Page 28 of Return on Love

“Because it was true. We needed to hear that.” He looks at me and touches my hand for a moment. “Thank you for that. For being honest and critical.”

Did His Highness just thank me? Maybe I have Jedi powers or something, to have converted him into a reasonable human. I’m turned to stone for a moment, just thinking about it. Okay. His touching my hand might also have something to do with my turning into a statue. But whatever.

“Instead of your usual first-person shooter with just killing, why don’t you have a mission? Like a real storyline, which gets deeper with every level.”

“Yeah. I thought about that after your email. We could give them some currency and some basic weapons. As they move forward, they can upgrade their weapons. They’ll need to build safety armours from what they collect. Or take them from the bad guys they kill. Add more strategy to the game.”

“You could have missions for various things—virus, nuclear bomb, missile launch—in various countries and cities.”

The discussion goes on as we brainstorm various ideas. I don’t know how or when it happened, but after some time I find myself sitting next to him on the couch, poring over a notebook he has brought and writing the ideas down.

“Ooh. This could be good, Eva,” he says, holding my hand and squeezing it. I turn and somehow can’t take my eyes off his. The air around seems charged. We remain fixated like this for an instant and, just like that, it gets awkward, and the camaraderie is gone. I immediately stand up and go back to my chair while his back stiffens as if he has touched a snake. The shift is palpable and the easy connection we shared moments ago seems to have left only an uncomfortable residue in its wake.

“My clothes must be done. I should get going now,” I stammer out the words, the abruptness of my departure hanging in the air. I stand up, the tension between us unspoken but thick, and clumsily make my way to the guest room. My clothes are dry, and I quickly change into them. I can still feel the heat and warmth of his hand on mine, still feel the echo of the gentle squeeze. Conflicting emotions swirl within me and I can feel the urgency to put some distance between us. I need to leave. Like now.

He offers to drive me back to the apartment, but I refuse. I still haven’t forgotten his disgust for me, and even though he might think that my ideas could be helpful, I’m under no impression that his dislike for my being is gone. Such hate doesn’t just evaporate. It was only a moment of weakness where he probably forgot who I was. I remember his reaction when I stood up. His face had immediately gone back to its part disgust, part indecipherable mode.

I take a cab back to my apartment. Once home, I continue thinking of the ideas we’ve discussed and other possibilities. What if they could develop some games for schools or school-going kids? If they learn, say, history or math through a game, it could be fun and useful. A game idea sprouts in my mind. An investigator trying to solve a mystery. The plot thickens as I type it out furiously on my phone. My laptop is still in office, so I don’t have a choice but to work on my phone. I order dinner and eat it while working. I work almost through the night and fall asleep on the couch where I’d been sitting.

When I wake up, I see some messages from Ryan. Pictures of the ideas we discussed yesterday. There’s also one from Alex. He’s back from his trip and has suggested we do some sightseeing. I smile and prepare to leave.

I always like doing the Freedom Trail. I’d done it once when our entire class had gone from school. That’s what Alex has suggested. I take a taxi and meet him at Boston Common. We walk along the red brick path, easy enough to follow without a guide to hurry us along. It reminds me a little of Dorothy following the yellow brick road, except there are quite a few people following the same route. We walk till the Old South Meeting House where the Boston Tea Party was planned, then on to the historic Faneuil Hall.

“You want more, or is that enough for now?” Alex asks, looking at my flushed face.

I’m really not used to walking, so yeah. I’m done. “I guess we can complete the rest of the trail some other day,” I reply. “That’d also mean we’ll have to meet again before I leave.”

We walk into a café and order some hot chocolate.

“So how are things with Ryan?” Alex asks, holding the glass between his hands to warm them.

I look at him suspiciously. Did Ryan tell him anything about yesterday? Have they been talking about me? Before I can figure out, Alex clears it up for me. “I know how much you hate him. It must be difficult working with him, I’m sure.”

Ah. So, nothing. Unless this is what Ryan told him. I just shrug. “It’s work. I can leave my emotions out of it. Did Ryan tell you anything?” I don’t know why, but I just need to know.

“We haven’t spoken for many weeks now. Life’s been busy for the both of us.”

“You’ve met Jen?” I have to know about his child and wife or whoever the woman is.

Alex smiles as he takes a big swig from his hot chocolate. “She’s a cutie, that one. And smart. The one person who makes me feel I could marry and have kids one day, and it won’t be so bad. How do you know about her? You met her?”

“No. I had a meeting with Ryan and he had to leave to pick her up from somewhere.”

Alex nods. “Yeah. He cares a lot for her.”

“So, why did he separate from his wife?”

“Wife? When did he marry? And why didn’t he invite me?”

Oops! So maybe the kid is out of wedlock. Well, I don’t judge. I think if they both are okay with it, it’s perfectly fine. “I mean, are he and Jen’s mother not together anymore?”

Alex gives out a loud laugh. “Jen isn’t Ryan’s daughter. She’s his niece. His sister, Emily’s daughter. The father died in an accident just before Jen was born. Ryan with kids! Hah! The man hasn’t had a steady girlfriend as long as I’ve known him.”

Ah. That explains a lot of things. Ryan’s personal life is no better than mine. It’s a happy thought. Though I wonder why a man like him wouldn’t have a steady girlfriend. He’s good looking, makes decent money, can cook really well, and to most people his behavior is quite friendly. Maybe he’s bad in bed. Yup. That must be it.

We talk a little more. As usual, Alex is not seeing anyone. Doesn’t have time, or so he says. He’s making money and obviously doing a good job at it. As he drops me back to my apartment, he tells me about some restaurants I should try, and then he’s off to do some work and get a head start for the coming week.

My apartment, as I enter it, feels a little empty. The evening draws upon me, and I think of trying one of the restaurants Alex had suggested. But I don’t feel like going alone. I miss Lily. Bob rarely ever went with me even to try out any new restaurants, even in the early dating period. Lily has been my partner for such escapades. But right now, I just long for company. Lily, Alex, anyone. Even Ryan, with his slanted smile and wavy hair, the tiny dimple on his left cheek. Even with his hatred for me, he’s at least better company than an empty chair. But he has Jen and Emily, maybe some girlfriend, and I’m sure other friends and family. Not that I’m complaining. I mean, don’t take this otherwise. I don’t want him here. But I think this weekend has made me hate him a little less. I hope the same is true for him. Enough to make us work together to get the deal through.

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