Lumanti (Memory)

Birthday Present

"Hi Rianne", Aaron said curtly and Rianne responded with the same tone.

"Hi Aaron."

"So how have you been?", Aaron tried to be casual. They haven't talked with each other since Rianne shouted at him over the phone and told to stay away from Lumanti's life.

"Not bad. Yourself?" Rianne responded.

"Same here. Well you guys have fun then. I will get going,"

"Oh so you are not coming in?"

"Well, I don't know if T would like that." He said looking at Lumanti.

"Umm, no no its not like that. I thought you had work early tomorrow," Lumanti responded awkwardly, "please come in. three of us can have stay and talk like old times. Well for you guys, at least."

"Great, lets go in then. It is getting chilly out here," Rianne added.

As they settled inside the room, Lumanti turned the heater on and sat on one end of the couch while Aaron sat on ottoman near the couch and Ri curled herself with blanket in the couch saying, "Ok, let me be clear with you Aaron and sorry to be blunt. As you have now known what happened, I don't want you going around hurting her again. Don't mess up this time."

Before Lumanti could say anything, Aaron spoke up saying, "I am sorry Ri but I don't think you get to say that. You didn't even let me know what was going on. I deserved to know then. You could have at least told me what was..."

"And what would you have done anything different, huh. She didn't remember you." Rianne interrupted him in mid sentence.

"Not true, at least not on the night that I called, you could have told me at least where were you."

"Ok guys please stop. Let it go. I am better now, sitting with you two. I might start remembering things sooner or later, right? Can we please let this all go and start over," Lumanti intervened so that they could stop arguing.

"Ok, Ray and I am sorry Aaron. I know I should have told you but I was very mad at you."

"I get it. I am sorry too for not trying hard enough."

"But I am serious now, if anything happens this time, I am taking her as far away from you as possible."

"I think she has already planned that."

"What do you mean?"

"Well she is looking for work in Melbourne."

"What? Ray? When were you planning to tell me about it?"

Lumanti was now walking towards kitchen counter to get some water and while filling the water bottle she said. "I was just looking at the prospect. You know I have always wanted to go there. I have not applied anywhere yet." Rianne shrugged and looked back at Aaron and asked, "So Aaron, what did you get for your birthday?" referring to Lumanti's gift for him which she hasn't yet given to him.

"Oh, I haven't given him the gift yet," Lumanti confessed walking towards the couch.

"Wow that's a first. I thought you would have given some gift when you met last time" Rianne was surprised.

Aaron didn't say anything.

Lumanti said defensively, "Actually, firstly, meeting at farmers market was a spontaneous thing, so there wasn't anytime to think and in my head, I don't know him. Secondly I prepared a gift to give tonight but then decided against it"

Aaron was surprised hearing it, "What? I was not expecting any gift from you. You agreeing to see me was enough for me but you know what, now I am curious."