Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

"What are you waiting for?" Tina grabbed Rachael's shoulder. "Say it and then have the best s*x ever."

"Tina is right," Emma agreed. "Maybe he is mad because he feels a little insecure right now. I mean, he probably knows how deep your feelings were for Oliver back then. So maybe he thinks you are still into him."

Just then George entered the room.

Looking at the three women who had huddled together and were having a serious discussion, he raised his brows. "What kind of a serious discussion is going on here?"

Without waiting for their reply, he added, "Never mind, you don't have to tell me." He then looked at Rachael. "What is happening between you and Andrew? Both of you look so dull."

"What do you think is happening?" Emma remarked, "They are having their first real fight."

"Oh—is this why he is going to Paris tomorrow?" He curiously inquired.

"He is going to Paris?" Tina gasped.

"And you are not going with him?" Emma widened her eyes in shock. "Paris is the most romantic place, how can you not accompany him?"

"He is going there for a business trip, he said he will be back in a couple of days," Rachael explained. She wanted to accompany him but since he did not say anything, she thought it would be very awkward to just tag along.

"Andrew told dad that you will stay here with us until he is back," George added. "He also said that since he has to leave at 4 in the morning, it will be convenient if you just stay here tonight."

Rachael pursed her lips and frowned. She never agreed on staying with her parents in his absence, let alone not returning home with him.

"Did he tell this to dad?" When he nodded, she got up and left the room.

…..

[Downstairs]

After finishing the tea, Andrew kept the cup down and glanced at his watch. "I should leave, it's getting late." It was almost eleven.

"Are you sure you don't wanna stay here tonight?" Reeta asked. "You can leave early in the morning."

"That's alright, I have an early morning flight tomorrow, I don't want to disturb Rachael or anybody else," he politely turned her down again.

Pausing for a while, Andrew added, "Can you please call Rachael down?" Though their relationship was in a very cold state right now, he still didn't want to leave without seeing her.

"Yes, I'll call her." Reeta was about to go upstairs when Rachael came down the stairs. "Oh there she is—"

"I was about to call you," she told Rachael. "Andrew is leaving, you should see him off."

Rachael did not say anything, she kept looking at her husband who was still giving her a cold shoulder.

'Was he planning to leave without meeting me?' she thought as she approached him.

"Why didn't you tell us that you are going to stay with us for a few days?" Michael exclaimed.

"Your aunt Roma and her family are visiting us in a couple of days," Reeta informed. "It's good that you will be here too."

She then looked at Andrew and said, "You have to finish your work early and come here directly. You haven't met our relatives officially yet, we can finish that formality while they are here."

Andrew smiled and nodded. "I will try to come back as soon as possible."

"Alright, we shouldn't keep Andrew here for a long time. He has an early flight and he has to rest too." Michael looked at Rachael. "See your husband off properly, okay?"

She nodded and followed Andrew outside.

...

[Outside]

"So you are not taking me home with you?" Rachael inquired.

"I have a flight at four in the morning, I have to leave the airport by 2:30," he remarked. "It will be inconvenient to drop you here that early, so it's better if you stay here starting tonight."

Keeping quiet for a while, she said, "I did not even agree to staying here and you told my parents about it."

"Let me go home with you, I'll help you pack and—"

"There is no need for that," he interrupted her. "I just need to take a few things, I'll manage. You don't have to take any trouble."

"Trouble?" Rachael frowned. "Andrew, I am your wife, nothing related to you is trouble for me."

"You are so mad that you don't even wanna take me home with you." She grabbed his arm and looked at him with teary eyes. "What am I supposed to do?"

Andrew took a deep breath and sighed, "Spend time with your family, I'll pick you up after I come back." He did not answer her question, he chose to ignore it.

"You are behaving this way only because I met Oliver?" Without waiting for his reply, she added, "It was just a casual meeting, it was nothing."

"Casual?" He scoffed. "Do people cry after a casual meeting?"

Before she could say anything, he remarked, "Rachael, I really don't wanna know what kind of meeting that was. There are many things going on in my mind right now, I need some time to clear my head."

"Then talk to me Andrew," she tightened her grip on his arm. "If you don't tell me what you are upset and mad about, how am I supposed to know?"

"It's better if we don't talk right now," he stated. "I don't wanna say things which will end up ruining everything—"

"And you think the way you are behaving is not ruining anything?" Rachael snapped at him. "Look at us Andrew—can't you see what we have become? We were fine a couple of days ago but now look at what we have become."

"So you think I am responsible for all of this?" Andrew mockingly scoffed. "Don't try to shove all the blame on me Rachael, this would have never started if you hadn't met that ex of yours."

He gritted his teeth as anger and sourness slowly enveloped his heart again.

…..