The Arrangement

The Arrangement_33

{{Dixon}}


When I arrived at Lila's work place she was walking out of the building. I quickly jumped out of the car and walked around it so I could open her door for her.

"Hi" I smiled.

"Hi" she replied without meeting my eyes. I could clearly see that she was taking things between us as bad as I was so to make her feel more at ease I silently opened her door, the last thing I wanted was awkward forced interaction.

I let the music on the radio play as I drove us to her favorite restaurant, when we got there I left the car with Valet and since Lila and I use to be regulars we were seated relatively quickly.

We ordered our drinks and the waiter walked away.

"Lila, first I want to thank you for allowing me to bring you to dinner, second I want to apologize."

"For what?" She asked as my words obviously caught her off guard.

"For everything." I commented. "For hurting you, for cheating on you before we were married and for anything else I've done to wrong you."

"So you still won't own up to the woman in the apartment that evening." She said with a hurt sort of grin.

The waiter arrived with our drinks and I went ahead and ordered for the both of us when he asked if we were ready to order dinner.

"I'm actually not hungry." Lila said after the waiter walked away.

I only took a drink, choosing to ignore her comment. I could see she hadn't been eating and that really didn't sit well with me.

"You also didn't respond to my last inquiry." She said.

"You want to know the truth Lila?" I asked a little pissed that she still didn't believe me. "The truth is I was sleeping with random women before I met you, I was sleeping with random women while we were 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'. BUT the day I swore myself as your husband, the day I promised to be yours and forsake all others, I meant it." I confessed.

I took another drink then continued. "My past was never a secret, you knew how I was, nor have I ever lied to you. So when I told you nothing happened between myself and the woman who was suppose to buy the apartment I absolutely meant it."

We sat silently for a couple of minutes before I knew she wasn't going to say anything. I softened my tone and leaned in a little. "Should I have proved nothing happened, yes. Should I have made you stay and listen to me no matter what, of course. Do I regret it, without a doubt." I admitted. "I've replayed that day in my head over and over again, seeing all of the things I should have done, I wish I would have just asked you to come with me or rescheduled the whole thing entirely because I love you Lila and that day I lost you."

She wiped a stray tear away and for once the food arrived to the table rather fast.

"But it was all a lie." She finally said.

"What was a lie?" I asked desperately.

"Everything." She cried "from the way we met to our marriage license, it was all just for show."

"Was it?"

"Don't be daft Dixon, you know as well as I do that we only got married because our parents practically forced us to."

"Yes, our parents set us up but is that so strange?" I asked, "people set people up all the time. And another thing, if we're being honest, then yes I got with you to please my mother but damn it Lila..."

I had to take a drink as I prepare for my confession.

"Lila I can't help the fact that I started to like you and as our marriage went on I even found myself in love with you one day. Just because some paper says we aren't legally married doesn't change the way I feel about you." I finished in frustration.

"I have to get back to the office." She said quickly, "my cars there and I have to go to my parents house."

"Damn it Lila quit being so damn stubborn." I practically begged. "Are you willing to give everything up, because the Lilliana I got to know would never just give up especially given all the time and work she's put in."

Once again she wouldn't meet my eyes, but I didn't have to look into them to see that she was fighting back tears.

"Come on, I'll take you back to work." I gave up.

I knew our conversation was done, and if this was the last time she thought she was gonna see me she was wrong.

When we got to her place of work I grabbed her hand making her look at me. Her eyes were slightly watery and her brow definitely told me she was sad.

"You don't have to say anything but I just want you to know that I'm not giving up, and I won't give up until you say it's over."