Chapter Sixteen.
Catherine went home with the groceries they bought, while Lina went with Arnold to a nearby café.
Upon arriving at the café, they opted for a table on the lawn, which offered a picturesque view.
A waitress took their orders while they settled in.
And in a couple of minutes, she arrived back with a tray on a cart and served them.
A tea pot of coffee, two teacups and sweetened chocolate and vanilla cakes.
'Thank you.' Lina muttered, after the waitress set the tray down on their table.
'You're welcome, Ms.' The waitress replied and slipped off to attend to other customers.
'I'd make you a cup.' Arnold said, pulling the tray closer to himself.
'Thank you.' Lina replied and turned her gaze elsewhere.
Her eyes drifted from one person to another and she started to wonder if she did the right coming with Arnold.
'Are you okay?' Arnold pulled her out of her thoughts.
'Uhmmmm hmmm,' Lina cleared her throat first.
'Yes, I am fine.' She declared finally.
'If you're uncomfortable about having coffee with me, I could just drop you off at home.' Arnold said, so as not to put her in an unsteady situation.
'No, I'm fine. I am comfortable being here with you.' Lina replied.
'It's just the way you're looking around.' Arnold uttered.
'You only do that when you're anxious about something.' He added.
'And you are hardly ever anxious about anything, so it makes me feel like you don't want to be here.' He concluded, and Lina never would have believed that Arnold could still read her like an open book.
'No, it's not about being here Arnold.' Lina muttered, fidgeting with her hands, under the table.
'Then, what is it about?' Arnold asked.
'It's the crowd.' Lina muttered and Arnold's brows furrowed as he couldn't understand what she was talking about.
'I just feel like someone who knew me from the past is going to walk up to me and start asking about my absence and why. And I really don't want to give any answer to anybody.' She added before Arnold could say a word.
He heard the nervousness in her voice as she speak.
'It's fine, Lina.' Arnold said and he leaned closer to her.
His hand slipped under the table, seeking hers, and once connected, he guided her hand to the surface of the table, where he wrapped his fingers around hers, providing a soothing squeeze.
'I will not let anyone question you.' He declared and Lina's heart warmed with pride.
The warmth of his hand on hers gave her a feeling that she could conquer anything in this world.
But, she didn't like the fact that he was able to make her feel that way.
She lowered her gaze and Arnold spoke again.
'It's okay, Lina.'
And she lifted her gaze back to his, almost immediately.
'You're going to be okay.' He added and her mouth curved into a mild smile.
'Thank you.' Lina said and Arnold withdrew his hand from hers.
'You're welcome.' Arnold replied and proceeded to making her coffee.
He turned a cup over and poured some coffee into you it.
'Little milk,' He muttered as he made her coffee.
'And a lot of sugar.' He said again, adding sugar to her coffee and Lina flustered yet again, that he recalled how exactly she liked her coffee.
He stirred it for a bit and set the coffee cup down on a saucer in front of her.
'Thank you.' Lina said with a genuine smile this time.
The soft, whispery smile that played on her lips was a sirens call to Arnold, drawing him in with an irresistible allure that left him spellbound and enchanted.
More than he would like to admit, Lina did look as beautiful as he had always known her to be.
Right from the time that she was still the cheerleader in high school, to the moment she went abroad to study law at the prestigious Cambridge university.
Till the days of her internship and finally after she moved to the Middle East.
'Hmmm, this is good.' Lina spoke, after taking a sip from her teacup, her words intruding upon Arnold's introspective journey into the past.
'Thank you.' She added.
'You're welcome.' Arnold replied as he made a cup for himself too.
And they had their coffee and cake over banters that went on and on for more than an hour.
Just as they were about to leave the café, Lina got a call from her sister and she excused herself to answer it.
'Hey, are you done with your meeting?' Lina spoke.
'Well, I didn't have any meeting to begin with.' Catherine said from the other side.
'What, so you lied?' Lina uttered.
'I won't exactly call it lying.' Catherine stated.
'Anyways, I called to remind you to bring Arnold over.' She added.
'Since you lied, we no longer have a deal Catherine.' Lina protested.
'Lina, you know bringing him over has nothing to do with me lying about a meeting, right?' Catherine countered.
'It's your way of making it up to me for ghosting me for 15 years.' She added.
'Catherine?!' Lina was going to protest.
'Bring him over, Lina.' Catherine interrupted her.
'Please.' She added and Lina was surprised to hear her plead.
'Oh...kay.' Lina mumbled, uncertain.
'Thank you sis. See you at dinner.' Catherine giggled and hung up.
'Why is she bent on having dinner with Arnold?' Lina thought.
'Is anything the problem?' Arnold asked, after Lina walked back to him.
'Catherine would love to have you over for dinner.' Lina blurted out without thinking.
'I think mom will be pleased too. If you don't mind.' She added.
'But I need to get back home to Freddie.' Arnold stated.
'Sure, go to him. And you should bring him along for dinner.' Lina replied.
'I'm not so sure about that, Lina.' Arnold said.
'Please, Arnold. It's the only condition Catherine gave before she can forgive me.' Lina pleaded.
'Forgive you for?' Arnold asked.
'In her words, for abandoning her all these years.' Lina replied.
'So, you're trying to make it up to her?' Arnold muttered to be sure.
'Yes, Arnold.' Lina blurted.
'And what about me?' Arnold uttered to his own surprise.
'What about you?!' Lina muttered, unsure of what he was trying to say.
'Don't you think you need to make it up to me too?' Arnold fired before he thought of his words properly.
'For walking away from me all these years, for no reason.' He added.