RAISED APART

CHAPTER 14- A WAGER

                     After a few poses and some clicks, Luther handed her the camera to see for herself the portraits he had captured.

"They look beautiful, thank you." Diana said.
"Quite A Surprise Such An Old Camera Would Be Able To Capture So Well? This Was The Best In It's Time, I Had No Idea They Still Existed."
"Hmm, It was my father's." Diana said.
"You Should Get A New One Though, They're Much More Mordern And Wonderful."
"Maybe I Will. Do You Know Where I Can Get One?"
"Yes.
"Can You Take Me?"
"No. I Have A Really Busy Schedule."
"How About On Weekends? Saturday?" Diana asked, pleadingly.
"Okay then."
"Thank you so much." She smiled at him.

        The next day, Diana had to take an excuse from accompanying Vivian to the bakery as usual.

"I have an appointment with Luther today."
"Oh is that so?" Vivian asked with narrowed eyes.
"Yes, he intends to take me on a shopping spree."
"That's wonderful I'm so happy for...."
"For a new camera." Diana cut in, realizing her friend was taking it the wrong way.
"Urgh! That damn camera of yours!" Vivian said disappointedly and Diana laughed.
"Oh well, I have to leave now, take care!" Diana said before leaving Vivian with her husband.
"Darling I do hope something sparks between those two lads. I really do. Poor girl has been through quite a lot and you know how things are at Netherland. Vivian sighed, concerned.
"If it's meant to be then yes but if not there's nothing we can do."
"Ofcourse we can!" Vivian snapped, an idea building up in her head.
"Oh love please..." Mark said, tiredly.
"Just you wait, am I not the most famous marriage wager in Netherland? Have I not seen to it that many young lads are married today through the help of my show? How could I not have thought of this? I know what I'll do with the power of coincidence. Yes!" She exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.
"Listen honey I'm willing to place a wager on this."
"Interesting." Vivian smiled. "If I manage to get those two married, you'll pay me exactly ten thousand!"
"Make it twenty, cuz I know you'll end up losing." Mark grinned.
"How well you underestimate me."
"So what do you intend to do? Keep setting up scenarios so their paths would keep crossing?" He asked.
"Oh darling you know me too well."
Vivian smiled before running off to catch up with Diana.

             Apparently, Vivian had given her the address to Luther's office and Diana being a smart person was already aware of most parts of the city so it wasn't a problem finding it.

            Arriving at the Press Company, Diana had to check with the kind secretary at the front desk. She flipped through some files and found an supposed appointment with Diana and she was given directions on how to find his office.
          Diana was quite surprised as she wasn't expecting him bother considering their meeting as an appointment but anyways, she kept walking up the stairs until she finally found his office.

"Knock!Knock!!"

There was no response.
            Diana opened the door and found that He wasn't there. She decided to sit around the cozy office. A few minutes later, her curiosity had caused her to move around and have a look at the foreign things around her. She even took a few pictures. Before flipping through some files where she could see pictures of bomb sites, news reports, houses and other information.

"He had taken all these, I still have a long way to go and three months would barely be enough." She thought.

        Just as she was about to go back to her seat, she noticed a shiny silvery object reflecting from on top of one of the shelves.What could that be?

             Reaching out to it, she found out it was a pistol and a knife wrapped in a white handkerchief as if the sight of a pistol was scary enough, she unwrapped the handkerchief to see the blood stained knife and it all made her feel nauseous.

Was she in the wrong office? What was all this? Why does Luther have a blood stained knife in his office? As she pondered on all this, the door went open.

"Diana?!" Luther called out, surprised but mostly upset.
"I'm sorry... I...I didn't mean to disorganize things." She stuttered as He swiftly took the objects from her and placing them back on the shelf.
"You Come Into Someone's Office And The Best Thing To Do Is Search Through Their Privacy?" He asked, angry.
"Oh no, that wasn't... I...our appointment..."
Luther sighed, calming down. She was nothing but a naive girl maybe He shouldn't make such a fuss.
"Was That Today?"
"Yes."
"Wait outside. I'll be out in a minute."
"Ofcourse." Diana said hurriedly leaving the office, waiting for him by the reception and in exactly five minutes He appeared in front of her.
"Shall We?"
"Yes, let's go"

          It was a short drive to the plaza and when they arrived, the both of them got in immediately started looking around. Diana was amazed to see so many types of camera some big, some medium and some small sized.

"Well? Pick Your Choice." She heard Luther behind her.
"I'm just so...confused. Can you help me out? I mean you're supposed to be an expert so whichever you go with, I'm fine by that." She replied.
"Hmmm, I Have A Few Ideas But First Let's Look Over There....."

          Diana was marveled by the way He glided freely and so experienced with everything although the smiles she had seen him share with Vivian and Mark at the beach we're completely gone. The carefreeness was all of a sudden replaced with formality and rigidity that Diana had to conclude He was only pretending around Vivian and her husband or probably they were the only ones He was like that towards? And what about the blood stained knife in his office? The thought caused a cold shiver down her spine! After getting a Camera for Diana, they both decided to grab a quick bite by the nearby cafe.

"I'm Sorry I Yelled." He started.
"It's no problem."
"The knife was .....a confidential specimen from a crime sight I had just covered yesterday. He added."
"Oh.." Diana sighed. "But...shouldn't they be with the officers?"
"I plan to by the end of today." He said, casually.
"And the pistol?"
"That's Mine."
"Oh....?"
"Yes."
"I see. In any case, thank you for today. It was nice meeting you." Diana stood up, stretching her hands for a handshake.
"You too,Have fun in Russia."
I will. Replied Diana before they parted ways.

          When Diana got home, Vivian was all over her asking for details as if she went on a date. No joke! The new camera she got was so much more better than the latter and one thing she loved most about it was it's mind blowing zoom feature.

          Two days had gone by and Vivian informed Diana that she would be holding a party tonight.

"I need you to help my prepare, lots of important guests will be there." She said
"I do love parties. I grew up organizing them for my Grandpa." Diana said.
"Lucky for me, you're experienced."
"What are we celebrating?"
"Nothing special really, I just want to get everyone together and have a good time." Vivian said when really she was actually doing this because she wanted a space where both Diana and Luther would be together. What better way for love to spark than at a ballroom dance? It was the perfect opportunity. She thought.

       Meanwhile, Luther had just got back to his apartment where he immediately dialed the landline.

"Hello?" There came a reserved voice on the other end
"What was the meaning of the crap you pulled at my office?"
"Office? Ah Luther! You've truely deserted us haven't you? We need you back."
"Listen Dimitri, this should be the last time, I get one of your annoying pranks. Someone who saw that almost thought the worse of me!"
"Who cares Luther? I sure hope they banish you from the wretched place if that is what it'll take to bring you back to your senses."
"Since when did you ever care?"
"You know I don't but for Mother's sake keep your head out of the clouds. You realize you have a responsibility here. What about the army?"
"I made a Lieutenant stand in for me before I left."
"And you told no one about this?"
Luther sighed, tiredly.
"Do send my greetings to Mother for me."
He said briefly before hanging up on his brother. He needed a long break from everything and these people just don't understand him. How frustrating!

      Just then He got a letter from the mail. It was Vivian's invitation to her partly at 10pm tonight. As much as he detested parties, how could he refuse the Remivozs when they've been all and kind to him.