CHAPTER 19

NORA

The sound of plates and forks filled the air as they settle discourse on the table. It was a busy morning that day, waitresses and waiters keep going back and forth attending to orders and clearing tables. Nora clears her throat as she gulps down a glass of juice, she can feel his eyes on her, stinging her like a little fire placed behind her earlobe, but she finds it hard to meet his gaze. She drops her cutleries and moves the plate forward a bit to indicate that she is done with her meal. Spence couldn't stop staring at her, his meal has barely been touched, while she ate, he watched her eat instead. He has been stupid all along, young and dumb perhaps to must have allowed her to slip off his hand despite every green light she gave him, he wonders why he stayed away for long and never even tried to speak to her once when they were younger. His phone buzzed, and for once he took his eyes off Nora to look at his phone, he put it on silent instantly and returns his gaze to Nora who felt relief for a minute. He finally speaks

"You look astonishingly beautiful Nora, couldn't take my eyes off you for a minute" "I noticed" Nora confesses

"Oh shit! I am sorry, I must have made you so uncomfortable, my bad" embarrassed, Spence apologizes quickly

"Not at all, it's fine" Nora scoffs but deep down in her mind, she enjoys how well he has been looking at her "It's not like I have ever caught a guy's fancy. Please feel free to look at me, in fact, feast on me, and make me feel like a woman" Nora's cheeks turned faded pink as she swallows her thought, she quickly reached out to the newly poured glass of juice and sipped. Spence reached out to hold her hands across the table

"Hey! We are way past teenagers now, I don't want you to slip off my hands this time, Nora I really want to start something serious with you" With that statement Spence uttered, the earth stopped twirling for a second, and all Nora could hear as she stares at Spence's lips while it moved was her heart pounding. Cold air flushed her skin which gives her instant goosebumps, her subconscious shook her to wake up and reply Spence because this is real and it is so far from a dream. She tried to make meaning of his lips moving but she couldn't, she just stared at him in shock, praying in her heart while she waits for him to repeat all he said "Hey!! Are you okay?" Spence asked Nora as she is seated too cold to move, she nodded "I asked if you would love to continue the life journey with me by your side" Nora nods again, fighting the tears from dropping, she doesn't want him to see her like she just a won a lottery but truthfully, this is

more than a lottery that needs to be aired on the

News! She imagined the headline 'LOVE IS IN THE AIR: A THIRTY-TWO YEARS OLD VIRGIN GOT HER CRUSH TO POP THE ROMANTIC QUESTION!' hold on Nora! She tries to caution herself, it isn't a proposal yet so chill. But it's a start; "he asked to be your boyfriend! boyfriend leads to fiancé which later on is stamped husband" she argues with herself as she beamed with a smile.

Spence gets up and holds his hands out to her which she grabs and stood up as well, he holds her in a warm embrace "I will always love and cherish this moment forever, I promise you" he kissed her on the forehead while Nora held him tight. Spence looks around to notice people's eyes on them, the restaurant isn't set for the romantic gesture and both of them already look weird amidst businessmen and women sitting quietly having their breakfast. 'Hey! Let's get out of here" Spence picks up the bill to check the amount, he puts the cash into the bill wallet placed on their table already. He holds Nora's hand as they see themselves out of the bougie restaurant.

****

Nora smiled as she watched Spence alight from her car when she parked in front of his house, she waved at him while he threw kisses which she caught and kept in her purse, he laughed as he watched her drive off. Love would make one do stupid and naughty things, she has been waiting all morning to scream into the air but Spence has been by her side all day. Finally, she has her private moment to express her joy "haaaaaaaaaaaa! haaahaahaaaa" Nora screams till she couldn't hold it anymore, laughter follows, then the tears she has been holding all along ran down her cheeks as she couldn't contain her excitement. She whines the car window down and put out her hand into the night, feeling the evening cool breeze and breathing it in, she spurts out happily "Delay isn't denial, after all, this journey is a blessing all along!"