FIVE
Diane wasn’t satisfied with his response. She felt sad and heavy hearted and wished Rick would just say yes to mother’s request. I’m not complaining Rick, why won’t you just say yes already? She wished she could say that out loud but what would people think; that she’s cheap? And what would Rick say? What if he still rejected her after summoning the courage to say that out? That would have been the height of all insults. It would have hurt her so bad and she would wish instantly the ground opened and swallowed her. She decided to go for the best option. Kept silent and watched mother and son.
‘Bu—’ mother tried to protest.
‘No buts mother, I have said it,’ he stared at his mother, maintaining his ground.
That’s it. Diane knew there was no changing his mind. What’s the point of arguing anyways? He never said he was not going to marry her and would never say that because he loved her. He only said he wanted to get a job first. Looking at it from his point of view, maybe he was a bit right, just a bit, but she wasn’t complaining and she would gladly cater for them both but if that’s what he wanted, then, let’s do just that. Diane sighed silently and decided to support him.
‘Um mom, Rick is right.’
Rick and Mrs. Vaughn looked at her in surprise and then Rick gave his mother the ‘see?’ expression, but she ignored him.
Diane continued, ‘he needs it mom.’ ‘The day Rick uses his money to get me a gift will be the happiest day of my life.’
Rick and Diane looked at each other for moments then she forced a smile out. Though she wasn’t happy at the outcome of the whole thing but she had to pretend to be happy in order for Mrs. Vaughn to be happy. She jumped on her seat happily, trying to change the course of the mood.
‘So we are going to get married mom, don’t you worry yourself. Moreover, it’s like we are married already,’ Diane smiled at her.
Mrs. Vaughn was still not satisfied, she looked at Rick and Rick looked away, then she looked at Diane and smiled back.
‘You see mother? It’s like we are married already,’ Rick smiled at her and pulled Diane on the shoulders to himself, ‘so don’t you worry.’
Diane watched him in silence. Mrs. Vaughn was still not happy and Diane saw that.
‘Mom please cheer up, don’t look dull, we are okay.’
Mrs. Vaughn smiled faintly.
Diane rushed up and went to sit beside her and wrapped her arm around her neck.
‘Mom please cheer up, we are okay. I know you want the best for us and I know you are planning our future for us but we have to plan it too, and that’s what we are doing. Believe me, if I say it’s fine then it is fine,’ Diane consoled her.
Rick joined them on the sofa.
‘Mother, please try and understand us. You don’t know how bad I wish for this too, but there are some things that need setting. Please just try and understand my point of view.’
‘Okay, I understand, but please be fast with whatever it is you’re doing.’
‘We will,’ they both chorused and Mrs. Vaughn smiled at them.
‘Please excuse me,’ Rick rose and started to walk in.
‘Mom, please excuse me,’ Diane rose and followed him.
Rick stopped to pick his juice and Mrs. Vaughn seized the opportunity to pull on his arm. He looked back at Diane but she already walked in; then he sat beside his mother.
‘What is it mom?’ he whispered. ‘I don’t like this, she would think we’re talking about her,’ Rick complained.
Mrs. Vaughn snapped in a whisper, ‘yes we are talking about her! Shut up and listen to me! Listen to my voice son. Diane is a very nice girl and in situation like this, girls don’t like it when it’s getting too long. How many years now, four, five? Listen, since she came into our lives, she never made me feel the death of your father. She took up all your responsibilities—our responsibilities with a big heart, without any complain at the slightest and I’ve come to love her like the daughter I never had. I don’t want to lose her; if I do, I will never forgive you for that.’
Rick smiled and nodded, ‘okay mother, you won’t lose her and common mother, you think I plan losing her too? Hell no, I love her okay,’ he stood up to leave.
‘Son,’ she called softly and Rick looked at her, ‘don’t lose her and if you are not careful, you will,’ she warned.
That got to Rick. He looked at his mom and stood still in thought.
Six years passed within an eye bat and everything had changed in their lives except they were still madly in love and still not married.
Diane was a chartered accountant and the Director of her parent’s companies and Rick became an Obstetrician and Gynecologist OB-GYN and owned a hospital.
It was a busy day for Diane. She had her company files to work on throughout the day, though Hughes’ job but she decided to help him out since he had many work on his table; so, she was working all day that she forgot she had not eaten. She had not taken anything into the stomach of hers since morning, safe for the orange juice she had in the morning. She was busy working on her laptop and suddenly she furrowed, paused, then she rushed her typing on the keyboards and seconds later, she smart tap a button on the key board and looked out the window behind her. She smiled and worked some little more on the laptop before she pushed the laptop forward and made her way towards the door. She was in a simple but expensive flowing blue gown.
Rick entered with his suitcase. He was in a well-tailored expensive grey suit with a white shirt underneath. He loosened his tie as he entered.
‘Hey,’ Rick smiled and kissed her forehead.
‘How was it?’
‘It was fine and you?’
She collected the briefcase and walked ahead of him.
‘Good. I’ve been working on the project I talked to you about.’
‘I thought Hughes should be doing that?’
‘You know he has a lot of work on his desk because of this new project. It’s a big one and so I thought to help him out.’
‘That’s good,’ he held back her hand and pulled her gently and closer to himself, he looked into her eyes with emotions then he gently collected the suitcase from her and put on the sofa beside them. Diane wondered what he was up to.
He held on to his back pocket with a hand and the other hand was wrapped around Diane’s waist holding her to him; he whispered.
‘Close your eyes.’
Diane furrowed at him in confusion. She was scared of darkness, always had been; she hated that idea.
‘I plead the sixth.’
He laughed in amazement, ‘common my love, you have to do that right now? Don’t you trust me?’
Diane stared at him suspiciously.
Rick nodded up for her to go on and close her eyes, ‘common, close it.’
And she heeded, she closed her eyes slowly.
Rick admired her beauty for seconds; then he brought out a blue box from his pocket and gently clicked it open with his thumb. There sat graciously, a tiny gold necklace with a diamond pendant fenced in a gold plate. He slowly counted his steps to Diane’s back moving his hand gently from her back to her waist to her tummy then back to her waist; he held on strong on her waist then released the strong hold into a light pressure. Diane was silent; she smiled faintly easing into his touch.
Rick took the necklace from the box, placed the box on the sofa and gently packed her long hair aside with love and put the necklace on her. He kissed her neck and turned to see the beauty, tracing the chain to the pendant on her cleavage. Diane inhaled and held her breath as he did that. He smiled.
‘Can I open?’ she smiled.
‘Don’t open,’ Rick warned and started to guide her up the stairs.
Right in the bedroom, they stood in front of the mirror with Rick standing slightly behind, smiling and admiring her in the mirror.
‘Can I open now?’ she asked patiently.
‘Now open.’
Diane opened her eyes slowly looking in the mirror and was awed seeing the necklace on her neck. She gasped and widened her eyes as she traced the necklace with her hand looking in the mirror. She was short of words.
Rick smiled wholeheartedly watching her.
‘You like it?’ he grinned.
Diane was astonished. She looked at him in the mirror and then at the necklace on her; tears clouded her eyes as she traced the necklace.
‘You like it?’ Rick was now getting nervous for an answer.
She looked down from the mirror to the necklace and pendant hanging between her cleavages and her tears trickled down.
Rick saw it and turned her to himself immediately.
‘What baby, you don’t like it?’ he asked worriedly searching through her eyes.
She looked into his eyes with her teary eyes, laughing, ‘I love it, I love it; thank you—thank you, I love you.’
Rick was moved to tears, he hugged her tight, ‘and I love you more.’
They look into each other’s eyes.
‘Now, I’m proud to call myself a man, your man, I want to grow old with you Diane. I love you and will always do.’
Diane smiled and nodded and they started to kiss.
Minutes later, they were naked in bed; kissing passionately with their eyes closed, holding each other tight in each other’s arms. He was on her. He lifted himself and looked into her eyes with passion as she did same. He looked down at her breasts, her nipples were hard strong and he planted his lips on one and stroked the other. After a long suck of ecstasy and exchange between the nipples, Diane could feel his pickle hard against her thigh. Then he kissed her again, but this time, with deep passion and chill mouth; his hand holding her hair softly and the other holding her waist. She felt it and she loved it and it seemed their soul went in unison. She transcended into another realm as she could feel his hold on her waist and his soft fingers in her hair. To her, it was a feeling like no other. Rick’s hold on her in those places took her to a magic land and as if Rick knew he always held her in those places and he was good at it. How he knew, no one knows. She never mentioned it to him or anyone. Maybe he always felt the change in her body movement when he held her there. But Diane was grateful he knew her love spot and with the passionate kiss, Diane held on his back so hard wanting all of him inside her; she hoped he would just go in and take all of her even if the pact was otherwise. As they both romanced hard wanting each other so bad, Rick stopped suddenly, breathing hard and looked into Diane’s eyes. She blinked so softly and with passion, it was all over her she wanted him that moment and she was still holding on tight to his back. After a long stare in the eyes with both breathing heavily of want and now calming, he lifted himself and rolled over away from her tight hold to her side. Diane closed her eyes in hurt and then opened.
Seconds later, Rick jumped out of the bed and went to the bathroom. Diane listened in silence and traced her new necklace as Rick moaned and moaned and moaned. She held her pendant and closed her eyes as he screamed in ecstasy. She might have had everything in life but she never had sex. Diane was still a virgin.