Architecturally not love...I think

Chapter 4

I waited for her to turn around and when she did, she plastered a fake smile. That fake smile that actually made me happy each time it happened. "Yes." I let go of her arm.

"There's a big meeting coming up and I would really like my home assistant to help me in the building."

"Well when is it?" She asked.

"So you would come?"

"I mean it's my job."

"Yeah I guess it is." I looked down at her arm and saw a couple of fading bruises. And small scars that look like they were once cuts.

"So?"

"Uh yes, Tuesday."

"That's Valentines day."

"Right, yes. Do you have any plans?" She stood their thinking for a little bit and said, "No." I was subtly shocked. "Well.."

"Well." She walked back inside and my mind took the best of me. Where did the scars come from? Did she cut herself? I was confused and I needed answers. I got up and saw the clock from inside the house. Two pm. How is that even possible? I took the towel and wrapped it around my waist. I walked in with my smoothie. I glanced at Cassandra. "Your bath is ready sir." I nodded to Ms.Smith and I caught Cassandra stealing a look at me. I walked into my bedroom and took off my towel. I walked to the closet and grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of under wear and pants. I took off my wet trunks and walked to the bathroom. I brushed my hand through my hair. I shut the door and got in the steaming hot bath. I let the warm water sink into my skin. I heard clamoring and then a door shut. "CASSANDRA!" I heard a sudden stop. She emerged from the door. "Hi." She was holding my wet trunks.

"Can you stay a little late tonight?" "Alone."

"Uh-m okay." I waved her to leave. I dug my head into the water.

I got up. I guess I napped in the bath. I got out of the tub and took my robe and wrapped it around me. I rubbed my face. I was angry. It wasn't the contracts. No, not even the blueprints. Somewhere in the back of my head whispered Cassandra. No. No. NO. I put on my shirt and underpants and pants. I walked out of the bathroom and walked to the kitchen. "Ms.Smith whats for lunch?" No answer. I saw Cassandra in the kitchen.

"Um Ms.Smith went grocery shopping for dinner, she said she had something in mind. And Clairisse went to go get the keys from the locksmith."

"So where's my lunch?"

"I can make a mean grilled cheese."

"Fine." I watched her from the other side of the island. She took out the chopping board and a knife. She took a tomato from the fridge and sliced cheese and grabbed bread from the bread drawer. She took some butter as well. "Can I watch you make your mean grilled cheese?"

"Uh haha yeah." She sliced the tomato into thin cuts. She put butter on the pan and put the bread on it. The pan sizzled and cracked. She loaded cheese on it and then turned on the grill and started grilling the tomatoes. Then she placed the crispy tomatoes on the cheese and toast. She added the next piece of bread on top. She flipped and waited while that toasted. When it finished she put it on a plate and then took off the crust and sliced it in half. She put the sandwich in front of me.

"How am I sure this'll taste good?"

"Because I know it will." I took a bite into it and she was watching me.

"So?" I chewed it. It was pretty good.

"Not bad." She put her dishes in the sink and started washing them.

"So you know your way around the kitchen?"

"I mean yeah I always asked Ms.Smith where things went so I just got learning."

"Hmm where'd you learn how to grill tomatoes."

"My mom, I added seasoning, you can taste it right?"

"I actually can." "So what's your mother like?" I asked.

"Kind, forgiving, and lovable to whomever she talks to."

"Well my mum is the total opposite."

"Well how's she like?"

"Stubborn, stern, and unforgiving, she believes if you couldn't do it once whats the point of giving a second chance."

"Ouch."

"Yeah she's quite harsh."

"When was the last time you saw your mum?"

"Two weeks ago, she lives in San Diego."

"Oh, that must be nice." I felt a small pressure on my chest. I felt bad.

"I haven't seen mine since my eighteenth birthday."

"You're twenty-four years old right."

"Yes so it's been a while."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be she's a horrible person."

"But you love her?"

"Of course she's my mum." I took the last bite of the sandwich and drank the water she gave.

"Where does she live?"

"Back home in London." She took my dishes and washed them.

"Do you miss London?"

"Here and there, yeah sometimes."

"Do you miss your friends?"

"Ah I'm pretty sure my mates miss me more than I miss them."

"Were you a single child?"

"Oh no I have a little sister, Amelia, she's really sweet and I do miss her a lot."

"Well where does she live?"

"Florida."

"Shes here in America?"

"Yeah she needed to leave my parents."

"Why?"

"Well because she would've gone mad." "Did you know there's a beach down the stairs?"

"What stairs?"

"The stairs on the porch, outside, backyard." She walked to the back yard and onto the porch. I followed her.

"Oh my god you have a walkway to the beach."

"Yeah I built this house in this location for private tanning sessions."

"You want to go down there now?"

"Could I ?"

"Yeah let me just grab a few things." I walked back inside and grabbed a picnic blanket and a basket and filled it with cheese and berries and went to the wine rack and took a seventy-five cherry wine. I secured it in the basket and grabbed wine glasses. I grabbed my beach shoes and walked out. I walked to the stair case and saw her skipping down the stairs. Her brown wavy hair was blowing in the wind. I reached her and she noticed the basket I was holding.

"What's that?"

"Some wine and some cheeses."

"Oh." We walked to the beach and the warm sand made my toes curl. We walked to a spot that was the clearest from twigs.

I laid down the blanket and I slipped off my shoes I opened the basket and took out the cheese. I uncorked the wine and handed her a glass. "It's 1975 ."

"Ooh fancy." I poured her the pink liquid. She sniffed the wine and then took a sip. I took a sip as well. "This is nice place."

"I try to get a nice scenery to get a build a nice house."

"You built this house."

"Yeah I did, from the ground up."