Chapter 36 - Gossiping

"You won't believe what happened to me." I started hinting at a smile, she widened her eyes, surprised by my exclamation, maybe even surprised I was opening up to her.

"The day of my wedding, when I left. I had this crazy idea to go to a pub." I started, leaning forward and lowering my voice to be heard.

She stopped to scrutinize the menu to look at me raising her eyebrow as if she was even more interested to know.

"I met a popular wealthy CEO. And I got drunk so he said I couldn't drive and made me sleep to his place."

I stopped to clear my voice when I saw the waiter reaching out table for our orders.

She gestured to him later and then darted his gaze back on me. "You spent the night with him?" She raised her voice shocked and I shook my head.

"No, but we kissed in the morning after and…"

"No way!" She exclaimed, in total surprise. She closed her mouth with her hand and I didn't know if she looked more proud or surprised.

"And when I disappeared a few days ago…"

"You were with him!" She interrupted me to intervene and I nodded.

She started to giggle, "then I forgive you and I understood why you disappeared. I want to meet him."

I grimaced, "that the problem." I whispered.

"Is him a serial killer?" She interrupted once again and I exploded in a laugh.

Then I shook my head, "you probably know him. Everyone does beside me, his name is Cameron Collins."

"Cameron Collins! My friends are obsessed over him!"

Well, I didn't blame them!

"Please don't tell them or mom," I said, then turned around to smile at the waiter to make him deduce we were ready to order.

He walked in and after taking our orders he come back to pour some red wine in our glasses.

When he left Evelyn spoke again, "I won't tell anyone but are you like a thing now?"

Good question, "no, we are just friends." I said but just remembering the taste of his lips on mine made a smile curve my lips.

"Oh-oh. You like him." She said pointing at the hint of the smile on my face.

I shook my head, "I don't. However, he said he doesn't date."

"Maybe he will change his mind." She said.

She took some sips of her glass.

"How are things with Julien?" I asked, referring to her french boyfriend who had left to come back to France about one month ago. They are currently having a long-distance relationship.

The waiter put food on the table and after thanking him she replied, "things are going well. But I won't lie, I sometimes wish he would move here." She sighed.

They always spent a few months together then a few months in each other's country. I imagined it would be hard for both of them but at the same time, I thought it proved how strong and genuine their love was.

"One day you will move together I promise," I said to reassure her and covered her hand with my own. Then we started to eat and changed the subject to Carl.

"I always thought Carl wasn't for you deep down, but I never dared to tell you because I was afraid it may offend you." She said cutting the steak she ordered.

I put some oil and salt on my chicken salad and then looked back at her, "why you thought he wasn't for me?" I asked curious about her statement.

I always thought everyone in our family liked me and Carl together because we got along didn't have much drama going on between us.

"Just an impression about you two as a couple." She shrugged and continued to eat quietly as if she didn't want to dig in that matter more.

I didn't ask furthermore because the more I talked about my ex the more I felt the resentment forming in my guts.

"So mom came to me at work to tell me to get Carl back because I may have left the chance to meet for the rest of my life." I rolled my eyes and drank from the glass of wine.

"Because she left dad before marrying him and never dated anyone since then. She is afraid we will end up unmarried and single as well."

I knew that was my mother's main concern.

"I don't understand, she thinks our happiness will depend on a man? Or on a relationship? It drives me crazy to think she still thinks our value is given by the figure of a man in our future." I spat, very angrily.

My sister nodded, and I spot the usual involuntary twitch she did when she was a kid, scratching the tip of her nose whenever she felt discomfort.

"tell me about it." She whispered.

I appreciated my sister's support but I didn't understand how she would agree with me when she had been dating her boyfriend for several years now and she will probably marry him soon.

We order as dessert two slices of tiramisu and spent the rest of the evening chatting about the best moments of our adolescence and childhood.

I couldn't imagine I would end up having one of the best dinners in a while with Evelyn, I didn't even know why I was so worried when talking to her turned to be so automatical just like if we never stopped to talk.

Maybe there was still hope for us, maybe she forgave me.

"I missed you," I said after eating the cake, "a lot."

She smiled, her eyes smiled with her and she took my hand and shook.

"I missed you too." She said. "But please let's not allow life to get in the middle of our special relationship anymore. I don't want to lose you again. I need my sister right now."

My heart ached, she sounded so needy as if she was referring to something specific, whatever that was I didn't want to lose again wither.

I nodded, "I promise you."