His Heart For Collection

Chapter seven

On Wednesday when I went to Leamington Enterprise, Drew was so happy to see me.

I rolled my eyes at his hug, but I appreciated it. I had a long week and I wanted the week to end already.

"How are you on this fine day, my love?" he asked, swaying us side to side.

"Now that I'm in your presence, my day just got better."

"I like the sound of that."

When he finally let go of me, I already missed his hug. I didn't say anything. He went to sit down, then unwrapped the sandwich for me. He also poured juice for me, then watched me eat.

"Already ate?" I asked, wondering why he wasn't eating.

He grabbed a muffin then bit into it. It was a small bite, then he put it back on the plate. "You know I don't eat too much, my love."

I realised he's been calling me "my love' so much. He liked to call me that before we separated, but after, he's reduced calling me that. But ever since our weekend getaway, he's called me that a million times. I didn't mind, of course.

He was actually glowing now that I think of it. I narrowed my eyes, asking, "Why so happy? What happened?"

He tried to hide his smile, but he was doing a bad job at it. "Nothing, my beloved. I'm just happy that you are here with me."

I nodded. "Right." And before I forget, there's something Sam brought to my attention. "Did you meet Sam on Friday?"

His smile vanished just like that. "Who is Sam?"

I sighed in relief. Sam said he met Drew on Friday when he came to pick me up. I felt like I was crazy because I didn't remember that. "He's my neighbour. He claimed to have come back on Friday and met you."

"I don't recall ever seeing Sam when I came to pick you up," Drew replied, but there was a hardness in his eyes. "It's not safe to have a neighbour like that. Is he sane?"

Sam has always been sane to me. So I nodded in response.

"You'll tell me if he's giving you problems, right?"

I nodded. I wouldn't. Sam is not like that. There was just something I was missing. It's really not the first time something like this happened. And I wondered if I was the problem.

I didn't voice my concerns to Drew because he would just try to convince me otherwise.

"Before I forget, my love. There's a function at home. I wanted to invite you," he said, his smile back on.

"Home as in our home or your parents' house?"

"My parents' house. Will you be my plus one?"

He was looking at me like he didn't see anything wrong with his request. Everyone close to us knew that we separated. It would just be awkward when I go there as his plus one. "Don't you have someone you can take?"

He shook his head. "I wanted to take you. It is a very important ceremony, and I wanted my beloved by my side."

I didn't want to go. I didn't want to be in the same room as his vile family. Like I said, my in-laws were very vocal about their hatred towards me. They loathed the air I breathed. They acted like I was beneath them. Like I was the dirt under their shoes.

I was not going. I didn't want to be belittled. "I'll think about it," I replied.

"Great! I'll have your suit ready. I'll take care of everything. Don't worry," he said, as if he didn't hear me when I said I'll think about it. That there was a fifty percent chance that I was going. But like always, he didn't listen. He never listens.

When I went back to the truck, I was distracted. I couldn't focus because even though Drew said he never met Sam on Friday, there was just something amiss about that. I believed Drew, but Sam made a lot of sense.

The day passed by in a blur. I was out of it most of the time. I just couldn't help the paranoia that I felt.

When I arrived back at my place, I found Sam waiting outside my door. He seemed nervous. He kept on looking down the hallway, checking something.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

He flinched when he saw me. "I'm sorry I lied. I came back on Saturday."

My heart sank. "Did Drew threaten you?" There was no other way. When I saw him flinch at Drew's name, I got my answer.

I unlocked my door, then took out my phone.

"Please don't call him!" Sam panicked, snatching my phone.

I glared at him. "Give me back my phone."

"No, please. He'll kill me when he finds out I told you."

I froze at that. Did Drew threaten to kill him? "What did you just say?"

Sam thrust the phone back in my hands and took off running. He banged my door closed.

I had the strongest urge to call Drew, but refrained. This was not funny anymore. What was going on?