ZORA'S POVI stood at the door for a minute longer. Katherine glanced at me, grinned when she saw my demeanor and made shooing motions with her hands. I rolled my eyes at her and once more focused on the door. Goodness! I could not believe that I, Zora, a full grown woman, was as excited about this date with Elliot like a teenager who was about to go to the prom. I clutched my purse tightly, took a deep breath, schooled my expression- or attempted to-,opened the door and stepped outside. Elliot had been leaning towards the door in order to ring the doorbell. He straightened when he saw me. For what seemed to me like a really long moment, he looked at me from head to toe. He took his sweet time about it, and I felt like a bug trapped by the light, which was his gaze in this case.Color flooded my cheeks when his eyes met mine. The admiration in his eyes was enough to make my toes curl in pleasure. He looked at me with such intensity, such fervour, like I was the only woman in the world
ZORA'S POVI sat for a moment in my car and couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. A brief glance at the side mirror showed me that my cheeks were flushed with excitement and there was a sparkle in my eye that had not been there in a very long time. I had the feeling that that today was going to be a good one. I went into the building, cheerfully replying to the greetings my staff.As I walked into the elevator that would take me to my office, I waved at my secretary and another of my staff who were headed to an office. They returned my wave, but before the elevator doors closed, I saw them put their heads together and say something while briefly glancing in my direction."Okay, Zora," I said to myself as the elevator whisked me to the top floor. "You really need to rein it in a little.""Morning, Ms Zora," Cheryl greeted as I walked past her on my way to the office.She was sorting through some files while walking towards her office."Morning, Cheryl.""Please just give
ZORA'S POVI transferred the phone from one ear to other, and rummaged in my bag to confirm if I had forgotten anything of importance. I hadn't."Look, Elliot," I said into the phone. "I really want to talk and all, but at this time, I can't. I am sort of busy at the moment- in fact, very busy. So, I will have to drop the call now and maybe talk to you later.""Oh no. You don't. Don't end the call.""But-""You are busy. I know. I heard you the first time. But you are the boss of yourself and your brand, aren't you? I am pretty sure that you can postpone whatever it is you want to do or whatever function you are about to attend.""Oh. Really? And why would I do that?""Because I want to talk to you for a while longer and I know you want the same thing."I chuckled. "You are impossible and a tad bossy, Elliot. Has anyone ever told you that?""You might have... once or twice."I flicked my wrist to glance at my wrist watch. "This is 1o'clock in the afternoon, on a working day no less. H
ELLIOT'S POV"Hey, Elliot. Hurry it up, will you?" Drew called from his place on the couch. "You have been there for like ages. I'm thirsty."I shot a glare in the general direction of the couch on which Drew lay sprawled. To pour the drinks, I had to have both hands free. So I carefully set down my laptop on the counter of the mini bar. I began to reach for the drinks, then I paused as I remembered to save what I was working on on my computer. I quickly saved it. I didn't bother to carefully select a drink from the vast array that was available. I merely grabbed the first bottle my hand could reach and grabbed a glass. With the bottle and glass in one hand, my laptop held cautiously, almost reverently in the other, I returned to the living room and plonked on the couch.Drew, who was chewing something he had gotten from the fridge, dragged his eyes from the television. His gaze lighted on the bottle of wine I had brought."Wow. Thanks, man," he said. "That's my favourite."He reached
ELLIOT'S POVKatherine and I were hunched over out cards. I eyed Zora and Drew who were grinning from ear to ear. They were looking far too relaxed and cocky. I narrowed my eyes at them. Zora saw me looking. Her grin got wider and she wiggled her brows."Well?" Drew said, drawing the word out.With a sigh, Katherine and I showed them our cards. Zora and Drew exchanged a look and threw down their cards."Jackpot!" Zora cried and gave a laughing Drew a high five. I groaned after I took a look at their cards. "Not again," I muttered."Yes again!" Drew said. "And guess what? This is just the beginning. We will keep beating you guys."I rolled my eyes. "Sheesh! Take it easy you two. It's not like you won the lottery or something."Katherine, who had been looking intently at Zora and Drew's cards, as though she was trying to find something to complain about, transferred her gaze from the cards to me. She shot me a glare. We had been playing a card game for the past hour while sitting cros
ZORA'S POVElliot sighed exasperatedly. From my place on the couch, I watched their exchange. I did not want to interfere if I could help it."In case you forgot, this is also my house and I can do whatever I damn well please. Besides, I gave you your own house, according to your specifications. What else do you want from me?"Sharon's head tilted stubbornly. "Whatever. Just know that you can't get rid of me that easily.""You know what, Sharon. It is pretty obvious that you don't even know what you came here for. I'm done trying to have a conversation with you." Elliot stretched out his arm, waved her to the door. "There's the door. Use it."Sharon glanced at the door and scoffed. "You have been married to me for five years now, Elliot. You don't expect me to back down that easily, do you?" As Elliot was blocking her view of me, Sharon stepped forward and peered around him. "There you are, Zora... seated like the queen of the castle. You must be enjoying this little drama." I rolled
ZORA'S POVAs soon as the car stopped in front of the house, Finn opened the door and hopped out and ran to the front door. Freya, sitting on the other side of me, scrambled over me in a haste to catch up with her brother. Katherine was out of the car like a shot, yelling at them to be careful, to stop running so they wouldn't hurt themselves. I followed them, walking more slowly, the confrontation with Sharon still very much on my mind. Katherine got the door open and began gathering up Finn and Freya's things as they ran around the living room. When she was done, she managed to get a firm hold on both of them. With either of them held in one hand, she turned to me."Stay put, Zora while a attend to these two," she said. "You know that we have a lot to talk about."And she gave me a meaningful look. I nodded as she pulled the giggling and struggling children inside. I reflected that the only good thing that had eventually come out from the outing at Elliot's place was that the kids
ZORA'S POVBy the the time I finally got to work that morning, I had finally almost managed to convince myself that Trey had considerately spared me the bad news, and was waiting for me make an appearance at the office before dropping the bombshell. I had gotten into the office this morning, half expecting Trey to accost me as soon as I walked in, but everything was perfectly normal, suspiciously so. There were no odd looks from the staff, no murmurs. The morning hours came and went without incident. Far from feeling relieved as the hours passed, I only grew more anxious. As I had in the car this morning, I wished that whatever was to happen would happen fast.By noon, I had told myself that it was foolish of me to think that Sharon would permanently keep shut about this. For her to give this sort of news would definitely make her the center of attention. If there was anything that Sharon loved more than anything, it was attention. Sometimes I suspected that was why she had chosen mo
ZORA'S POVTEN YEARS LATER"Freya! Freya!" I called repeatedly as I walked towards her room.I did not hold much hopes of her answering though. It was a few minutes to 7 in the morning, and if I knew my daughter very well, she would still be in bed and fast asleep at this time."Fre-" I threw open the door to her room and stopped short.She was not in bed as usual. She was up, and appeared to have been up for some hours. She was already dressed and was sitting in front of the mirror, applying some lip gloss. My eyes narrowed at this. I could not remember when I had seen Freya interested in anything that had to do with makeup. As a mum that was a model, I had half been expecting Freya over the years to have shown some interest in the cosmetics lining my dressing table. But she had been completely indifferent to them. I hadn't minded her indifference though. I had sort of welcomed it."A mother that knows all about fashion, and a daughter that has no interest in it whatsoever," Elliot u
ZORA'S POV"And how is your vacation going?" Katherine asked almost as soon as I picked the call.This question was followed by a giggle. I narrowed my eyes at that. It seemed there was a hidden meaning underlying Katherine's question."And why did you laugh after asking that, Kathy?" I asked her."Oh, don't mind me. It's just that my imagination went into overdrive for a minute. What I actually wanted to ask if if Finn and Freya's presence there has given you and Elliot some much needed smooching time, if you know what I mean.""Kathy!" I exclaimed and blushed when the meaning of her question became plain. "You are something else, you know that, right?""I know. I know. I'm picturing the blush on your cheeks right now." We laughed. "Seriously though, how is everything going over there?"I stretched languidly in bed and transferred the phone to my other ear. "It's going better than I had imagined. We are all having lots of fun. This resort is so beautiful. I can spend hours and hours w
ZORA'S POV"What do you think? That I'm serious about this, or joking?" I asked Elliot with a grin.Elliot traced patterns with his fingers all across my collarbone."You tell me, Zora," he murmured softly. "I can't seem to think straight right now. But I know something that will help improve my thinking faculties right now.""Oh. And er- what could that be?""This." In one fluid movement, Elliot pulled himself up and pressed his lips to mine. His tongue moved across my lips several times, then withdrew. He continued kissing me a few moments longer before pulling away. I was breathless by then and could barely speak. He smirked at the effect he knew he had on me."Now I can think again," he said. "Now where were we? Let me see. Ah. I remember. We were talking about what you just told me-"I pouted. "It's not fair at all. We were having a serious conversation, then you kissed me and sent my thoughts going here and there." I reached for him. "Come back here and finish what you started."
ZORA'S POVUnder the lights, Katherine's diamond ring sparkled and glinted like there were a thousand fireflies caught in it."I still can't believe it," she gushed. "I'm engaged to the man I love-" She gave Drew, who sat beside her a doe eyed look. He gave her one right back. The sparks flying between the two of them were almost visible. "-and that was after several tortuous days in which I died several times over. I just can't believe it everything turned out so well.""I can't either," I said and groaned, rubbed my forehead. All eyes turned towards me. "I can't believe that you finally proposed to Katherine. I think that at this point, I am happier than Kathy here. She almost drove me out of mind by worrying so much about you, talking on stop about you and forcing me to listen to her do so."This stirred up laughter. A chuckling Elliot put up his hand. "I'm a witness to this. Whenever Zora's phone rang when I was with her, it was Katherine calling more than ninety-nine percent of
ZORA'S POVElliot turned to Finn who he held in the crook of one arm."And how has school been for you lately, Finn?""It's been good. My teacher says I'm smart, and I always do my work at school myself. I do my homework too. Mummy knows that.""Good. I'm impressed with you. By the way, have you been drawing any more of those beautiful pictures?"Finn nodded eagerly. "Uh huh. I've drawn lots and lots of them, but they are at school now. I will get them next time, so you will see them.""I would like that very much.""Aren't you going to ask Freya about how school is too?" Finn questioned.There was a twinkle in Elliot's eyes as he looked over at Freya who he held in the crook of the other arm. She was busily engaged in licking a lollipop from various angles."Freya has told me all about her time at school. She gives me a dialy report every single day." Elliot tipped me a wink.I hid a grin. I knew exactly what he was talking about. Whenever I went to pick the kids from school, Freya w
ZORA'S POVDrew goggled at me. The expression on his face was almost comical. I tried my hardest to keep the laughter in, and to keep my qexpression deadpan."Are you being serious, Zora?""Uh huh. Don't I look serious?"Drew groaned. "Why are you and Elliot being such a pain in the ass today? It's almost like you two had it all planned." He looked at me sharply. "Elliot didn't call you to tell you that I was coming here, did he?"I rolled my eyes at that. "Of course not.""Then why won't both of you help me? You are sort of like my last resort, you know? Who else am I going to ask for ideas?""I don't know, honestly. Like I told you before, I am fresh out of ideas, but I am sure that you will figure something out. You always do. Whatever you eventually come up with will be... adequate."He gasped. "Adequate? Did you say adequate? This is a once in a lifetime event, and I want to get it exactly right for Kathy. Not right even. I want it to be perfect. Adequate won't do at all.""Ah. I
ELLIOT'S POVI looked through the pile of documents on my desk as I waited for my secretary. Seconds later, the door to my office opened, admitting her."Here they are sir," she said as she handed some more files over to me."Okay. Thank you."She resumed her seat, restarted her computer and began to work. I quickly glanced through the files, noted some information on the notepad in front of me."What about the progress reports on that account we just got?' I asked her after a while."I didn't include it because it was not completely ready yet, sir.""Okay... but it is essential for me to have that in order to properly make sense of the bulk of these reports you just gave to me."She quickly made a note and nodded. "Alright. I will get the person in charge of sending the progress report to speed things up.""Good. Now how about the project the company is working on outside the state? I haven't been able to travel to er- oversee it myself. How is it coming along? ""Oh, very well, sir.
ZORA'S POV"Are you quite busy?" Trey said a couple of minutes after he had come into my office and stood around, watching me work.I placed a finger on the place I was reading and looked up at him. "You gave me this files through Cheryl to work on, so I'm saying yes, I'm quite busy."I meant this as a joke, grinned at him, but he did not return the smile. He looked like a man with a lot on his mind. I shut the file folder, and sat up, giving him my attention."Okay. Tell me. What's on your mind?"As though he had been waiting for me to say that all along, Trey quickly seated himself."What's on my mind is a question. When is Elliot making it official?"I had an inkling of where Trey was headed with this already. Katherine had asked me this very question a while ago too. I just wished they would all give it a rest already, at least for now. I was still sorting out myself. I didn't know if I was ready yet for that commitment.I raised a brow. "I am guessing you are insinuating that Ell
ZORA'S POVI watched Finn and excitedly tear off another gift wrap. I winced a little at the squeal of delight that they let out at the same time. My ears still buzzed from the last one."Mum, mum, look. He got me another doll," cried Freya as she held out a realistic looking dolly still in it's plastic wrap.I grinned. "Yes, sweetie. I can see that. You new doll is pretty. What are we going to call her?""Let me see," Finn said, and tried to take the doll from Freya.She immediately held it out of his reach."It's not yours," Freya said.Finn gestured to the pile of unwrapped toys beside him. "I let you see my own toys. Why can't I see your doll?"I felt it was time to intervene now. It was the twins birthday and they had been happily unboxing Elliot's gifts for the past hour. They had gotten through a pile and still had about half a pile more to go."Why don't we go on with opening your presents?" I suggested. "I'm curious to know what is in all those pretty boxes. Aren't you?'S