The Ten Dates

23. A Date With The Other Norwood

Jean:

Hey,

So, I am coming back to town next week. There are things I would like to discuss with you. I will be free Friday evening. Will that be okay with you?

Ray.

The first time I read it, I had to sit back and calm down my drumming heartbeats. He is coming back to me. On his own.

It's not like I would have waited forever or just let him be if he wanted to never see me again, that not an option. But him returning on his own changes all my plans for better.

I re-read his mail just to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

The third time I read the mail, I remembered.

It's. The. Ninth. Date.

In my head. I'm not going to ruin it by calling it that to his face. I have learnt from my mistakes.

If he had three months to clear his head, then I had three months clear the little doubt in my head that there was another option. I tried the alternative and I failed miserably. The distance was painful but good. Of course I am saying this now that I know that he plans on returning. I was planning on kidnapping him last week. I think I should leave the decision making part of our future to Ray. As long as I am there in his future, that is.

I re-read his mail for the fourth time in ten minutes. Short. It gives nothing away. I'm probably being too optimistic. He won't be like 'I missed you so much Jean that I decided we are going to get bonded today'. It will be more in the line of 'leave me alone or I'll kill myself'. He is so dramatic.

I was about to read his mails for the fifth time when dad barged in.

"He's back"

"Dad I asked you to back off. Stop stalking him"

"No. I didn't" he sounded offended as he slumped down on my office couch like he owns it "I mean I did stalk him but that's not how I know. He sent me a mail. Look" he tossed his phone at me.

I had half a mind to just let it fall but I still wanted to know why HE was getting a mail from my Ray.

Mr. Norwood,

I would like to meet you on Wednesday. I know you will have no problem finding your way back to my place. So find me there for brunch.

Raymond Williams.

PS: If I see you or your minions before Wednesday, I will have to rethink the favorable proposition I have for you.

"I can't believe this" I hissed.

"I know right" dad narrowed his eyes "The nerve of that little thing. He's threatening me. He's blackmailing Derek Norwood"

"He's meeting you first" I glared at him "And you got a bigger mail with more words in it"

"Oh" dad frowned "He sent you one too?"

"What do you mean by that? Of course he did. Why he sent you one is the question"

"That does make sense. This human is weird" he nodded "He's planning something"

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to meet him. I need to know what's cooking in that head of his"

"Before Wednesday?" I raised a brow

He cleared his throat and looked away with a mutter.

"I didn't hear you" I smirked.

"No" he repeated louder this time with a glare "I'm going to play nice this time"