Faith

Chapter 2

I took in a mouthful of wontons as Adam sat in front of me, contemplating on my narration of the happenings of the morning. He had a quite grave expression on his face.

"I don't believe this," he said finally.

"What," I asked my mouth overloaded with food.

"Gosh! When will you ever learn to eat," Adam said scrunching his face. I gave him a disinterested look. "Anyway. What I was saying is I don't believe Luke forgot your birthday."

"I know right!" I said. "I mean I understand he has a shitload of work and all but this is the least I could expect of him."

Adam gave me a resolute look. He stared at me without blinking in an 'I mean business' kind of a way. And even though I had known him for twenty years or something, it still made me uneasy. He had this thing to him. He could be the sweetest guy ever but when he got angry, he got angry for good. He would give a free rein to his rage at anyone who was in front of him.

"What," I asked timidly.

"I don't understand why you put up with him," he asked sternly. "I know you guys have been dating for five years or so but you don't deserve to be treated the way he does."

"Hey stop," I said in a defensive tone. "Luke loves me. And just because he forgot one birthday doesn't make him the bad guy okay?"

"It's not just about the birthday Em," I could sense his anger rising. "It's about everythi-"

"Hey, hey. Let's not talk about this now please. Not today at least," I said in the sweetest voice I could put on. I would in no mood to discuss my tragic love life. Especially with a flared up Adam Evans. He gave me a disillusioned look. "So how's Ava?"

"She's good. She is growing up so fast. It only seems yesterday when dad got her home."

I smiled at him. "She is growing up to be a beautiful girl Adam. She really needed a brother like you." Adam's parents passed away in a grievous car accident. Ava was only seven and Adam was only eighteen. I knew what it felt like to not have anyone to look up to when you are young. Ava and I both got lucky, that we had amazing brothers who made up for the loss of our parents.

"Speaking of which, how's Jake?" Adam asked. "I haven't heard from him in ages."

"That makes two of us. I don't know what he is doing after his assignment in Tasmania. I was thinking of dropping by his place sometime."

"You should really." At that moment I saw Paige sitting at a table not far from us. Paige was a colleague from office. We had worked on a couple of articles together. "I'll be right back," I said and walked up to her.

"Hey Paige," I said. Her face emitted shock involuntary. There was fear written on her face. She quickly tried to cover up and gave me a smile, which was the fakest one I had ever seen.

"Hey," she said in a frenzied manner. "What are you doing here?"

"I had lunch with Adam," I said confused. "You know him right?"

"Yea, yea," she said speaking in a hurried manner. "Happy birthday by the way," she said and gave me a hug.

"Thank you," I said. "Who are you waiting for?"

"No one," she said with a jerk. "Uh, a friend."

"Right," I said in a doubtful way.

"I am sorry but I have to go. See you in office?" she said.

"Sure." She picked up her belonging and walked out in a rush. I went back to Adam.

"Wasn't that Paige?" he asked. "We called her yesterday to join us at Mackenzie's; she said she was not well."