His Lovely Ward

Chapter 21

They couldn’t attend to another stakeout night the next day because they had a sudden dinner invitation from the Strindbergs. And if Strindbergs invited you, you just had to come. Phillip and Cassandra had just returned from their second honeymoon. Of course, everyone didn’t know that Angelica nearly got killed from cyanide poisoning.

But Chanty and Cassandra seemed to have been talking a lot lately because they cornered her and bombarded her with questions.

“Chanty told me you were harassed in the Philippines inside the bathroom,” Cassandra uttered in a low voice. They were huddled away from the other groups. William, Henry, and Phillip were at one corner of the house talking business. Hope and Mary were busy taking care of baby Willie at the living room. Dinner had just finished and they were having some drinks.

“Yes, and she doesn’t want to talk about it,” Chanty nodded at her sister-in-law.

Angelica sighed patiently. “Ladies, look, I’m safe and I’m getting over it,” she looked them in the eyes as she said so. “Henry’s taking care of me and…really, I’m safe…”

“So, this thing between you and Henry, it’s really real?” Chanty asked her doubtfully.

“Well, you can say that. I’ve been staying in his place most of the time,” she answered, hoping with all her heart what she said was true. Well, the ‘staying in Henry’s place’ was so true, but the relationship wasn’t. It was just complicated. It was like a partnership with some benefits.

“Chanty, Willie pooped,” Hope called out from the living room.

“Oh, hold on. Get this for me,” Chanty sighed, giving her the glass she was holding and walked away to get Willie.

“Why does it sound like I don’t believe you at all, Ange?” Cassandra whispered. “I know you and Henry are in some deep trouble that includes bullet wounds and all, and I just got this feeling that what happened to you in the Philippines was not just some simple harassment.”

Bummer, she and Cassandra was alike at almost everything and the lady just knew how to read her. Of course, she was there when she was fixing Henry’s bullet wounds. “Cass, look, I don’t want to alert everyone including Chanty. I promise, I will explain everything once it’s over.”

“And Henry?”

“What about Henry?”

“Henry’s not really…you know, your boyfriend, right?”

“How do you know?”

“You’re just leading everybody to believe that you are, but actually, you’re just having sex,” Cassandra said with a smile.

“How can you say that?”

“Oh, nothing. Let’s just say I’ve been there…”

Angelica narrowed her eyes at her friend, “What do you mean you’ve been there?”

Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. “I won’t tell you if you won’t tell me your story.”

She chuckled and said, “I think we got a deal. When the time comes, I’ll tell you my story and you’ll tell me yours.”

Cassandra nodded and stated, “Fair enough.”

  *****

“Babe, drop that thing this instant,” Cassandra cried out as everyone started for the door. “What the hell’s wrong with you? Drop it,” she ordered.

Phillip looked up from what he was doing around the table and sighed. “Fine,” he said and walked toward them.

“He’s the worst neat freak alive,” Cassandra murmured under her breath. “What did your parents do to him when he was young?” she asked Chanty.