FAMILY DINNER

"This is looking very awkward." Ella comments bluntly looking at Eric and Asma. "How could the both of you even think of picking yourselves as dates?"

"I will be the happiest man on earth the day you stop being blunt." Eric replies.

"You know me for one thing, I will always tell you the truth." Miss Smith says again shrugging her shoulders.

"But why do you think your father is hosting the family dinner in an hotel?" Eric asks again changing the topic.

"I have no idea too, but it does looks nice to have the family dinner outside the house."

"I can't wait to try the food out!" Asma exclaims in her tiniest voice.

"Is there any other thing you love than food on earth?" Ella asks bring sarcastic.

Asma rolls her eyes and murmurs. "There she goes again.

"Why are you both not in yet?" Shamim asks as he approaches them with Juvenal walking elegantly by him.

The three of them turns their head to Shamim and his date. "You both look so good together." Eric comments.

"Thank you sir." Juvenal appreciates with smiles. "Hello, I am Juvenal." She introduces herself to Asma since Shamim refused to do so.

"You can call me Asma." She replies with smiles too. "I hope we get along well in the future."

"Yes." She turns to Ella and the smile on her grows bigger. "It's so beautiful to see you on your feet."

"If not because my dad instructed that our dates be of the opposite sex, I would have snatched you from Shamim this night." Ella teases and they all burst into laughter.

"But hold on." Shamim whispers after he notices something. "Why are you two standing close to each other?" He asks pointing to Asma and Eric.

"What sort of question is that? Can't you see they're going in as dates?" Ella asks sarcastically.

"Dates?!" Juvenal and Shamim asks loudly with surprise.

"You all had better stopped this thing." Asma cautions. "Why do you keep making a big deal out of nothing?"

"Let me get this straight, who asked who to go on a date?" Shamim asks looking at the both of them consecutively.

"That is non of your business." Eric replies Shunning him. "By the way, where are the two princesses?"

"You don't know?" Ella asks too folding her arms.

"Know what?"

"Father instructed that they spent the night with your kids." Shamim replies.

"Oh!! So I guess they are at my place at the moment." He says a little bit embarrassed.

"Where is Abdullah?" Asks Asma.

"He is inside." Miss Smith smiles. "Let's all go inside, I can't wait to taste the wines and fruits."

They all match to the space chosen for the venue,but as they walk Juvenal notices that the entire hotel is practically empty,as if they are the only ones in there, apart from a few attendants waiting to hear a call or order from them. "Did your father reserve the entire hotel?" She whispers to Shamim who is almost acting like a stranger to her.

"Obviously." He replies bluntly stressing the last syllable of the word.

"Why are you acting like a stranger to me?" She asks.

"I am not acting like a stranger, I am just keeping my space, remember I already promised not to make you feel like an alternative or being used."

"What you are doing is actually making me feel very uncomfortable." she whispers and both of them stop walking then faces each other. "You can get close to me without me feeling used, can't you?"

Shamim smiles and whispers. "Please, let our relationship remain just friends, that's the best for me and you." He whispers with his teeth tightly closed, as if he is trying to be quiet, calm as possible.

Juvenal smiles too and whispers. "Okay." They continue their journey but deep down in her mind, she knows the reasons behind Shamim's actions is because of what she had said a day before, accusing him of using her as an alternative.

When they finally arrived at the space to be use for the family dinner, they were welcomed by beautiful usher attendants who directed them to their seats.

"This is so beautiful." Asma says admiring the interior decoration.

"Welcome!" Malik greets as soon as everyone settles and the usher attendants leave the room. "I hope it wasn't too difficult for you to locate this place Eric?"

"Not at all sir." He shakes his head.

"So, after the dinner, you will have to explain to me why Asma is your date." He says jokingly and everyone laughs. "It's so nice to have you al here, please enjoy yourselves and have fun." He sits and they all clap for him.

"What do you think of that girl with Shamim? Isn't she beautiful?" Lola asks her husband.

"Of course she is, but as you know, he introduced her to us as just his colleague at work, no strings attached."

"But I do want those strings attached." Lola whispers.

"Just let them be, when the time is right, they would figure out what is really next for them."

On the next table, sits Abdullah and his fiancée. "I really love the atmosphere here." He whispers with his eyes going round.

"My father surely has an eye for good things." Ella praises her father looking round the venue too.

"So, what did you decide on doing now?"

Ella slowly turns her head to face Abdullah as she finds it a bit difficult to fathom that question. "I don't understand you."

"Concerning the conversation Asma had with you while you were still at the hospital, what do you think of it?" He asks again.

"You were aware of it too?"

"Not just me, Shamim and Darifa were aware of it too."