Chapter Twenty.

Arnold arrived at Lina's place after a short while to pick her up.

She was already outside the house when he arrived.

And she indeed strapped up like he suggested which made Arnold feel his opinion was valid.

She proceeded closer to the car after he pulled up.

Then, He stepped out of his car and held the passenger door to help her get in.

'Such a gentleman.' Lina teased. 

'I have always been a gentleman, mademoiselle.' Arnold passed a jest also, drawling out the "mademoiselle" with a deliberate french flair.

Then he shut the door gently and proceeded to the other side of the car 

He got in the car also and caught a glimpse of Lina still smiling at his joke.

'Why are you smiling?' He queried after starting the car.

'You.' Lina uttered. 

'Me?' Arnold played dump, trying to hide the fact that he wasn't aware Lina was smiling because of what he said.

'Yes you, Arnold.' Lina took the bait.

'You made me smile.' She stated.

'How's that?' Arnold went on feigning ignorance.

'Come on. Now I feel you're just messing with me.' Lina said with a pout.

'Took you long enough.' Arnold shot her a stare and swiftly moved his gaze back on the road.

His electric stare sparked a flutter in Lina's chest

And a ripple of emotion spread through her entire being. 

"Phhhhew." Lina exhaled slowly, calming down and collecting her thoughts.

'So.....' She started.

'How's work?' She asked to change the topic.

'It's going well, I guess.' Arnold muttered. 

'What do you you mean?' Lina raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his reply. 

'You know, I have been away for a while.' Arnold stated. 

'The work pattern at New Jersey is somewhat different from how we work here in Arkansas.' He added.

'How so?' Lina asked in sheer curiosity. 

'Everything just moves on a fast pace at New Jersey. I worked as a finance officer.' Arnold replied. 

'9 to 5 obviously. Right there, my job description is quite clear and concise, although it can be stressful and boring, sometimes.' He went on.

'But here, I work with my brothers. We run our family business and I have no job description. We take up the role of the plantations' director, HR officer, and we work on the farm sometimes on weekends, if there are less workers around.' He added.

'Arkansas shouldn't be this stressful, but running a family business is quite draining. Considering the fact that I have been away from this business for years, I still have a lot to learn.' He concluded.

'Don't work yourself up about it.' Lina retorted.

'You're doing great already as it is, I'm certain your brothers would say the same.' She added.

'I'm not so sure about that.' Arnold said with a smirk.

'Come on, Arnold. Don't beat yourself up about this.' Lina voiced and placed hand on his knee.

She contemplated for a bit before she did that, but she really wanted to make him feel better.

'You will get used to the system again eventually. I know you can.' She went on.

'You always do.' She concluded. 

Her words and the warmth from her palm against his knee sent a slow-building intensity through him, reaching every fibre of his being.

His heart nursed the thought of that palm running up his thigh for a moment, but immediately forced himself to drop the silly inclination.

'Thank you.' He spoke finally, his gaze dropping on her hand which was still on his leg.

'Oh!!! Sorry about this.' Lina spoke, withdrawing her grip from his knee.

'Why do you keep apologising for everything?' Arnold questioned.

'I don't what to upset you.' Lina rejoined lowly.

'You do not upset me, Lina.' Arnold told her.

'I can't even get mad at you no matter how hard I tried.' He added and Lina's heart paused for a moment. 

She look away subtly, out her side window, which gave Arnold the impression that he may have struck a chord. 

'Did I say something wrong?' He asked.

'No.' Lina moved her eyes back to him.

'You didn't say anything wrong.' She stated. 

'Your reaction states otherwise, Lina.' Arnold uttered. 

'The truth is...' Lina hesitated. 

'I flustered a bit, when you said that.' She voiced in all sincerely.

'I didn't think I deserved your empathy or kindness.' She added.

'Ohh!!' Arnold expressed with a smirk.

'I didn't think I still had that effect on you.' He uttered, passing a jest like he always does.

'Don't got me wrong, Arnold.' Lina countered. 

'I already have.' Arnold made another joke and Lina cracked up this time.

She laughed so hard than she had in a long time, and in all Arnold's attempts to stop the laughter, he joined in.

Their happy chat and hysterics was interrupted by a phone call from Lisa. 

'Excuse me.' Arnold said, reaching for his phone while Lina's laughter subsided swiftly. 

'Hey, mom.' Arnold answered the call.

'Oh!! He's ready?' Lina heard him said.

'We're almost at the house.' Arnold added. 

Laughed subtly and bade his mother goodbye, then hung up.

'Freddie's ready?' Lina asked.

'He sure is.' Arnold answered sounding as excited as a proud father, of course. 

'He's going to have fun today.' Lina muttered. 

'He will.' Arnold said in response. 

They pulled up at his parent's home shortly and Lisa walked out the door with Frederick as though she had been waiting for them to arrive. 

She proceeded to the car and tapped the driver's side window. 

'Good afternoon, ma.' Arnold greeted after he wound down the window.

'Good afternoon, son.' Lisa replied and grabbed the backdoor.

'Good afternoon, ma'am.' Lina greeted Lisa. 

'Good afternoon, dear.' Lisa replied. 

'How are your family?' She added.

'We are doing fine, thank you ma'am.' Lina replied. 

'Thank you for coming over for dinner the other day.' She added.

'Thank you and your family for hosting us.' Lisa said as she finally buckled Frederick into the back seat.

Lina gave Frederick a stare and smiled at him, he smiled back in return.

Then Lisa closed the car door and leaned her arm on Arnold's side window. 

'Take care of the cuties, young man.' She said and Arnold chuckled. 

'And please bring my grandson back before 6pm.' She added.

'Come on, mom.' Arnold tried to protest. 

'You either bring him back before 6 or I'd have him alight from the car.' Lisa threatened. 

'Okay, mom. It's fine.' Arnold gave in.

'I'd bring him back before you know it.' He said.

'Good. After which you and the pretty lady can go grab a few drinks.' Lisa teased.

'Oh no, mom.' Arnold said with Lina also ready to counter Lisa. 

'We are just sightseeing.' Lina said.

'And then, we would go back home.' Arnold added.

'Look at you both trying to act cute.' Lisa chuckled. 

'Have fun, anyways.' She added and stepped away from the car.

'Bye!?' Lina and Arnold blurted in unison.

Then Lisa gave them a smirk before saying goodbye too, and they drove off.

'I'm sorry about my mom.' Arnold apologised as he drove.

'It's fine, Arnold.' Lina replied. 

'I know she was just messing with us.' She added. 

'Yeah.' Arnold let out awkwardly.

After a short drive, they arrived at the water park.

'Here we are.' Arnold said to Lina. 

'Yeah.' She smiled and alighted the car with Arnold.

Then she reached for the back door before Arnold could, and helped Frederick get down.

She held his hand and walked into the park, while Arnold walked behind them.

They got tickets and entered the park but, for a weekend the place wasn't very busy.

'There are only a few people here.' Lina muttered. 

'Yes, Lina.' Arnold replied. 

'But, it's weekend.' Lina retorted. 

'Right.' Arnold replied. 

'Majority of the people who usually visited the park no longer live in the countryside. They all reside at bigger cities now.' He added.

'How sad.' Lina lamented. 

'Well you also moved out of the countryside, Lina.' Arnold blurted. 

'I know, Arnold. But you too just moved back here.' Lina said. 

'Fair.' Arnold snickered in defeat.

'This is so sad, though. I missed this place.' Lina said. 

'If moving out of the countryside side makes you so sad, why don't you just come back home?' Arnold asked.

'It's not that simple.' Lina said. 

'Then make it simple, Lina.' Arnold replied. 

'You loved this place.' He added.

'I love my work now, Arnold. Let's just say, my love for my work is more important than the love I had for this place.' Lina said bluntly and Arnold felt stung by her comment.

Although she was talking about the countryside, but all he heard was that she preferred her job over him when she walked away years ago.

Lina squatted shortly after she noticed Frederick fidgeting. 

'Are you okay, kid?' She asked.

'Do you need something?' She went on but Frederick only whined inaudibly. 

'Come on, Frederick. Talk to me.' She added.

'He don't speak.' Arnold blurted and Lina shifted her stare to his, which went down.

'What?!' Lina exclaimed. 

'He went mute a few months ago.' Arnold said. 

'Oh my goodness.' Lina muttered. 

'Arnold, I'm so sorry.' She spoke with sympathy.