A Christian Romance II

Chapter 9 - New acquaintances

For some reason, the first week of the year always felt fresh for Michael, even if he had to deal with projects that had started in the previous year. He was starting the new year on a very special note because he was finally walking into the modern grey and white building where Debora's home was. He was more envious than nervous to encounter the man that she had chosen over him. He wondered what her type possibly was. For sure tall, dark, well-built, blue-eyed, and handsome, like him, was her type for one-night stands, but would she have a whole different marrying type of guy?

As he stood there waiting for the elevator, someone with rattling keys entered the building and walked in his direction. They discreetly eyed each other and shared a short and polite greeting. When the elevator finally arrived, they entered, Michael had to hunch, and he nervously pushed the button. The person next to him, however, remained in his position, smiling to the air.

"It looks like we're going to the same floor."

Michael who was numbly looking down, immediately lifted his head to look at the stranger who had had the nerve to break the silence.

"Do you also live here?" The stranger insisted on making conversation.

"No." Michael curtly replied.

Seeing that he'd have no success in that attempted conversation, the stranger gave up. Fortunately, the elevator had just arrived at its destination, and he began rattling his keys again. To Michael's great surprise, the stranger was headed to the same door.

"Wait! This is 177, right?" Michael questioned out loud.

The stranger who was now opening the 177 door, stopped what he was doing and looked back, intrigued.

"Uh, the writing is on the door." He replied. "Oh!" It suddenly hit the stranger. "You must be Michael Spencer, the guy of the Christian project." Seeing the doubt in Michael's face, the stranger gave further explanation. "I'm Debora's husband, Joel Smith!" He finally introduced himself, stretching his hand for a handshake.

Michael finally took a good look at the guy standing in front of him. This was Debora's husband, at last. What was there about this guy? In Michael's eyes, he looked so ordinary, that he came across as strangely familiar. It seemed so ridiculous to realize that Debora had traded him for this skinny little fella.

Debora and Joel found it fit to have Michael over for dinner once their work was done. And so, they set the table, while their guest occupied his mind rethinking of a strategy to wreck that happy home. When all three people sat at the table, and after giving grace, began to eat, the deliciousness of the food was so overwhelming that it distracted Michael from his objective for an instant.

"Hmmm..." Michael couldn't help but compliment. "You cooked this..., Debora?"

"Nuh. This was Mim." Debora replied, strongly compelled to burst out laughing. Cooking wasn't the best of her qualities.

"My sister." Joel cared to clarify. "She's moved in temporarily."

If this woman could cook that well for an awarded restaurant, more information about her was necessary, especially because Michael was having a hard time finding someone to replace the former Chef.

"She a Chef?" Michael asked, after swallowing his food.

"No," Joel replied right away.

"She should be one, though." Debora highlighted.

Michael inspected Debora for a while and then continued eating, distracted by the way he would address his history with her to Joel. When his plate was almost empty, he gulped his water, and after placing the glass on the table, he began by asking:

"You've not been married for a long time, have you?"

"For two years," Joel replied, feeling slightly ticked by that comment, but he ignored those emotions at that moment. "It's not a long time, but we have to start somewhere."

"And you met here in Australia?"

"We met and re-met," Debora replied, looking at Joel playfully. "We had a rough start."

"I thought you had met in Debora's home country." Michael thought that this comment would instigate some sort of discussion.

"No. We only went to Portugal on our honeymoon." Joel explained. "That was the first time I visited Portugal. Actually." He said matter-of-factly.

Michael was flabbergasted for a moment. "I didn't know you were from Portugal; I thought you were from the States." He commented.

"Why?!" Debora was slightly confused. "I've never even been to the States."

"You don't sound Australian at all." Michael declared.

"Unfortunately!" Debora truly wanted to catch on to that Aussie accent, but she couldn't. "But I don't sound American either, do I?" It was the first time someone commented on her accent for sounding American.

"You do have an accent, but not American," Joel added, discreetly placing a caring hand on his wife's thigh.

Michael was speechless for a moment. None of that information matched with what he had learned from Debora on their romantic encounter. He was confused. Plus, Debora and Joel were also speechless, so there was an awkward silence and atmosphere in the room.

Suddenly, a young lady entered the living room, dressed in her revealing sportswear. Distracted by the music in her earplugs, she made her way to the couch, totally ignoring that there was a stranger in that apartment. When she finally removed what was preventing her from hearing, Debora's voice on the background warned her of a guest. When she turned around and saw this acclaimed guest, she immediately felt naked. It had been a while since the last time she had heard revealed such details of her body to a stranger, either at home or in the street, only because she felt too insecure about her physique. Unfortunately, for Michael, he had had enough time to check her out and - against the young woman's wishes - her figure pleased him so very much, that his body immediately reacted to that sight.

The woman was so embarrassed that she crouched behind the couch, in a failed attempt to hide her body. She spotted a blanket next to her and wrapped it around her shoulders; this covered her silhouette enough, and thus she left the living room without emitting a word.

"Is this, uh," Michael had to take a drink, because he was feeling very warm. "Your sister?"

"Yes, Miriam Smith." Joel felt slightly strange to be there backing up his sister's odd behavior. "I'm sure, she'll come back for a proper greeting."

Michael preferred if this woman wouldn't come back to greet him. The sensuality he had seen in her was irresistible, and he needed to keep his Christian demeanor, at least before Debora. He was having a hard time taming the reactions of his body to the sight of this woman, still vivid in his mind; he urgently needed to leave that house.

"Look, uh..." He wasn't himself, "I must go."

Joel lifted up his head to look at him. "We still have dessert."

"Pardon me, but I must go." He looked at his phone, pretending that there was a notification. "Something just came up!"

"Oh... Ok." Debora was speechless.

"I will take you to the door." Joel announced, standing up.

"Alright!"

Michael tried to disguise the reactions of his masculinity as best as he could and walked out of the living room, behind Joel. As soon as he reached the exit door, he slid his feet into his shoes and rushed out.