Liz had no plan of staying there any longer. She wanted to give her friend a chance to be alone with her love interest. She sent a text message to Ethan to come and pick her.
Ethan arrived some minutes later.
"Hi bro, you didn't tell me that you are in town."
"Oh, I was planning to tell you later," Ty said. "Good thing I met sister-in-law."
Ethan put an arm around Liz's shoulder. "I'm here to steal her," he said. "I hope it is okay with you two."
Ty grinned. "She's your wife. You don't have to ask for permission from us, right Tamara?"
Tamara smiled. "Mr. Mungai is right. You two go have fun."
Ty furrowed his brow. "Tamara, what did you call me?"
"Mr. Mungai," she said.
Ethan and Liz looked at each other and smiled then slipped away.
"I thought we're already on a first name basis," Ty said.
Tamara smiled. "Oh. I didn't want to assume."
"Fine. From now on, call me Ty outside work environment."
"Okay," she said then sipped her tea.
"How about we go to the movies this evening," Ty said after an episode silence between them.
Is he making a move on me? She pondered.
"I'm sorry," Ty said when she didn't respond. "I understand if you have other plans."
Tamara shook her head and waved her hand in the air. "Of course not. Let's go to the movies!" she said then blushed. "I was caught off-guard by your suggestion."
A smile curled on his lips. "Okay. Let's finish our tea and go."
---
The following day in the afternoon, Oscar called Liz in his office.
"You were looking for me," she said when she entered his office.
"Yeah," he said, looking up and motioning her to a chair in front of his desk. "Sit."
She quietly took a seat and stared at him.
"I called you here because I now know how you can thank me for saving you that day."
"Fine. Tell me," she said.
"I want you to have dinner with me this Friday," he said then paused to see her reaction.
"I can't," she said. "Please ask for something else. I can't go for dinner alone with a man who is not my boyfriend."
"Liz, it is just dinner, nothing else. I'm sure he will understand," he said. "Unless he is the jealous type."
"Of course not. My boyfriend is very understanding," Liz said. "But we can't go for dinner just the two of us."
"But why? Are you afraid that you will fall in love with me all over again?"
Liz looked him straight in the eye. "That will never happen," she said. "When I fell in love with Ethan I was already over you. So there is no chance."
Those words stabbed Oscar's heart a million times.
"Liz, I'm sorry for driving you away three years ago," he said. "Please find it in your heart to forgive me."
"Forget it," Liz said. "It's all in the past."
"Liz, I still have you in my heart," he said.
"I'm sorry Oscar," she said. "There is nothing I can do about your feelings because I'm in love with Ethan."
"Fine. Then accept the dinner invitation. We never officially ended our relationship. Do me a favor. Let's have this dinner for the purpose of closure."
She considered it for a moment. "But..."
He cut her short. "But what? Can't you give this last dinner to me?" He dropped the documents in his hand on the table and leaned against the table. "Okay. You can go away if..."
"Fine," she said. "Just tell me the time and place. I will be there."
"Are you sure?" he asked.
She nodded. "I'm happy that you are ready to let go of the past," Liz said.
Oscar smiled. "Okay."
A few minutes after Liz left, Bea entered his office.
"Bea, what do you want?" Oscar asked.
"Is that the way to talk to your fiancée?" she asked as she approached his desk.
He slouched in his chair and toyed with a pen in his hands. "Go straight to the point, what do you want?"
"When are we going to buy our rings?" she asked.
"Can't you deal with such a small matter on your own?"
"What?" Bea asked in frustration. "This is our wedding, Oscar. Why don't you want to be involved? Can't you even give me the pleasure of shopping for rings with you? Oscar, what's wrong with you?"
"You know the reason. I don't love you, Bea."
Bea looked at him with teary eyes. "Can't you give me some face even if you don't love me?"
"I'm sorry, Bea," he said. "But why don't you call off the engagement if you feel wronged?"
"Never!" she said. "I'm in love with you Oscar. I know our marriage is a trade, but you can learn to love me. You don't have to be in love to marry; you can also fall in love in marriage."
"There is no way I can fall in love with you, Bea. Just give up."
"Really?" She climbed on top of his desk and sat then leaned forward towards him. With her huge breasts almost popping out of her top, she said, "What does your ex-girlfriend have that I don't? Is she more beautiful than I am?"
"I'm sorry, Bea." He got away from his desk and faced the glass wall, with his back towards her. He put his hands in his trouser pockets and stared down in the busy streets. Bea followed him and wrapped her arms tightly around his tummy.
"I promise that I will be a good wife to you," she said with her head rested on his back. "I'm not asking for all your heart. Just find a small corner in your heart for me, and I will be contented. I won't force you to choose between us. All I'm asking for is some respect and a little affection."
Hearing that, he removed her hands from his tummy and turned around then hugged her. "I'm sorry for hurting you," he said. "I have treated you unfairly. Please forgive me."
"It's okay," she said. "I'm okay as long as you're by my side."
"Fine. I will accompany you tomorrow to buy rings."
"Thanks." She gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Okay, let's go back to work," he said as he pulled away from her.
"See you later," she said and left the office.
***