THE ENGAGEMENT.

SISTER DEAREST.

(In the very exact words of Kimmy Hers, "Don't be a silent reader and tell me what you think,"
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ROMAN...

The week went by with a blink of an eye, or at least that's what it felt like to me. I was getting the hang of my job. It wasn't the easiest with the so many responsibilities resting on my shoulders but I was loving being in charge. It was finally Friday, a new episode of 'Jane The Virgin' had been released. It was my favorite show at the moment. Carmen and I spent the months I was on sick leave watching each episode from season one back to back. There was something about the script that captivated me. The story line was unpredictable, one of the qualities of a good series according to me. Another thing I loved were the conversations between the actors, it is clear the writer is a talented one.

"Mr. Roman," I heard a squeaky voice call me while I locked the door to my office. It was Bethany Walter, the head of the marketing department. I must admit she was one of the prettiest ladies at the company. Each day she came to work was like a fashion show with those body hugging skirts and high heels she dressed in and the company corridors were her runways. All in all she was always smartly dressed. She walked towards me after realizing she had my attention.

"I need to ask a favor,"

"Yeah, sure,"

"I took my car for inspection and it was retained.....some issues with the oil or something. I realized we take the same route home.....can you please give me a ride home?..."

"I am so sorry for asking you....What is wrong with me overstepping my boundaries? I just thought that maybe since we take the same route then it would be," she continued.

"It's all okay haha," I cut her off laughing at the way she had started panicking.

"It's just that you were quiet so I thought maybe I was being inappropriate," she talked not looking me in the eyes. I never once thought she was the shy kind with the way she handled herself at work.

"I am actually leaving now. You ready?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I am," and we walked side by side to the parking lot.

I pressed the car key once my car was in sight so that we would find the doors open once we got to my car. Bethany sat in the co driver's seat while I took my place in the driver's seat. The drive was a quiet one as none of us seemed ready to start the conversation.

"So do you leave on your own or with family," I asked her to break the awkward silence occupying my car.

"I have been living alone but since my sister is back, it's two of us in my apartment.....she had gone on vacation,"

"Oh okay,"

"How about you?"

"I live with my dad," and I laughed.

"I am sorry for asking that. It's obvious you live with your dad," and she joined me laughing. Everyone at the company knew that since the accident, I had now moved to live with my father at his home.

Thirty minutes later she pointed at a neat looking apartment complex. I waited for the traffic light to turn green and when it finally did, I drove in to the parking lot right in front of the complex.

"This place is neat. I love it," I complemented the apartment complex.

"Thanks," she smiled shyly and opened the car door to leave.

Being the gentleman I am, I waited for her to get in to her apartment building before driving off. While I watched her, I saw another lady meet her half way through her walk to the building and she stopped. They stood for minutes arguing about something before the other lady walked to where I was parked. Bethany awkwardly followed her as if trying to stop her. Once the lady was at my side of the car, I lowered my windows.

"Hey, I am Eleanor," she greeted giving me her hand to shake. She looked pretty with two deep dimples on her pair of cheeks.

"Hey Eleanor," I greeted her shaking her hand. She stood looking me as if I had forgotten something.

"This is where you tell me your name," she reminded me.

"Sorry, I am Roman,"

"Sexy," she responded winking cutely at Bethany who was clearly embarrassed by this gorgeous lady's actions.

"I just wanted to meet the gentleman who had dropped off my sister," oh she was the sister Bethany talked about.

"It's nice to meet you too,"

"So are you guys like a thing....or a thing in progress?" she asked pointing her finger between Bethany and I.

"Eleanor, stop," Bethany pleaded.

"Haha, no, we are co workers. Bethany needed a ride home,"

"Mmmmmmh," was her response.

"I have to go now. Have a lovely evening ladies," and I drove off. I got home in time just as Carmen was turning on the TV. 

"When Jane Gloriana Vienueva was thirteen years old," the narrator started to speak as the long anticipated episode of 'Jane The Virgin' began.

ELEANOR....

I taunted Bethany all evening to tell me more about her 'hot' workmate just to piss her off. I was always the annoying sister.

"He is actually my boss you bitch," Bethany corrected me. Oops my bad.

"You embarrassed me asking him if we were a thing," she continued complaining while preparing to go take a shower.

"Sorry not sorry," I responded emotionlessly just to nag her even more.

"You're so infuriating," she huffed and entered the bathroom banging the door behind her.

"That's my nature," I replied loudly hoping she heard me.

The last three months I had spent on vacation with my close friends had relieved me of all the school stress I felt right after graduation. I now felt ready to join the work force with a clear mind but first I needed to get my own place to stay. I was an adult now and it was about time I fended for myself.

After the worst moment of my life, the divorce between my mom and dad, I became vulnerable more than ever. I was overly emotional and I drowned myslef in a spiral of breakdowns. I felt like nothing could ever change the way that I felt but then my dad re married three years later and I hated him for that because it made my realization clear that my parents were never getting back together. His remarriage earned me a big sister and a new mom.

Miss Laura, Bethany's mom already had her before marrying my dad. Apparently she got pregnant in college and Bethany's dad abandoned her, leaving her to raise her daughter on her own till she met my dad. By the time my dad married Laura, Bethany was eighteen and I was sixteen years of age. We were both unruly teenagers who never got along at all. We hated each other's guts and till this day we still do, the difference now is that we learned to tolerate each other eventually. Bethany joined college a year before me and after high school, it was my dad's brilliant idea to send me to the same college as her so when I got to UVU, she was my helper and guide and because of her I had the best time in college, until she graduated leaving me.

For most of my life I have been used to having her around, providing for me, getting me out of trouble, scolding me endlessly and generally being the best big sister I could ever ask for. It was time for me to start something of my own.
While Bethany was at work today, I spent my day searching for exquisite apartments on Zillow close to my father's company where I was to take over as CEO effective the following month. I had saved a few apartments that I would visit the next day.