Web Of Lies

Chapter 39 ~•~ The Chronicles Of Blackmail

I'd lost count of how long it had been since I spoke to Luke so I was taken aback when he entered the room and spoke while I was going over a document. Stephen arrived two days ago."
Okay," I muttered.
"He's going to officiating the wedding so he wants to have dinner with us this evening."
"Okay."
"That means we've got to start talking and your response can't just be okay."
"Okay," I replied.
He glared at me. "I'll try my best but I genuinely don't know what to say to you."
He sat down next to me. He closed the laptop the placed it on the nightstand on his side of the bed. "How are you?"
"Seriously?"
"Answer the question."
"Tired but I can't sleep. You?"
"Why can't you sleep?"
"Doesn't matter. How are you?
"I'll answer the question when you answer mine."
"Because I've never met someone more confusing thanyou."
He chuckled. "Now answer my question. How are you?"
"Confused," he said with a serious expression but Iknew he was just trying to be funny so I couldn't help but laugh. 
"Why are you confused?" He asked. The doorbell rang so he thought he was saved from answering the question but I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back onto the bed. "We both know that I am stronger than you."
"But we both know that I know how to get back onto the bed. I'll let you go as soon as you answer the question. Why are you confused?"
"It doesn't matter, Karina. I was just joking."
"I know when you're lying: Remember."
"Because I don't know whether t o sleep downstairs until we've parted way after the marriage or pin you in bed."
I didnt know what to say. "I'm going to see who's at the door." I got up from the bed and awkwardly stepped around him seeing as he was still standing at the bed. I opened the door for Chris. "Hi," I said quietly. "Luke's upstairs."
"Okay. How's you?"
"Okay. You?"
"Not too bad. The kids are having lunch with mum so I thought I'd come over to annoy Luke."
I would've laughed but I was seriously not in the mood to even fake a laugh. "See you later," he said. I nodded. 

My handbag was in Luke's car that was unlocked. I grabbed it and thre it onto the passenger's seat beside me in my car. I spent some time reading Wuthering Heights on my Kindle in the park. I returned to the house at quarter-past four. Luke was in the kitchen making himself a cup of coffee. "Hey," I said while smiling at him. He returned the smile. "Is Chris still here?" I asked.
"No. He left about ten minutes ago."
"Okay. What time are we having dinner with your uncle?"
"He booked a table for seven o'clock."
"I'll go up and start getting ready."
"Sure."
I didn't know the atmosphere of the restaurant we were going to so I stepped into a dark blue denim jumpsuit matched with black suede platforms. Therefore the outfit was a mixture of formal but also casual. I let my hair down and straightened. I allowed it to rest in from of my shoulder. The only makeup I wore was mascara, eyeline and clear lipgloss. I returned to Luke. It didn't look like he'd touched his coffee. It was just about two hours until seven. "Are you okay?" I asked quietly.
"Yes," he replied firmly.
"I just needed some fresh air."
He nodded. "At least we're back talking so I'm sure my uncle won't be suspicious."
"Yeah. What time are we leaving?" The traffic's usually bad at around six o'clock so considering he wants us there at seven, we ought to leave at six o'clock."
"Six o'clock! The traffic can't be that bad."
"It is. We'll more than likely be stuck at a red light for more than half an hour."
"Right then." I went into the living room and switched on the TV. Luke's Netflix account was already open so I scrolled through a couple of TV shows that were about twenty minutes per episode. I landed on Friends. Once the first episode ended, we had to leave.

Luke wasn't joking about the traffic. It was four to seven when we were finally parked behind a restaurant called Emerald Olive. I'd never been to it before. My heels were already killing me so I was a great distance behind Luke that seemed to be deliberately walking faster than usual. He waited for me at the restaurants front glass doors. He unexpectedly held the door open for me. "Thanks," I said quietly but it was loud enough for him. The table was booked under Stephen's name. He was patiently waiting for us with a glass jug of cucumber water in front of him. He stood up to hug us then pull out my chair. "Thank you," I smiled gratefully.
"How are you?" He asked both of us. I looked at Luke from the corner of my eye. "Confused," he replied casually. My mouth dropped open. Stephen chuckled. "Why's that?"
I kicked Luke under the table in hopes that he wouldn't reply with the same answer he'd given me back at the house. "Just with all this wedding stuff. It's hard to decide who should be in the wedding and who should be invited."
I stared at him. He stared back at me. I could tell he was struggling to keep a straight face. Stephen chuckled. "Try not to worry too much about that. The only thing that matters is that you are getting married: Even if it's on a farm."
I laughed. "What about you? How are you?" I asked Stephen. I didn't want him to ask me because I had no idea how I was. Fortunately the questions he asked us were similar to the ones we'd been asked at the immigration office. However, there was one question that hadn't been asked in the immigration office and I wasn't expecting him to ask. I looked at Luke. He smirked. It was obvious that he was going to leave me to answer the question. I was burning red. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to embarrass you or make you uncomfortable. It's just one of those questions that comes up; especially when we're going to be referring to the Bible like you requested. "Umm-" We hadn't so I don't know why I was having a hard time simply replying with the truth which was no.
"I accidentally left my Bible in the car but I have a Bible app on my phone if you'd like me to explain it."
"Sure," Luke replied quickly. I kicked him under the table again. "So first Corinthians, chapter seven, verse three: "But since sexualy immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her husband." It's just simply saying that sexual relations should be between a husband and a wife. After marriage. "Whatever the answer is, I am still more than ecstatic to officiate the wedding."
"Yes and no," I finally replied. Luke quietly chuckled next to me.
"She means one of the only things we haven't had is intercourse."
My strayed down to my menu. We already had starters. I had three spring rolls but none of us had chosen our main course. "Okay. That's fine. And would you like me to include scripture from the Bible."
"I don't mind." I looked at Luke for approval. He nodded. Stephen and Luke were casual as if we hadn't gone through an awkward conversation. "You know what you're having, Karina?" Stephen asked.
"Yeah. I'm just gonna have the carbonara. You?"
"Same."
We looked at Luke. "The ten ounce steak with chips and peppercorn sauce."
We ate in silence once the food arrived. I was way too full for dessert so it was just Luke and Stephen that had some. Luke had a warm brownie with vanilla ice-cream and Stephen had a banana split topped with cherries. Considering that Stephen had organised the dinner, he was very adamant to pay for the dinner. He allowed Luke to pay for the tip, however. "I can't believe you said all of that to your uncle," I said to Luke once we'd parted ways with Stephen and were now in the car. He laughed. "Would you have preferred it if I lied to him?"
"Yes. That's what we've doing all this time."
He shrugged. I sighed. There was no sense in arguing with him. I headed up to bed as soon as we entered the house. He went into the living room. I heard him switch on the TV. Fortunately, today was one of those rare days that I managed to fall asleep without my head filled with unwanted thought. I didn't have work tomorrow so I was excited to sleep in.