Talk To Me

41. A blind date

It had been over a month since Swalha last saw Cherry, and though the chaos of recent weeks had stirred up a whirlwind of emotions, she couldn't deny the bond she and Cherry shared. Ten years of friendship didn't fade easily, and she missed her. Still, Swalha was concerned—Cherry had ignored her calls and Wale's as well, despite their regular check-ins. According to her parents, though, she seemed to be doing fine.

But knowing Cherry's parents, their assurances only made Swalha more suspicious. They were sweet, gentle souls, always hesitant to burden others with their worries. They'd treated Swalha like family since college, and as an orphan, she'd spent countless weekends at Cherry's house. She'd even lived with them for a few months when she and Cherry were job hunting together after graduation. Remembering that time brought a smile to her face. She'd eventually started her own practice, refusing to settle for any offer that didn't match her aspirations.

Arriving at Cherry's parents' home, they welcomed her like a long-lost daughter, scolding her for disappearing for so long. Cherry, apparently, was still resting after a doctor's appointment she'd attended with her mother. With some time to spare, Swalha caught up with Cherry's parents, bearing gifts for them—her closest thing to family.

"So, sweetie, are you dating anyone yet, or are you still all work, work, work?" Cherry's mother didn't wait for an answer before turning to her husband. "Honey, remember that handsome boy, Freddie? The one next door? If he's still visiting his parents, we should introduce him to our lovely Swalha..."

"Oh, please," Cherry's father interrupted with a chuckle. "Our girl here isn't interested in matchmaking. Besides, you know the young ones these days. Marriage is the last thing on their minds."

"Oh, stop it, you old sandwich!" Cherry's mother shot back, ignoring his comment. She turned to Swalha with an enthusiastic smile. "Don't listen to him, dear. Leave it to me. I'll set you up with Freddie. I have quite the matchmaking record, you know! He's a real catch—looks like he stepped right out of one of those fancy TV dramas. And believe me, I know what's popular these days."

Swalha grinned, amused by their banter. Cherry would have rolled her eyes, likely muttering something about her parents meddling. But to Swalha, their concern was endearing, and after Cherry's mother kept pressing, she finally agreed to meet this Freddie. Cherry's father, however, looked comically jealous as his wife went on and on about Freddie's good looks.

"Honestly, honey, you seem more excited about Freddie than Swalha is," he grumbled, crossing his arms. "I should've known those compliments about my looks last week were just so you could ask for that new handbag..."

"Oh, hush, you!" Cherry's mother replied with a laugh, then turned to Swalha, ignoring his complaints. "Let me fetch one of Cherry's dresses for you. You're meeting him tonight. I'll make sure of it." She winked and disappeared toward Cherry's room.

Swalha exchanged a knowing smile with Cherry's father. He was always like this—teasing his wife, who either didn't notice or pretended not to. "Don't worry about her, dear," he said with a wink. "If Freddie's not your type, I'll help you dodge her matchmaking plans. But fair warning—she won't give up that easily. With Cherry's pregnancy, she's even more eager to find you a match."

Swalha laughed. "No worries, Dad. I knew this would happen. Besides, I'm a bit curious about Freddie—is he really that handsome?"

"Oh, if my wife says he is, he must be!" he replied with a smug grin, almost as if he were bragging about his own looks. They shared a laugh until Cherry's mother returned, holding a pink dress.

"Cherry set this one aside, saying you'd like it best. Go on, change in her room—she's awake now. You two probably have a lot to catch up on. And don't worry, this old sandwich and I will handle the dinner preparations." Swalha felt a wave of warmth; she'd missed them all more than she'd realized.