Chapter Seventeen

"Well, I guess, if you love each other, we won't be a hurdle anymore. We already learned our lessons." I was stunned on my stand when I heard mom's words on Barack with a short laugh.

They were all displayed well in the living room with dad and my little Ethan who was playing with his new favorite toy car given by random strangers. My lips suddenly curved upwards as I realised that they are giving their blessings on us to get married.

"Hey, what's with the drama? Is there any invisible barrier here and you can't step your foot there?" I jolted by Celestine's sudden presence croaking out, pedantically.

I shot her a face before I answered. "I am enjoying the view," I said then scanned her up and down. "I thought you were going to fix yourself first? You're fast," I continued in a creased forehead.

Having a heavy swollen abdomen was really not easy. It makes every pregnant woman to move slow and short. But, this woman was so fast for a usual preggy.

"Fast?!" she screeched. "I fixed myself for almost half an hour and it was still fast? When you are pregnant, how long does it take you to compose yourself? Hours?" She was really sassy.

"Oh…" The only word that escaped in my mouth. So, it means that I was standing here for almost half an hour too? That was crazy impossible.

"Is there any problem?" My thoughts were disturbed when dad's voice echoed around the halls.

I turned my right to get the full view of them who were staring at us, confused then I smiled awkwardly. "No… We're just… talking. I was waiting for her, you know," I said with a nonsense explanation.

How come that I stood here that long? It's stupidly unbelievable! Really, Amber, huh?

"Your mind is floating in the air," Celestine mumbled with a frown before she dragged me on the gathering, still processing what just happened. "Hey!" she exclaimed in the middle of your walk, making me leap in surprise.

"What's wrong with…" I hadn't continued my words when Barack, who was sitting across dad, looked at us with a smile. "Hey, it's you!" he replied.

My forehead creased in confusion. They know each other?! No, they really know each other. They won't act like that if they're not. But, how come? As far as I could remember, Barack hasn't mentioned anything to me about ladies she met for business or whatsoever.

Celestine withdrew her hands to me and continued her walk alone to his direction. Barack then stood up, extending an arm. "You must be Celestine? Yzabelle's beautiful sister," Barack said, amazed.

Celestine made a short laugh before accepting his hand. "Yeah, nice to finally meet you, Mr. Barack Santiolle. My sister's fiance!"

Oh, I think I did space out in half of my life. They were already comfortable with each other. Well, I mean, Barack has always been an amazing man and he was easy to get along with but I just can't process how fast he took my parents' blessing and trust, also Celestine's obvious welcoming greetings.

I cleared a throat to catch their attention and interfere on their business for a while. "Uhm… you know each other already?" I asked, confused while stepping my foot towards their direction.

"We met the other day," he replied. "You didn't mention anything to me," I talked back before I plopped myself on the couch. Celestine then carefully sat beside me.

"I didn't know that it would be him who would help me in my most embarrassing and rush needing time," she chortled.

"What happened?!" Mom, dad and I worriedly asked in unison.

Celestine smirked and shook her head. "Oh, wow. What a tune," she made a short laugh and continued. "An overreacting tune." She hissed then forcefully crossed her legs.

"I went shopping the other day and I accidentally fell my lipstick when I searched for my phone in the middle of the crowd," she started, making my lips slightly open in surprise. "Alright, I really don't know what to do and how to pick that goddamn lipstick when I can't even bend down because of my baby bump. Good thing, there was a concerned man who picked it up for me," she explained.

I somehow felt proud and amazed by my man. He was always very sweet and helpful even to the people he didn't know well. He then met my eyes and smiled.

"I was actually looking at her because she looks familiar to me and that time that thing happened," Barack butt in causing us to look at him. "She seems familiar in my sight, thinking that I have seen her somewhere and now I just remembered that I've really seen her photo in your phone, Mi Amore," he cleared his words.

"What a small world we have, really," Celestine said.

Yeah, a very small world for us. Imagine, when I got back here, the first person I saw was my sister together with her fiance which happened to be my forced fiance also back then. Came the day I met Ezekiel, who was Barack's business partner who was Blake's friend. And now, Celestine and my fiance just met earlier than I thought. I hope and wish that Ethan is excluded in this small world. Because if so, I would probably lose my sanity.

"Uhm… Can I excuse myself for a while?" Barack spoke. I scrunch my forehead in confusion. "Why? Where are you going?" I answered in a whisper.

"Mr. Samonte dropped a message earlier, scheduling a new meeting. Maybe I will be back here as soon as it ended," he replied.

I nodded in agreement and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Alright, take care." He smiled and mouthed an "I will," then he stood up and fixed himself.

"I'm sorry mom, dad, Celestine," My eyes widened when he called my parents as mom and dad. I am quite glad that he has already been welcomed to this home easily. "But, I have to go. I still have a meeting today," he continued.

"Alright. Take care, son. And… You can drop by here for lunch if your meeting ends early," Mom replied.

Dad stood up and extended an arm at him. "Nice meeting you, Barack. You're such a well-grown man," he said then Barack accepted the hand.

What a lovely scene! I was gaping the whole time while my fiance was talking and excusing himself. Now, I can finally say that they want Barack for me more than others.

"Young man, Dada will go now. Be a good boy," he told Ethan. He smiled and nodded at him then Barack patted his head before he zoomed out on our sight.

If only I met this man earlier, maybe my life wouldn't be as difficult as it was before. Maybe I haven't wasted a lot of time hiding from my family and maybe I wasn't hurt that much. However, I didn't regret even a single thing that Ethan came to my life.

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