ARLO
“Babe, are you happy being with me? I mean, do you trust me?” I asked her.
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Because you haven’t answered me yet.”
“Is that the reason why you’re asking me this?” she lifted her face to look at me.
I pinched her nose, just like I did the first time I met her. She smiled at me and gently traced her fingers along my lips.
“I love you, Arlo. I don’t want to lose you. I’ll answer you now—yes, I’m your girlfriend, and you’re my boyfriend,” she said and kissed me.
Her words made me giddy. At my age, it felt like I was back in high school. OMG! I’m already 34 years old, the oldest among my friends, and the one who’s never been serious in relationships. But from now on, I’m ready.
“I love you so much, Lily. No matter what happens, we won’t leave each other. Promise me, babe.”
“I promise, Arlo,” she said.
“Call me ‘babe,’ my love,” I said tenderly.
“Babe, I feel like I want to pamper you every day,” she said. My cheeks warmed with excitement at her words.
“Babe, you’re making me feel like a kid again.”
“Don’t you like it? I’ll pamper you every day. Instead of me being your baby girl, it feels like it’s the other way around,” she teased me.
It’s been so long since I’ve felt this kind of thrill. Only Lily could make me feel this way.
A few moments later, we got up. I was about to join her in the shower when my phone rang again. It was Gilbert on the line, and we talked about some friendly matters.
An hour later, Lily and I happily left my house. I told her I needed to head back to Huntsville today because my Grandpa wanted to discuss something important. She understood, and I promised to make it up to her.
I thought she was upset with me because, on the day she answered me, I couldn’t give her my full attention.
“Is something wrong, babe?” I asked when I noticed her expression change as she read a message on her phone.
“It’s just my brother,” she said in a soft voice.
“I can help if your brother has a problem. I’d like to meet him, too. Don’t hesitate to tell me if you need anything,” I said.
“Thank you, babe, but money isn’t the issue between me and my brother. It’s a family problem,” she replied.
I noticed she seemed to be deep in thought, almost as if she were scared. I held her hand to assure her that I was here for her, ready to support her in any way.
While Arlo and Lily were traveling, both were lost in their thoughts. Arlo still had no idea why his Grandpa had summoned him so urgently.
Meanwhile, Lily remained silent, her mind preoccupied. Earlier, Arlo had insisted on meeting her brother. But who could she introduce to Arlo as her brother?
Lily wasn’t ready to reveal the truth about who she really was. She feared her family’s influence—her parents, and especially her Grandpa Williams, were well-known, powerful figures. The Davis family wasn’t just any family; they could control nearly everything in their area.
Lily remained quiet, gazing out the window. Meanwhile, Arlo occasionally glanced at Lily’s beautiful face, puzzled by her behavior at times.
They still had time, as Arlo was driving quickly, and they arrived earlier than expected. They didn’t head straight to his family’s mansion. Instead, Arlo brought Lily to his apartment, thinking she might need to rest before facing Grandpa Thomas.
Just as they were about to enter the apartment, Lily’s phone rang again. It was her sister, Violet, on the line. Lily excused herself and stepped out onto the veranda to talk to her sister.
