Dareen

18# Goodbye My Lover

Song: Goodbye My Lover- James Blunt.
Elliot
"Linda, we're leaving." I smiled kissing her cheek, and Ethan did the same making her giggle.
"Okay, but don't stay there late. I want to eat dinner with you."
"Okay." I nodded as Alice stepped into the kitchen.
"Good morning." She mumbled.
"Morning, cutie pie." Ethan chuckled as he picked her up and threw her in the air making her giggle.
"Elliot, I have a problem." Linda whispered to me.
"What is it?" I furrowed my brows.
"My sister is sick, and I have to visit her."
"Do you need any money?" I frowned.
"No no, but your mother left already, and Alice refused to go with me yesterday, so... will you please talk with her?" She sighed.
"Alice, why don't you want to go with Linda?" I sighed making her frown.
"Everything is so boring there!" She shrugged.
"Listen, mum and dad are not here, and Ethan and I are leaving as well, so you have to go with Linda. We have no other choice."
"We do." She smiled.
"What is it?"
"Take me with you." She smiled making me groan.
"I am not going to play with you. You'll sit alone, and I'll be so busy."
"I'll be good just take me with you!"
"It's fine, Elliot. I'll go any other day." Linda sighed.
"Alice, please." I pleaded.
"Elliot, please." She mocked making me roll my eyes.
"Get dressed in five minutes, or else I'm going to leave you!" I rolled my eyes as she jumped up and down.
"Elliot, I don't want to cause you any problems." Linda shook her head.
"Help her get dressed, and take these. If you needed anything, call me." I told her before walking out with Ethan.
"You're going to take her to work?"
"Your parents gave me no choice unless you can take her to Uni.?" I turned to him as I buckled my seatbelt.
"Nah, man. I can't." He shook his head.
"That was the answer I was expecting anyway." I rolled my eyes as I hit the car horn lightly.
Seconds later, Linda stepped out with a dressed up Alice.
"Thank you, Linda." I smiled at her.
"I'll be here before you come back."
"Okay." I nodded as she stepped back giving me space to pull out of the driveway.
"Will Dareen be there?" Alice squealed.
"Yes, but she'll be working. You're going to sit silently with us, alright?"
"Fine." She huffed.
"No huffing, young lady. That's rude." Ethan told her.
"Say that to yourself first." I told him quietly.
"Shh-" He chuckled as I stopped the car. That's one of the moments that make my heart beat loudly. What if Dareen saw him getting out of my car? or any of her friends? or even what of she saw my car near her Uni. in the first place?
"Ethan be quick. I'm already late." I said as he slammed the door shut.
"Bye." He waved at me as I drove away.
------
"Dareen, didn't you go to Uni?" I furrowed my brows.
"Nah, I have nothing important today." She smiled at Alice. "What are you doing here, cutie pie?" She grinned picking her up.
"No one is at home, so I had no choice but to bring her with me." I sighed.
"It's okay. We'll sit together." She shrugged.
"I still don't understand why didn't you go to Uni today. I thought we agreed that-"
"Elliot, I know what's better for me." She smiled faintly making me sigh.
"Whatever you say." I shrugged. "Show me what we should do today."
"I sent a fax to these companies in Morocco and set up dates to meet up with them. I also asked Patricia to book two tickets on 27th of February."
"Alright." I nodded.
"We need to study their offers quite well, and make comparisons to find which one is better even before seeing them to be aware of what we're doing."
"Okay." I nodded.
"I'm going to make a few reports that Sir Adam assigned me to write."
"Okay, and I have to make a few calls and researches as well." I smiled when I saw my ring on her finger.
"Elliot, I'm bored." Alice started whining already.
"Come here." I groaned pulling her on my lap. "You have to sit quietly till I finish my work then I would get you chocolate and go home. Stop whining if you don't want me to get mad at you." I said sternly in a quiet voice.
"Fine."
"Are you hungry?" I asked, but she shook her head as she hopped from my lap and walked towards the sofa.
"Alice, you didn't eat breakfast."
"Let her be, Elliot. She'll tell us when she gets hungry." Dareen nodded at me.
"Coffee?" I asked, and she nodded.
-------
"I'm coming over to pick up Alice." I read Ethan's message and panic ran in my veins.
"No, don't come." I sent it to him.
"I'm already here, bro." He replied.
What if Dareen returned and saw him? Shit!
"I'm here." He smiled stepping in.
"She's sleeping. Either pick her up or leave her." I said quickly as I heard the sound of Dareen's heals outside the door.
No, God. Please not now.
"Alice, c'mon. I'm taking you home." he whispered to her as Dareen pushed the door open with a smile on her face.
"Dareen," I whispered as she gave me a concerned look.
Ethan turned around to see who's in the room and- I'm fucked.
"What are you doing here?" Her eyes widened. "You really have no shame. I can't believe you're following me to my work!" She yelled, and he looked puzzled.
"You work here? I didn't know." He shook his head.
"Oh really? Get out of my office!" She screamed as she pointed at the door. I closed my eyes wishing that the ground would swallow me.
"What office? I'm here to pick up my sister!" He yelled.
"What sister? Are you drunk?"
"Dareen, let them leave." I sighed holding her hand, but she flinched away quickly.
"Ethan... That's your brother?" Tears welled in her eyes as she clamped her hand on her mouth.
"Let me explain." I pleaded reaching for her hand, but again, she flinched away from me.
"What's going on! I can't understand anything!" Ethan shook his head.
"Ethan, take Alice and leave." I yelled, and he nodded already picking her up.
"Dareen, please listen to me."
"You're a liar, Elliot."
"We're leaving." Ethan said quietly as he walked out with Alice still half asleep on his shoulder.
"Step away from me." She closed her eyes, and I did as she instructed.
Sitting behind her desk, she started wrinting like a maniac then she printed the paper and walked out slamming the door behind her without even giving me the chance to utter the word.
What am I gonna do, now?