English Version: Dandelions in the Wind

4

Charlotte laughed as she spoke, taking a glass of juice and sipping it elegantly. "I swear, some people can be annoying when promoting their beliefs. Do you know I was accused of being a slave trader at a party? I felt like I was living in the 1840s." She sat down in the vacant chair across from Marcus and Dionne. "Some of their beliefs can be so extreme. He said that riding horses is a form of slavery." She shook her head dismissively. "If my horse hated me that much, he could always throw me off. I wouldn't complain."

"It's true. One time, Charlotte was thrown off by Spartan, her pet horse. It almost broke her ankle. She didn't get mad; she wanted to cuddle it like a child. The horses are too spoiled by her," Marcus confirmed to Dionne with a laugh.

"What about you, Dionne? Are you picky in food?" Margaret inquired.

Dionne shook her head. "I'm not particular about food."

"Great. It's good to know. I'm not against them; forcing your beliefs on someone else is rude. It's a bit annoying," Charlotte replied with a smile. "How did you two meet? Did my brother use any of his cringey one-liners on you?" she teased. "I always tell Marcus to stop doing that. It's cheesy."

"He never used any lines on me. He always told me I was too direct. And he's been nice; we met at an exhibit. He bought a lot of paintings from one of our artists," Dionne shared.

"The truth is, I only bought those paintings because I wanted to see you in person," Marcus confessed, his cheeks tinting slightly with a blush.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters? Any children from a previous relationship? Any ex-husbands?" Charlotte asked directly. "Ouch!" Her face winced as she felt a gentle kick from Marcus under the table, shooting a glare at him and laughing mischievously.

"Don't mind her. She's just kidding," Marcus assured Dionne.

Dionne smiled as she sliced into the strawberry cake with her fork. "I work at an art gallery. As far as I know, no siblings, children, or ex-husbands."

"Since when have you been interested in artwork?" Margaret curiously asked her son. "Aren't you usually into cars or business related to your restaurant?" She gently took a napkin and dabbed at her lips.

"Since he met a beautiful woman he likes," Charlotte interjected.

Both their cheeks flushed. Dionne felt the temperature seem to rise despite the veranda being airy and the breeze cool.

"Stop teasing your brother! You're embarrassing him. Look, he's blushing," Margaret gently scolded. Charlotte, smiling, took a sip of her orange juice. "I know, right?"

"Dionne works at the Flavell Museum; that's where I met her," Marcus explained.

"Oh?" Charlotte responded briefly, her expression souring when she touched her nose, not escaping Dionne's notice of her slight frown.

"It's near your office. Have you ever been there?" Marcus asked.

"Not that I'm aware of. Maybe I'll visit someday? If Dionne doesn't mind?" Charlotte said, slowly twirling her fork over the cake.

Dionne bit her lip upon hearing Charlotte's response. "S-sure, just let me know." Their eyes met briefly before Dionne looked away first. "The gallery is always busy during holidays but is usually quieter on weekdays. I'll give you a tour."

"I'll be looking forward to it." Charlotte smiled.

"So, how long have the two of you been dating?" Margaret inquired. "Are you planning for your future? Are you going to have kids?" she asked without hesitation, "How many months?" she probed further.