Holding On

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ᴛᴡᴏ

"I'm not trying to play the fool, Emma. I seriously don't know what you are talking about."

"Stop, stop pretending." She almost shouted. "You knew George was my husband right? That is why you proposed this partnership. Just what are you planning?"

"Emma.." Zain began, voice low, hurt. "I'm just as surprised as you are. I never knew George was your husband. I did see his name as your spouse when I googled you up two weeks ago, but I guess I forgot about it. It rang no bell when I met him at the business function."

Emma could see the honesty in his eyes, her anger thawing. But if anything, the anxious curiosity solidified so much it gnawed. What would happen now?

After some seconds of silence with Emma refocusing on cutting the leafy vegetables, Zain spoke.
"Why did you lie to George about us?"

"Zain, George knows our story." She evaded his eyes during the reply. There was no way she would admit that it was because she panicked.

Panicked for what reason exactly?

"He might know what happened and all but it's quite obvious he doesn't know it's me. Why deny it?"

"I didn't want my husband to have awkward interactions with his business partner. After all, you protected me."

Zain didn't look like he bought what she was selling but he let it go and completely spun the topic in a different direction. "You know I really wanted to forget about you. But it seems fate has different plans."

"What do you mean by that Zain?" She asked, her breathing picking up as nerves racked through her veins.

"I mean that it's obvious fate still wants us to keep seeing each other." He started, closing up their proximity, and Emma took a step back out of reflex before catching herself. "I want to continue seeing you Emma."

"Zain..."

He put his index finger on her lips and shushed, quieting her. "Don't worry, I don't mean amorously. I won't try to win you over. I just want to be your friend."

Dumbfounded, Em could only stare back at him, wondering if he was being serious. And the somber, honest gleam in his eyes confirmed it.

Collecting her hands, Zain said, "I thought about it and you are right. I have no right to demand to get back into your life after I sent you out of mine." His eyes glistened with a hint of sadness.

"Of course, I won't tell you that I don't have feelings for you, but I want to try to get over you. I want to move on too but the only time I can assure myself I'm doing a great job is if I have you by my side during this phase. So what do you say, friends?"

Em wasn't sure how she being his friend during his attempt to move on could help, but the prospect of Zain still being in her life as a friend without any carnal motives sounded comforting. So squeezing his hand, she replied, "Friends."

She smiled up at Zain, feeling helluva of gratitude for his decision to give up the need for her as a lover and therefore save her from chaos.

At that moment, there were no turbulent emotions, just a heartwarming feeling. She knew she of course had those very vague feelings she had discovered she still had for Zain to deal with, but if he who seemed so head over heels in love with her could get over her, what more she?

Zain insisted to help her prepare the rest of the food, and she agreed reluctantly. Together they worked in silence, and even though the ambiance was slightly awkward, it was nothing overbearing, and Zain flashed her that occasional warm smile that made her stomach flutter.

Halfway, she suddenly remembered all that she'd said to Zain two weeks ago in her office, how cruel and cynically she'd treated him, and wondered if he'd shoved it out of his mind and held no grudges. She needed to know.

"Zain, about all that I said to you the last time..." She began, then trailed off. Was she going to apologize or deny that they were true?

"There's no need to apologize, Emma. You had to be honest, and to be honest I'm very glad about that. That's what made me see reason after all."

There was something about his reassuring smile...

Shrugging, Em began to fluff the rice pilaf with a fork while Zain finished the touches on frying the juicy steak. About five minutes later, Zain helped her set the table and her husband didn't seem to mind the much time spent together in the kitchen.

He was so in love and trusting of her she felt guilty that she couldn't bring herself to clarify the relationship that actually existed between Zain and her.

There was no need to plunge George and Zain's business relationship into awkwardness. And George would be alarmed about why she'd lied in the first place.

She went up to fetch her aunt later for dinner. Unfortunately. Amy was over at Eva's, and was yet to be returned some time around 8pm so Zain wouldn't get to meet her that day.

Yeah, sometimes Eva really liked to play the mother and it always made Emma wonder why she was so much against the idea of becoming a mother to the point of ending her previous relationship when her fiance seemed intent on on having a family.

Dinner turned out better than expected to have together with any of George's business associates. Perhaps because it was Zain.

He had such easy ways of fabricating stories about the two of them back in the university, making sure to incorporate her insecurities at that time, twisting some real events which mostly starred his amorous ambitions to sound like a friendship thing.

To Emma's delight, he exuded no jealousy, cast her and George no envious or spiteful glances as they kissed and declared their love once or twice.

The idea of the friendship thing wasn't bad after all, she decided as she and George returned from escorting Zain out.