Fire And Flame

She distanced herself from him for his own good. It wasn't easy for her to stay away from him for all this time. Seven years wasn't a short span of time after all. Now that he is finally coming back, Laura was excited as well as nervous at the same time. She was excited because she would be seeing him after seven years and was nervous because she was about to experience happiness after a long time. Lily was fun to be around though. She equally loved Lily, Eli, Kelvin and his family as much as she loved for the man she was waiting for.

Laura was drowned in her own thoughts, when suddenly she felt a sharp familiar pain in her arm.

"Ow… what!?" she looked at Lily with confusion.

"There he is! What are you looking at? He has already arrived. Now let us go!" Lily immediately opened the door and rushed to where the man was standing who was looking for someone familiar.

"Lily! I missed you!" He hugged Lily and looked at Laura who was standing not far from him. He wore a pair of white trousers with grey polo t-shirt, matched with white sport shoes. He looked handsome and cute at the same time as his hair was neatly combed back.

"Laura! I missed you too..." his nose twitched and turn red as he cried hugging Laura.

"Why are you crying? You're back. Stop crying now." Laura couldn't help but cry a little. Both of them hugged each other for quite a long time when suddenly Laura pulled herself from the hug.

Lily got emotional looking at them.

"Can you please stop crying now?" she wiped tears off her cheeks and smiled.

"Let us go home." she smiled looking at the tall man and then at Lily.

"Home… sweet home." He smiled.

His home is where Laura belonged to.

Kelvin rushed over to carry the luggage. As he was about to carry the luggage, he got hugged by the man.

"So happy to see you, Uncle K. You've grown old. But still handsome as ever!" he winked at Kelvin who laughed and returned the hug.

"We all missed you..." Kelvin was happy to see him back.

Kelvin drove off to home. All of them gossiped a lot on the way home. Eli welcomed the guest with all her love and hugs.

"See how tall you are now! My poor neck..." Eli was shortest of all. She hand to look up straight at the man because of the height difference.

"But look at you, you need more fats. You are so skinny." Lily and Laura's eyes popped out of the socket.

'Skinny!?'

He was perfect. He wasn't fat nor thin.

"She must get a new pair of eyeglasses." Lily whispered to Laura.

"I heard that, Lily." Eli glared at her.

"Let us go eat. We are hungry." Laura diverted the topic in order to save Lily from Eli.

The table was full with many dishes. The whole house smelled of delicious food. They had also invited Klevin and his family to join them for lunch and welcome the man, who returned after seven years.

Starting from starters, salad, main course and desserts, Eli cooked most of the dishes except the desserts which she ordered from a famous restaurant. All of them ate together, laughing and talking on various topics.

Next morning, Laura left for office early taking the man and Lily along with her. She had to meet Brandon for work. Lily was well prepared just in case an emergency meeting gets scheduled.

"Lily, take care of the office. I need to go now." Laura signed a few papers before leaving the office building. She had texted Brandon that she had to sign a few papers before heading to his office to which Brandon offered that he would come to pick her up from her office building. Laura accepted his offer.

"Laura, let me give you company." The man offered to which Laura nodded her head. She had planned to show him the whole office building but she had to leave.

"Okay. we'll have dinner together once I get back home."

But when they reached the reception of the office, they heard a news reporter report something very energetically.

"This is the photo we got this morning. Ms. Laura Williams, CEO of Hollen Consultancy Services was seen hugging a man at the airport. There are speculations that the man is her boyfriend. We will inform you as soon as we get some information regarding this."

The whole office staff turned around to see Laura standing with the same man. Lily happened to just have arrived and was shocked looking at the news channel.

"How ridiculous can they be? I'm gonna sue them for this." She cursed at the news reporter who had a thick layer of makeup on her face.

"You don't have to." Laura chuckled looking at the TV screen.

"Get back to work." She ordered the employees before stepping out of the building.

"Do I look that old to be your boyfriend? Geez!"

"I look young. Haha. " Laura teased.

She saw Brandon standing in front of his car wearing a grey suit, his hands inside the pockets. He looked charming and handsome like always.

He gave a charming smile to Laura who also flashed her beautiful smile.

"Don't tell me he is THE Brandon Reynolds..." the man was surprised seeing the eminent figure standing in front of him waiting for Laura.

"He really is." Lily giggled.

"Good morning, Ms. Williams." Brandon walked towards them.

"Good morning, Mr. Reynolds." Laura initiated the handshake.

"Good morning, Mr. Reynolds." Both Lily and the man wished at the same time.

"Good morning, Ms. Lily and Mr..." Brandon saw this man on the news channel earlier.

'Wasn't he the one?'

Joseph took his right hand forward for a handshake to which Brandon returned by shaking hands firmly,

"I am Joseph Williams. Nice to meet you, Mr. Reynolds." He smiled.