Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

He thought he could still ignore it but he realised that it was no more in his control.

Unknowingly, he had fallen for her to the point where nothing could be done.

Ben tightened her grip around her and kissed the top of her head again. Now that he was holding her in his arms, he understood that trying to let her go was a big mistake.

He couldn't do it anymore. He wanted to keep her close, always. He wanted to love her, pamper her and give her all the happiness in the world.

Yes, he wanted to love again. He wanted to offer his heart to a person again. And this time, maybe he is giving it to the right person.

Pulling away, Tina wiped her tears away. "Sorry for being so clingy, I—"

"You can be as clingy as you want." He smiled and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I really don't have any problem with it."

His words made her feel flustered but at the same time, she was finding the sudden change in his behaviour very weird.

She didn't know what had changed but she was totally loving this new soft side of his.

Was it too selfish for her to wish he would always be the same?

If she asked him to stay with her always, would he listen to her or would he push her away like he always did.

"Don't be so sweet to me." She looked at him with teary eyes. "I might ask you to stay with me forever."

Ben did not answer her immediately, instead he gently brushed his lips against hers. "You don't have to ask me to stay with you forever—"

Before Tina could overthink, he added, "Because I am not letting you go this time."

When she gave him a confused look, he remarked, "Tina, let's start dating."

…..

[Next Day]

[Watson Mansion]

When George came down for breakfast, he was surprised to see Rachael.

"What are you doing here early in the morning?" He inquired as he gave her a hug.

"What kind of a question is that?" Rachael scoffed. "Am I not allowed to come to my home as I please?"

George pursed his lips and frowned. "That is not what I meant— What the hell is wrong with you women? Why are you people so snappy?"

"I am not snappy, your question is stupid."

George was about to say something when Michael and Andrew came down from the stairs.

"Why are you both fighting early in the morning?"

"It's her fault."

"It's his fault."

Rachael and George pointed at each other at the same time.

"Dad—" Rachael rushed towards Michael and hugged him. "George is saying that I am not allowed to come here early in the morning."

"George, why are you trying to bully your sister?" Michael frowned. "You must be good to her."

"I never said that—" George defended himself.

"But you meant that only," Rachael remarked.

George gritted his teeth and looked at Andrew. "Control your woman, she is getting sly day by day."

In response, Andrew just shrugged his shoulders as he made his way towards the dining area. He was famished and had no time or interest to get involved in the sibling war.

He would rather concentrate on the delicious food his sweet mother-in-law had prepared.

"Alright now stop being so childish. You both are not kids anymore," Michael stated.

He then looked at George. "You are almost 31 and you—" He looked at Rachael and gently pinched her cheeks. "are almost 28."

"You both are adults so behave like one."

Just then Reeta came out of the kitchen.

"Why are you people not seated?" She frowned. "Andrew is sitting here all by himself."

Andrew looked at Reeta before taking a bite of the toast. "Mom, they are busy fighting."

Rachael: " "

George: " "

"Fighting?" She glared at her two kids. "Rachael, George—take your seats now."

Without wasting any time, both of them rushed towards their seats.

As soon as Rachael sat down beside Andrew, he started placing food on her plate.

"Finish everything, okay?"

She nodded and started devouring the food.

"Seriously, why are you both here?" George asked again. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes—" Rachael nodded. "We just didn't feel like making breakfast today. So when mom told us she was making this special breakfast, I invited us over."

Looking at the extravagant meal spread on the table, George curiously inquired, "What's the reason behind this extravagant breakfast?"

"Nothing special, I am in a good mood." Reeta answered.

"Did I come at the right time?" Emma approached them at the dining table. Looking at the delicious food, she gasped. "Oh my God, how lucky am I?"

She then quickly sat beside Reeta, purposely avoiding the empty chair beside George.

"What's the occasion?" Before anyone could answer, Emma looked at Rachael and gasped, "Are you pregnant?"

Her sudden question made Andrew choke on the orange juice he was drinking.

Rachael sighed and patted his back. "Are you okay?"

He nodded as he grabbed the napkin to wipe his mouth.

"Emma—" Rachael glared at her.

"What?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I thought maybe, I mean—"

"Just eat your food—" Rachael sighed.

As everyone resumed eating, Andrew leaned towards her. "You are not pregnant, right?"

"What do you think?" She raised his brows at him. Of course she was not pregnant.

"Maybe not?" He gave her a confused yet panicked look.

"No Andrew, I am not pregnant," she remarked. "But it's good to know where you stand in the whole pregnancy thing."

Keeping quiet for a while, he explained, "You know I am not against it, I would love us to start our family someday but not yet."

She nodded. "Hmmm, I know we are not there yet."

Thinking for a while, he whispered, "Let's start trying after a year."

And this time, Rachael choked on her food and Andrew patted her back.

While the couple were having their own conversation, two people were glaring at each other.

George looked at Emma. They hadn't talked to each other after their little argument. It had already been more than twelve hours and it was killing him.

He was still a little upset over the issue but not as much as he was yesterday.

He wanted to talk to her but at the same time, he wanted to continue their cold war a little longer.

After breakfast, Emma, George, Andrew and Rachael did the cleaning while Michael and Reeta left to visit one of their hospitalized relatives.

"No work?" Andrew asked George who was helping him clear the table.

"Afternoon meetings," he answered. "What about you?"

"No important meetings today so we will work from home."

After some time, Andrew said, "Things seem a little tense between you and Emma, is everything okay?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "We got into an argument yesterday. It was a little weird."

"Why don't you go and talk to her then?" Andrew remarked. "You clearly want to."

"Yeah but—" George pursed his lips and frowned. "I need to prove my point."

"What point?"

"Okay it might sound a little weird but Emma told me it's okay for her to message her ex and be in touch with him because they had a mutual breakup and apparently are on very good terms now," he explained.

"I didn't like it but when she kept insisting, I messaged my ex in front of her to prove my point," George added.

Andrew frowned and took out his phone. He then opened his DM with George. "Is this why you sent me this weird message yesterday which totally makes no sense?"

George quickly grabbed his phone and kept it on the table before looking towards the kitchen. "Dude, what are you doing? She can't know that I messaged you and not my ex."

Andrew sighed and helplessly shook his head. "You are weird."

"Well, she is weird too—" George grabbed the plates and walked towards the kitchen.

…..

[Inside the kitchen]

When he entered the kitchen, Rachael was washing the dishes while Emma was patting them dry before placing them in the rack.

George went forward and placed the dishes inside the wash basin.

"Rach, do you have an ex with whom you broke up on mutual terms?" He asked.

His question made Emma roll her eyes in annoyance.

"Well let's see—" Rachael pondered for a while. "I had two boyfriends in total. I dated one in highschool for a short period of time and then Oliver—hmmm, I don't have one."

"That's too bad," George sighed.

"Why so?"

"Because if you have a mutual breakup ex, apparently you can message him whenever you want and you can meet him too," he remarked. "Isn't that just lovely?"

"Oh my God, you are unbelievable," Emma snapped at him. "Will you please grow up?"

"I am already a grown up, I am almost thirty one," George remarked.

"Then stop acting like a teenager." Emma threw a napkin at him.

…..