole time. I married you, you're supposed to be all mine,"

"That's pretty ironic," I inhale. "Because your mum keeps reminding me, I'm not only married to you, but the whole family; the monarchy includes"

"I'll see you in two days," Lisa concludes our conversation.

"Fine," I pop another chocolate into my mouth. "See you, darling"

Then, the call ends.

***

"I found you something you would like,"

Lisa emerges from my left side. She is wearing casual grey slacks that are paired with black belt and sky blue button down. Her silver Audemars is out of the picture, replaced with something from the Vacheron Constantin - a round-faced watch with premium leather straps finishing.

"What is it?"

I glance at her hand which is now holding a thin book. It reads, A Day At The Beach and features a gang of Penguin family wearing an assortment of absurd clothes. I laugh, my face pressed against Lisa's arm. She laughs too. "What is this actually?" I take the book from her and scan every page lightly.

"I found it at the kid's section," her thumb inwardly pointing in a direction I don't mind. "I figure out that you'd make a perfect narrator for it," she suggests and I shake my head. "Go on," she says. "I love your English accent. It's always so fascinating,"

"You mean the Australian accent?" I correct her and she nods. "Whatever it's called, I love it"

"Fine, let me just try and see"

I turn the book back to page number 1. A gang of penguins looks like they are getting ready for the beach. "It's Winter over here in Artics," I begin. Lisa grins as she rests her back against the bookshelf. "And the Penguins can't wait to enjoy their off day!"

"They bring lots of things; a large picnic basket full of fish in case they are hungry. A blanket in case they get cold by the breeze and a few other things"

"Mr. Penguins loads everything inside their small cart, and off they go to the beach,"

"Their feet make a small clapping sound as they move. 'Be quiet,' Mrs. Penguins say. 'We don't want to wake up the fishes', she gestures to the frozen ice they are walking on"

"This is too crazy" I turn to face Lisa who is already laughing. "They don't want to wake up the fish but they are also carrying a bucket of the said thing in case they are hungry?"

"Children's books are too funny" Lisa comments. "I am sure the kids will love it if we get this for them,"

She says before looking alarmed with what she has just said. "I'm sorry..." she apologises but I kiss her cheeks. "No, it's alright" I pop a small smile. "We can take this one and put it at their graves. I'm sure the angel will have it delivered to both of them,"

"Sure," Lisa breathes out. Then, she takes my hand in hers. "Let's go see other things,"