Lady Friend

Twenty Three - Crossed Wires

Her hair was tangled but she stretched happily. Esmeralda woke with a smile on her face. She hadn't even realised that she had worked so quickly, but she had a vague memory of German kissing her forehead.

She cringed. She had said I love you. Quickly, she was relieved, because she realised that before German kissed her, he told her that he loved her too. He was falling in love with her. Deeper and deeper every day. She smugly grinned. Time to inform her boss of her work.

The phone rang. Once. Twice. It didn't stop ringing. She felt very impatient today so she draped her handbag over her shoulder and started to walk. She would tell Jade of her improvements in person.

Five minutes later she was sat on the sofa ready to tell Jade of their kisses, confessions and one extra detail...

"Marriage?!" exclaimed Violetta and Olga. They knew that German was a fool for the new woman around the house, but they didn't know it was that serious. He hadn't even told them he was dating her! 

Ramallo lowered the rim of his glasses to his nose, which made him look about twenty years older, "Are you mad?" Blunt but true. Quite frankly, he asked what they were all thinking in their heads.

German shifted his weight from foot to foot. He hadn't yet given anyone an answer. Perhaps he knew how ridiculous he was being...

Everyone inched closer towards him, expectant of a response. German held his breath. They sure knew how to put a man on the edge. He masterfully weaved his way through the miniature mob so he was standing opposite them all. Face to face. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to them all, he answered, "It's not like we're actually engaged." He effortlessly shrugged off this whole situation. 

Of course, he was met with a mile a minute of questions. The one that stuck out most, though, was from his daughter Violetta, "How can you ask to marry her, and you stand here telling us that you're not engaged?" 

"Unless she said no." Chimed Olga, raising her eyebrow inquisitively. 

Tell us she said no! Oh that would be great! 

"It's not like I got down on one knee or anything?" 

"What, like with mum?" Ouch, Violetta! He had to hand it to her, she really knew how to insult someone. That was one thing that he had taught her... When Maria wasn't here. He couldn't say that the reference to her didn't hurt, because it did. She was probably looking down on them all and wondering, like them, what he was doing. If he was engaged, though, surely she'd want him to be happy? 

But you're not really engaged. 

He drew out a long sigh before coming out with the truth, "She asked me to marry her. I said yes, but she was asleep and the question wasn't even coherent." 

Ah, how he blamed everything but himself, "But if she asked you, and you said yes -" There was a pause where the chorus nodded in sync and Ramallo emphasised the word 'yes', "then that means you are engaged. End of story." 

German protested, "No we're not!"

"Yes you are!" Ramallo argued back.

"No we're not!"

"Yes we are." Esmeralda came waltzing in then, grabbing everyone's attention with.... a ring. On cue, literally, she held her left hand in the air displaying a beautiful emerald engagement ring. The crowd shook their heads. He had lied to all of them, "The wedding date is set and you're all invited." The groom looked as bewildered as his guests.