Marvels Of Fate

If Only You Knew

I power on my laptop, as I take another bite of the pasta that Carter has made for tonight. He usually doesn't make food, so today must be a special occasion. I've not gotten a chance to ask though, as he's in his study and one of his many rules is, 'don't disturb me while I'm in the study.' Therefore, I'll just get on with my work, until he steps out and decides to join me. First things first, let me check my e-mail. I click on the little icon, shaped as an envelope, and a whole bunch of emails - fan mails, publishing houses offers and a bunch of other mail - displays on my screen, unread. Sighing, I scroll through them, until my cursor lands on Liam's mail. 'Ticket!' the subject reads. Dejectedly, I open the email and scroll through it's contents. As promised, it contains a ticket attachment for LA, and the flight leaves exactly seven days from today. Not possible. Not at all. But maybe if I postpone some meetings and talk to Tyler, I could go...No, what am I even contemplating?! God, I'm thinking illogically.
"Evening." Carter murmurs against my ear, wrapping his arms around my neck. I touch his forearm with my right hand, smiling.
"Good evening," I say. Tilting my head to the right a bit, so that I can see him, I lower the screen of my laptop slightly. "How was your day?"
"Good. Lodge didn't agree to the contract, but he will. I have my ways after all." Carter gives me a sinister smile, immediately informing me that he's up to something dirty, yet again.
"Start playing by the books, before all this scheming bites you in the ass." I inform him, my tone dead serious. A couple of years back, I learnt that Carter doesn't play fair in his business. In fact, his business is anything but fair. He purses his lips and squares his jawline. A flash of anger passes through Carter's eyes, before his expression turns stoic again.
"What were you doing?" Carter asks, lifting the screen of my laptop, before I can stop him. I suck on the inside of my cheek in anticipation, as his eyes skim across the screen. Suddenly, he lifts my laptop off my lap and balances it on his arm, while he scrolls down. I mentally bang my head against a wall, as I wait for Mr. Landmine - my nickname for him - to blow.
"What's all this, Mus?!" Carter demands, glaring at me. He strides across the couch and takes a stand in front of me. Carter practically slams my laptop onto the coffee table and then turns back to face me, arms crossed across his chest.
"What?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "My friend wants me there for her delivery and last week of pregnancy, so she arranged for my trip. What's so wrong in that?" I don't know why I'm speaking to Carter in this manner, instead of telling him that I'm not going in the first place.
"You can't go! That's the problem. Don't you get it?" Carter scoffs. "God, Mus, you're always so selfish and absorbed in your own world that you don't see the need of others around you." I stand up, straightening up my shoulders confidently.
"You're not a child. I strongly believe that you can handle yourself for a week or two without me." My voice rises a few octaves, surprising me and Carter, as he lets out a gasp. "This is my life too! And I can go if I want, stay if I want." Why the hell is all this crap spewing from my mouth? I mean, I know this trip is unfeasible. Yet I'm arguing with my fiance over something so trivial? What's going on with me? I pass my hand through my hair, and stare at a corner. Was it because I heard Harry's voice? I don't know why, but I felt this weird energy enter my body after I heard his husky voice. Is it that? No, I must be crazy for thinking all this shit. Maybe I'm just tired and need to sleep, before I blow up any more than I already have.
"Don't test my patience, Mus. I already hate the fact that your work takes up so much of your time and I will not allow you to go on this trip." I narrow my eyes, a laugh of disbelief escaping my lips.
"Allow me?" I ask incredulously. "What the fuck do you mean, Carter? You can't stop me from going if I want." Forget if, I am going. That's it! Decision made. "You know what, I am going and there's nothing you can do about it." I turn on my heels and head over to the stairs. Carter's firm grip wraps around my forearm and he tugs me around, straight into his toned chest.
"You're not going, Mus. Period." Carter spits at me through gritted teeth. "We're a couple and we're supposed to make decisions together. Got me?"
"We're a couple, who're also not supposed to sleep with other people. But clearly, one of us isn't obeying that rule. Got me?" I snap back, my tone cold and void of any emotion. "I'm going to LA next week and tonight, you're sleeping on the couch."
"It's uncomfortable." Carter says, his tone suddenly lower and his voice sounds shy all of a sudden. Cat got your tongue, I want to ask him. He leaves my arm and takes a step back, his whole demeanor softening.
"You've slept on it before and I'm sure you can make do for another night." I turn back towards the stairs and jog over to them. "Good night." I tell him, without turning around. Not a word of opposition comes from Carter. I enter our room and slam the door shut, rushing over to my laptop bag. Hastily, I fish my phone out of the side pocket of it and dial Kate's number.
"Yes, Aunty Mus?" Kate answers on the second ring.
"I'm coming to LA," I say. Kate squeals on the other end and I hear her call for Liam.
"Mus is coming here!" She squeals again and then some shuffling is heard on the other end. "Okay, okay, excitement is under control." She takes a deep breath and comes back to planet Earth. "So have you packed?"
"No, I just made this plan. But I'll work on that." Mentally, I've already started making a check-list for the trip.
"Send me snaps of the clothes you intend to bring and I'll help you find the perfect outfits." A grin automatically spreads across my lips at the thought of meeting Kate after so long. I can feel excitement bubble inside me.
"Of course! I mean, I need the help of my pregnant fashion designer." I laugh, and so does Kate.
"It'll be great to meet you again, Mus." My best friend says sincerely, making tears prick the corners of my eyes, for some reason. "I really need to see you to know if you're truly okay or not." If only you knew, Kate.