Having Her

Chapter 5

Dinner mostly consisted of small talks. We spoke about Sia's new book's launch, the band's music, my next project, work, and just the world in general, ranging from the unpredictable weather these days to politics.

It was later at night when Aliyah and the boys were upstairs playing in the nursery with my mother and the nannies, and we lied sprawled across different corners of the couch, that Tara suggested, "Let's play a game."

My ears had perked up with interest because I did love playing, until Tara added: "...Although it's a couples game." She went on to explain that it wasn't a very heavy game, just a little fun thing for Anna and Zach since they were to be married soon. And I and Caleb could opt out if we didn't want to play.

My eyes often flickered to the main clock wondering when Jay would be here, which was when Caleb said, "If it isn't anything that involves actions or uncomfortable positions, then I'm in if Daisy is." 

And I was competitive. I wasn't one to look away from a game, and so it was on.

Besides, Tara had ensured us by saying the game was only verbal, like a question-and-answer thing especially designed for the soon to be bride and groom, barely could even be called a game. That is how we began.

"What was it like when you first met your partner?" Tara asked, the third question. The first two were simple, mostly generic, and while I and Caleb were giving bland plain answers, Zach and Anna were arguing upon something already. It was quite a sight, owing to the fact that they never argued.

"It was a rainy day, lightning outside and I was returning home from the cemetery with my Dad when she decided to stop at an art gallery to see some paintings for our new house. That was when I met Zach, he was fifteen, I think, at that time."

"You were ten, I was fourteen."

Anna huffed some air from her mouth in return. "Let me tell you guys, he was equally arrogant about our few month age gap then as he is now."

"I am three and a half years elder to you." Zach retaliated.

Tara cut in before they could go on. "Alright but... how was it like? When you first met him?"

"Peachy." Anna answered, and then sighed. "I was having a bad day; catching him in his failed attempt to sneak out from the back door was the highlight of my evening-"

Zach cut her off. "It wasn't a failed attempt, okay? I decided to stop to hold a conversation with you. And I'm pretty confident it was the front door."

"See, he never let's me complete." His fiancé huffed again, complaining to me this time. I just giggled. "I'm pretty sure he must've spoken the same way when we met for the first time, hence... it was the highlight of my day."

"I'm flattered you think so." Zach feigned a smile.

"Yup, that sums up when I first met him," She tells Tara, "He was arrogant and cocky."

"And she was talkative and enthusiastic," Zach answered, "So much so that she dropped a painting."

Anna's cheeks flustered. "...And he took the blame."

"And I took the blame," Zach agreed.

"He protected me.." Anna added in a mumble.

"I always only ever wanted to protect her."

I saw them look at each other with unfathomable expressions in their eyes, something that made my heart melt and made me feel like gagging at the same time. Oh, to find a love like that.

Except, Tara turned to us. "Do you remember when was the first time you two met each other?"

"Actually... I don't," I lied, chuckling nervously. "He was Cole's best-friend before I even knew his name, it's almost as if we've known each other our entire life. Hard to keep track when you first met somebody having no idea they were going to be important to you later."

"Bummer." Tara commented, turning her eyes to Caleb, who sat adjacent to me. "Do you remember?"

"I do, actually." Caleb answered in a low voice, his eyes flickering to me, except he didn't look away. He continued looking at me as he went on, "We were ten, I think? It was the first time I had ever gone to Cole's house, and I had no idea he had a sister.. like he never mentioned he had a twin.. ever. And the housemaid let me in, and I go inside and directly up the stairs to Cole's room when I heard someone shuffle behind me, and I turn to see Daisy in a long pink gown and a golden tiara walking around like a damn.. princess."

I felt my breath hitch. I didn't even know that this was one of the possible reasons he called me Princess in the first place.

"I was trying my tenth birthday dress." My cheeks fluster.

"You still remember this incident all these years later?" Anna teased looking at me rather smugly, "Cute." 

It was Caleb's chance to feel embarrassed, for I could see his cheeks tint red. "Only because I panicked thinking I had gotten the wrong house and then tumbled down the stairs."

"I see," Tara smiled, her eyes turning to Zach and Anna again, "Moving on, name one materialistic thing that reminds you of your partner?"

"Music." Anna said. I smiled. Zach was the superstar after all.

Zach smiled knowingly looking at his fiancé. "I'd say... ice-cream. Definitely ice-cream."

We all chuckled while she pouted. Anna and ice-cream, well, that was a love story in itself. 

"Caleb, Daisy... you both?" Tara turned her eyes towards us.

I gulped, thinking of an answer and letting Caleb go first. I watched his eyes wander around for a bit until he answered, "Strawberries."

I just rolled my eyes and everyone laughed. Ever since Aliyah had started verbally expressing her love for strawberries, my obsession for that fruit has remained no secret.

"For Caleb...," I thought aloud, "Um, Cigarettes." I did not mean to offend him. But whenever I looked at anyone holding a cigarette, my thoughts immediately took me to him.

"Strawberries and Cigarettes?" Tara commented c*****g an amused eyebrow, "Interesting."

*

I knew the right thing to do was to tell Caleb that I was dating his cousin, Jay. And yet, as my eyes kept reaching the clock again and again, the voice dried out in my throat. I couldn't go to Caleb and without any reference just tell him 'hi, I'm dating your cousin these days', I also knew it doesn't work like that.

Jay had texted me a while ago that he was running late, and so he'd pick me up from outside my mother's house instead of coming in and meeting everyone.

"Dais, are you sure you can't cancel on your plans?" My mother asked me after dessert. "Aliyah just convinced Caleb, Zach, Anna and Tara to stay, I doubt she'll let you off easily."

I chuckled. The little girl really had managed to throw an extreme tantrum knowing her mother wasn't here to keep her in check and convinced everyone to stay here. She called it a 'night party'.

"No, Ma," I tell, "Jay's already left. He's driving from Brooklyn to Queens to get me and I really can't cancel out last minutes. But what I can do is... I'd ask him to drop me back here or something so I'll be there when Aliyah wakes up tomorrow morning."

"Whatever you think is right then, darling," My mother replied, getting back to reading her book.

I was just going inside the room everyone was in to let them know I was leaving, when I bumped into Caleb at the entrance.

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled, taking a step away, and his eyes flickered from my head to bottom, studying me. "Leaving?" He asked, looking at my bag.

"Uh...yeah." I answered, giving him a thin smile.

"Do you need me to drop you somewhere?"

That was... unexpected.

"No," I shook my head, the smile on my lips turning a bit more genuine. "Someone is picking me up."

Someone. Not someone, dammit. Jay. Jay Miller. Why wasn't I being able to tell him that?

"Let me drop you out then."

"You don't have to," I say.

"I know," he nods, "I am just stepping out for some... fresh air, might as well drop you outside."

I nod, gulping as we walk out side by side. "By fresh air, did you mean another cigarette?" I ask, my voice only curious. Not prying. Or worried.

"Yeah," he answered, briefly looking up to me, "Uh, do Cigarettes really remind you of me?"

I felt my smile grow a little. "Well, I haven't ever come across anyone as enthusiastic about smoking as you."

He chuckled. "Then your world is awfully small, Daisy Wilson."

I snort, but say nothing in return as we step out of my mother's house. He takes a step aside to pull out a cigar from his pack and light it, and I look everywhere but at him, knowing I wouldn't be able to look at him smoke without the overwhelming urge to stop him just like I used to. I had to remind myself this wasn't my job anymore- to care about him. He probably did have someone to do it for him.

"So," he cleared his throat, and I realised he hadn't yet put the lit cigar between his lips. "Is it a date?"

"What?" 

"The person you are going out with... is it a date?" He seemed reluctant in asking that question. He wasn't curious, he wasn't prying.. it sounded like a hesitant in-between.

"Yes." I nod timidly.

"First date?" He raised an eyebrow, the same hesitance in his voice again.

"No, actually." I clear my throat. "He is my..."

"Boyfriend." Jay completes my sentence.

My eyes snap to the direction of the voice as well does Caleb's to Jay walking towards us from a distance. His car was parked outside the gate of my mother's house, and then back to him, guilty I hadn't seen him come in.

"Daisy's boyfriend." Jay repeats, his eyes fixed at me, an affectionate smile on his face as he comes towards me, and bends down to place a little kiss on my lips.

I unwillingly meet him half-way, my mind occupied with wondering what had changed. When I saw Caleb at Cole and Sia's wedding yesterday, I had liked when he saw me and Jay together, and today, I felt reluctant about the same.

I knew Caleb's eyes were fixed at us while he leaned on his parked car behind, the lit cigar still in one of his hands, and when Jay let go of me and I turned to Caleb, there was nothing in his eyes. No emotions at all. Just an unfathomable amusement.

Jay smiled at his cousin. "Caleb," he greets.

"Jay," Caleb says in return.

"Do you mind if I steal her from you now?"

"You can," Caleb dryly smiled, "Just don't mind if I steal her back from you later."

The smile from my lips flatlined as my heart skipped a beat, picking up pace quickly and Jay stiffened next to me.

"I'm kidding," Caleb chuckled with a smirk, "Off you both go."

Jay seemed unamused as he shook his head in utter disbelief. 

"Bye Caleb," I said, my voice reflecting Jay's disbelief.

"Bye Princess." He answered giving me a smile, and then his eyes flickered to Jay. "Bye... brother."

Brother? 

Caleb and Jay were... cousins.

"Let's go sweetheart," Jay looked at me with a smile and I nodded turning to walk with him, his hand wrapping around my waist and I let him even though my head was somewhere else altogether.

"Brother?" I asked him once we'd gotten out of Caleb's ear shot, and he opened the passenger seat to his car for me.

"Get in now, Daisy," He answered placing a kiss on my cheek, "I'll explain later."

"You better." I had a feeling this was not good, and if his explanation was anything like what I hoping for it to not be, then tonight was not ending on a nice note.

*