MARITA

A Reason to Stay (Part 4)

"Arn, can we eat somewhere close today? I need to be back to the office as soon as possible to prepare for a meeting this afternoon."

"Who with? Frank?"

Marita was surprised at the curt tone in Arnold's voice. "No. The meeting is with one of our clients to settle some important matter"

Arnold smiled. As long as not a meeting with Frank.

Marita observed his husband-to-be face. "But I am going to go to the meeting with Frank." She added carefully.

Arnold took a deep breath. He reminded himself that this is the last working day for Marita. He just had to go through today and tomorrow she will not be seeing him. Marita puzzled at Arnold sudden emotion and even more puzzled now seeing him kept quiet holding back his anger.

"Arn, do you have a problem with Frank?" quietly Marita was feeling a touch of guilt. She knew she is having feelings for Frank so she is trying to managed her tone and expression as not to give anything away.

Ding.... The elevator door opened.

Arnold circled his arm around Marita's waist and they walked out of the elevator together.

Arnold was still quiet when they were in the car. Marita started to feel that there's something here. She watched Arnold reversed the car and drove out of the parking lot. She still love him. She still love him very much actually. 9 years are not short.

"Arn, Baby. Hey...." Marita touched Arnold's arm holding the steering wheel. "Tell me what upset you?" she used her sweetest voice to reach out to the quiet man next to her.

"Hmmm...." grunted Arnold.

"Do you not want me to go to the meeting?" she asked again. "I can cancel. But this meeting is super important. We ran into a big problem this morning."

Arnold sour face changed to concerned face. "Really? Is it serious?"

Marita sighed and nodded. Arnold took one hand from the steering wheel to rubbed Marita's shoulder. "Sorry to hear that," He said. Arnold decided to hold back his jealousy for some other time.

They pulled up to a restaurant about 10 minutes' drive from Marita's office.

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"Thanks for the lunch, Arn. Didn't realized that it's a great restaurant. Have you been there before?" Marita asked as they were on their way back to the office.

"Yes... with friends" he said.

"Hmmm... I will remember that. I want to come back again one day."

"We can come back together," said Arnold.

"That's what I meant, silly" She laughed.

Arnold laughed too. "Do you need to bring home many stuffs from the office? I can come back to pick you up?" he continued.

"Ah... Yes. About that..." Marita has been putting off telling Arnold about the extra 2 weeks she will be doing instead of taking her leave.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Uhm... Promise me you won't be mad and will listen to me, OK" Marita turned her body sideways in her seat so she faced him.

"What is it?"

"We lost 2 of our biggest clients and involved ourselves in some legal and ethical matter. So..." Marita touched Arnold's hand on the steering wheel.

"... I decided to work for another 2 weeks before I really taking my leave"

"MARI?!!" Arnold's voice rising. "We have plan. We've agreed to this"

"I know.. I know... but this is an unforeseen problem and I cannot just leave everybody just like that" Marita tried to talk as sweetly and calmly as possible.

"You've handed over the position to Frank, right? I am sure he can handle this"

"Arnold, please understand. This is not just work for me. The company is my baby. I helped gave birth to it. My team is my family. I cannot just walk out" Marita was still pleading for his understanding.

"I am your family! We are going to build our family!" Arnold was visibly upset.

"Honey... Please... I beg you to understand this situation"

"What if I don't? Will you take your leave tomorrow? NO! You will still stay for your 2 weeks even when I object! DAMN, MARI!" Arnold snapped and yell at her.

Marita was taken aback by it. She realized that Arnold is right. However, few seconds after Marita felt her body lurched forward from the force of the car. Arnold has stepped on the break so forceful in front of Etnodia building.

Luckily Marita was wearing seatbelt so she did not fly out of the car.

"DAMMIT!!! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US?" Marita yelled at Arnold when she got hold of herself.

Arnold grasped the steering wheel with both of his hand. He knew he was out of line but at the moment he doesn't care. He didn't even look over to Marita flinching from the pain in her shoulder from the seatbelt pull.

Marita tugged the seatbelt open. She took her bag from under the dashboard and slammed the bag to Arnold. Arnold instinctly raised his hand to fend of the bag on time.

"What's Your problem, huh? What did I do wrong?" Marita was pissed. Arnold did this several time when he is angry at her. He will resort to somehow inflicted bodily pain to him. Slamming the brake so hard that the seatbelt will hurt her is not the first time.

"You want to know my problem?" Arnold glared at her.

"YEAH! I do!" Marita glared back at him.

"Frank!... There I said it!"

Marita blinked. "Frank? What's he got to do with this?"

"He likes you and I do not like any man to lay eyes on my woman"

Marita almost blushed because of the cocktail of emotion she felt inside. She forgot how Arnold is the jealous type whom always seems to sniffed whomever men who likes her. This is not the first time.

"I bet he made sure to take advantage of this situation and made you stay longer so he may linger around you," he continued his accusation.

Marita was lost for words to answer him.

"Baby, I am sorry. I know you. I trusted you. But I don't trust other men. I want to make sure they are far away from you." Arnold's voice is calming down as he reached out to fixed Marita's hair.

Marita brushed off his hand. "Is that what you did with all my male friends and colleague?"

"Huh?"

"Rino, my high school friend. William, the liaison officer 3 years ago. Hilman and Josef, the interns. Did you scare them off? What did you do?"

"What do you mean? I did nothing."

"I was always wondering why they cut off communication with me. Avoiding me like a plague. I realized that it happened after I introduce you to them."

"How can you say that? I never scare anyone away. See... you have Joshua still."

"You thought Joshua was gay. But then you find him safe because he later marries Hilda" Marita eyes were sharp looking at Arnold.

"Honey..." Arnold was using a sweet voice now to calm Marita down. "I was trying to protect you... Protect us. If you love me as much as I love you, you will understand that I never want to share you with anyone else even if it was just them looking at you. You are mine. We belong"

Marita felt a lump of something about o explode in her. She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the car slamming the door behind her. She stomped her way up the stairs and into the elevator up to her floor.

She dashed to her office when the elevator door opened not bother to greet those who had come back from lunch. She went in her office and locked her door. She needed a few minutes to calm her anger.

Knock... Knock...

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