Chapter 7

Lydia

Weekends meant everything for me. A time to shop for microwaved dinners, a time to stalk my ex on I*******m, a time to walk Oggie in the park, a time to sit back relax on the couch and stress eat over how much ugly I was becoming and how I would die lonely with Oggie's graveyard right beside me but this weekend turned out to be a nightmare.

It was only noon yet I felt that with so much chaos going on the day was at its peak. To start with, my parents who surprisingly decided to stay in LA at my uncle's place for a month wanted to get to know 'Justin better'. My mom seemed sincere but dad?

He was still the same man who chased my suitors from our home with a rifle and the way this was going I think both the fake Justin and the real Justin would be killed by him. Now to start off, when I told Cornelius to wear a disguise so that he wouldn't be recognized as the famous billionaire Powers, I didn't expect him to show up with a fake stubble (claiming he hadn't shaved for a while)faded jeans that seemed to have undergone regular visits in the washer and worse of all...

Order pink wine.

.

In 2002 Texas my dad had constantly repeated these words to me, if it ain't red then it ain't fine wine. A firm confirmation that in no way did Texans like pink wine. And by Texan I meant dad.

We were currently in a restaurant having lunch as per my parents' wishes. With them across the table, I was huddled up with Cornelius with a sundress barely reaching my knees. Dad kept throwing dagger like stares at Cornelius and I bit my lip in hope that my lies wouldn't surface.

"So Jacob what do you do for a living?"dad asked  and I felt the urge to correct him that his name was Justin.

"I'm a sales executive at a local sports store,"he grinned and I held the napkin on my table tightly thanking God that atleast he said everything according to how we practised over the phone.

"To be clear you sell tennis balls for a living?"

"Harry?!"Mom gasped slapping his arm angrily.

"What? That's what he said right? Or did I fail to mention the golf balls too?"

Coming to his rescue, I smiled nervously, "Dad, I'll let you know that Justin owns that sports store and he earns a lot from it. It's not just about selling tennis balls but he manages the whole business and I'm proud of that"

I held his hand on the table and he was quick to cup my right hand in both his hands. The drama went on when he took my hand snuggled it up to his mouth and kisses the back of it. It was like a freaking soap opera.

"And that's why you are the only woman for me, babe,"he smiled giving me a wink.

Ooh this bastard was good. Even mom seemed wooed by the whole thing while my dad grunted and muttered angrily under his breath calling the waitress for the check. The blonde waitress in the little pink waitress headed in our direction as fast as dad called her.

Cornelius came close to my neck and I thought it was part of the act you know. Where he kisses me on the neck whispers something nice and I would be like 'honey stop it, my parents are watching remember' but no that was not what this was.

His voice came out as a whisper,"We've got a problem'

And I whispered back,"Which problem exactly?"

"The blondie...she's one of my friends with benefits' type"

And that had me worried. Now by saying friends with benefits he meant that she was one of his fuck buddies just like Justin was to him no matter how many times he denied it.

"I'm sure she won't recognize you," I whispered nervously but he smirked at me as if what I had just uttered was foolish.

"My fake stubble might have worked for your parents but she knows me...All of me. And by all of me, I mean..."

And before he finished I covered his mouth with my hand, grossed out.

"Look at them whispering things to each other's ears. Harry they remind me of us,"mom cooed.

Her beautiful doe eyes telling me what I would have guessed to be 'you are meant for each other' and I mentally barfed.

Realising how awkward the situation was, I removed my hand from his mouth creating distance between us. It was so awkward knowing that the air I breathed out was the air he was breathing in and vice versa.

"Thank you for dining at Chi-Chi's,"the blondie started and I placed my arm on the table trying to hide Cornelius' facefrom her view but that didn't work since as fast as she recognized him, her eyes widened in excitement.

"Conner?Oh my gosh, Conner it's me Gigi, remember" she gestured startling not only me but my parents as well.

"Miss I think you have me confused with someone else,"Cornelius spoke out and I nodded to back him up.

The waitress a hundred percent sure that the man was Cornelius Powers, leaned closer surprised me- all of us- by putting away the little notebook in her front pocket going to her bosom and wickedly smiled,

"Conner, don't you remember me? Don't you remember these?" She wriggled her boobs with her hands and I gasped.

Sweet mother of...

Her little action actually prompted my mother to stand up yank the woman's hair from behind and slap her coldly on her cheeks.

"What sort of woman are you? You low class bimbo! Flirting with a woman's boyfriend right infront of her, shame on you!" Mom continued and the poor Gigi stood mortified by the whole situation rubbing her cheek.

"Ma'am I swear this man is really Co..."

Feigning to be hurt I also cut her off, "You wanted to seduce my boyfriend right infront of me? What sort of woman are you?"

Cornelius also stood up, pretending that in no way did he know her.

"Babe, it's okay. I've seen these type of women before but I only got eyes for you"

We really deserved an Oscar for this. Gigi getting fired, dad drove mom home after calming her down while us?

We parted ways. What did you expect? That Cornelius would drive me home right after mom had accosted one of his 'friends with benefits' chicks?