Chapter 6 - A Creative Imagination

"What's with the look?" Gaville asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Shenise said as she helped Gaville put out the groceries in the kitchen cabinet.

"You're a terrible liar, do you know that?" Gaville said drily. Shenise looked at him, feigning hurt. Gaville shook his head.

"Fine." Shenise said. "It's just that, it's creepy being here in your apartment after what I've read in that article about you." Shenise shuddered in a mix of disgust and disbelief. "Look, I don't mean anything bad, but the things that your ex-girlfriends wrote, they are so detailed it's shocking. And being here kinda eeks me out thinking that you did that here. It could have been here right at this counter..." Shenise trailed off seeing Gaville's amused expression. "What?" She asked, blushing.

"You have a very creative imagination."

Her cheeks turned red even more. "Well, I can't help it."

"On what planet did you grow up? You should know by now that at least seventy-five percent of what you read and see on the net isn't true. What are your sources again? Rumors, right?" Gaville answered continuing to put out the groceries.

"Yeah, but why are you scared to let your father know? That means some of the things written there are true, right?"

Gaville froze.

Gotcha! Shenise smirked. "You know Gaville, you're so easy to read."

Gaville glared at her. "First of all, they aren't my girlfriends. Those are just women that I spent a night with. My relationship with them were purely physical and I never pretended it to be otherwise. I don't know what they said or what you read but to set the record straight, nothing happened between us to that extent- meaning, we didn't go all the way. From the start, I always say what I want and what I can only give. I never sweet talk to anyone and I never led them on thinking that they could get anything more from me. I never lied to them."

"Secondly, I never bring women to my residence. If I do that, they will think that there's something deeper to what we have. So stop running your imagination inside my apartment. This place is clean."

Shenise just shrugged.

"What? No sarcastic remark?" Gaville took the take-out food that they ordered at a restaurant earlier and prepared it on the table.

"Well, just like what you said, those women knew what you wanted and what you can only give, and they agreed. In my impression to those articles that they wrote, it looks like you're set-up is really like that. So they're not really bitter about it. I suppose that's their choice, so what kind of sarcastic remark can I give to that? They're big enough to know what they're doing."

"Wait, aren't you the almighty princess of morality? The champion of righteousness and defender of justice?" Gaville's confused but still sarcastic tone.

"I believe in free will. I respect people's choices as long as it doesn't step over other's rights or hurt others. In your case, I think, no one's hurt. It was consensual. You both have the capacity to decide for yourselves and I can't comment on that. I may think that your set-up was morally improper, but that's my belief. I can't impose my belief on others. One of the most important thing is respect, and I should respect others' preferences- given of course, like what I've said earlier- that it doesn't step over someone's rights and-"

"Doesn't hurt other people. Yeah, I heard you." Gaville continued. They'd already prepared the table and sat to eat lunch.

"Eh, how come that you don't respect my preferences in foods and you forced me to buy locally-manufactured products?" Gaville opened the canned soft drinks and passed the canned pineapple juice to Shenise.

"You really shouldn't drink much sodas. There's no redeeming factor in drinking that. Really unhealthy." Shenise said like she hadn't heard Gaville.

Gaville let out a loud laugh. "See, there you are again. You said respect others' preferences, so what's this?"

Shenise shrugged her shoulders, taking the small box that she brought and put it on the table.

"Give me the lid of your softdrink can. That can be recycled and can even use to make a wheelchair. Put it here." Shenise said, also taking the lid of her canned pineapple drink and putting it in the box. "I did not forced you to buy locally-manufactured goods. I merely advised you."

Shenise begun to eat. Gaville just shook his head, smiling.

*****

"So, here's the plan. My father loves intelligent people, but his conservatism is also strong. He's against abortion, artificial birth control, divorce, premarital sex-"

"You knew that!" Shenise blurted. "And yet, you had all those escapades..." She stopped when she saw Gaville's glare. She just grimaced. "Okay, okay. Sorry, I keep forgetting you didn't go all the way. C'mon, go on with the plan."

"Talk about abortion, divorce, and premarital sex and tell him that you agree to those things. That should tick my father off." Gaville informed.

Shenise smiled sweetly at Deive Eclaire while she playback in her mind the things that she and Gaville talked that day on how they could change Deive's mind with regards to the engagement. The old Eclaire needs to be turned off at her.

They're sitting at the long table in the dining room of the Eclaire mansion. She and Heath are there to have dinner with the Eclaire father and son.

"So Uncle," She get Deive's attention while the appetizer is being served to them. "What is your stand about contraception?"

Deive was surprised by her question, but still managed to share his opinion. "Well, I'm a devoted Christian, dear, so naturally, I am against artificial birth control. We don't need that. Married couples can always use natural methods." Deive calmly explained.

"But Uncle Deive, natural method requires a lot of patience. It entails discipline and abstinence. Don't you think it's quite unreasonable to ask these things to people who work so hard everyday? I don't want to sound condescending, but for people who work hard, sex is like a way to relieve stress. It's very difficult to stop that urge and impose them to wait. Don't you think so, Uncle?"

"Well, uhm, coupling is for procreation. It shouldn't be a way to relieve stress." Deive continued to take the soup.

"It's for procreation in the early times because Christians were persecuted, so they need to multiply. But now, that's not the case. I don't think we need to procreate that much anymore. Especially with our population booming." It's obvious that Gaville's father was getting uncomfortable with the conversation.

Shenise simply peaked at Gaville and she saw the man with an expression on his face that says, 'Go on, you're on the right track.'

Shenise was about to talk again, but Mr. Eclaire beat her to it. "You know, you might be just right." There's admiration in Deive's face. She and Gaville almost choked at the same time. What the…

Shenise quickly looked at her fiancé. Gaville's face says, 'Go on, keep on talking.' The guy even nodded a little for reinforcement. Shenise returned her gaze to Gaville's father.

"What about divorce, Uncle?" She quickly asked.

"Well, tell me about your opinion, Dear. I'm sure your thoughts are very enlightening." Deive looked at his friend. "I really like talking to your daughter, Heath. She makes me see perspective that I've never even considered before. She's really bright." Deive said smiling sincerely.

Shenise and Gaville helplessly looked at each other.