The look Vanessa gives me when she struts into the living room through the large oak front doors makes my heart leap faster than its usual pace.
"Micheal asks me to call you." she says in a tone that sounds like a snort.
"Why?"
"I don't know." she snorts again. This time louder, before spinning around and exiting in the same skeptical steps she came in with.
She did know exactly why Micheal wanted me outside. The basking July sun washes over me immediately I step outside. But it is the shininess of the new range rover that enters my eyes. I stop dead track and stare.
On seeing my reaction, Micheal widens his arms in a show off. The same way a proud father would do to welcome his prodigal son home.
"Do you like it?" he asks, his lips already curving up in a charming smile.
I'm so excited that my vocal cord clamps tight. But I manage to ask, "I-is it for me?"
"Yes baby. For you."
I gasp. Then I start jumping. My self consciousness jumps out of my body with my excitement. Followed by my senses. Because the next thing I do is to jump into the car and zoom through the driveway.
By the time my hormones return to their neutral state, I've already sped through the circular driveway seven times. I climb down, feeling exhausted, but still excited.
"Thank you baby." I smack a deep kiss on Micheal's lips.
"You're most welcome. I just don't want to see you close to any of my cars again."
The whole excitement drains off my body. Before I could ask why, Micheal is already striding inside the mansion, Vanessa trailing behind him like a kitty cat.
The strain on his tone makes me start thinking if it is even a good idea to accept the gift from him. Dave confirms my speculation when I text him with a picture of the car.
"Don't you dare accept it, Sarah." He replies almost immediately.
"Why?"
"You know why."
Already tired of the loop sided answers, I placed a call to him the next second.
"You can't even get a damn confession off him, but you're thinking of further implicating yourself by accepting a gift from him, huh?"
My eyes narrow at the anger that laces his voice, "I didn't ask for it. He literally surprised me with it."
"Why not also surprise me by getting the fucking confession off him before the sun sets?"
The back and forth continues. I decided to use this opportunity to air out my mind about his constant rush and jab about the case. I complain of the pressure. He in turn tells me that my 48 hours ultimatum is expiring soon. And I will definitely not like his reaction afterwards.
Cursing inwardly, I end the call and storm towards the kitchen. Maybe baking some cookies will help me calm down. I ransack through the cabinets for the ingredients, trying to remember where the housekeeper stacked them a few days ago.
While arranging all the ingredients on the counter, my thoughts wander off. I could hear my inner voice asking me what my life is really turning into? Am I on the right path? I am supposed to be exposing high profile criminals and putting them behind bars. Not in some damn kitchen, prepping to bake some cookies to clear my mind, as if I'm some damn housewife.
My mission is to catch as many as I can and lock them up. Before they destroy other families. Just the same way they had destroyed mine by selling those hard drugs to my father, which ended up killing him.
I inhale a deep breath and assure myself that it's just for a while. Whether I like it or not, this is still an undercover job and getting Micheal locked up will save other families.
And just like any typical housewife would do, I spread a lovely smile on my pretty face, wore the apron and goggles up the recipe for cookies. While they bake in the oven afterwards, I sit on the chair, drafting up what I'd make for dinner in my head.
My phone starts ringing, distracting me. I blink back on seeing Chloe's face pop up my screen requesting for a facetime.
Has she forgiven me already? I think as my fingers swipe up my screen.
"Hey babe." I say in a voice too exciting.
"Hi." she replies, her tone the exact opposite of mine.
"How have you been doing babe?" I try the exciting voice thingy again.
"Look, I didn't call for some chit chat. I just wanted to tell you to be careful."
The excitement drains out of my voice, "Be careful?"
"Yes. I had a dream last night about you. And it isn't a good one."
I gasp. Chloe does usually have premonitions. And every single one of it does come true.
"I saw you locked up behind bars."
My hands start shaking. The phone slips off my hand and finds its way to the floor. I pick it, not knowing which I should be angry at. The fact that this case will end up landing my ass in jail, or that my phone screen is all cracked up.
I try calling Chloe back. The phone rings and rings and rings without her picking it up. She is still angry at me.
When the sun sets without my anxiety mellowing down, I decide to try Netflix and chill. Micheal had gone out immediately after dinner to drink and hang out with his friends.
I scan through the recommendation options, looking for something witty to enjoy for the night.
The doorbell chimes. My eyes widen after peeping through the hole.
What is George doing here?
"Hey." he says with a half sided smile.
"What are you doing here?"
"C-can I come in?"
"Are you drunk?"
"C'mon Sarah…"
George staggers into the mansion, not minding that he is about to collide with me.
"Where are you going? I didn't ask you to come in."
He bursts out into laughter. The loud roar echoing through the silent night.
"I know you still love me," was all he said before closing in on me and covering my mouth with his in a deep salacious kiss.
I freeze at that spot. Too shocked to react. But the familiarity of the action loosens me up a second later and I find myself kissing him back. With the same fervent energy.
We both forgot where we were and the consequences of our actions, until a voice clears mischievously behind us.