Fur Cara

Chapter eight

Caroline was walking on air. Even her mother's threat of punishment could not bring her down.
    "You are glowing this morning." Agnes had commented with a smile the following morning.
She was happy and it showed. After Kelvin's confession the previous night, she had entered into her personal heaven. He did not need to ask her orally to be his girlfriend. Their relationship simply flowed from friendship to something more intimate.
They went out on dates, quiet simple ones where they could laugh, fan over each other and steal kisses. For Caroline, it was bliss.
For Kelvin, nothing could have been better than the feelings he had for Caroline. It had felt wonderful to admit that he loved her. It sounded good, and it felt good to be with the woman he loved without having to pretend that he didn't care too much about her. He had gone out with some girls at some point in his life but he had never been as enamored by a woman as he was by Caroline.
On a good day, they lay next to each other beneath a large tree that served as cover in a secret spot that they had discovered.
    "What do you think will happen if your mother found out about us?" Kelvin asked staring up at the leaves that hung on the tree branches.
Caroline turned her head to face him. She took in his strong profile and the way his brow furrowed whenever he was in thought.
    "She would be mad." Caroline said truthfully. "So angry that she would probably rip us apart but she'd get used to it."
He turned to face her.
    "I don't think she would like that."
    "She has to deal with it."
    "What if she asks you to break up?" That thought sent a pain through him. He was so used to her that he could not imagine what it would be like without her.
Caroline propped herself in her elbow to get a better view of him.
    "My mother doesn't determine what I want to do or not do. This is what I want. You are what I want." She leaned in and pecked him on the lips. "So don't worry about it."
He smiled but the worry remained in his eyes.

    "What's going on between you and Cara?" Agnes asked Kelvin as she sliced vegetables. Caroline had been in the kitchen seconds before and she had felt the attraction between them.
    "Nothing. We're just friends."
    "Just friends." Agnes repeated. "Well, I've seen the way you both look at each other and it's not the way a friend looks at a fellow friend."
Kelvin fiddled with a napkin. "Our friendship is a little more than friendship."
    "Don't play word games with me child. I know what I see. I would wish I could tell you that it was okay to go out with Cara, but it's not. If you even look at her the wrong way, it's trouble. Don't get too involved Kelvin."
Caroline had forgotten all about Mikhail Pritt until her mother told her he would be coming over to have dinner with them. He arrived at exactly six pm, elegantly dresses and smelling like mint. He brought a bottle of wine and a bouquet of roses that he presented to Caroline with a peck. Her mother was as always, the perfect hostess and her father was welcoming and addressed him as 'son'. She remained polite and behaved in a way that pleased her mother.
Mikhail was pleasant company. He was easy going and made the atmosphere lively. He had a confident smile, one that came from being born and bred in wealth. She learnt that he had spent all of his childhood abroad which explained why she had never seen him when he was little.
Dinner went well and even her mother marked it as a success. Before he left, he made Caroline promise to have dinner with him the following day. She reluctantly agreed solely because she was trying to be polite and not to please her mother. Besides,  she was fond of him.
However, Kelvin did not share the same fondness.
    "You're going to have dinner with some guy?" Kelvin asked with anger when she informed him the next morning.
    "He's not some guy. His name us Mikhail and he's the son of my mother's friend. I couldn't just reject the invitation.
    "And I bet he's a rich one."
    "That has nothing to do with this."
    "You realize that I'm the one to drive you there."
    "I know that and it doesn't matter."
    "Your boyfriend happens to be the one to drive you to some restaurant to have dinner with another guy. Hoe does that sound to you?"
    "I think you're over reacting." Caroline said. "It's just dinner."
    "Right." Kelvin replied sarcastically.
    "Don't be sarcastic. I've accepted the invitation and I'm going." She stood and picked up her bag.
    "I hope you have fun." He said.
    "I will." She replied and stomped off to her next class.

That evening, Kelvin drove Caroline in silence to the restaurant where she was to meet Mikhail. He was angry at the fact that he was jealous. He was also scared. Scared that she would see that he was not good for her. He could not take her to a fancy restaurant because he could not afford it. He could not give her the things that she was used to getting.
He parked and she got out. He watched her walk into the restaurant. She looked beautiful in skin tight leggings and lemon couloured jacket. Her hair was left loose and she wore no accessory but a wristwatch.
Through the glass walls of the restaurant, he watched Mikhail rise to greet her with a kiss on the cheek. He could see that Mikhail was a fine looking man, expensively dressed, his fair hair gelled back from his face.
He said something and Caroline smiled. Unable to watch them, he tried composing songs in his head. He did this for the next two hours before he finally saw them exit the restaurant. Mikhail laid a hand on Caroline's back as they walked back to the car. They stopped a few feet away and Mikhail reached out to brush Caroline's face with the back of his hand. It was an innocent gesture but one that Kelvin was not comfortable with.
Eager to have them apart, he stepped out of the car and walked towards them.
    "Excuse me. Sorry for interrupting." He said in a formal tone. "Caroline, I think it is time to go home. It's getting late."
    "And you are....?"
Mikhail asked. He looked irritated by Kelvin's interruption.
    "Mikhail, this is Kelvin. Kelvin, meet Mikhail.
None of them made any move to acknowledge each other. They looked like two wrestlers sizing each other up for a fight.
    "Aren't you the driver?" Mikhail asked in a demeaning tone that Caroline disliked.
    "I think Kelvin is righ. It is late. We're leaving now.
Mikhail who was taken back by her cold tone raised an eyebrow.
    "Sure. Call me when you get home."
She did not nod or bid him goodbye but simply turned, walked to the passenger side and got in.
Kelvin and Mikhail stares at each other for a few seconds in silent challenge before Kelvin turned around, went to the car and got in. Mikhail watched them until the car was out of sight.
    "He has some nerve calling you a driver." Caroline remarked.
    "But he is right. I am the driver." 
Caroline didn't push it. She was having a headache and was in no mood to get into an argument so they made the drive home in silence. At the garage, they got out of you he car and Kelvin walked to the other side and engulfed Caroline in a hug. She was stiff at first but relaxed into his embrace.
    "I'm sorry for the way I acted." He murmured.
She put her arms around his waist. "You better be." She said.
He smiled and pulled back to look into her face. She looked up at him, her expression open,  her eyes loving.
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her slowly, tasting, savoring, exploring. She yielded to him letting go of all restrictions.
When he pulled back from her, she smiled. He took her hand in his and they  turned to go to the mansion. That was when they saw Charlotte Benson standing as still as a stature and staring at them.

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