The Invitation

Later that evening, Giselle was cooking a simple dinner. She could hear Lia happily playing in her room with her toys. As expected, Lia aced the quiz and got high marks. She even received a star from her teacher.

Ever since then, Lia's joy couldn't contain to herself. She was beyond livelier. Being it Friday night, she was so cheery. Giselle let her be while she had her own concern. It was late today as well, and Lillian missed her timing again.

Giselle was still busy in the kitchen. She is also running late for dinner, but she couldn't care less since it's the weekend. Giselle's eyes kept glancing at the clock, observing after every past minute.

This kind of worry is ruining Giselle's peace of mind. She thought of calling Lillian herself like she did yesterday, but her anger told her not to do so. She didn't want to switch roles and take responsibility for Lillian's choice to remain detached.

Giselle hated this so much that it made her go crazy. She knew she didn't deserve this kind of treatment, especially after that heartfelt confession Lillian did. It was the only thing that kept Giselle reassuring. She imagined a whole new world following that night, which came true with Lillian running away from her.

***

Time passed to her constant worrying, and Giselle finished cooking food. She let Lia watch tv after they had dinner together. Lia watched the new kid's show while Giselle sorted her work emails.

It wasn't necessary, but she did to keep herself distracted from going insane.

Tonight's undoubtedly late, and Giselle had successfully controlled herself from calling Lillian and yelling at her like a madwoman.

Nevertheless, it has been killing her from the inside. Jayce's new book is going to do well as expected. This is her first publishing project under Keyline. As much as she had her mind revolving about Lillian, Giselle was also mindful about her work. Although she did face a tough time, which is normal in her line of work, Giselle did her best in fulfilling her responsibilities. Working with Jayce went smooth as people had advised her. He had been a great author, timely submitting his manuscripts, attending meetings, and even involving himself through the publishing process. According to his previous projects, Jayce is known to go on book tours following his new publication. Giselle heard about it from Wallace, Keyline's information guy.

Giselle could expect to go on a book tour if it was true. And in that case, she might have to leave Lia with her grandparents or her sister. These are all the problems she needed to tackle after the actual book release.

It was way past school night, and Lia was slowly getting sleepy. Giselle tucked her in bed and showered her with multiple kisses. Pretty soon, the ball of energy fell asleep. It was now Giselle's turn to take over the TV. She couldn't rest in one channel and changed it every five minutes. She couldn't focus on anything when her gaze kept skimming at the time.

Soon, her phone rang to her startle, and she dived at it to answer, thinking it must be Lillian, who finally chose to give a call.

"Hiii," Giselle uttered in great relief.

Hearing such rejoice in her voice, Giselle's mother, the one who called her, greeted her back in wonder.

"Mom?" Giselle recognized.

"Wear you expecting someone else?" Melanie asked.

"No- ah, no, I wasn't expecting anyone! What's going on?"

"I was calling to discuss about Lia staying with us."

"Oh, it hasn't been decided yet. I was just telling you in advance that I might go on a book tour," Giselle clarified.

"Is that so? Your dad kept telling me that you were going away soon. That's why I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible."

"Oh!"

The two had discussed the subject in detail. Melanie learned Giselle wasn't going to drop Lia this weekend to go on a book tour. She was to expect the date soon. Having cleared her doubt, Melanie had one more topic to address, which she had trouble initiating herself.

"Hmm… have you discussed with that girl?" she strengthened herself to inquire.

"Who? Oh- Oh! Ah,"

"Looks like you haven't!" Melanie easily guessed.

"Mom-"

"I don't want you to delay it anymore, Giselle. I want to meet Lillian soon."

"I will tell her- soon," Giselle vouched this time.

"I hope- don't delay it anymore. This is very important- not only for you but for Lia too. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Melanie and Giselle returned to exchange their casual talk, which included the time she and Lia visit them tomorrow, and if she wanted her mother to cook anything special. Melanie then remembered to ask how Lia was doing in her studies. Soon, their call came to an end, and Giselle wearily fell back on her couch, sinking into deep despair. She already has her mind full with Lillian acting distant. And to be put under such a tight spot, Giselle felt desperate.

Just as she took another heavy breath, another call came to interrupt her solitude.

Giselle answered the call with absolute disinterest.

"I'm sorry. I have a perfectly good reason for calling late today!"

"Lillian?" Giselle screeched in alarm.

It was the last day of the winter writing retreat. Everyone wanted to throw a party together, which certainly kept Lillian occupied from escaping. It was also the reason she couldn't call Giselle on time or early or even a few minutes late. After Lillian had confessed everything to Giselle, she still worried if things were alright on her side.

"Alright? I don't know. You tell me- I thought everything was going to be fine, but you suddenly ran away without giving me a reason. And now, you're on this unplanned- unexpected- sudden vocation. I don't know what to say, Lillian. Is everything alright? Is that what you're asking me? Then, no. Nothing is going fine. It would if only the person I love could talk to me about what's bothering her and why she is acting so distant. What did you tell me when you confessed to me that night? You said you would love me, well, are you? It doesn't seem like you're acting normal from how you're behaving. So, yeah, nothing is alright. I'm not alright. You're not alright. What you're doing to me isn't alright!"

Giselle finally burst the bubble. She didn't expect to have said those things bravely. And it threw her speechless.

"Are you done?" Lillian asked, completely unaffected from such an outburst.

There wasn't an ounce of sentiment in her voice while inquiring. Giselle sighed in shock.

"Now tell me what happened?" Lillian asked again softly.

It was clear that there's a reason behind Giselle exploding, which is so unlike her. Giselle grasped.

"I told my parents about us," she confessed.

"Okay."

Seeing how less of a reaction continued to come from Lillian's side, Giselle grew dejected again. So, without hiding anymore, she chose to reveal what her mother had requested.

"Your mother wants to meet me?" Lillian exclaimed.

"Hmm."

Lillian realized the seriousness of such an invitation. Giselle must have told them about their confession. Either of them spoke for a while, which gave Lillian plenty of time to contemplate. She can no longer keep avoiding Giselle, especially after hearing about her mother's request. Jenna's words came to her rescue, and she knew now was the time to act.

"Okay," Lillian agreed without hesitation.

"What?"

"I'll meet her. When? Wait- I'm coming back tomorrow, so how about we meet on Sunday?"

"Wait- what?"

"What? I said, okay," Lillian repeated herself to confirm.

"I know, but that soon? You are ready to meet her but rejected when I asked you out," Giselle criticized in disbelief.

"Giselle, you know I had work,"

"Oh, work! Yes, yes, yes, your work, right!"

"Giselle,"

"No, it's fine. You had work."

"You're doing it again."

"My bad," Giselle retorted.

"Giselle,"

"I'm sorry for bothering again and again,"

"Giselle,"

"My bad. I was being silly, right?"

"Giselle!" Lillian shouted to stop her from ranting about.

"Listen to me," she added.

"I'm listening!"

"Do you want to know why I left without a word?"

Giselle was intrigued. She does want to know why Lillian left that night, so much that she was ready to throw away everything to hear the truth.

"You're right. I created this whole sudden plan and went on to a couple of retreats," Lillian admitted boldly.

Giselle's suspicion was correct again as she nervously waited.

Meanwhile, Lillian almost had it to say outright what got her to disappear that night, but the slightest fear overthrew her from spilling the actual truth. She lied again, but not a blatant one. Instead, a white lie that will soothe Giselle's worries.

"I wanted some time to- figure out my feelings."

"What?"

Lillian's self-proclaimed acknowledgment took Giselle by surprise.

"I've always longed to confess my love to you. And you left. We've been apart for several years, and after overcoming the hurdles, I finally got the chance to confess, and you accepted me. I have had this dream for so long that it blew my mind to realize we're back together- I mean, accepted each other. It's a dream come true for me, Giselle. I couldn't believe it that night. And all the pain I had gone through all these years got the best of me. You can say that I was taken back in for a surprise that night," Lillian twisted her words with drops of truth and continued to share how she felt that night.

"I- I wanted to run away from everyone- even you," She admitted to add more,

"I wanted to overcome that feeling. I wanted to overcome all the years of us being apart. I wanted to spend some time away to realize that this was not a dream and that we were back together for real. Can you understand?" Lillian expressed as much as she could while squeezing herself from hiding from Giselle.

After pouring herself out like that, Giselle was under her spell. And it triggered her feelings likewise. Unlike Lillian's long excuse, Giselle was in glee, feeling on cloud nine from finally getting back together with Lillian. For her, she was able to convey her feelings already. It was only Lillian who held it inside her without expressing it for so long that she got bewildered when the reality fulfilled her wish.

"I understand," Giselle replied.

"So- I- that's why I asked Shane to help me out, and since it was work, I called Jenna to tag along."

"I- I understand!"

"Anyways, this is all over, and I'm coming back tomorrow."

"So, that means you have figured it out?" Giselle asked.

No. Lillian couldn't figure it out. She wasn't able to achieve peace of mind as hoped. Her work kept her occupied, so she couldn't get time to think about herself. By the end of every retreat, Lillian continued to collect her fears. Nevertheless, the more she doubted herself, the farther she found herself drifting away from Giselle. Lillian felt distant and became a stranger to her lover. When Lillian understood this, she no longer wished to escape.

"Have you finally realized that you and I can love each other, not in any dream but real life?" Giselle hinted to help Lillian.

"Yes, I sincerely realized that."

Giselle finally smiled in relief. She's been tensed the past two weeks as well. While still believing Lillian for her word, her poor heart couldn't hide its qualms.

"I'm sorry for troubling you," she apologized.

"No, it's okay."

The strange awkwardness no longer existed, and it didn't turn out to be another formal exchange of words either.

"So, how was the party?" Giselle recalled asking.

Their usual conversation resumed. Lillian remembered to ask about Lia as well. Time passed to them openly laughing and talking to each other in comfort. Lillian shared fun stories from her retreats while Giselle spilled some humor from work.

Lia fell deep asleep. Jenna and the participants at the retreat all exhausted themselves from enjoying the party. However, two hearts set out to stay awake until late. It was around midnight when either of them realized the time.

"It's late!" Lillian remarked.

"It's not," Giselle fought back sweetly.

Regardless of the pretty invitation, Lillian recalled about meeting Giselle's mother.

"Are you sure?" Giselle asked again in worry.

"Yes, it's time that I ask her permission to date you."

"I mean, you can rest before meeting her," Giselle suggested, not to rush these things. But, Lillian's response gave her enough courage to anticipate.

Lillian wished not to waste any more time, which put Giselle at ease.

"Alright then, I'll tell her," she informed to pass the word.

"Good! Meantime, I'll find us a good restaurant to meet up for brunch? How does that sound?"

"Good idea!"

"Okay. I will send you the details tomorrow."

"Hmm."

Lillian had to hang up the call now, but she hesitated. Seeing her, Giselle followed. They didn't exchange any words but quietly waited for each other on the line. The tension returned, not to worry them but to set their hearts on fire.

"Love you, goodnight!" Giselle hurriedly spoke to hung up, leaving Lillian alone and embarrassed.

Poor Lillian didn't have Giselle on the line to return the favor. Still, she replied, hoping that the cupid would catch it and send it to its rightful owner.