"Leo, I'm so happy for you both. Aurora is a very sensible person and she would make a great wife for you",I told him and he couldn't be happier as he grinned happily.
"Just promise me,you won't hurt her or leave her when things get difficult?",I asked him, to which he smiled and nodded his head and said,"I love her,and I won't hurt her, not intentionally, at the very least"
"And about leaving her, the question doesn't even arise as I don't even intend to let her go. I just hope she says yes to my proposal",he said, nervousness apparent in his voice and my heart went out to him.
"You'll do great and Aurora will obviously say yes to your proposal",I comforted him and added,"Where are you taking her to pop the question?"
"To the Lakeside Restaurant, I hope everything goes as planned",he said as he put the ring back in his pocket.
"It'll all work out for the best",I said as I gave him a hug and went back to my room to continue with my work.
My part of the project was over soon enough and I mailed it to Zeke, and decided to take a walk to the park.
"Hey Issy",Roy waved at me. He was with Missy near the pond. I smiled and contemplated not to go there but Missy smiled and beckoned me to come over to the pond.
I went and sat down, with Missy seated in between Roy and I.
"How are you Missy?",I asked her as she looked at me with a smile. Lately, I noticed that she had been smiling more frequently and that warmed me.
"Missy is doing much better now and smiling more than ever,right Missy?", Roy replied for her.
Missy nodded happily and we laughed at her antics.
She did look happier today and I was happy knowing that she might someday get to start talking again.
Missy brought her hand to my belly and rubbed it and I smiled at her and said, "There is still around six months to go before the baby will join us."
At my mention of the baby, Roy's face turned pale and he fell silent. I sensed that he was uncomfortable with the topic, so I stood up and said,"Missy, I'll see you around ok? I need to go for now".
She held my hand and followed me and I didn't have the heart to ignore her and leave,so I looked at Roy and said,"Can she come with me?"
He shrugged and replied,"Only if her uncle follows her around." When he saw my furrowed eyes,he raised his hands in surrender and said,"Miley's orders and I can't not obey it"
I simply shook my head in resignation as I allowed him to follow me to the ice cream parlor, to buy and stock up for the house and get some for ourselves.
When we were approaching the ice cream parlor, I saw Elizabeth, Miley and Joshua already seated inside the parlor and having ice cream.
I wanted to turn back and go but Missy left my hands and went by her mother's side, and I had to follow her in, with Roy behind me.
Joshua saw me and smiled but when he saw Roy walking behind me, he frowned.
I wasn't liking this whole awkward situation, and Miley, without thinking,said, "Roy, bring those chairs so that both you and Issy can join us. Missy can sit here next to me"
Her invitation had only made it more awkward for me as I didn't want to be here eating ice cream with my ex and seeing the person I liked, with his ex. But I still obliged and had to be seated in between Roy and Joshua. Gosh, it was complicated.
I sat for sometime, but couldn't take the awkwardness of the situation, so I decided to leave. "Thank you, but I need to go home and finish my work. I am kind of in a rush as I need to hand it over by tomorrow",I replied quickly and started to get up, but dizziness set in and I slumped back to my chair.
Roy and Joshua, both got up from their seats to support me, but I had managed to settle down in my seat,unharmed.
"Issy, you need to take care of your health, especially at this stage",Miley chided in, fussing over me, and I smiled at her and said, "Thanks Miley, I just felt dizzy as I stood up suddenly I guess"
"I'm fine now, so I'll take my leave",I said and turned to Missy and added,"I'll see you around kid".
She smiled and waved me bye and I stood, this time careful enough, with my hand on my belly.
"Let me take you home",Joshua said at the same time Roy said,"Issy, I'll come with you"
I looked at both of them and replied,"You guys, I'm perfectly fine, and my home is just around the corner so its alright, I can walk on my own"
I waved Missy goodbye and went to choose the ice cream to stock up and finally went to the billing counter to pay for my ice cream.
"How much is it?",I asked the lady at the counter and she told me the price. I took out my card to pay but someone had already beat me to it as Joshua handed his card to the lady.
I looked at him and turned to look at where Elizabeth and the others were seated. They were all looking towards us,excepting Missy, who was busy enjoying her ice cream, without a care of what was happening around her.
I wasn't comfortable with he paying for my stuffs, so I said,"Joshua, I can pay for myself"
"Relax Issy, its just ice cream",he said nonchalantly and deciding that it was no use further discussing about it, I let him pay without fussing much over it.
I thanked him and turned to leave, but he grabbed my hands and held my hands in his, and took the ice cream from my other hand and held them himself, as he took me to the table where the rest of them were seated and said, "I'll see you guys tomorrow. I'll drop her off first."