Chapter 10

'Are you sure, Ava?' Hazel asked standing at the entrance of their apartment.

'Yes, I am not going today' Ava replied.

'Ok, so you aren't coming to office today then where are you going?' Hazel asked searching for her purse in her handbag.

'I am going to meet Ed' she said giving a weak smile.

'Ahh…So…Second date?' she asked teasing.

'Yeah kind of' Ava replied smiling widely.

'Ok honey. Have fun, bye' Hazel waved goodbye leaving the apartment.

Ava closed the door behind her and dialed Charlotte,

'Tell me Ava' Charlotte said answering the call.

'Where are we going to meet?' Ava asked in a low voice.

'Ed's place' Charlotte answered and disconnected the call.

'Well it seems that she's really angry this time' Ava said picking up her purse from her room.

Ava drove to Ed's house and when she entered their house Charlotte was impatiently waiting in the living room.

'Hey' Ava said waving her hand towards Charlotte.

'You both better explain' Charlotte said looking at Ava.

Ava searched the room for Ed, she wanted to confront Ed just like Charlotte, the previous day evening Ed told Ava that he was the one who asked the watchman to send Ryan away and he wanted Ava to take care of Hazel so that she doesn't suspect anything. When Ava asked him the reason for it he just avoided the question and told her he'll explain later. So she too wanted to know the reason behind Ed's action.

Ed came out from the kitchen with two cups of black tea.

'Hey when did you come?' he asked spotting Ava.

'Just now' she replied with a smile.

'Enough with the formalities, Ed you better explain why you sabotaged Hazel's date with Ryan' Charlotte asked taking the black tea from his hand. Ed offered the other one to Ava but politely refused.

'Both of you sit down quietly and let me explain' Ed said trying to diffuse the tension.

'What do you mean by BOTH OF US? Isn't Ava a part of this?' Charlotte asked addled.

'No, I just wanted her to distract Haze so that she doesn't sense that something was wrong with Ryan's sudden disappearance' Ed delineated.

'So now tell us why you did that?' Ava demanded to which Charlotte nodded demanding the same.

'See, it was because...…' Ed stopped himself.

He couldn't say it just like that, he promised Chris. It was Chris' biggest secret and he guaranteed Chris that no one will know about it. No matter what, Ava and Charlotte shouldn't know cause if they did then Hazel will eventually get to know and no one knows what will happen next? Hazel's reaction could be disastrous if misunderstood. So many things have happened in the past six years, and Ed didn't want to add salt to the wound.

'Because I think Haze deserves someone better than Ryan' he told them.

They both gave him a blank look.

'What's wrong with Ryan?' they asked in unison.

'I just don't feel like he's the one' he replied looking away.

'Bro, it's just a date. We aren't getting her married stop overreacting' Charlotte said annoyed with his explanation.

'But I promised that I would find her a good man' he justified.

'To whom?' Ava questioned.

'Ahh… what?' Ed asked hoping she would not ask again.

'Whom did you promise?' she asked again.

'Well… myself. Yeah myself' he managed to come up with an excuse.

'She's my sister too and I really know what's best for her' Ed answered sincerely.

'But we don't find anything wrong with Ryan, he's much much better than that Chris' Charlotte said rolling her eyes in annoyance.

Ava nodded in acceptance.

'I don't like him and that's it' Ed told them seriously.

'Well you aren't gonna marry him and plus Hazel told me that she would ask Ryan out for a date' Charlotte said displaying a keen look.

'WHAT?' Ed yelled in disbelief.

'WHAT?' Chris yelled in disbelief when Ed told him that Hazel was gonna ask Ryan out on a date.

Ed composed himself when Charlotte told him that Haze was gonna ask Ryan out and once they both left he dialed Chris and filled him with the details. But when Chris heard it too, both of them were panicking together.

'What are we gonna do?' Ed asked Chris.

'Well if she wants to then what can we do? Let her go' Chris replied.

'But are you sure?' Ed asked puzzled by Chris' reply.

'Yes, don't worry. I got this' he assured and disconnected the call.

'Hello?' Hazel spoke out when Ryan answered her call.

'Yes, Ms. White. What is it?' Ryan answered in an unconcerned tone.

'I am really sorry about yesterday; I really have no idea about any of it. Please don't misunderstand. I really wanted to go out with you' she said trying to prove her innocence.

'Really? You wanted to go with me?' he asked, she sensed a hint of excitement in his voice.

'Yes, I would love to go out with you' she answered with a smile.

Ryan kept silent;

'So Mr. Ryan Anderson, would you like to go on a date…with me?' She asked in a humble tone.

'...Sure Hazel' he replied.

'Ok then 7:00 p.m. tonight, downtown café' she told him.

'Done' he answered enthusiastically.

'Since I asked you out, should I pick you up?' Hazel asked teasing him.

'Not necessary Ms. Hazel White, just be downstairs on time, I will be waiting' he chuckled.

'Sure. See you then' she answered and disconnected the call.

She couldn't control her smile even after disconnecting the call. After a moment, she felt someone tugging her sleeve, she turned to find Aurora standing there.

'Hey honey, what are you doing here?' she asked lifting her up in her arms.

'Dad promised to take us out this evening, so we came here from home' she replied looking around Hazel's desk.

'Oh!' she exclaimed.

'Hazel, why were you smiling just now?' Aurora asked looking at her.

'Well, I was talking to a friend and we are going out tonight' Hazel answered smiling at her.

'Is he your boyfriend?' Aurora asked blinking innocently at her.

'No…no sweetie. At least not yet' she answered in a low voice.

'Oh ok' Aurora nodded.

'Where's Rob?' Hazel asked looking around the office.

'He's playing video games inside Dad's office and I came to see you' she answered.

'Ok sweetie, did you have lunch?' Hazel asked.

Aurora nodded sweetly at her.

'Ok sweetie, you go play. I will come and meet you once I finish my work' Hazel said placing her down.

'Ok bye Hazel' she waved and ran into her dad's office.

Hazel waved back and resumed her work.

It was almost 6:30 p.m. when Hazel completed her work. She quickly went to the washroom to freshen up and came to her desk to collect her things.

'Ms. White' Chris called out when she was about enter the elevator.

'Good evening, Mr. Finch' Hazel greeted upon noticing him.

'So you are leaving early today?' he asked looking at her handbag.

'Yeah, I am going on a date' she answered at once and regretted it the next moment.

"Stupid Hazel, why did you tell him that you were going on a date? Why should he know? What will he think now?" Hazel continued to fight through her thoughts.

'Oh great. Have fun' Chris said and walked past her smiling.

'That's it?' she wondered as she entered the elevator.

'There wasn't a slight hint of possessiveness on his face, fine that's ok I am not expecting him to get jealous or anything' she told herself as the lift reached the ground floor.

'Fine Hazel, compose yourself. Forget about that idiot focus on your date now' she told herself patting both her cheeks.

She noticed Ryan waiting next to his car in the parking lot, he waved at her and she waved back walking towards him.

'So you ready?' he asked opening the door for her.

She nodded smiling broadly. As she was about to enter Ryan stopped her.

'What is it Ryan?' she asked puzzled.

'I got you this' he said handing over a bouquet of roses to Hazel.

Hazel was taken aback for a moment, she kindly accepted the flowers and smiled sweetly at him.

'Thank you' she said placing the flowers in the backseat.

Ryan got into the car and they drove to downtown café. It was a twenty-minute drive. It was almost 7 p.m. when they reached the café.

They settled down in their respective table when hazel spoke out,

'Not bad, you even booked us a table' she told him going through the menu.

'Of course. I don't want any obstruction during our date. I want it to be perfect' he told taking her hand in his.

'Okk' she said slowly removing her hand from his.

'So tell me something about you, Hazel' he suggested.

'Well…' she started.

'Hazel' Rob came running to her shouting her name.

'Rob?' Hazel confusingly looked at the kid running towards her.

'Hi Hazel' he said sitting next to her.

'Who's this?' Ryan asked looking eagerly at Robert.

'Oh this is Chris'…I mean my boss' son' she replied.

'Hazel who is this?' Rob asked looking back and forth.

'He's my friend' she answered.

'Friend?' Ryan asked giving her a "REALLY?!" look.

'Come on I can't tell him you are my date, he's just a kid' she answered looking apologetically at him.

'Hazel you know? Dad also came with us. Wait let me bring them' he said getting down from his chair.

Soon he was dragging Chris from across the hall with his tiny little fingers.

As Chris reached Hazel's table he gave her an apologetic look.

'Rob, let's go to our table, come' he told Robert in a stern voice.

'No, Hazel is here let's eat with her' He replied adamant.

'Yeah dad, let's eat with Hazel' Aurora supported her brother.

'NO, she is busy. We will eat with her some other day' he told looking at the two. Aurora turned towards Hazel;

'Hazel is he your boyfriend?' she asked.

'NO!...just a friend' came Chris' spontaneous reply. All the four looked at Chris for a moment.

'Dad, I asked Hazel' Aurora told him.

'Well she would have told the same thing' he replied looking at Hazel.

'Sis, Hazel told me he's a friend' Robert said looking at Aurora.

Hazel silently nodded at Aurora.

'So we can stay right?' Aurora asked looking at Hazel with puppy dog eyes.

'Sure' she replied smiling at her.

'Hey I am supposed to be the cute one' Rob shouted angrily.

'You don't mind right?' Hazel asked Ryan.

'Yeah….no problem' he answered giving a weak smile.

'No' Chris told looking at them.

'We aren't staying' he told the kids.

'But daddy…' Rob started.

'NO buts. Come on. We are going home' he told him sternly.

'It's OK Mr. Finch, I would love to spend time with them' Hazel said looking at Chris.

'But…'

'Please' she pleaded looking at him.

'Ok' he gave in finally.