CHAPTER 43

" You have children?" Shirley asked surprised.

" Yes, Damon and I have two beautiful children. Actually they are twins, Liam and Ria. They have been at their grandparents for a while because both Damon and I have been busy." Flora informed.

" I would be glad to meet them!" Shirley exclaimed.

" Indeed! Dinner is ready let's join Damon said and Josh." Flora said.

" The guy from the hospital?" Shirley asked.

" Yes, you know him?" Flora asked hopefully.

" Yes, I know him, he was always there whenever I woke up and I'd always feel uneasy."

"How can I totally stranger be too creepy on me?" Shirley asked.

" He's not a stranger, he's one of ours and he has known you before you lost your memory. You two were great friends before this happened. He's just worried. Maybe you two should hang out sometimes, get to know each other all over again?" Flora suggested.

" Not interested, I really doubt if we were friends at all. I don't like him even a bit. In fact I'm annoyed by his presence. Don't tell him I said that!" Shirley whispered and Flora chuckled.

" So unfortunate that I heard that!" A deep voice came from behind the two ladies. Shirley was embarrassed when she turned and saw Josh and Damon right behind them.

She glared at Flora who was now laughing.

" What! Honestly, I really didn't know they were behind us. I thought they are waiting for us in the dining room." Flora explained.

Shirley faked a smile at Josh who was giving her that look like,' I caught you so, how are you going to change that?'

" Oh, it happens that it's you Josh, an old friend indeed. You heard me, the better, I really don't like you at all, so, just stay away from me!" Shirley spoke with a straight face.

" Our feelings are mutual young lady! I was just trying to be good but you're very unthankful, like always!" Josh said it to her face and walked past her into the dining room. Damon and flora exchanged glances before walking into the dining room too. Damon pulled a chair out for Flora before taking his own next to her. Shirley's seat was next to Josh. She expected him to pull out a chair for her too but Josh didn't even take a glance at her.

She disappointedly pull out her own seat and sat angrily next to her enemy.

She didn't know why she has loved the way he treated her even though she doesn't like it but for once she felt really bad he didn't take any effort to please her like he always did back at the hospital.

" See, you ain't even a gentleman, what kind of a friend are you?" Shirley scolded and Josh chuckled.

" Really, isn't it you who said that you hated me? Why are you expecting me, your sworn enemy to give you princess treatment? You're too much of yourself young lady!" Josh said.

Damon and Flora were just quietly listening to them bickering at one another like children. They found it quite amusing. It went on like that through out the meal up to the time they all had to go the their rooms to sleep. Damon and Flora chose not to Interfere hoping that they would both come around at some point. Like the saying, "those who fight a lot are the ones with true love for each other"

...

The next day, Flora left to pick up the kids, while Damon and Josh went out for some business. Shirley was left alone with the maid, Mrs Cooper.

" Where is everyone?" Shirley asked confused as she walked to the living room and it was dead quiet.

" Madam went to pick the kids and the misters have gone out for business. Anything you want I'm here for you ma'am." Mrs Cooper informed.

" Just Shirley please, I don't like formalities." Shirley said and smiled briefly. Mrs Cooper nodded her head in agreement.

" I hope I'm not limited to go out, you know see around the neighbourhood?" Shirley asked.

" Is it okay if I come with you? You know, you're new to this surroundings and you've not fully recovered and I've been given the responsibility to look after you." Mrs Cooper said.

" I don't mind. Can we go now?" Shirley asked.

" Not after taking your breakfast and medicine."rs Cooper said and Shirley sighed.

" Yeah, right, I almost forgot about that." Shirley said. She doesn't like medicine but she also didn't want to give Mrs Cooper a hard time, she's just too sweet and generous towards her.

She followed Mrs cooper to the dinning room where she has served her breakfast. Mrs Cooper gave her company as she ate and watch her take her medicine and after a few minutes of resting, the two ladies walked out of the home just to walk around the estate.

" Wow! I never thought such a cool beautiful place existed!" Shirley exclaimed. She looked happy and excited. Mrs Cooper smiled at her reaction. She's such a sweet girl, she thought.

" I've lived my life around such places, my home place is just a few miles from here. This place is cool, no disturbance from the busy town with a lot of cars and pollution." Mrs Cooper said.

" Indeed! This place is really cool. Even the air I breath feels good." Shirley spoke with a cheerful tone.

They kept walking a few more blocks ahead, they met a few other people jogging.

" Is there a park around this place?" Shirley asked with a curious expression.

" Yeah, forty five minutes running and you'll be there." Mrs Cooper informed. She knows much of the surroundings because she comes from around and when she was still in her teens, she used to explore this side of town so much.

" Indeed you're very familiar with the place around." Shirley had to agree.

They both halted when they saw someone familiar. Shirley looked even more surprised, she didn't expect to see him.

" Andrew!" She called out his name walking swiftly towards him and hugs him.

" Hey honey, surprise!" Andrew said.

" How did you know I was here? Sorry I couldn't contact you, looks like my phone got flashed or something, I lost contacts." Shirley explained only the logic. She was also in a dilemma how she lost all of Andrew's contacts and she couldn't also remember.

" I have been keeping tabs of you, I'll always find you wherever you go. How is my sweet girl?" Andrew asked caressing her cheek.

Mrs Cooper's expression turned ugly. She was aware who the man was. He is the reason they moved into this place away from town and here he is like a ghost. Was he spying on them?

" I'm..." Shirley was yet to say something but Mrs Cooper cut her words off.

" Ma'am, we need to head back, you're not fully recovered you know?" Mrs Cooper said.

" Oh, Mrs Cooper, this is Andrew, he's my fiancée, were yet to have an official engagement. It's just that we haven't been keeping in touch from the moment I got admitted to hospital but here he is, he found me. You should join us for dinner today! I'll introduce you to my family." Shirley said to Andrew who was grinning from ear to ear. His plan worked.

As Shirley was still admitted, he paid a nurse to sneakily change her medication to wipe off her memory. It's like the medicine have the ability to induce false memory and wipe off all the past in a person's mind. Blame the advance science technology.

" Sure! I'll be glad to meet everyone else." Andrew said. He hugged her and bid them good bye before leaving.

Mrs Cooper hurriedly dragged Shirley home who didn't mind. She just assumed that Mrs Cooper is just being overprotective as a parent.

" You wouldn't even know what hit you princess! You're all mine!" Andrew mumbled under his breath.

Evening came fast and the house felt cozy and more lively.

Flora was back with the kids, Damon and Josh were back from their businesses and Shirley and Josh didn't lose a chance to start getting into each others skin.

" ... Oh really, what's so special about you that I should be friendly with exactly? You're always so full of yourself, just for nothing!"Shirley said and clicked.

Damon laughed his lungs out as he had their bickering.

" Can someone please save my brother, he's losing the battle!" Damon said.

" Ladies really like playing hard to get I see. I'll help our brother now." Liam said and Flora chuckled.

" There goes his Highness!" Ria added. It was such an amusing scene.

" Hello there princess?" Liam interfered them and held Shirley's hand kissing the back of it.

" Can you spare him for a while? I think dinner is ready." Liam said and Josh sighed in relief.

" I'm not done with you!" Shirley said glaring at Josh.

" Having a party without me?" A deep voice echoed. It was Andrew.