A Christian Romance

Chapter 6 - Pushing Away

(the picture on top is James)

Molly returned home from grocery shopping. Expecting to be all by herself, she started speaking as if simulating a conversation with her husband in which she had the guts to tell him off.

"Mum!" Adam, entertained with the view to the bay, heard his mother's voice and wondered whether she was talking to David. "Is that dad you're talking to?"

"Ah!" She exclaimed. "You're home?" She questioned.

"Yeah!"

He put his teacup on the counter and rushed to help her with the groceries.

"Thank you, darling!" She thanked him. "I didn't expect you here. I assumed you'd meet Ralph this morning..."

"I have an appointment with our family doctor."

"Everything's alright?" His mother feared the worst.

"Just a check-up." He calmed her.

As she kept the groceries away, she asked about Debora.

"I really liked her, Ade!"

"That's good." He tried to sound blasé. "There's nothing not to like about her."

"Yeah, does she know how you feel for her?"

"Come on, mum! I don't have time for romance."

"Don't say that, Ade! You're so young. You have your life ahead of you." Molly leaned onto the counter and focused on their conversation. "You obviously like her. I didn't buy that: we're friends."

"Mum, please. I don't have time for this. I need to go." He even left the apartment earlier just to be left alone.

As he walked to his car, the memory of last night came strong onto his mind, it moved within him. He shook his head in trouble. After last night, there were no excuses left for him. What he felt for Debora was more than friendship, and if he contradicted himself now, things would only look bad for him. However, the last thing he wanted was for Debora to know how he truly felt for her. ________________________________________________________________________________

Debora wasn't coping with the memories from last night. Even though she knew that they had gone too far in what concerns friendship, she still didn't feel any remorse.

Last night's event was so distracting that she failed to notice Richard all by himself when she was walking into her former office just to share a few papers with the rest of the team.

He called her, but she didn't even hear. Only the tight grip she felt on her arm caught her attention.

"Where are you going, gorgeous?" He tried to tease her.

"Florencia is here. She can come any minute!" She warned him.

"Why worry about her? You should be worried about your pastor."

"What are you talking about?" She recalled that they had never had that conversation.

"David Larking." He confirmed.

"You're bluffing." She dared, shaking her arm off his hand.

"Oh, am I?" He let her go. "Am I wrong about your feelings for his son?" He smirked.

Debora tried to remain neutral, but judging on what Richard said afterward, that didn't happen.

"What is your problem?" She wanted to know.

"You decided to tattletale to Florencia about our misunderstanding in the woods."

"You don't know that." She ventured.