Come Running [Season 1 Completed]

Chapter 44

***********Edmunton Building************
Elijah and I had dinner in silence.

*********
Elijah was closely observing her. Jayla remained focused on her dinner. It was either there was a new planet she was discovering in her dish or she was unaware of his presence in the room.
Elijah tried some small talk but her one-word reply was the confirmation he needed: she was still pissed. The silence set in again.
You could cut the tension in there with a knife.

As they both did the dishes. Elijah gave it his last shot.
"Jayla...Look at me." He gently spun her around and put on a puppy face.
"It's going take more than just a puppy face." Her expression softened and she suppressed a laugh.
The doorbell rang.
"How about some crab cake for dessert?"
"Did someone mention seafood? I'm game!"
They both guffawed at her remark.
"I couldn't possibly be mad at you, no matter how hard I tried but your face was priceless!" Jayla confessed as Elijah got the order at the door.
"An actress you are!"

They retraced their steps to the dining table to have their dessert of delicious crab cake.
Elijah was just not letting go of the issue at hand.
"Jayla, I'm sorry for earlier. It was not my intention to put you in a place where you're frustrated and upset." But Jayla was stuck on being her usual sweep-it-under-the-rug kind of person
"Seriously, let's forget about this. I had lots of stuff compounding and I just fell under the weight. It's not you. It's me. Don't take it to heart."
"I know... but Jayla we need to talk about this," Elijah stated politely but firmly, determined not to be put away.
"Jayla, you've left me with virtually nothing to hold on to. That's no excuse for my actions but the truth is I'm scared to death of losing you. I know I'm asking for too much but we've got to know each other long enough. I think we need to take a step further in our relationship."

**********
I was taken aback though I had been half expecting this.

"What do you say, Miss Carlson Whyte? Would you be my girlfriend?" He said with a cheeky smile.
I could only manage a smile as I embraced him.

I escorted him to the door.
"Thanks for coming clean to me with regards to how you feel and of course I'd love to be your girlfriend."
"Is this the right time to say I love you so much?" He trod carefully as he held on to her.
"Don't push your luck, Mister."
"Well, I love you to the moon and back."
"The distance between the earth and moon is 384,400km. Maintaining a speed of 11.2km/s, you could get to the moon in approximately 9.5 hours. So to the moon and back, we're gonna have approximately 19 hours."
Elijah took a step back fascinated.
"So mathematically speaking you'll only love me for 19 hours."
"You're one crazy woman you know ." Elijah burst into laughter.
"I've been wanting to say that for so long."
Elijah shook his head in amusement.

Elijah bid goodnight and I nestled into my couch wrapping myself in a blanket and settled in for a delightful rom-com.

**********

The meeting with Pink&Blue Foundation was scheduled for 11 that morning. I couldn't wait to get in and out of that office and then straight to the airport back to Austin. That should be easy.

Clad in a pink cape design blazer coat over a black midi skirt, I stepped into the two-storey complex on 13th street Charlestown, Boston.
I know classy.

I was half an hour early so I decided to pass by the classes to observe some of their lessons. The foundation was set up five years ago and started with a few newborns and so the oldest kids here are about four to five years old.

Next year, however, the home will have some kids turning six and so an elementary school has to be set up. That's where R&J Foundation comes in. With other investors and the home's resources, R&J hopes to provide funding for that project. Also, the nursery school needed refurbishment and new stock of educational materials.

The expansion will allow triple the current population of kids to find a home and live like the average American child.

The facelift also makes an appealing offer to couples to trust the systems and take some of these kids home.

I chanced upon a class of four-year-olds. It was story time and they were all bubbling with joy as their teacher read them the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
I leaned against the door hoping not to interrupt and taking in the sight, my heart warmed.
*sigh* I feel so honoured to be a part of this.
These kids are just so adorable.

I loved their energy and how they live freely with no care in the world.
Wish I could go back.

A few minutes to 11, I retraced my steps to the board room. A majority of the board members were already seated.
I said a polite hello and introduced myself as I took my seat. We awaited the founder and director of the place.

The door flung open and the beautiful blonde Whitney stepped in.
"Sorry, we are late."
And then that enchanting woody scent came through as Kaiden followed closely behind.

The earth stopped...