ANISHA'S POV
I was waiting to have an interview with a film producing company which needed a temporary hand. My mind was fixed on getting the job; and since I was overly concentrating on the possible answers to the questions which I thought were going to be asked; I was startled when my phone rang. Bad timing; whoever it was who was calling me. I answered it.
"Dear Anisha, how are you?" a female voice happily said.
I failed to recognise who it was, and I looked at the number again, but it was not familiar.
"May I know who this is," I asked.
"Oh sorry, I did not introduce myself. It's me, your dear sister, Lisa. Anisha, I feel terrible about how I treated you at the ice cream shop. Please find it in your heart to forgive me."
"Don't worry about it, it's all in the past now," I told her truthfully.
"To show that you really mean it, please can you come to my house today? Dinner at 6PM; how does that sound?"
I was not interested in having dinner at Lisa's house, for I knew that she loved me only after she knew that Dylan was my boyfriend. She did not love me; she loved the idea that I could help her access some money. If only she knew that I was not in the habit of asking for money from Dylan, and I had no intention of starting to do so.
"Will you come?" she urged in almost a desperate plea.
"Umm, OK I will." I decided to just get it over and done with, for I knew that the more I postponed it, the more she would continue to bother me.
The job interview went well. The company really needed someone urgently, and the interview was more of a formality. The manager, after going through my resume, had already made up her mind that she wanted me. I happily signed the contract to start the job on the following day.
Soon after 4PM, I checked with Dylan what time he was coming home.
"I am a bit tied up. I will delay. Expect me around 9PM. I'm sorry my love, but I promise I will give you more time this coming week." He explained.
"It's OK. Lisa has invited me to have dinner at her home. I just want to go there and get it over and done with."
"Oh" Dylan was silent for a while. "Do you think it's safe…I mean, to what extent do you trust Lisa? That woman wanted nothing to do with you and now, she's acting all good and kind."
"I know...I know. But I don't think she will bring any harm. Remember, she hopes to be linked to you through me, so if anything, she will be extra kind." I laughed.
"If you think so…" Dylan said in a low voice. "Can't you postpone it? So that I can come along with you…if you don't mind?"
"I would not mind, but I had promised them that I am coming today. Let me just go today, I will stay for a very short time, and then the next time; if ever there shall be a next time, we can go together."
"OK my love. Take care of yourself. I love you." In my eyes I could see his handsome face as he said these words.
"I love you more." That's how I always responded whenever he said to me 'I love you'.
***
I bought a few items for my nephews; Gareth and Lisa's two sons. When I drove in, the boys ran towards the car, such that I had to stop. I feared that I might run over one of them. I asked them to hop in, and together we proceeded to the parking. Lisa came out of the house, with a wide grin on her face.
"How nice to see you. Wow, what a beautiful car. It's my first time to see a car this beautiful," she smiled.
"Thank you," I allowed them to lead me into the house.
After I handed my little gift to their mother, the boys started jumping and running around happily, asking their mother to quickly open the package that I had brought.
"We will open as soon as daddy comes back," she smiled.
"Is Gareth still at work?" I asked casually.
"Yes, but he will come. Anyway, we can continue with our meal, we don't usually wait up for him."
"Oh" I could not think of any other way to respond to that.
In my imagination, I had always thought that couples did their best to wait up on each other, unless of cause if the other party was getting home after midnight, or very late at night. If it was just 7PM or 8PM, I felt it was necessary to wait. Anyway, it was not my issue so I just sat down and minded my own business.
"Tell me, Anisha, when is the wedding?" Lisa smiled brightly.
"The wedding…we will soon let you know as soon as the date draws near," I replied in a flat voice. She was already asking about a wedding, while Dylan and I were not even engaged. I just gave her the response that she wanted.
The truth is, I was enduring the stay. Lisa had shown me that she cared not for me at all, and the fact that she warmed up to me upon knowing that I was involved with Dylan…that on its own made me fail to see the authenticity of anything she had to say or do.
She laid out some table mats on a long dining room table.
"Would you need any help," I asked her, with my eyes involuntarily straying towards the kitchen sink.
The sink was full to the brim with dirty plates, and next to the sink, there was a rack filled with sparkling water glasses. It seemed like whoever had done the dishes, most probably Lisa herself, had concentrated on the water glasses and left everything else for later.
"No no no. I wouldn't bother you with doing my dishes," Lisa smiled.
She pointed at one of the chairs at the dining table, and I quietly sat on it. My heart was beating wildly, trying hard to compose myself. What was happening? Why was I feeling so uneasy? How I wished for my brother Gareth to be there with me. He was nice to me from day one, so I believed I was going to feel more at home in his presence.
"Is Gareth coming home anytime soon?" I asked Lisa.
"Oh, Gareth? Today he has a meeting with some investors. They will be in it until around 10PM", she smiled at me.
A car horn was heard from outside, and I flashed a smile at Lisa, "I guess Gareth is here now. The meeting must have been cancelled or postponed."
"Let me see who it is," Lisa threw down the dishtowel that she was holding, and hurried outside.
I heard her saying, "welcome to our home, welcome to our home", and immediately I knew that it was not Gareth. There was no way Lisa would have said to her own husband, welcome to our home. I felt very uncomfortable, although I could not explain why. I fidgeted a bit in my seat and looked towards the entrance.
In a short while, she came back in the house, followed by …..what? How? What's happening? Following closely behind Lisa was…..Carter! Carter and Lisa knew each other? From where? Was Carter there because he too had been invited, or he was just paying a surprise visit? Was it a coincidence, for him and me to be in Lisa's house at the same time?
"What are you doing here?" I could not help but ask Carter.