8:
PAGE could not have imagined that as they approached the Hensons’ mansion where they would meet Don Vladimir Henson, there’s such an out of the blue intensity of nervousness, building up in her heart.
After all, she didn’t have to worry about what would happen later because Baby Sky is Blue’s child for real. Although, maybe, because she had to pretend to be his wife, she was nervous now.
I guess that’s normal because they didn’t get married in front of the don and the Henson family even if they say that everything that Blue will mediate between them is fake.
“You don’t seem to be at ease, Page, are you nervous?” Haya asked her. This is the one next to her in the backseat of the car that Blue is driving.
“Huh? Uh, somehow, somewhat- I dunno.” Shrugging her shoulders, she replied.
Haya laughed. “Calm down, what are you! Grandpops is kind even if when you see him later he looks like a villain in the movie.” Giggling, she said.
She just let out a breath. She’s right, she should calm down while there’s still time. While they are still a long way from the subdivision they will be treading located in the center of Metro Manila.
Well, yes, it is also true that the grandfather of these two looks like a villain in a television program. She used to see Don Vladimir often in business magazines. No wonder a businessman like this is famous. Not surprising either.
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” Blue said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror as talking to her.
She was shocked by the tenderness of his voice, her heart throb also. Yes, it is obviously because of the sudden gesture of Blue. Proof of what she felt right now was that something touched her heart when she met his blue eyes in the rearview mirror of the car.
“Grandpops don’t eat naughty beautiful Filipina,” he added.
Her eyes rolled, I guess that’s not a joke? “Huh?”
“He said, your skin is brown,” Haya said, in the tone of the explosion.
“Me?” She even pointed her finger to herself.
Okay, she knew even in her own ears that it was weird to hear her response but would someone blame her if she was surprised by Blue’s words at her? Gah, he threw a joke for the first time!
And oh, of course she knew she was beautiful but the awkwardness she felt when Blue said it was damn! Also she wasn’t aware that he could just let go of a joke like that while his voice and facial expression were serious …
Shit, you are saying things too much, Page!
But hey, why is her heart beating in an abnormal way just because of his stare earlier…? Ah, maybe because his joke has a slight tenderness…
“Anyway, I have to compliment your dress, that’s just right for you, Page,” Haya said.
She just smiled at Haya’s compliment. “Thanks, Blue chose it, by the way.”
Haya laughed again. “No wonder, that’s why your dress is a little conservative now, dear!”
The style of dress she is wearing now is conservative and she was surprised that it suited her. It was not a typical casual dress actually. It’s also beige and the style is a polo shirt dress. A butterfly style short sleeves, the length reaching beyond the middle of her thigh.
She just dyed it with another gold belt which is the color of the purse and stilleto that she chose to use to make it look better on the curve of her body.
“We’re close, be ready,” Blue announced.
And there it was, when she looked down the road they were on, she saw the vast mansion of the Hensons.
It seems to be the style of houses in Baguio. It’s amazing to see in the magazines but it’s really different when you see the huge house of Hensons in person.
“Baby Sky and I will go first,” Haya said when the car they were in was ready to park, “our baby is really smart, he didn’t even cry in the car.” Haya was still playing with Baby Sky, then immediately got out of the car when the door was opened which was in the habit of one of the obviously bodyguards of the Hensons.
Baby Sky is still fine, he is just quietly calm. It’s like he knew that he’s welcome in that house. It seems that he knows to himself that he is really a Henson so he doesn’t have to worry.
“I wish you all the best, Page,” she whispered at the back of her mind. Because when Baby Sky is calm, well, she’s in a reverse emotion.
She was not in her proper state of mind when she followed Haya down to the car so she was surprised again by Blue’s sudden words, “Careful,” speaking and holding her to her elbow! “Why do you look shocked?,” he asked when maybe he could feel her body freeze.
Caressing her own chest, she replied. “I-I thought the bodyguard would guide me and not you…”
He smiled. “What are they going to say if we don’t go inside together?”
Oh. Of course!
“Why, you’re obviously tense.”
“Uhm …”
Who wouldn’t be tense, when he took her palm without saying anything and anchored it to his own arm!
“I’m sorry, this is how it should be when the couple walks, Page.”
“Ah … yes, it’s okay,” she simply replied.
“If you’re wondering why I’m holding you now that I don’t feel anything, it’s because of the medicine that Doc Akilles injected into me.”
“I do remember.” It’s true, she did remember the medicine injected at him by the doctor who came to his house when he suddenly lost consciousness.
She also recalled that it was written in the agreement that she signed about his allergy every time a woman touched him.
Weird indeed, she had never met someone like this with such a condition.
She did research about his unusual condition but many results came out of her research and she didn’t know which ones caused him to have that kind of allergy.
Blue has an allergy to the touch of a woman. She didn’t want to think it was bad but what happened here when they first met was also bad. She even remembers how surprised she was when she saw the rashes and redness on his body before he lost consciousness. So as much as possible she tries not to touch him after that, not even to be with him nearly. She didn’t want him to lose consciousness again because of her.
“Blue, uhm, is it really okay for us to do this?”
Blue stop walking. Eye to eye he said, “I’m here, you don’t need to be nervous.”
“Hmn, can you promise you won’t leave you tonight?”
“No.”
She was blown away. “Geeez!”
Blue chuckled. “It’s not possible, you know, what if I have to go to the restroom?”
She was stunned, here he is again with his hornless humor!
“Oh, are you calm now?”
“What?”
“I’m sure you’ll be calm when you’re staring at me.”
She was amazed again at what he said! But this time, she hit him on his chest because … er, we women need to raise our flag. We can’t always be fragile, babes!
“You’re really crazy like your joke!”
He laughed softly at his blow. “I just want you to relax before you face them, Page.”
Relax? How’s that? How can her heartbeat relax when it just rumbles more when he faces her and his blue eyes seem to twinkle even more because they are surrounded by the glowing chandelier of their mansion…
“I want you to relax, first, because my family isn’t perfect, Page.”
“U -Uhm, there’s no perfect family …”
“I know, but the Hensons are more intense, I’m warning you now.”
“Y- You’re just scaring me more.”
“Nope, I’m just telling you honestly.” He frowned, “It’s embarrassing when they start arguing. They don’t even care every time they’re like that. I can’t even stand what happened last time when Red sent his girlfriend here-”
He could no longer continue what he was saying when she put one of her fingers to his lips. “Stop, that’s okay, Blue, I understand.”
Because if she only knew that her own family was even worse …
“Thank you for understanding.” He sincerely smiled at him.
She, on the other hand, laughed weakly so that she could let him know that she’s not nervous anymore. In fact, she gently pulled him on his arm which remained anchored to her arm.
“So, let’s go?” She even said.
“Wait, I have something here…”
“What …” Her eyes widened when she saw what Blue fished out from his pocket-a small box!
Hey, it’s a no brainer to know that it was a ring!
“We need a ring for formality.”
Of course. But does he even have to put it on her finger? And why can’t she resist? It was as if she could feel the tenderness of his hands into her palm… especially when he started to put that ring in her finger…
Why she felt that she wanted to scream right now even if he says that the ring was just for formality.
Even if it’s just a fake ring…