Arranged marriage: Skeletons(sequel)

Chapter 34

It had been two days and two nights since Riley last saw and spoke to Jennie. She walked into her room and searched for her phone. Baby Lily was sleeping in her crib so she had at least two hours. As soon as she found her phone, she walked out of her room and rushed downstairs with her keys in hand. On the way she met her mother.

"Morning dear, where are you rushing to this early morning?" she asked, curiously. Riley ran her fingers through her hair and thought of a lie as quickly as she could.

"To see Max," she blurts out, to which her mother smiles, immediately picking up on the lie but choosing not to comment on it. She nods quietly and walks away. Riley's eyebrows rise and fall as she watches her mother. Once her mother is out of sight, she exits the house.

The drive is an hour since she drives slowly, hesitating and nervous. The ride comes to a stop at a familiar gate as she parks and unbuckles her seatbelt. She fishes out her phone from her pocket and makes a call. The first ring goes unanswered, which leaves her feeling even more nervous. But she calls again.

"Riley?" comes a sleepy voice. She smiles but feel guilty for disturbing the latter.

"Did I wake you?" she asks, hoping that she will not regret coming to this place so early.

"Kinda, but it's okay. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah yeah. Everything is fine. I uh- I'm outside."

"Outside?" came a confused question.

"Yeah."

"Outside where?"

"Outside your house."

"Wait, are you serious?"

"Dead serious."

"Okay, give me ten minutes. I'll be right there."

"Okay."

The line goes dead. Riley sighs out a sigh of relief. Next, she calls Max who picks up immediately.

"It's 8am on a Saturday Riley," Max complains as soon as he picks up the call. Riley grins.

"And yet you're awake," she says, knowing that Max must have had breakfast already. He was supposed to be accompanying Melody to see her doctor for her monthly checkup.

"Well when you have  a girlfriend like mine, all you can do is obey."

"Where is she?"

"She's gone in, she should be out in a few minutes."

"Are you good?"

"Yeah man. Listen, Melody and I are heading to the mall for shopping later on, wanna join?"

As Riley thought about the offer, the door opens to the passenger seat and Jennie gets in with a small sigh. Riley looks at her and tries to fight back a smile at the sight of the girl still in her sleep wear.

"Do you wanna go shopping?" she asks Jennie, who looks at her confused but nods regardless.

"We'll be there," Riley tells Max.

"We?" he asks curiously.

"Yes, now bye,"  Riley responds, ending the call.

"Was that Max?" asks, fixing her nightdress. Riley smiles at her.

"Yes. How are you?" she asks, which makes Jennie smile. Instead of responding, she moves forward and leaves a chaste kiss on Riley's cheek. Riley's cheeks tint red before her lips break out into a smirk as she looks at the latter.

"Someone's been getting bold," she says, sounding impressed.

 Jennie grins smugly.

"I'm just a young woman who knows what she wants and goes for it," she says, meaning every word.

Riley's eyebrows rise in interest.

"And what do you want?" she asks, the mood in the car shifting slightly.

"You," Jennie simply says, maintaining eye contact. Riley blinks, not expecting the fast reply or the kind of response she gets."

"Oh," is all she says

Jennie grins, impressed for her ability to render the older woman speechless. She sits back and faces the front.

"Come on, take me out of here before my father sees us," she says, turning to look at Riley when she doesn't get a response.

"Riley," she calls her, the latter blinking back into reality.

"Huh?" 

"Drive," Jennie simply responds, smiling to herself Riley as hums and starts her car.

#######

"What will you tell your dad?" Riley asks the latter as they sit at the back of the car eating pizza, the car parked at a nearby park. Jennie shrugs.

"I'll just sneak back in and pretend I've been sleeping. What about you? What will you tell your mom and dad?" she says, biting into the slice of pizza in her hand."

"I actually ran into my mom on my way out. I told her I was going to see Max but I doubt she believed me." she says shaking her head.

"You're becoming a bad liar."

"Whatever, no one's gonna scold me though," Riley responds, cheekily. which makes Jennie roll her eyes.

"My dad is suck a control freak I swear," she says, which makes them both laugh.

"Have you met my dad?" Riley asks in between laughs. "That man is anti-Riley, for real."

"But he was so nice to me, you must've been on his bad kids list."

"To be honest, I wasn't exactly the best daughter nor was he the best dad. We were both going through some shit and just didn't know how to deal with each other," Riley says, the mood shifting from happy to serious. Jennie looks at her in concern.

"And now?" she asks, hopefully. Riley smiles.

"Now we're working on a father-daughter relationship, or at least  just getting along," she says, which makes Jennie smile.

"I'm really happy that things are working out for you Riley, with your mom back and all," she says. Silence fills the car as they continue to eat in silence until Jennie speak up.

"Where'd you leave Lily?" she asks. Riley's eyes widen. Jennie gives her an unimpressed look.

"Please don't tell me you forgot your own daughter."

"No wait, let me explain. She was asleep when I left. That being- hours ago, okay, I see it now."

Jennie facepalms herself and sighs before looking at the latter.

"I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't be apologising to me. Listen, I know that this parenting thing is still new to you, I understand, but please remember that you're all Lily has left. She needs you more than everyone else does, more than I do."

"You know, everyone is expecting me to just- bounce back. No one wants to know how I'm faring. No one has asked if I'm coping or not."

Jennie sighs, feeling remorseful for scolding the latter. She closes the box of pizza, picks it up and puts it to the side as she scoot closer to Riley. She takes her hands and kisses them both, Riley watches her attentively.

"I know, and I'm sorry. When we look at you we see this strong powerful individual, but we forget that you are also human and have feelings like the rest of us. I'm really sorry for that."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. From now onwards, I'll work on helping you instead of assuming that because you always take care of everyone then you don't need taking care of."

"I'll really appreciate that."

Jennie smiles and moves forward to hug the latter, Riley hugs her back and they stay like that for a while.