Should We Love Again?

Chapter 5

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Frank's POV

I did my best to hide my surprise at the question that Drake threw at me from nowhere.

I hid my surprise with a faint smile.

I held out my ringless left hand to him.

"But you must be in some kind of relationship, right?" he pursued the topic.

"Well, I would like to be in a relationship, but I am a very cautious person," I replied. "I don't jump willy nilly into a relationship. I make sure that the person is the right one for me, because sometimes trying to get out of a relationship which didn't turn out to be the right one for you can be tricky."

"True," he agreed with me. "In fact it can be downright messy. And I'm talking from experience."

"Oh you used to be married?" I asked.

"No, I'm talking about my parents," he replied. "Their divorce was a bitterly contested one. I ended up staying with my grandmother."

"I'm sorry," I said. I did not know what else to say.

After a few moments of silence, Drake said, "My grandmother was a very devout Catholic. He encouraged me to enter the seminary to see if the priesthood was for me."

"And since you have stayed long enough in the seminary and are just two years away from the priesthood, I am assuming that you believe that the priesthood is for you," I said, trying not to let the disappointment show in my tone of voice.

"To be honest, I'm not a hundred percent sure," he replied. "I do get a chance to leave the seminary for a year to test my vocation to the priesthood."

"And when does that take place?" I wanted to know.

"One year before ordination," he replied. "It is called the regency period. During that one year I will be allowed to live as a secular person."

"What does that mean exactly?" I really needed to know.

"It means I can go out and date and even be in a relationship with someone," he replied. "If at the end of that period I realize that I still want to be a priest I go back to the seminary and proceed with my ordination. But if I realize that I love someone and want to continue to be in that relationship, then I have to notify the seminary to let them know that I have decided not to go back."

We were both quiet for a while.

I stared ahead trying to let all that he just told me sink into my brain.

Then something struck me.

"Don't you think it's unfair to get into a relationship with someone knowing that you are just using them as a testing ground for your vocation?" I asked, feeling my chest tightening somehow.

"I wouldn't get into a relationship with anyone just to test my vocation to the priesthood," he replied. "They would have to be someone with whom I have the intention of being with permanently."

"Then don't you think that you should already decide not to go back to the priesthood even before getting involved with that person?" I asked, trying not to make the question sound personal.

"You're right in that aspect," he said after a moment's thought. "Like I said earlier the regency period is a one year period. During that time we are allowed to date someone to see if the idea of being a secular person would appeal to us, enough for us to want to stay in the secular world."

Suddenly I did not want to pursue the topic anymore.

I glanced at my watch.

"I promised Priya that I would be back at the florist shop by around this time," I said.

"Who is Priya?" he asked.

"Oh, that's my assistant," I replied. "I manage the florist shop for my mom."

"Your mom owns the florist shop?" he asked.

I nodded.

"My parents own the hotel," I replied. "They decided to open a flower shop recently at the lobby to cater to the guests' florist needs."

"That makes good business sense," he remarked.

I nodded and stood up to get ready to leave.

"Are we going to keep in touch or is this it for our acquaintanceship?" he asked.

"I took you seriously when you said earlier that starting today I was going to be one of your close friends," I said to him before quickly leaving the gazebo and walking back inside the house.

He walked me out the front door and out into the curb where I had parked my car.

He gave me a quick buddy hug before saying, "I meant it when I said that starting today I would like you to be one of my close friends. So that means that I will be keeping in touch."