An Ember That Burns Out

Chapter 2: Preparing for the date

Liliana woke that next morning feeling much better compared to yesterday. She wasn't sure how to feel about Lucien or about the situation. She sat up and stretched her arms out. She looked over to her night stand and there was a note with Lucien's handwriting on it. 'Wow he has very neat handwriting..' Liliana picked up the note and read it.
"I needed to leave early this morning. I got called in early. I made you another pot of ginger brown sugar tea. Please take it easy today. I'll be back later on to check on you.
-Lucien"
Liliana smiled and put the note in her night stand. She looked at her phone and realized she had a text from Lina.
"Hey bubs. Do you have any plans today?" Liliana pondered to herself. 'Hmm well I do need to go shopping for something to wear this weekend. But other than that nothing really. So Liliana texted Lina back.
"Nothing really. Going shopping today for something to wear. Wanna have a girls day and tag along with me?" Sent! Liliana got up and texted Lucien.
"I'm feeling much better. Thank you so much for yesterday.." Sent! Liliana grabbed a change of clothes and decided to take a shower and freshen up before she starts her day.
After Liliana took her shower she received a new text from Lina.
"Hell yes! I'll come and pick you up!" Liliana hurriedly dried off, brushed her teeth and hair, and hurriedly cleaned up her apartment.
She texted Lina back. "When you pull up my door is to the left. Come on in."
Liliana sat down and took a deep sigh. "Looks pretty good to me."
Liliana thought aloud to herself.
*Knock..Knock.Knock*
Liliana jumped up and answered the door. "Lili!"
Lina threw her arms around Liliana and gave her a big hug. Liliana gave Lina a big bear hug.
"So wanna hit up the mall oh and tell me why are we going shopping. Give me all of the gossip." Liliana laughed.
"Alright let me get my phone and my bag and lets go." Liliana walked to her bedroom and Lina stepped inside.
"Wow bubs! You got a really nice place!" Liliana shrugged her shoulders.
"It's my home but it's not my home out in the country." Lina sat down and looked up to the ceiling.
"Wow you got a really nice view! How much did this cost ya?" Liliana walked out of her bedroom with her bag on and her phone in her pocket.
"Sis you don't want to know.." Liliana grabbed her keys and put them in her pocket.
"Bubs who helped you get this place? Even with my salary working at LFG I wouldn't be able to afford this." Liliana giggled.
"A good friend of mine. I think you two would really like each other. Now come on we gotta go to the mall."

Liliana and Lina decided to hit up the food court first. They wanted to at least eat breakfast before they started their shopping.
"So who are you going out on a date with hmm?" Lina looked at Liliana and took a sip of her bubble tea.
"Oh if I told you, you wouldn't believe me." Lina smiled.
"Okay try me." Liliana took a deep breath.
"Well it's not really a date but..-mumble mumble mumble-.." Lina cocked her head and looked at Liliana.
"Excuse me bubs I can't hear you if you are mumbling." Liliana took a deep breath.
"It's not really a date but..Victor. Well.. He's taking me out on a 'date' if thats what you would call it.."
Lina dropped her jaw. "No. Freaking. Way!"
Lina placed her hands on Liliana's hand. "Do you think he might take it a little further between the two of you."
Liliana shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know may- wait how do you know!"
Lina giggled. "Bubs do you think no one notices the way you act around him?"
Liliana blushed. "The way you smile when he comes into the meeting room?"
Liliana blushed even more. "Bubs you have changed so much in the last year."
Liliana twiddled her thumbs. "Well..."
Lina smiled. "It's okay Bubs. I think I might have the perfect idea of what to get for you. Do you know where he is taking you."
Liliana nodded her head. "He said he wants to take me to Souvenir this weekend around 8:00."
Lina grabbed her bubble tea. "Okay time to go shopping and get you ready for this date this weekend."
Lina pulled Liliana along to the first clothing shop. "So is this your first date or second date?" Liliana started to blush a little.
"First." Lina went to the dress aisle.
"Hmm ah try this on. Oh and this black one as well." Liliana took the red dress and black dress from Lina and went to the changing room to try it on.
"Lili I wanna see you in the black one first." Liliana came out of the changing room and twirled for Lina.
"Hmm try on this white over coat wit it." Lina looked at the dress.
"Nope try on the red one with the black shawl." Liliana took the black shawl and walked back into the changing room. Liliana put on a red dress that came a little over her knees and walked out with the black shawl.
Lina gasped. "Awwh Lili you look so cute! What do you think? Do you like it."
Liliana turned and looked in the mirror. She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and looked herself up and down smiling. "Sis I love it!"
She turned and hugged Lina. Lina smiled and patted her on the back. "Now lets find some sexy heels to match with the dress. Don't worry I'll do your makeup and hair before he comes to get you. I'll even have a sleep over the night before. Have a little girls slumber party."
Lina smiled and Liliana. "Sis I love that idea. I've never really had a sleep over nor really been a part of one. So we should do it!"
Lina and Liliana smiled and walked over to the women's shoes to take a look at them. Liliana found a nice pair of red heels to match with her dress. Liliana was very excited for the date with Victor. Maybe it wasn't really a date for Victor but it was a date for Liliana she was nervous and yet so excited at the same time. Would things go a little further between Liliana and Victor. Liliana hoped deep within her heart that it would come true.

Meanwhile Victor was in his office at LFG coming up with different ideas he could do for the dinner date with that special girl that always has a beautiful smile on her face. Victor realized for dessert he would make her the pudding. Of course she might not believe him at first but he knew she was going to be shocked. He could hear her now. 'Victor you made this pudding! It takes just like.. Wait you own Souvenir?!?!' Victor chuckled to himself. 'Dummy.' He came up with a nice appetizer and the entree. He was nervous but he knew she would love this dish. More importantly would now be the right time to tell her how he feels? He pulled out his phone and began to text to her.
"I'm looking forward to the date this weekend.." Delete.
"Don't stay up too late." Delete.
Victor just shook his head and shoved the phone back in his pocket. "I have no time for her nonsense. I'm sure she knows."
Victor took out the pocket watch that Liliana made for him and looked at the time. Still getting caught in the craftsmanship of the pocket watch she made for him by hand. Tracing each line in the wood.
Each time when opening the case chuckling a little to himself. "Merry Christmas, Boss."
Shaking his head each time. "Dummy."
As Victor was lost in his thoughts he got a knock on his door. He gently put the pocket watch back in his pocket and hid his small notebook in his breast pocket.
"Come in."

Liliana was at home with Lina and decided they would just have dinner at home.
Lina decided she would give Liliana a helping hand. "So do you plan to tell him?"
Lina looked at Liliana rolling dumplings in her hands. "I'm not sure to tell you the truth sis. I'm kinda nervous and excited about this date at the same time."
Lina giggled. "I know bubs. But you gotta tell him sooner or later. If you wait too long it might already be too late.."
Liliana's heart dropped. Liliana didn't want to lose him. A relationship she has worked so hard to achieve in just a short amount of time. She took a deep sigh. "Well I'll wait for him.. No matter how long it takes I'll wait for him.."
Liliana wiped away a tear from her eye. "Oh bubs don't cry." Liliana smiled.
"It's okay sis." Liliana tapped Lina on the shoulder and smiled at her again. Liliana remember Lucien's note. 'I wonder if Lucien is okay.. I haven't heard anything from him at all today..' Liliana chopped up the beef and threw it in the wok and stirred in her seasonings and spices.
"I'll be back sis." Lina looked over her shoulder while washing her hands.
"Alright bubs!" Liliana slipped on her slippers and walked over to Lucien's door.
"Hmm he must be at work still." Liliana turned and walked inside and ran to get the dumplings and ginger brown sugar tea. She covered the cooked dumplings and sat them in front of his door with the ginger brown sugar tea. She placed a note on the covered dumplings and ran back inside.

Later on that night Lucien opened his front door and seen a plate of dumplings with a cup of ginger brown sugar tea. He grabbed the tea and dumplings and shut the door. He placed the plate on his counter and read the note.
"I'm sure you are hungry after working a hard day. Please enjoy the yummy dumplings and ginger brown sugar tea. Again thank you so much Lucien for everything :3.
-Liliana-"
Lucien smiled and he started to feel a sharp pain in his chest. He walked up to his mirror. One hand on the wall, he studied his own pinched brows and sweaty face in the mirror. Liliana's beautiful smile flashed in his mind. The rope around his heart seemed to have sprouted thorns. Hand on his chest, he panted desperately. He could no longer recognize himself in the mirror. He had never been one to show weakness like this. 'Stop thinking about her.'
He told himself. "I command you to stop thinking about her."
But the warm feelings that had taken root in his heart continued to sprout, endlessly addictive, fatally poisonous. "What should I do about you..."
He marched to the cabinet in his kitchen to get his pills when he noticed the dumplings sitting on the counter with the note sitting next to them.
Eyes full of emotion, Lucien turned off the light, letting his voice echo in the dark room. "I didn't want to let you go before.. And now, I'm more certain than ever. I'll never let you go."