Chapter 5: Love or Lust?

They were found at the Dock near the lake. Roselyn was wearing a neat green straight gown and a black hat that covered her makeover face. Large earrings and pink moderate lipstick on her lips.

Fredrick had been waiting all day long and was becoming impatient. He was on a blue jeans and gray shirt, dark sunglasses and a pair of Gucci slippers.

"You kept me late." He said trying to sound polite so he doesn't spoil the evening.

"Am sorry."

She always say that, he thought.

"What were you doing?"

"Makeovers."

"Let me see." He replied trying to take off her hat.

"No."

"Let me." He finally grabbed the hat and was very much amazed at the Disney princess in front of him

"You look... Be..auti..ful." He replied staring blankly at her.

"Thank you." She answered putting the hat back on.

"Take the hat off. You are beautiful without it. I mean it."

She took the hat off and Fredrick kept staring.

"Let's fish Sir."

"Can we go elsewhere?"

"Why?"

"Cuddle will find me here and think he was right about us."

She chucked. "OK."

Holding her hands, he led her to a garden away from their bases and wards and he drew her close. So close that she felt his breath on her forehead.

"What for?" She asked innocently.

"Tell me what you think about me."

"Hum I think you are a good soldier."

"No. Not that, tell me more."

"What do you want to hear." She free her arms from his grip and avoided looking into his eyes.

"Tell me something true."

"You are handsome, kind, has a big heart and every lady's dream."

"Am I your dream boy Rose?"

"I don't get you."

"I want to be your dream boy." He said proudly.

"No. No you are not." She said firmly.

"Why argue this when you know you are hurting me."

"How?"

"I know you love me and I feel the same about you. I love to be around you can't you see. I am in love, for the second time I will be saying this."

She looked at him, her face straight.

"But you are a flirt. You have flirted with many other girls including my friends. You date and dump them with empty marriage promises."

His head bow in shame but he still managed to look at her in the eyes.

"You can think that of me but I never liked the others."

"But you used them!" She shouted.

"They ran after me, not me after them like I do with you."

"That's not true."

"You are different."

"How?"

"In every way Rose. Every way."

"You are a heavy liar."

"Not true Rose. I love you and can't live without you."

"All because I know what you want from me! You lived all those years without me, didnt you?"

"No. Not true."

"Prove you love me!"

"Would you marry me?" He Stretched his hand forward with a ring in it.

"No! You keep doing this trick to every girl!" She slapped the ring out of his hand and it landed on the ground.

"It's not a trick Roselyn!" He shouted back.

"All lies! Nothing but empty lies! You will propose, I will accept, you will lead me to your bed, after the havoc! You will break up with me and I will be doomed! Aren't you tired of playing that game over and over!"

Fredrick finally felt defeated as he picked the ring and slided it into his pocket.

"Thanks for the evening Roselyn." He said almost in a whisper.

"If you ever want to play a lady again remember what I did today and I will not just do this but worst next time."

"What's your point?"

"You want to play me. You want to rape me and dump me. I am fully aware of guys like you!" She picked up her hat from the ground, took a glance at Fredrick who was disappointed and walked out of him without looking back. Fredrick let out a sigh and tried to picture what he did wrong. Was it because I held her close or because I said I love her or because I proposed? He asked himself, shrugged and walked back to his base with Rose watching him behind a tree near his base.

"Hope what I did was right."she asked herself.

Fredrick stood in his bathroom washing and re-washing his face over and over again. Suddenly he stopped and looked in the mirror.

"If she thinks I am after using her, then I won't go too close beyond my boundary to try act romantic with her until after our marriage."

Then he continued washing his face. He noticed since he shaved last, he hadnt grown not even a strand of hair. He wasn't even a hairy guy after all.

"I place a promise this day to you Rose that i will not touch you until after marriage. And I will marry you no matter what."

A knock on the door and it was Cuddle.

"You wanted to lead her to your bed and she struggled I guess." Said Cuddle mockingly as he laughed lously.

"Not funny dude."

"It is man. I saw her a minute ago, you weren't with her as I thought and her face, all reddened. Did you do it?" He asked again mockingly.

"Enough! Even if I thought of such, you of all people know I can't try it with Rose!"

"Oh am sorry. Then what happened?" He asked again mockingly as he reached for soda water, turned it in a cup, placed a straw inside and began sipping.

"I proposed to her and she refused." Hearing this Cuddle chocked on his sip, started coughing and couldn't believe his ears.

"You said you did what?"

"Proposed. But she thought I was kidding."

"You have never proposed to a girl before. This is highly weird and surprising. So you really love this girl Fred?"

"Back off thats my private business."

"I need to see her and tell her how genuine this is." Replied Cuddle happily.

"I will see her myself leave it to me. I don't want anyone poking in my affairs." As he stormed out of the base and ran into Roselyn and Kal; Roselyn's friend.

"Fredrick." Kal called happily and excitedly but didn't notice Rose and Fred staring into each other like they have just met each other.

"Rose? Fredrick?" Kal called again, confused.

"Huh? Well nice to see you Kal." Fred replied.

"Rose has told me so much about you. That you are very friendly despite you try acting stern. She claims you are the best partner she has ever worked with in the course of this war."

"Really? Did she really say that?" Fred replied still staring at Rose who seemed to be avoiding his stares.

"Kal let's go. It will soon rain." Rose added.

"I even saw the way you carried her out of the car on you guys first duty together." Kal added.

"Yeah. That was a mistake." Rose said with so much shame and disgust.

"It wasn't a mistake." Fred added. "I would have done it for any other girl in terror as Rose once said I flirt alot so I flirt when I like." He smirked at Kal.

Kal kept blushing, Fred kept flirting around by telling Kal romantic things but Rose wasn't enjoying the moment

"Kal have you ever wondered if I knee like this." He knelt down in front of Roselyn. "Stretch my hands forward like this with an expensive ring inside a ring box in my hand like this..." He stretched his hands with the ring in it towards Roselyn. "And say WILL YOU MARRY ME ROSE, what will you do Kal?"

"If it was me, I will say yes with no doubts but Rose." She shrieked. "Well I will make her agree anyway."

Everyone began to gather round, Cuddle was there too. There was suspense in the air, an Army of soldiers, nurses with doctors were all present seeing the famous,most handsome and the youngest soldier; Sir Fredrick Luna knee before two ladies with outstretched hand and a ring in it, proposing. The question in the air was; was he proposing to Kal or Rose.

"Rose my dear. I promise not to touch or sleep with you until a legal and faithful marriage set in but first will you honourably and faithfully in the midst of all present accept my proposal without grudge, argument, query, refusal or doubt. No cheating, not lying, not playing, not joking, not tricking but genuine is this proposal. So please would you do me the favour of becoming my lawfully engaged babe. In love and not lust, WOULD YOU MARRY ME ROSE? "

To fredrick surprise, all girls seemed jealous apart from Kal who was excited. Every male finger crossed including Cuddle and to their surprise Roselyn said....

" YES! YES! I will marry you Fred."

Author's Pov

Dear lovers of the book, I am grateful for you support and views on my book, it keeps me going. Please don't forget to like and comment. I will be sharing some pictures relating to the characters in this book on Facebook so please follow up on our Facebook group; The Soldier man's daughter. There you can ask a few questions and drop suggestions alot.

Lots of love.

Osagie_favour.