FROM THEN ON

Chapter One

''Robert, my office now,'' my boss, Regina Love called out to me on the phone. I got up, buttoned my suit, and walked out of my office towards hers confidently with a grin on my face. ''hey Robert,'' Linda my personal assistant said while staring at me dreamily. ''hey Linda,'' I replied. ''I'm here,'' I said as I stepped into Regina's office and closed the door behind me. ''Well you did it again Robert,'' she said cheerfully. ''You made me and this broadcasting company proud,'' she added. ''Thanks,'' I said. ''But what exactly are you talking about?'' I asked confused. ''Linda didn't send you the E-mail?'' she asked. ''What E-mail?'' I asked still confused. ''What am I going to do with her?'' she mumbled. ''Anyway this morning I received an e-mail saying that you won the best journalist of the year for the third time in a row,'' she said excitedly. ''Really?! That's awesome!'' I exclaimed. ''I know right?!'' she screeched. ''Linda was supposed to forward the E-mail to you. It has the date of the awards night, venue, and all the details,'' Regina added. ''I should go and ask her about it right now,'' I said. Just as I was about to leave her office, she called out, ''Robert?!'' ''Yeah?'' I asked turning to face her. ''Keep up the good work,'' she said smiling. ''Thanks,'' I replied and headed out. ''hey Linda?!'' I called out as I drew nearer to my office. ''Yeah Robert?'' she responded dreamily again. '' I've got to get a new assistant especially one that's not hitting on me,'' I thought. ''Regina said you were supposed to send me an E-mail?'' I asked. ''Oh yes, sir. I'll get right to it,'' she said snapping out of her daydream. ''Good,'' I said pleased. Just then, I heard my phone ringing. I picked it out to see that it was my super hot and gorgeous model girlfriend, Arianna Leblanche calling. ''Hey babe,'' I said holding the phone to my ear and stepping into my office. ''Hi honey,'' she replied. ''Guess what! I just won the best journalist of the year again and I want to take you out to celebrate tonight,'' I said grinning. ''Congratulations!! Yeah, I'd love to,'' she said. ''I'll pick you up at eight,'' I said. ''Sounds good to me,'' she replied. ''Alright see you then,'' I added. ''okay. Love you,'' she said. ''yeah sure bye,'' I quickly said and ended the call. In all my years of dating, ''I love you,'' are the only words I can't get myself to say. Saying those words means I'm on the road leading to a lifelong commitment and I'm not ready for that. At least not now. After work, I drove home in my latest Ferrari with my name customized on the number plate. I drove into the underground car park of my huge penthouse. After I got ready for my date with Arianna, I drove my white range rover out of the underground car park and towards Arianna's house. After I picked her up, I took her to our favorite and most expensive restaurant in town, Le restaurant extravagant. ''Robert?'' Arianna called out to me as I was figuring out what to order on the menu. ''yeah,'' I responded. ''Why didn't you say I love you back?'' she asked. I looked up from the menu I was holding and into her eyes. ''Well?'' she asked still waiting for my answer. ''Have you ever tried their seasoned viande? It sounds delicious. Let's order that,'' I said trying to change the subject. ''Robert! Answer the question!'' she shouted annoyed. ''Okay look Ari. You are an amazing, gorgeous woman but we are not there yet. I'm just not into you that way,'' I said. ''Excuse me?! We have been dating for over a year now and you now realize that you're not into me like that?!'' she said angrily. ''You know what you're right. I should have told you a long time ago. We should break up,'' I said getting up to leave. ''What?!'' she exclaimed and stood up angrily. ''You know what?! This was long overdue anyway. I should have broken up with you a long time ago you self absorbed jerk!'' She shouted walking out of the restaurant. ''Fine well I don't need you in my life anyway!'' I called after her. Just then, the waiter walked towards the table and asked me, ''What can I get you?'' ''Nothing I've lost my appetite,'' I said and walked out of the restaurant. As I turned the ignition of my car, I called my buddy, Ryan. ''Hey man,'' I said into the phone. ''Heyy. I heard about your award. Congratulations bro,'' Ryan replied. ''Thanks man, but I don't want to talk about that right now. Ari and I just broke up,'' I said. ''What?! I'm sorry man, what happened?'' Ryan asked. ''Meet me at the bar right now and I'll explain everything there,'' I said reversing out of the restaurant car park. ''Alright Rob I'll be in there in five,'' he replied.

''hey man,'' I said sitting on the empty chair by Ryan. ''yeah...so what's going on Rob?'' he asked. ''Yo we haven't even ordered our drinks yet,'' I said laughing. ''Alright alright. Yo Breezy,'' Ryan called out to the bartender. ''Well well well if it isn't my two favorite customers,'' Breezy said grinning. ''So what can I get you today?'' he asked. ''The usual,'' Ryan said. A few seconds later, Breezy came back holding two glasses of scotch. ''Now tell me everything,'' Ryan said eagerly. ''Okay so I took Ari out tonight to celebrate my award and then she asked me why I didn't say I love you back when she said it to me on the phone earlier today and we got into an argument and things just kind of ended,'' I said. ''Narh man. You said something. You always say something,'' Ryan said accusingly. ''I just told her that I wasn't into her like that,'' I replied. ''For real?'' Ryan asked shocked. ''Look, man, You're an awesome dude with an amazing life but when it comes to you and women, you have got to get yourself together,'' he said worriedly. ''What are you talking about?'' I asked innocently. ''Remember Lucy?'' he asked raising his eyebrows. ''I thought we said we'd never bring that up again,'' I said. Lucy was the girl I dated before Arianna. She was amazing, or at least I thought she was. We went to a fashion show together and that's when I saw Arianna. I just knew I had to break up with Lucy to be with her and when I did, she did not take it well. She became an alcoholic psychopath and even tried to kill me once. So now she's in a psychiatric center trying to get her life together again. ''Yeah I know we said we'd never bring it up again but I was using it to prove a point,'' Ryan said in defence. ''Okay okay I get it,'' I said. ''Yeah man I mean relationships are supposed to lead to marriage, not depression,'' he added. ''I said I got it, man. Why are you stressing so much on this anyway?'' I asked curiously. ''Well....I'm thinking of proposing to Serena this weekend,'' he said cheerfully. ''For real? Finally!'' I exclaimed. Serena is Ryan's girlfriend and they've been dating for over three years now but Ryan has never gathered the courage to propose to her and even though I am not a big fan of marriage or commitments in relationships, even I think this proposal has been long overdue. Over the past three years, Ryan and Serena have gotten to know every single thing about each other and I mean everything. ''Yeah I figured that it was about time,'' Ryan added. ''I'm happy for you man,'' I said patting him on his back. And with that, I took my leave and headed home. The next day, as I was about to enter my office, Linda told me that Arianna and my mum were waiting for me in my office and they did not look happy. ''Hey, mum...'' I said slowly as I walked into my office. '' mi Hijo,'' my half Spanish half American mother called out to me. ''I am not happy,'' she said as she folded her arms across her chest. ''Mum...I can explain,'' I said stretching my hand towards my mum and trying to calm her down. ''Okay..but before you do,I have something to say,'' she said and then she did what she does best when she is angry, she threw all kinds of insults in Spanish at me in the fastest and loudest way possible so nobody would understand a word she is saying. ''Okay I'm done,'' she said finally calming down. ''Now speak,'' she said gesturing me to proceed. ''Look Arianna. You are an amazing girl and we've had some great times together but I am not ready for a commitment right now and I am not in love with you,'' I said. Arianna then burst into tears. My mum lifted her up from the office couch and led her towards the door while comforting her.

Before she stepped out of the office, she turned to me and said, ''You need to learn how to love someone son, or else you will never be happy no matter how much money you have,'' she said and then she walked out holding Arianna who was still crying. As soon as they stepped out, Regina entered my office and said, ''Robert....what's going on? You know I don't like it when family issues get mixed up with work.'' ''Yeah I know and I'm sorry. It won't happen again Regina.'' I said sitting down in my swivel chair to begin the day's work. ''It better not,'' Regina said walking out of my office. A few days later as I sat behind my desk working on a report, Regina walked into my office and said, ''Robert, the president is opening a new retirement home in two days and you're covering it. You're leaving for Washington tomorrow at 10:00am in the company jet with Todd. Do not be late.'' ''Awesome! I won't be,'' I said cheerfully. ''Good! I have sent you the details. Do well to look at it and see you when you get back,'' Regina said and walked out of my office. I opened my inbox to see Regina's mail. According to the details, the company had arranged for a driver to pick Todd and I up from the airport and be our personal driver. Todd works the camera anytime I am reporting a story. Honestly, I couldn't have made it this far in my career without him. Just then, Todd entered my office and asked, ''Yo partner do you know what's up?'' ''Yeah man, we are going to Washington!'' I exclaimed.