Do Us Part

46. "Tour of the Town."

Chapter 46

Natalie

Present day

"As I dropped off at her home that day, I could feel it. She was beginning to fall for me." Henry completes his story and I slap his hands playfully.

"Not true."

"Ahh..you two are adorable." Joan says and Henry and me smile, staring at each other.

"So...Natalie, what do you do for work? Henry mentioned that you studied the same course in university." Gianna asks as we ate our dessert.

"We did."

"So...do you also work for Meta?"

"No, I work for ToyMotors."

"What do you do there?" Jared asks. 

"Pretty much all programming, tech, and acquisition." I replied. 

"Acquisition, huh? You know I'm a lawyer, right? Let me know if you need one. Roswell & Roswell is at your service all day. Of course not for free." He says and everyone laughs, including me.

"Jared..."

"What? She's family." He replies, winking playfully at me, and I smile.

"Gianna, Henry tells me that you are a lawyer too. Do you also work at the firm?"

"No. She works for the enemy firm." Jared says, hugging and kissing his wife's cheeks. She smiled and shook her head at him.

"Jared. Stop teasing your wife." Henry's mother says and he shrugs.

"Henry tells me that you are a Bryce. Is it the Bryce family I think it is?" His father, Timothy asks.

"I..."

"What? As in, the Bryce empire?" Jared asks, and I nod shyly. "Wow. Do they need a lawyer?"

"Jared." His wife called, gritting her teeth lightly. I smiled, as this moment reminded me of my aunt and uncle just yesterday.

"What? I'm a hustler. Not everyone is a born genius like Henry, who can just create what he wants. He slaps Henry's back lightly. Proud of this one." He hugs him. Henry smiles brightly, but pushes his brother back while holding back his smile.

"I guess you and Henry are similar that way." Gia says.

"How do you mean?"

"You are both independent and choose different paths than your family."

"That's right. They are both black sheep." Jared reasoned.

"I'm sorry." Henry whispers in my ear, and I wink at him reassuringly.

______

"I'm sorry about my brother." Henry says when we were later alone in his room.

"It's fine. I loved it." I smiled assuringly and he nods in relief. "Your brother and you seem really close." I added.

"That's because we are." He smiles. "I know he can be an asshole, but he's a good guy. He has always had my back, you know, whether I'm excelling or shitting the bed." I nod in understanding.

"Also, he's the reason my parents appear less disappointed, these days, that I chose science instead." He adds.

"I get that. I feel like Mia and Will are the reasons why I am doing as I wish without feeling too bad for not helping with the family business too. I really cannot imagine myself working in any other sector."