"Youre always busy son!!, always, every single time!!", Nalia yelled already angered by the same response she gets everytime she asks, Lucas knew he already angered his mother, he stayed quiet, just because he didn't want to anger her further.
" I'm doing this for your own good son, you're way past thirty, and all you do is work!", Nalia said in a calm voice, "when are you going to settle down?!", Nalia asked concerned for her son, " but, he already has a girlfriend, and he's planning on engaging to her soon, like real soon!", Martin said, thinking his plan was spot on!.
His statement had everybody shook, unable to utter anything for a few seconds, including Lucas, because he didn't know why Martin said something that was so untrue. "Girlfriend, you have a girlfriend Lucas?", his grandmother asked elated, Lucas questioned back with a confused expression, " I do?".
The family members were stunned momentarily, Lucas looked at Martin, in time for Martin to give him a signal to just roll with it for the time being, "I do!!", Lucas said this time in a firm manner, this was because he already received the signal from Martin.
" why didn't you tell me, ha, and I've been forcing you on dates, poor girl, can I meet her?", Lucas watched as his mother displayed different expressions on her face before finally asking if she could meet the imaginary girlfriend.
"Well… we we!", Lucas stammered, forming incoherent words because even he was still unable to digest the situation. " I've met her mom and she's nice, beautiful in fact, however, you cant meet her, at least not now!", Martin said, coming to the rescue, Lucas sighing in relief.
Lucas picked up from where Martin started and ended the conversation about his imaginary girlfriend, "well, as Martin said, my girlfriend's pretty, and I'll bring her home soon, just relax mom, she's also been disturbing me about seeing you!", " ohh really?", "yes, really, so that's it, no more talking about my girlfriend!", Lucas said.
Lucas felt guilty because his mother and grandmother looked happy, elated even. He sent Martin glares throughout dinner because he had started something he couldn't finish, he knew his mother, she was going to search for this so called girlfriend of his.
Dinner was more than merry for Lucas after he had lied he had a girlfriend, for a second, he felt relieved that there would be no more nagging from his mother or grandmother. He didn't want to lie but things got a little too complicated.
The workers helped with the dishes, cleaning the plates and the kitchen, everybody went back to their bedrooms to rest for the night. Lucas thought about the events of the day, and how quickly the situation had gone out of hand.
He was about to send a text to Martin when he heard a knock on the door, quiet but persistent, he opened the door to see Martin. " Bro what the fuck was that at the table?!!!", Lucas whisper yelled because he was furious and he didn't want to disturb other's sleep.
"Didn't the plan work, it did, and now you have to pretend that you indeed have a girlfriend!", Martin said fully aware that he angered his brother. " yeah man!!, pretending like I do have one, however, there is no girl to pretend with!", Lucas replied.
"Easy!, hire someone to pretend, a fake engagement would do and then you can break up with her after like… six months!", Martin said air quoting the word break up. " Any suggestions?", Lucas asked, "well, any girl would do , you just gotta brief them on the situation, and probably pay them!".
" it sounds like a plan then!", Martin said with his signature smile plastered on his face, "plan, what plan, I havent even agreed to it yet!", " ohh come on!, it's gonna work!", Martin said. "Fine, I guess we can do that, but I don't know how to have a girlfriend!", Lucas said already feeling a bit jittery.
" ohh, I almost forgot, you've never had a girlfriend before, I'll help you, don't worry!", Martin, the expert in girls among the two said. "Fine, get to bed!", Lucas said opening the door and slightly pushing him out, " sheeeeesh!", Martin exclaimed, stomping towards his room to have a good night's rest.
Lucas got to work the next day with a bunch of files on his table, he remembered that it was the investment's department turn to submit their reports. After morning coffee and settling down to do lots of work, he opened the files to go through them.
He smiled at how capable the staff at Walton Globals were, the increase in income, competent staffs and the maintenance of the offices looked good. However, he was caught unawares seeing the picture of someone he thought he was never going to see again, the beautiful lady from the banquet.
It was a paper with her passport on it, she was going to be working in his company as the assistant to the investment department director. Lucas smiled reminiscing the time he last saw her, that smile, that beautiful smile… he wanted to be the reason for it, and the only person to see it.
He felt happy and a little bit sad that she worked in his company but he couldn't see her everytime. He didn't want to miss the opportunity to see her smile, or to see any of her reactions. He read the little details on the file, taking in the facts she mentioned as the director reported, he felt bad for her knowing the amount of pain she must have gone through.
Martin on the other hand took it upon himself to look for possible girlfriend material for his brother. They both agreed on someone from a simple background, as it meant less problems. After what seemed like hours, Martin finally came up with five women to show his brother.
Lucas who had just seen a clearer picture of Audrey was even more attracted to her, and because of this, all the five women Martin showed his brother paled in comparison to the goddess he just saw. However, Lucas knew she was out of reach, so he urged Martin to keep looking.