Drake and Harmony looked at each other. They were caught off guard.
Harmony took a sip of her orange juice while Drake took another bite on his muffin.
"So?" Her mother said both of her eyebrows were raised.
"We met in the coffee shop near the school," Harmony said. " Then, Drake was alone and I needed a table so I asked if I could join his table. End of story," she said and she was hoping that her mother wouldn"t ask any further.
"That"s it?" Her mother looked so disappointed.
"Yeah, that"s it, mom. What else do you think?" She said and then she shook her head.
"Drake, be honest with me. Are you dating my daughter?" Her mother said without beating around the bush.
"Mom, what"s that?" She said as her whole face turned red.
Her mother was looking seriously at Drake.
The man was choked so she gave him water.
"I cannot believe you, mom. We are just friends and nothing else," she said . How could she say that they were in a contractual relationship?
God. She should just let Drake leave earlier.
"It"s okay, Harmony. I think we should tell your mother," Drake said which made her eyes wide open.
"Wh– what th–"
"Before you say that, Harmony. Let me set everything straight to your mother. Ms. Catalina, you are right. I am dating your daughter," he said and then he smiled at her.
She shook her head. Was this still part of their show?
Deep inside her, she wished that Drake would confess that because he really liked her and it was not just because he didn"t want their plan to be ruined.
Her mother nodded while looking at Drake.
"I see. You know that I like you, Drake. That"s no problem with me but I guess, the two of you, should talk to Harmony"s father," Ms. Catalina said while looking at her.
"Mom, look,"
"It"s okay, sweetie. You are a grown up now," her mother said and smiled. "I am so proud of you because you know how to choose a good man. Drake is a good man and I know that because in a short span of time I saw how big his heart was for other people," her mother added.
"Thank you, Ms. Catalina and rest assured that I wouldn"t be doing anything that could hurt your daughter. I know how precious she is to you so I will do my best to take care of her," Drake said while looking at her.
She felt like she was like a melting candle that moment. Her knees softened and she was thankful that she was sitting on a chair at that moment or else she might already have fallen on the ground.
"Would you like to have dinner here and wait for Harmony"s father?" Her mother asked Drake."I am sorry, Ms. Catalina. I really love to stay longer but I cannot for today. I promise that I will be back one of these days and talk to Harmony"s father," he said in an apologetic voice.
"That"s alright. And, don"t just say it, Drake. Do it. Don"t let tears fall from my daughter"s eyes. You know how much I treasure here so I am really hoping that you will be taking care of her like she was a fragile precious glass. Don"t break her," her mother said, full of love.
Harmony was touched. She never thought that she was lucky to have her mom. Though she grew up without her by her side, when she came back, she really did her best to make up for all those years that she was not with her and she couldn"t be more grateful.
"Mom, please that"s enough. You are already making me cry," she said as she could feel the tears in the corner of her eyes.
"Such a cry baby," Ms. Catalina said and then she pulled her closer to her. "Now that you have Drake around, I wouldn"t need to worry where you are and why you are not here in this kind of hour. I know that you are with one of the people that I trust," she said and then she smiled while looking at Drake.
"Thank you, Ms. Catalina. I will take care of her," he said and then he looked at her.
Her heart was pounding so fast because of everything that she was seeing. The way that Drake uttered those words was as if he really felt that way.
It was as if he wanted to protect her from hurt and all he wanted to do was to be with her.
"God, so what is this? Are you already giving me away, mom?" She said in a voice full of disbelief.
"Of course not. I am just setting Drake"s expectation," she said and then smiled. "You are my only daughter and there"s nothing that I wanted for you but only the best. I know that Drake is very aware of that."
Drake nodded as if they already talked before about this thing.
It felt weird to know that her mother and Drake knew each other even before she had known the man.
"Thank you, mom. But I am sure that Drake knows what he"s doing. And, I think that"s love. If you love someone then you should be ready to get hurt because love and pain come together," she said and it was too late for her to take back her words.
Her heart was pounding so fast because of how the conversation already flowed. It seemed that her mom really thought that she was in a relationship with Drake. But, wasn"t that they should be showing everyone? Since they were in a contractual relationship?
"Sounds like you have been hurt before already, huh?" Her mother said as one of her eyebrows was lifted.
"Don"t worry, honey. I will not get you hurt. And, maybe love really comes along with pain but I promise that I will do my best not to hurt you," he said as he looked into her eyes.