Darryl sat comfortably on the grass, his legs stretched out in a relaxed pose, as his gaze remained on Vanessa, who was busy tending to the flowers.
He had deliberately followed her to the flower field, knowing it was her favorite place to be. With the hope of spending more time with her and maybe catching a glimpse of her new life. His face lit up as he watched her tend and care for the flowers, and he was happy to be in her presence.
“This is your favorite place to be,” Darryl said as he watched Vanessa tend to the flowers.
“Why would you say that?” She asked, turning her attention to him.
“Isn’t it obvious? Just with the little time I spent here, I can tell that you come here often. And with the way you tend to the flowers, it shows that you’ve been doing it frequently.” Darryl said with a smile on his face. He was glad to notice that Vanessa had changed since she came here.
“It is fine if you think so.” She said, pulling off the gloves from her hands.
She sat down beside Darryl, on the grass, her eyes wandering around the field before landing on Darryl’s face.
“Have you spoken to Carolyn or Dawson?” She asked with a wary smile on her face.
“How can you worry about them when I’m the one here with you?” playfully, Darryl waggled his eyebrows as he asked.
“I’ve caused you all, especially Carolyn, to worry about me. I know how stressed she can be in a situation like this. Moreover, she is pregnant and she shouldn’t be worrying much.” Vanessa said with concern laced in her tone.
Right from the moment she left, the thought of Carolyn never left her. Most times, she was tempted to call her, but she controlled herself before she could grab the phone. She wondered how Carolyn would be holding up. She could imagine the look on Carolyn’s face when they got to meet again.
“I understand how you feel. I promised to call them, but not now.” Darryl said, his hand found Vanessa’s hand, squeezing it in reassurance.
“Why?” Vanessa asked, flashing him a questioning look.
“I don’t want to share your attention with anyone, not yet. I’m jealous of those flowers already, and jealousy is not my style.” Darryl said, pouting his lips in a goofy manner.
“Darryl, I’m being serious.” Vanessa whined.
“I’m also serious. I’ve been away from you for too long. We should recover all the time we stayed apart. I didn’t even get to experience my wedding night.” Darryl said, licking his lips as he flashed her a knowing look.
“I will have to call her myself.” Vanessa said, her tone firm and calm.
Pretending to be mad at Darryl, Vanessa struggled to get up from the floor, but before she could get a chance to stand up, Darryl’s hands grasped her arms, pulling her back down. The sudden force sent her tumbling backwards, and she crashed into Darryl’s chest, her body landing on top of his.
As she fell, Vanessa’s face came seriously close to Darryl’s, their noses almost touching.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and her lips parted slightly as she struggled to catch her breath. Darryl’s eyes went wide, but he masked them with a smug look. Satisfied by their current position, his gaze locked onto Vanessa’s as he held her in place.
For a moment, they stood still, their faces inches apart, their bodies entwined. “Where do you think you are going?” Darryl whispered, staring at her lips.
“Going back to work,” Vanessa replied, turning her face away from him in order to create a tiny space between her and Darryl.
The air was thick with tension as one of Darryl’s hands moved to Vanessa’s face, pushing her hair away from her face.
Vanessa, uncomfortable with the position, tried to wiggle away but Darryl’s grip on her became firm as he lay back, pulling her down with him.
“What are you doing?” Vanessa’s lips twisted in confusion as she asked him.
“What does it look like?” Darryl replied with a sly smile on his face.
As her lips parted slightly before she could utter a word, Darryl stole the opportunity to connect his lips with hers, stealing a kiss. Vanessa’s eyes widened in shock as she processed what he was doing.
Unfortunately and unfortunately for her, the kiss lasted for a short time. Darryl pulled away from her, a satisfying smile etched into his face.
“I think that’s enough explanation for now.” He said as he released his grip on her, giving her the chance to untangle herself from his arms.
“I can’t believe you,” Vanessa whined as she struggled to gain her footing. “What if somebody sees us? How would I explain myself?” She asked, turning her face away from him.
Her eyes scanned the flower field, hoping no one would witness what had happened between her and Darryl.
“Are you shy?” Darryl asked, teasing her.
Vanessa scoffed at his question, “why would I be shy?” She said, avoiding eye contact with him.
“Why are you not looking into my eyes like you always do?” asked Darryl as he continued to tease her.
“I’m just busy dusting the grass away from my dress.” She defended, glancing at him briefly.
“You’ve really changed,” Darryl said out of the blue, causing Vanessa to fix her eyes on him.
“How did I change? In what way? Vanessa inquired as curiosity gnawed on her. She wanted to know if it was a good change or a bad change.
“You’ve become more reserved, demure. , it is a good thing,” Darryl explained as he got up to his feet.
“It is not like I have a choice. I can’t continue to be hostile to you.” Vanessa answered casually.
“What are your reasons?” Darryl asked, hoping she would tell him something romantic.
Vanessa flashed her palm across his face, waving it sideways to show him the ring he put on her finger. “You already locked a ring on my finger.” She said.
Catching her hand, he closed the space between them, “what if I unlocked the ring and give you a chance to choose? What will you do? Darryl asked, his tone serious as his eyes bored into hers, searching for answers.
Taking a deep breath, her eyelids shot as she dived into a deep thought. Opening her eyes, she stared at him, intensely.
“Nothing much, I will just change a few things,” She answered.
“A few things like what? I need you to be clear.” Darryl said, his tone calm and curious at the same time.
“Like the status of our marriage,” Vanessa answered.
Heartbroken by her answer, Darryl’s heart sank as disappointment settled on him. “What about our marriage?” he asked.
“I would like to change it from a contract marriage to a real one.” Vanessa answered shyly.
Darryl’s shoulders dropped as the tension he was feeling disappeared without traces. Her answer had revived the hope of making him the happiest man. Vowing within himself to make her wish come true, Darryl pulled Vanessa into a hug.
“I like that too,” he whispered into her ears.