19 chapter nineteen

She smiled at Jake's neighbor, as she climbed the flight of stairs to Jake's door. She had given her boyfriend; two days space, to get over whatever he was feeling, and decided to let him call first but he hadn't call or texted; so she decided to pay him a visit instead of calling.

She was here now, with a cake in her hand to celebrate his birthday, which was today and spend time with him; and have that talk they've been avoiding.

'Luke, good afternoon.' She greeted Jake's neighbor by his left, as he came down the stairs towards her; she had to shift to one side, for him to pass; because the stairwell wasn't big rnough for two persons to pass at the same time.

'Hello, beautiful.' Luke said as he passed her and stopped behind her.

She turned to look at him. 'Hey, handsome.' She smiled. Luke was quite a charmer, quite

entertaining than Jake.

'Is that cake I perceive?' He said with a smile; bringing his nose to the cake that is covered. He sniffed and breathed in the scent before moving away.

'It's Jake's birthday. You are invited, in case he didn't invite you.'

He clapped his hands together and licked his lips.'I love cakes.'

She chuckled and laughed. 'You are welcome to the small party.'

They both laughed.

'I need to check on something, I will be back.'

She nod her head. 'I will be expecting you.' She said as she tucked the stubborn strand of hair that refused to stay out in her band; where she packed her hair into a pony tail.

'Is he in?' She asked, just before Luke continued down the stairs.

He shook his head. 'I saw him leave in a hurry. His door should be opened.' He said before he continued downstairs.

Amber nodded and came up to his room; the third building; his room was the second door and indeed it was opened.

She pushed the door opened and entered.

Her jaw dropped looking at the apartment; where did he hurry off to leaving his apartment like a dumpster, or wasn't his brother around to clean up.

She closed the door, before putting the cake on his table; filled with cartons like he just finished having a party.

His brother should be around since Jake said; he has been staying with him for a while now.

'Clinton!' She called.

No answer.

She scanned the his room and kitchen for him; but nothing.

She stopped and then dropped her bag by the door on the chair; before heading to get a broom.

She rolled up her sleeves and got to work at 4:30pm. She had cleaned the living room and kitchen; before heading to his room. She saw something behind his bed, when she brought it out; it was jewelries in their boxes; the first question that came to her mind was where did he get this from. Second question; when did he become a jeweler. Third question; why was he hiding it?

With a smile; she dismissed it and put it back where she had seen it, before continuing her

sweeping and arrangements and then again she stopped when she saw a painting; she had seen before somewhere but didn't remember where. The painting was called Camelia. And behind that painting, there was a safe, securely locked.

She paused again; what was the essence of a bank, if he had a safe and besides anyone could get a safe. In their house.

She sighed, putting the painting back where she had seen it, before finishing up.

Sometimes you didn't need to go into someone room; without their permission because you might see what are not meant for your eyes.

She knew that now. Jake had his secrets and he was against her when he knew all her secrets?

She went to the living room to wait for him or his brother. She would have loved to decorate the place, but she didn't know where anything was in this house because she never felt totally comfortable to do anything here. She stood up. She knew he had a fridge and she knew he had more drinks.

She went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, she noticed another new thing; there was pie and pastries in the fridge she even saw that fridge was looking full and delicious. She picked just two bottles of beer that caught her eyes. She looked for his opener and glasses, which she found very easily.

She brought out the cake; that had happy birthday Jake written on it; she placed it at the center of the table with each glass besides it and she got up to get a pocket knife and

two saucers.

Okay! Without balloons or banner it didn't look like a surprise but with what was on the table; it is a good presentation. She went to discard the carton of the cake.

She came back to sit down facing the door, waiting for him with what she had seen in his room at the back of her mind; why would a safe be in his room; wasn't the bank securable enough and thoses boxes of jeweleries she saw and what about that painting she saw; which looked like the one from Nicholas' restaurant; that painting was one of a kind.

She wondered. She stopped wondering when the door opened and Jake entered; his left hand holding his phone and right hand in his pockets. If one saw him; he would think he was responsible, working responsibly.

What are you driving at, Amber?

How can he hide those jeweleries behind his bed or those pastries she saw in his fridge.

Amber, are you trying to accuse Jake Darnell right now! The man who is supposed to be your boyfriend!; Her conscience queried.

She sighed.

I don't know, what to think!

This could mean a lot of things but only Jake had the real answers to that question. But she

couldn't bring herself to ask what wasn't her business, not that he would actually tell her the truth.

He paused at the door, when he saw her. He turned to the door and back to her; Amber fought the need to smile. If he had nothing to hide; where is he going back to?

'Why are you here?' He asked as he entered the apartment. He stopped for moment to realize his apartment looked different from the way he left it.

Something has changed. Rather a lot had changed. He looked at the table before sitting down across her.

'You were gone for long. I decided to use this opportunity. To clean up.' She notified him.

'Yeah! I can see that.' He said looking round again.

'But I asked a question. Why are you here?' He repeated.

She looked at him, for a second. Then two seconds and three seconds observing him and his impatience like he didn't want her here. She sat up or she was interrupting something?

'Shouldn't I be here, Jake?' She asked lightly.

He looked left and looked right like he was slowly reprimanding himself. 'Amber.....' He looked at her; like he just realized who he was talking to.

She blinked not moved by the pathetic way he called her name. 'I came to celebrate your birthday with you, Jake. But by the look of what I saw when I came in, you must have had a lot of fun.'

She told him strictly.

'I am just asking, you didn't call me or text. I just thought since you preferred to send more time with Nicholas, you cared little about me.'

She scoffed and looked at him. 'Jake, I care a lot about you; that was why I decided to come instead of simply calling. I wanted to make it a surprise.' She deliberately refused to bring up why he didn't call her since she didn't call.

'And now I see by the looks of things; my presence is a bother.'

He stood up and moved to her and in her mind; she wondered why Jake kept doing this things over and over again. Treating her like she was supposed to do everything he told her.

He sat on the arm of the chair and raised her head to look at her face.

'Amber, I am glad you remembered my birthday. Thank you.' He said and kissed her lips.

She managed a smile. She could still feel something was off, with the fast way he moved.

'Thank you for cleaning up, I appreciate it. I was going to come do it after I saw my boss off but here you are!' He kissed her longer this time. Amber kissed him back. He rested his fore head on her fore head. 'I honestly didn't know you were coming. I honestly didn't remember my birthday.'

She was confused. 'What did you celebrate then?'

He looked at her and suddenly remembered. 'Well, a small get together the guys planned. They decided to do it here.'

She nod like she understood. She moved back a bit to see his eyes and he was sweating; there was an air-conditioning in the room but he was sweating, how is that? Why is that?

'Babe, are you okay?' She asked.

She watched him look at her; like he was confused about the question and stopped of a minute.

He used his hand to clean off his sweat from his forehead.

'I'm fine, Amber.'

'You are sweating.'

He stood up and moved away from her. 'I am!' His voice rose above normal.

He cleared his throat and he cleaned his hands on his trousers and gave her a dull smile; totally not his best effort. 'I am. I just ran down and up the long stairs, what do you expect?'

Then he moved to the cake, he bent down by the cake.

'Okay.' She said raised her head in resignation from asking him any more questions. She joined him; sitting on the floor beside him; this was a peace offering for whatever happened on Florence's wedding day and it was a way to talk to him.

'Jake, where is Clinton? I was looking for him. Has he gone back?' She asked as she opened the second bottle since Jake still held the other one in his hand.

'Ehhh...Clinton....Clinton is on a trip!' He answered rather forced and tirelessly.

She nod her head as picked up the knife about to disfigured the well shaped cake her Aunt

baked under short notice. When she asked who it was for; Amber had said it was for a friend.

Aunt Eunice looked at her longer than three seconds before letting her carry the cake.

'Hold on. We should sing first.'

She heard a heavy sigh from him but ignored it. This wasn't how she planned the whole evening to go. Jake was in a hurry to do everything like....like someone was coming, someone he didn't probably want her to see or didn't want to see her.

The song ended. She was the one who sang the whole song; all he kept doing was nodding his head until the end of the song.

He cut the cake without waiting for Amber to count to three then he looked at her apologetical and said he was just so hungry as he put a big size in his plate, he didn't even use his fork.

She wanted to ask him, if he didn't just finish eating; there were plenty empty pizza cartons. She left him, let him eat the way he wanted.

'Jake, I was wondering if we can talk about us?' She started.

He looked at her, his mouth greased with cake. He spat some on her as he said;

'What about us?'

She blinked and picked the tissues she placed by the cake to wipe the substance on her body off. She had brought the tissues with the cake.

'We need to...'She began.

Jake's door opened with a thump, startling her.

'Jake, who is this?' She heard the visitor's voice; bold and intimidating. Too deep for her.

'That is Amber, guys.' She heard Luke's voice behind the guy.

Four other guys came into the apartment with the two first guys. She didn't even notice Jake stand up because he was already at her side in a second, pulling her up.

'I am Gush.' The deep bass voice extended his hand to her for a hand shake; Amber was inclined to ask what kind of name was Gush. But Jake came to her with her bag and phone and took her by her arm, pulling her away from Gush.

'She was on her way out, Gush.' Jake told the guy, as he ushered her to the door.

'Come on, J. Leave the young woman alone.' She heard another voice; a rough looking man at that; his shirt were out of his trousers, his buttons were not well done and he had beards like a father Christmas.

Then she realized why she never ever stayed long in his house; She didn't like being around here, around his people, around his crew. They made her skin stand on edge.

The six guys were now in the living room, talking about something while murdering her aunt's cake.

'Amber, I will call you later.' Jake said giving her, her things.

'Jake....'

He pulled her out of the apartment and quickly kissed her cheeks. 'Thank you for everything, Amber. Drive safe.' Then he shut the door in her face and bolted it.

She didn't know how long she stood there but when she slowly came to understand; Jake just pushed her from his house because of his friends; she smiled. She didn't knock; she wanted to talk to him; to tell him; she loved Nicholas but instead he gave her even

more reason to terminate their relationship.

She smiled and walked down the stairs to her car.

She closed the door and sat there for a minute.

Was he trying to protect her from his friends?

From what exactly?

His friends were no good or they were hiding something?

She didn't know which.

All she knew, was she won't call or wait for his call. Whenever he was ready, whenever he liked he could take his time in dialing her number.

She put in her keys and start the engine. The car rode to life.

Something had happened or something was about to happen; she didn't know which but she was sure it was something.....

Jake hadn't told her the truth, the real truth about Jake Darnell.

She pressed her car phone and dialed Cassie's number and Susan's. Cassie picked up first.

'Hey babe.' Cassie answered.

'Hey Cassie. Are you too tired to have a sleep over?' She asked; by her dashboard it was just 7:00pm. She had a lot to talk about, she wasn't sure she could figure this out by herself.

Before Cassie had time to answer.

'What is this I hear about a sleep over, Amber?' Susan asked.

Amber connected them and they taking the same call.

'Maxwell might not agree but I can convince him. God! It's been a long time, since we had a

sleep over.' Cassie said excited.

'I am coming, don't be too excited; Lucky is going for drinks with the guys.' Susan told her.

Amber digest that information. It was obvious; guys included Nicholas; she haven't spoken to

him for three days now and it hurts not to hear his voice.

'What happened, Amber?The birthday didn't go as planned?' Cassie brought her back to the matter at hand.

'It didn't go anywhere, Cassie.' She replied her friend.

'Maybe he wasn't in the mood.' Susan suggest possible reasons for the birthday to turn a disaster.

'Susan, you won't believe how it went.'

'I am curious, already.' Cassie shouted over the phone.

'Keep your curiosity intact, Cass. I think I need to call Jessie. The more the merrier.'

Then she heard Susan. 'I have to serve Lucky's dinner and pack. I will be there.' Susan said and quickly hang up to attend to hungry Lucky.

'Amber, Maxie is bringing me. He won't let me drive.'

'Alright, Cassie. I will be waiting. Let me call Jess.' She said as she made a U-turn.

Immediately she was almost at home; she could hear Skype barking already because she had seen her car.

There was a light on in the house; she wondered who it was.

She dialed Jessie; just as she pulled into the garage.

Jessie answered on the first ring.

'I am inside, Am.'

Then she hang up. She removed the key and locked up. She kissed Skype before entering inside.

Skype didn't go in with her; because she enjoyed the wind the night offered.

'Amber, what is it? Hungry? Food is almost ready.....'

'Jess, you don't know what happened...' She looked at her twin. she looked so shaken. 'What happened?'

She saved that answer until Cassie, Susan, Jessie and her were on her bed; eating cake and juice by their side. Skype still ate her dinner.

She told them everything that happened. Everything.

'I think there is a problem.' Jessie said as she finished the last of her piece of cake.

She knew that! She just didn't know which one or where problem lies exactly.

She looked at Jessie.

'I am not saying your relationship with him. Maybe something happened in his house.' Jessie expatriated.

'And I am saying the both of them have issues. In this relationship and in his house.' Susan didn't sugarcoat.

'Think about it for a second.' Amber, just came to celebrate his birthday with him.....' Cassie started.

'What if he is a drug-dealer.' Susan pointed before Cassie could finish.

Amber rolled her eyes and tucked her hair behind her ear.

'You said, he was sweating in an air-conditioned apartment and he was nervous.' Susan continued.

'Come on Su, he is fine; he looks responsible to be a drug-dealer.' Cassie told her cutting her cake and putting it in her mouth.

Susan finished her drink and put the glass on the table with her empty saucer. 'Cassie, drug-dealers don't have their names tattooed on their faces. Fine or ugly.' She said as she lay on the bed.

Amber's bed was a king size. Cassie's back was rested on a pillow by the head of the bed and her leg on top of Susan's laps; Amber was also resting on the head of the bed and her legs on Jessie's laps.

'Maybe, he is a thief?' Jessie blurted.

Susan sat up to look at Jessie. They all looked at her.

Jessie explained further. 'If he has that amount of jeweleries; women's jeweleries...'

'Or maybe he wants to give it to Amber when they get married!' Susan said with a laugh. Amber hit her hand as Jessie and Cassie laughed too.

But it wasn't funny. If she didn't know him, she might not care. But she knew him and she cared.

'And that painting that looks exactly like the one in Nicholas' restaurant or that safe; why would a grown man have a safe in that neighborhood!'

'Maybe, it is for keeping important documents like a deed of a house, inheritance, birth certificate....' Cassie listed.

'Or their marriage certificate.' Susan told Cassie as she gave her a high five.

They both laughed while Jessie couldn't help but smile. Amber hit Susan's hand again.

'What! Cassie laughed too.' Susan told her when she hit her and didn't hit Cassie.

'I'm pregnant.'

'She's pregnant.'

Cassie and Amber said at the same time, making Jessie smile again.

'But she has a good humor and a loud mouth!'

'But you have a larger mouth, Su.' Cassie told her.

She frowned at Cassie and listened to Jessie.

'Maybe they are a gang, worked together to steal people's things.' She finished her assumptions.

And he had to push her out like that?

'And he had to treat her like she was nothing?' Susan voiced out for her.

'Maybe, he was trying to protect her from his friends; maybe they are not good people; that was why he chased you out the way he did.' Cassie told her.

She sighed; she was glad he did, actually.

'What do you think, Amber?' Susan asked her; looking at her, her head rested on her hand that was on the bed.

She was silent for a while before speaking.

'Honestly.....I think he is lying....about everything.' She told the honest answer but her voice did not break; she was just shocked finding out all these things about Jake and thinking she had told

him everything about her, holding nothing but he told her Nada....nothing.

'I think that his brother is sham.' She added.

'And what are you going to do; knowing he is a drug-dealer, possibly a thief or did he come from a good home we don't know about or he is a prince disguised as a poor fellow struggling with life....' Jessie was saying.

'Come on, Jessie. We have checked his name everywhere; he is not a prince or the heir to an

inheritance.' Susan told her plainly.

'Maybe he has another woman or a man friend; who gives him all this things.....' Jessie added to the list.

'Or a detective, undercover.' Cassie said with a smile on her face.

'Come on girls. It has only been me and younger females.' Amber told them.

Susan sighed and turned to the celling while drumming silently on her stomach. Jess just looked at them.

'What are you going to now, Am with all these possible explanations?'

Amber looked at her sister and her friends.

These weren't explanations, they were assumptions. The only person who could give her the explanations was Jake but until he was ready to talk, she would take the assumptions for the explanations.

'I am going to breakup with him.' The revelation from her mouth felt like a lollipop; sweet but how it goes; was continuous licking. When will it happen, she had no idea but whenever it does, she've had made up her mind.

'Because he is a theif or because of Nick?' Susan emphasized.

Amber looked at her. Her important reason was because Nicholas was back and he loved her too but for the truth. 'I care for Jake and I love Nicholas. I am not going to breakup with him because of any of those reasons.'

They looked at her paying close attention.

'I have looking for an opportunity to breakup without intentionally breaking his heart but I am going to breakup with him because I do not love him and he has refused to tell me the truth.'

'Atta girl!' Susan said hitting her legs in encouragement when Amber finished her sentence.

They have been waiting for her to reach a decision ever since Nicholas came back. And here it was.

'Finally, well said. Then you tear the divorce papers.' Cassie added and removed the hair from Amber's face.

Amber scoffed. 'Nicholas isn't speaking to me, right now. So the divorce is still fresh on my mind.'

How would she want to be with someone who didn't have audacity to return her calls or the

nerve to tell her how he was.

She noticed when she mentioned Nicholas; Susan just stylishly picked her phone and Cassie used the opportunity to drop her almost finished cake and empty glass. Jessie looked at them.

Obviously, they knew some things she didn't and Nicholas had requested they not tell her anything.

The rest of the night went with Cassie explaining how Max has been planning baby shower for his little Maxwell; they ended up giving the baby different names before they slept.

She sighed when she pulled over in front of the Grandpalace; she thought she would like to eat something there and maybe run into Rocky and Nicholas.....probably.

Probably.

She pushed opened the door and entered; the cold air greeted her.

The chairs were still in their right position but the Grandpalace wasn't as Grand as she met it the first time; there were few customers but the show glass was empty; Maxwell's cake and pastries weren't there and the servers were few. Maybe they are doing shifts?

Daphne saw her and came to where she stood and she greeted with a smile at her boss's wife.

'Goodday ma'am.'

She smiled at Daphne. 'Hello, Daphne, good afternoon.'

'Good afternoon, ma. Is there anything I can help you with?' She said as she tucked her hand into her pockets.

Amber looked around.

'I was hungry for something tasty.' She told the girl.

Daphne smiled at her and ushered her to sit.

'With chicken?' Daphne asked with a smile.

Amber scoffed; remembering what Nicholas had said at their date here. 'With chicken.' She agreed.

'Give me a second ma'am.' Daphne said about to excuse herself to meet the guy at the counter who was mixing a cocktail for a customer.

'A take away, Daphne.' She told her.

Daphne looked at her nodding before heading to the guy; telling what she wanted then she headed back to Amber's table. Amber noticed the guy turned to tell another person in the kitchen what

she wanted. He didn't leave his post.

But it wasn't like this the last time,she came.

'Ma'am, any other thing?'

She looked at Daphne for a second, it made Daphne wonder if something was on her face.

'Daphne?'

'Ma.'

'Where is Nicholas?' She asked. She haven't come here for the meal, she came here just to know If Nicholas was around or not.

Daphne paused and sighed. Before moving to take the seat in front of her. 'Ma'am.' She started and then sighed like the news was too much of her mouth to bear.

'What is it? Daphne.' The young lady was scaring her.

Daphne looked at Amber as she trying to be calm and just happened to be the one to tell such ill fate.

'There was a robbery here last week Thursday, after you left.'

She looked at Daphne. Last week Thursday? Her head trying to recollect. Thursday was when she had, had dinner with Nicholas.

'How?'

Daphne shook her head. 'I don't know; Richy was going to lockup, I was already outside waiting for my boyfriend to pick me up and then I saw men armed with masks and glasses on their faces. As they barged in.' She paused and then she looked at Amber.

'I couldn't see them from where I stood; I was shocked.....I couldn't do anything, my boyfriend just arrived as I dialed the police. He told me to call Mr. Mitchell and immediately I dialed his

number; the police were already closed by and then we heard a shot. Jacob pulled me down beside his car as we waited for the police to get here but Mr. Mitchell never answered. When we heard the siren loud enough, we came out of hiding.' She paused her narration and sniffed her nose.

'What happened to Rocky?'

Daphne looked at her. 'He...he was shot, we found him on the floor covered in a pool of blood

and Richy over him; adding pressure to the bullet wound and his other hand on the phone calling ambulance.'

'Did he die?' That was important.

She immediately shook her head. 'He said it was my fault that; if I didn't call the police or maybe told the police to put off their siren; the criminals would have been caught.'

She sighed and looked at Nicholas' sorry waitress. 'How many men?' It wasn't her fault; she was shocked. Traumatised.

She shook her head. 'I don't know...maybe I can't remember.'

Amber understood that trauma she felt. She put a comforting hand on hers. 'It wasn't your fault, Daphne. You did the right thing by calling the police.'

Daphne smiled and nodded.

'Daph!' She heard her name.

Daphne stood up to collect Amber's order.

'That is why; we are constantly on until the boss gets more persons to work here. Mr. Waverly hasn't sent his pastries over yet because he had been handling orders but things will speed up eventually.' Daphne said with a smile.

Amber smiled at her, she looked the girl positivity and enthusiasm.' By the Grace of God, everything will be fine.' She added, looking at Daphne.

'I will take coffee too.'

Daphne smiled and went back to the guy; who gave her a cup of hot coffee.

By the time Daphne got to her; she was already on her feet.

Daphne gave her the coffee and Amber gave the money without even asking for the price.

Daphne counted it and looked at her.

'Ma'am, this is too much.' she gestured to the pile of cash that was in her hand.

Amber laughed. 'Just take it.' And she was heading out the door.

'Thank you, ma'am. Come again.' She yell after Amber.

Amber entered her car.

Where to now, Am?

Nicholas' restaurant was robbed, that explained why she didn't see the painting on the wall.

What if....

Oh my God!

What.if....

If Jake had robbed the place?

Or it wasn't him? Maybe it was just a pure coincidence that she found the same painting in his house? She and her conscience battled.

She adjusted the rear mirror before starting her car. She had gone to Nicholas' apartment but the security man said there wasn't anyone by that name there.

Apirl didn't live there, where did she live?

Nicholas didn't live here, where did he live?

There was only one place she could think of and he better have explanations to give her by the time, she got there.

She reverse her car.

He frowned as he picked the pan; Max had just stepped out to get some gorceries and Cassie was supposed to be back from the pharmacy by now; she went to get some pain killers since they ran

out and left Nicholas to do the cooking of dinner since he hadn't been in the mood to do anything since last week except go to work, visit Rocky at the hospital, call his sister often and Calculate.his accounts again and again.

Cassie had told him about what Amber told her last night; he couldn't accuse Jake for

doing anything until they work on that small camera; he installed to tell them who the guys were. Cassie had also told him; Amber had decided to visit the restaurant to if know he was there.

Cassie, Max, Lucky and Susan had told him more than once to tell Amber, to stop her from worrying. But he had dismissed the idea. He came back with so much and now he couldn't even keep a house he brought. How can she still be with someone who went from 10 to 1. His modelling was just a hustle on the side; he got his salary whenever his uncle paid him. He didn't have enough money in his accounts because he had used some of them to pay for Rocky's medical bills because his accounts has been frozen because the police think he is part of the raid.

His life was in a bad place right now.

How can he bring himself to face Amber. He loved her a lot but he didn't want to bring her to worry.

The doorbell rang quite impatiently. He groaned as he reduced the level of the gas; he went to answer the door; did Max buy the whole supermarket?

He opened the door, damp his hand on the napkin he put on his shoulder. His mouth opened to say something to Max but they closed when he recognized the figure in front of him; standing ever so beautiful; her hair packed behind her with a pink band holding it together and the other

strands of her hair falling because they weren't too long to stay in the band. Her arms were folded, she was in jeans and white shirt; wearing sneakers. Looking smart and incredibly beautiful. He wanted to touch her and he remembered what he had done these past few days.

'Aren't you going to invite me in, Nick?' He sighed and nodded before moving back for her to come in. He closed the door behind her.

'It is nice to see you again, Nicholas.' She said as she dropped her hands and put it into her back pockets.

He looked at his feet; he was really ashamed of himself right now.

'Amber, I am...'

She nod. 'You are sorry, Nicholas. Is that it?' She asked waiting for more.

He shook his head and then headed to the kitchen to continue what he was doing; Amber followed quietly.

When he had resumed his task, he continued.

'Amber, I am sorry. I should have called you....I should have texted.'

'You should have.'

He sighed and shook his head. 'I'm sorry.'

She stopped for a while and looked at him. He was going through a hard time, she needed to hear him out and he needed hear her out. But not while they were making dinner. They needed to talk about a lot of things and she wasn't leaving without him saying nothing.

'We will talk after dinner.' She told him.

He looked at her; like he didn't expect her to say that.

'What are we making?' She asked as he saw her touch the things on the table.

'Pasta, some vegetables and chicken.' He said happy for the help. He was wondering where to start.

She nod her head and picked an apron from where it was hung.

'What can I do?' She asked him.

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her; how could he even do this, push her away. Let her go so easily.

He moved to her about say something but immediately he opened his mouth to say something; someone pressed the door bell several times at one time.

She smiled at him; 'I will get that, go back to what you were doing.' She told him and excused herself.

She opened the door only to see Maxwell and his arms and hands full. Maxwell did buy the entire super market

'It's about time.' He said when he saw Amber.

Amber smiled at him and help him with somethings which they both carried to the kitchen.

He stood there for a few seconds before they entered; if he had stayed back a year ago; by now Amber would be carrying their baby or already pregnant. They would be living happily.But he screwed up. He felt he wasn't enough for Amber and she was Amber.....she loves him just the way he is but he took her love for granted.

Look at where he was now; she didn't wait for him to call and come. She had come here on her own.

The door opened, Cassie walked in and closed the door, knowing they would be in the kitchen;

the smile broadened on her face when she saw her friend by the gas and with spatula in her hand.

'It is about time.' She said the same thing, Maxwell said.

Then Max and Cassie left the kitchen for them.

Amber could feel Nicholas' eyes pleading with her, everytime she passed him, more than one

occasion, he had held something hot and placed it in his mouth. Amber fought the urge to laugh; telling herself, he deserved it for not telling her anything.

After dinner, which was unusually quiet except for Maxwell and Cassie arguing about where her mom was going to sleep when she got here. Amber have had lunch with Cassie's parents before.

She loved them; like her own parents.

Nicholas took Amber into the guestroom, he stayed. Amber closed the door after her.

She looked at the room for a second; Cassie had a brilliant taste in everything. Then her gaze stopped at him.

She looked at him for a few minutes when she began.

'I am here now, please talk to me. Nicholas.' She told him that stood in front of her with his hands in his pockets; he gently brought it out and folded his arms before he looked at her directly.

Her gaze didn't waver; even though her heart beat uncontrollably in her chest. She wanted to hug him to assure him, everything was fine. But the truth was....he didn't actually need her. He didn't need her to do anything for him. Did he forget the part they read in the Bible that said for richer or poorer, Did he forget the vows he made to always be by her, did he forget how much he said he loved her; if you loved someone; you'd do anything for that person.You would want to be that person's everything but Nicholas choose to run whenever he had issues; whenever he felt she was going to love him any less. She felt so angry right now that she didn't see the need to sit; although her feet hurt from all the walking round to look for someone who claims to love her and can't help but run off when things were bad.

She haven't even eaten much because she had no appetite and he didn't eat much either except look in her direction whenever she contributed to what Max and Cassie talked about.

He sighed, Amber raised her head to look him in the eye.

'I honestly, should have call you, Amber.' Came his first sentence. 'Sorry.'

Yeah. She rolled her eyes.

'I'm sorry.' Came the second before he dropped his hands and began explaining himself.

'I was upset with myself, with everything. I lost the one thing, my mom loved so much and I don't even have enough money to build it up. The painting my mom loved is gone and I lost my house, Amber.' He paused.

She looked at him; she would have laughed and said; it was gone, he should forget about it; It was a simple painting; they could get another; she could have said that was never his home and laughed at his ignorance.

But she did neither.

She knew how much he loved his mom, when his dad died; she knew how hurt he was and then his mother died; he only has his sister; his little sister and he loves her more than anything.

She knew that and she also knew he would want to impress her but how many times, had she told him, he didn't need to impress her.

He looked at her; when she didn't talk, he continued.

'I wanted to look good for you. To give you everything you ever needed.' He touched her arm gently and immediately she jerked and moved back.

She didn't even know when he came close to her. 'Why would you even look good for me, Nick. You didn't have to leave few months before the contact ends, few months after you just came back. Save that jargon of bullshit Nick.' She said and folded her arms again.

'Amber, really.' He said about to convince her he was telling the truth.

She knew what he was saying but real question was;

'Why didn't you tell me?'

He looked away.

She sighed. 'Why didn't you just tell me, what you felt, why didn't you just tell me what you thought; maybe we could have sort it out, maybe we could have done something.....anything.'

She paused as he faced her again. Her eyes fighting tears for caring so much about someone who claim he cared for her.

'But you just left and didn't once look back.....and now you are back and you leave again....when do you hope to come back this time? When I am married with kids or when I am married and pregnant or rather when I am older and single waiting to be proposed to or is it when you have all the houses you can buy.' She sniffed and quickly wiped the tears that was building to cloud her vision.

He was quiet, looking at the neat tiles. Then she continued. 'If you loved me as much as you claim you do, Nicko. You should have stayed.' She said quietly and sat down on the bed.

He looked at her for a few seconds before moving over to her side; he sat down and put his hand on hers which was on her laps; she tried shake his hand off, he relented and held her hand in his before he gently sneezed.

'I love you, Amber.'

She didn't know what to believe right now.

He used his other hand to cup her jaw and turned her to look at him. 'I love you very much Amber, I love you very much.'

She smiled and then a tear fell. 'Why didn't you just tell me, Nick?' She asked as she looked at him.

He used his hand to hold her other hand and he raised them to his lips and kissed it. 'Honestly, Amber. I don't know.' he used his fingers to clean the tear that fell from her eyes.

She looked at him; he was never one to be confused before, especially when it came to her.

'You are everything I have ever dreamt of...I didn't want anything to upset you, I didn't want

to hear it from you that we were over because I couldn't take care of something so simple; that I couldn't handle something so small.....I wanted to give you everything.'

She raised her hand to his face and touched his cheeks. 'Nicko, I had you...we were happy, we were alive. That was okay for me.'

'I wanted to give you everything, Amber. I left because I was afraid to stay because if I stayed I might not get what I want....'

'When you left, you came back because you looked for something that was right at home, where you left it.' Because someone on a journey to look for something would not come back to the place he just left.

He sighed. 'I guess I didn't want you to know I couldn't be relyed upon. I wanted to be everything for you. I was sure I could handle it by myself.' She didn't believe this guy. 'Look around you, Nick. Do you call living with your friend and his wife handling it by yourself?'

He looked away. He had thought about this for days, wondering and imagining how Amber

would react...and he really hurt her. Which he promised never to do and he was sorry.

'Nicholas, let me help you, together we will do our best and give the best to God. We don't always get what we want but together, we can achieve it all. Together we are a team.'

He nod as he remembered her words at the office.

'Let's finish it together. Beside we are going home.'

They'd do everything together. They were a team.

'But Amber, I.....'

'The first step of failure, Nicholas is refusing to accept help. You taught me that. Why don't you follow your own rules?' She asked. Sometimes she didn't understand why Nicholas wouldn't want her to pay for anything because he felt he could take care of it all.

But life wasn't always easy and he knew that.

'Please let me help you.' She offered.

Nicholas looked at her, smiled and nod. 'What is the plan?' Nicholas asked ready to listen.

Not listening cost him almost loosing her to Jake and he wasn't going to lose her; Amber was brilliant. He couldn't afford to lose the best thing that ever happened to him. He left once and now that he left again; Amber found him. And he would never lose her again no matter what happens.

Then she smiled; that smile he missed and loved for the first time since she got here.

'First, this is not your home. You need to move out.'

He nod but didn't ask further because the only option she had was to take him with her to their home; where he built and designed with his own hands.

He watched her stand. 'We are leaving right now; Aunt V is every punctual.' She told him.

He nod but made no move to stand up.

She turned back to look at him. 'We haven't finished talking but once we get home.....we can discuss all we want.' She told him.

He smiled. He stood up and walked to the door. 'I am going to tell the couple I am leaving.' He said and step out of the room before she had time to recollect and remembered she said home; their home...not hers.

But Amber didn't bother to correct herself. She knew definitely at a point, she would tell him to come back home...it looks like that time is now.

She smiled, feeling a bit shy but she had more things to worry about like.... her puzzled feelings

for Jake and her ever-growing love for Nicholas.