How did she end up in such a situation?
They'd been walking in silence for a while,it was starting to feel awkward.
"Let's go back now,it's getting late" Rosaline said..
"Just a bit more....there's this place I'd like to show you. I go there when I have a lot on my mind "
It was dark,so Rosaline couldn't see his expression,but she could hear the sincerity in his voice.
What could go wrong?
"Okay,lead the way-" she turned on her phone to check the time,it was 8:15.
"- But we gotta get back before 8:30, David needs his mama"
Although,he was asleep and he was usually calm even when he was awake. She couldn't take any chance with him,what if he suddenly remembers his Mama's bobbies and wants to feed.
Rosaline shivered....that would be a mess. Also Zoe would have a mental breakdown if she didn't get back home
on time with David.
"No problem, we can make it work"
After what seemed like years to Rosaline, they got to the "place" Nolan wanted to show her.
It was a small lake, he led her to a small empty gazebo close to the lake.
It didn't look like much to Rosaline, she looked down at the lake from the tower.
The breeze blew gently over the lake , giving it sway as the water flowed.
"Beautiful" Rosaline said
"It looks like tiny diamonds doesn't it?" Nolan chuckled.
"Yeah.." she gave a small laugh.
"What was it like?"
"What?"
"Being married....what was that like?"
Rosaline stared at the sky, she'd been thinking about how much Toby hurt her, how much her of life had crumbled that she couldn't remember how being married was.
"I don't remember" she said blinking back tears.
Or maybe she did, and she was scared of reliving those moments in her head. Maybe she didn't want to taint her happy memories with sadness....most of all, she didn't want to miss him. She wasn't going to allow herself to be hurt when she so sure he didn't give a damn.
He'd handed her the divorce papers without an explanation. "My lawyer will contact you" he had said and walked out. He never came back, didn't call or even drop a text.
Was their five years together worth nothing to him??
"How did you feel married to him?"
"Happy...I was satisfied. I felt loved"
"Do you feel loved now?"
Rosaline looked at her trembling hands, she knew where this conversation was headed. She knew this feeling.
An familiar sense of deja Vu coursed through her senses,sending a chill down her spine.
Never again. She frowned.
"Yes, I do. My family loves me, my friends love me." She said defensively
"Chill out,Rosa.... I only asked a question?"
"It was only a question too that night, and I gave you my virginity"
"Do you hate me for it?"
"I should, but I don't. I was young, stupid and alone....I had just gone through my first reject and you took advantage of that but I gave my innocence to you willing so I have no one else to hate but myself...." She sighed " ....let's go back, if you want to stay a bit longer. I can find my way back"
"No, I think I'd go back with you. Aunty Bea would have my hide if I let you go back alone with her first grandchild "
Rosaline smiled imagining the look her mother would give Nolan.
*. *. *. *. *. *.
You could almost taste the smell of fresh bread that surrounded the atmosphere. Beatrice had announced that dinner's special was a suprise and it had to do with freshly baked bread..It was a bit dramatic to him but every household couldn't be like his own where, they cooked whatever and didn't care to share the details.
Shaan turned of his laptop and stood up to get ready for dinner.
He was surprised when Noah had told him , Beatrice, was once a chef. She didn't look it...
The woman doesn't look like she had any real career.
But that was the part that he loved most about her
...He thought chefs were supposed to be quirky introverts.
"Quirky introverts" He said out loud.
Now that sounded weird... people should not behave in just one way because of their career choice or path.
He quickly put on his shirt and went downstairs filled with the appetite the devour whatever Beatrice was making.
On getting to the living room , he saw Ros and Nolan coming in. He subconsciously checked the time on his watch.
8:40....that's not too late.
But he couldn't help but feel disgusted at the thought that they had been together ....alone.
Shaan looked away before he did something he might regret.
Zoe hurried to meet Ros, and checked on baby.
"Thank you so much..where were you?" Zoe asked
Yeah.... where were you?
He pretended to be pouring a glass of water for himself so he could listen in on the details
"We just went out for a short walk, I was bored and Nolan offered to show a spot to get things off of my mind....and before you ask,I couldn't leave David inside. Renee was busy...."
Ros handed her the baby and made her way upstairs.
"Dinner baby??" Sean called after her.
" No papa....I'm a bit tired"
Shaan watched as she disappeared up the stairs, something was bothering her.
Should he check in on her?
No, that would be prying into her private life and it was a bit excessive,seeing as they were not close enough to share personal issues.
But he'd change that soon enough...
*. *. *. *. *. *.
Rosaline tossed and turned on the bed....She was hungry, so she couldn't sleep.
She didn't eat earlier because the smell of her mother's bread made her feel nauseated , and she couldn't let anyone in on her secret. It was too early.
She kicked the bedsheet off of her body...she couldn't take it anymore. She got out of bed and went downstairs to the kitchen.
She searched the cupboard,there had to be something other than bread and her mom's "special" chicken sauce.
She took out spaghetti,eggs and tomatoes.
What could she cook, .....she looked at the spaghetti and swallowed. She wanted to eat spaghetti so badly, she was considering eating it raw.
Bummed that she couldn't cook because she was too lazy to, she took out corn flakes,sliced an apple in it and poured a lot of milk in it
"Ros...?"
Hearing someone's voice, she grabbed the spaghetti and turned with a mouth full of corn flakes.
The Lord has provided .
Before she realized that only one person called her Ros. But it was too late, she was already facing him.
Rosaline blushed.... embarrassment washed over her. She clenched her first as if giving herself morale.
I've come too far to turn away now.
"Can you cook these for me?" She wiggled the spaghetti mid air.
Shaan stared at her in amusement,she slowly chewed the cornflakes in her mouth. He laughed,she looked like an hamster.
Rosaline noticed the dimples on each of his cheek, she wanted to touch his face.
He took the apron that was on the table and took the spaghetti from her.
" Sure" He smiled
"Thank you"
She sat at the kitchen table, eating the cornflakes and smiling like child.
Shaan gave small laughs, what type of woman was she?
He asked himself.
He wanted to know more.
"Do you laugh at everything?" She asked
"No,Tifla(Baby girl). I'm just this way around you "
Rosaline gulped.
"Why didn't you eat earlier....at dinner?"
"I didn't feel like it"
"Now ,you do...at 2am in the morning?"
"It's not that bad..."
He raised an eyebrow....
" Okay ,maybe I should've eaten a bit early....what about you,whatcha doing up so early??"
" I couldn't sleep, it takes time for me to get comfortable in other people's home"
" Hmm-hmn...which country are you from?"
"Why'd you wanna know?"
"I'm not like curious about you-" Rosaline swallowed "-like...like your name, Shaan Al'Din is enough to make a person curious am I right?"
Seeing that he didn't say anything,she dropped her spoon.
"C'mon,you can't be that petty. You don't look American but you sound like one, it's intriguing "
He laughed "intriguing....you could've just said.... you were just curious. You didn't have to explain yourself so intently "
He played her....jerk!
Rosaline thought...but she didn't hate the feeling or the conversation.
"Saudi Arabia " He said
"Really?"
"But, I was raised in NewYork, that probably explains the no Arabian accent thing"
"So you were born in NewYork?"
" Italy"
"Oh. Have you ever been to Saudi ?"
"Yes, to visit my family or for holidays"
" So you're like a Muslim"
" My family is....I'm a Christian. I go home to celebrate Islamic holidays because of my family but I'm not a Muslim"
"When did you decide not to be a Muslim?"
This is starting to feel like an interview
Shaan cleared his throat.
"Enough about me....let's talk you."
"What about me?"
"Done.....here you go" Shaan placed a plate in front of her.
Rosaline was so into the conversation that she didn't notice when he finished cooking.
She examined the plate in front of her, the spaghetti wasn't looking edible...
It had all the ingredients in it, she could see from the way it looked.
The spaghetti was wrapped in the egg, Rosaline used the fork to poke the food.
"Really thick...how many eggs did you use?" She chuckled nervously
" Enough" Shaan smiled.
She looked at his smiling face, and squinted her eyes to tell him she found the food suspicious.
"Kul(Dig in).... it'll taste okay" He said.
"Probably" He added when she was about to put a bite in her mouth.
"Don't downplay your cooking skills" She eyed him playfully.
"Yes ma'am "
To her delight,it was delicious. She gave him the 'ok' sign.
Shaan watched her as she ate...giving her water or juice whenever she demanded it.
"That was filling....thank you"
He poured her another cup of juice.
Rosaline belched with her hand to her mouth " excuse me" she said and gave a sigh of relief.
Hunger has been dispelled.
She grinned from ear to ear.
" So what do you wanna know about me?" She asked rubbing her belly
"Aren't you sleepy?"
" Nope" She rubbed the tip of her nose
"Cold?"
"Yeah, kinda"
He washed his hands and went to get her a shawl.
" Thank you" she wrapped it around her body.
" You're welcome"
" So what do you wanna know?"
"Hmmmm....." He pretended to think
" Dude.... seriously"
Shaan laughed, no woman had ever called him that. Was she already placing him in the friend zone?
Waiting for him to give her an answer Rosaline stared at him, trying to study his features.
His black long hair was tied in a messy bun, making him look feminine in a way.
His green eyes,shone under the kitchen light and they sparkled because he was laughing. He looked strong and masculine, his features were god-like,but he had a calm aura around him that made him approachable yet majestic.
She noticed the dimple above his mouth, it was really pretty. He was handsome yet beautiful.
Rosaline looked at his arm, he wasn't buff but he had his packs bulging and secured. How comfortable would it be to be held by those strong hands?
Oof .
Saweetie's My type came to her mind and she did a little buggy dance in her head.
" Let's start with.... how many weeks or months gone are you?"
The question definitely caught her trippin'.
Rosaline stared at his smiling face, wide-eyed.
How did he know?
What gave it away?
"Oof"