Fire And Flame

Laura immediately looked front.

'Should I wish him?'

'No! But… it would be bad manners not to wish him.'

'Ah, I will just ignore him…'

As Laura was having these thoughts messing her mind… Joseph looked to his right. By mistake.

"Oh my God! It's Brandon Reynolds! Laura, look!!"

'Oh, WOW. HOW LOVELY. Did he just assume that I am blind?' Laura cursed her brother. What was the need of shouting out his name?

Brandon looked to his left to find a woman with her mouth and nose covered with a mask and a young man. He realised who the man was, he wasn't a man but a boy.

He waved his hand to both of them, Laura was thankful that she had her mask on, else Brandon would have seen how fl.u.s.tered she looked right now. She waved back at Brandon.

"Meet me over there." He gestured towards his right, indicating them to take a right turn from the traffic post.

'WHAT!?' Laura choked on her saliva. She was in her casuals. How can she meet?

She glared at Joe who was busy looking at his role model. Laura was now no one in front of her brother.

Brandon's Maybach took a swift right turn, followed by Laura's Mercedes. His car stopped in front of an ice cream parlour. Stepping out of his car, he smiled at Laura and Joseph.

'Please DO NOT smile.' Laura was in a dilemma...whether to step out or not.

Joseph stepped out of the car and knocked on the window, "Come out now."

Laura had no choice but to get out of the car.

"Why are you wearing a mask?" Brandon had noticed the black mask covering half of Laura's face.

"Just for fun, she said." Joseph was behaving like an adorable, obedient puppy who was following his master's every order.

"Huh?" Brandon gave a confused look.

Taking off her mask, Laura patted her cheeks, "I got a cold. Just in case I sneeze all of a sudden." Laura smiled at him without showing off her teeth.

Brandon had never seen the 'casual' Laura. Even in those casuals, she looked smart and beautiful. She looked a bit younger than her actual age though…

The messy bun and a few strands of hair falling on her shoulder made her look adorable.

"Would you mind having a cup of ice cream with me? The ice cream here, is quite famous. You can have a hot chocolate, Ms. Williams." Brandon looked at both Laura and Joseph.

"I mean, why not?" Joseph looked excited and happy like a kid who is given free ice cream.

"Sure," Laura smiled.

"What are you going to have? Vanilla or chocolate?" Joseph read all the available options listen on the menu screen.

"Two scoops of chocolate ice cream for me." Brandon gave an intense look to the menu screen as if he was fighting with his inner thoughts about what flavor to choose. But, chocolate was his favourite.

"Order the same for me as well." Laura couldn't control looking at different flavours of ice cream.

"But you have a cold, Ms. Williams." Brandon gave a worried look to which Laura said, "I sneezed for a few times, I am fine. Trust me. We met in the morning too, I am good."

She said without looking into Brandon's eyes.

'How cute.' Brandon thought to himself.

"Let me pay for this. Please." Joseph insisted to which Brandon couldn't say no. He noticed how Joseph admired him as a person.

Joseph went to order, whereas, Laura and Brandon were still at the table.

"You wore the mask because of the news, right?" Brandon was curious.

"Ah, yes. Sorry, I didn't want Joe to know about this. So, I made an excuse." Laura's cheeks turned red out of guilt and embarrassment.

"Understandable. You're bad at lying." Laura laughed at what Brandon said.

"I guess."

Joseph had just returned from the billing counter when he suddenly said, "Do you know it's Lily's birthday and Laura's birthday next Sunday?"

Laura turned ninety degrees to her left to face her brother. Why is he behaving like this?

"I see. Happy birthday in advance." Brandon smiled at Laura who looked completely shocked.

"Ah, I hope she celebrates her birthday with me. She never stays at home on her birthday..." Joe pouted. Brandon looked at him in confusion.

"She celebrates her birthday near the sea shore. It's been thirteen years now."

"Sir, your order." The waitress served them the ordered items, which made Joe stop talking further on the topic.

Brandon was curious and wanted to know more about it.

"So, yes, where was I?" Joe took a spoonful of vanilla ice cream before continuing.

"Seashore..." Brandon casually spoke not to sound desperate.

"Oh yes, she spends her birthday there… there is a small house where an old couple lives. They sell fried seafood for a decent living." Joe didn't notice the deadly stares from Laura.

"Let us not talk about this. I am old now. I don't celebrate birthdays." Laura said quietly looking at her ice cream cup. For some reason, she didn't feel like eating.

"Hmm..." Brandon had an amazing idea.