“REMINDERS”

“I’LL pick you up tonight, okay?”

It was Joaquin after the car was stopped in front of the mall where she was working.

"Seven PM?" Lara asked her husband.

Joaquin nodded and then bent down and kissed her firmly on the lips. "Yes," he answered.

Lara just shrugged her shoulders and then unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Willing to wait?" she asked, followed by a soft laugh.

That's when Joaquin smiled and winked at her. "Always," he said.

What Joaquin said to her was meaningful and Lara immediately understood what he meant. And apart from the fact that she is very distracted by how her husband stares at her, she also feels his passionate love for her. So she wasn't surprised when she quickly felt her face heating up due to its intense redness.

"I have to go," she said goodbye to her husband as she got out of the car. But that was stopped when she felt Joaquin's hand on her arm.

Lara immediately turned to her husband. She stared at him with questions in her eyes. A few moments later, his lips came down to hers again and claimed them.

That kiss was passionate. And Lara could say that if it happened for example the two of them were in a private place. It would be possible for them to end up making love. But before that happened, she resigned. Then she spoke with a smile.

"I'm going to be late," she said, unable to stop laughing.

Joaquin just nodded at what she said.

Cynthia's schedule starts at noon, so Lara is the one who is the busiest with everything that needs to be done at every store opening. After making sure everything was in order, she faced the paperwork that she had to complete.

And because she was busy working, she didn't notice the fast passing of time. She was even surprised when Cynthia greeted her when the latter arrived an hour before her time-in.

"Why is it you are so early today?" she asked Cynthia while smiling.

After putting down the shoulder bag on the table, Cynthia then pulled the chair closer to her. She watched her intently while meaningful and teasing smiles remained on her lips.

"You're blooming," she said, still smiling widely.

Lara knew what Cynthia meant by that comment. That's why her face turned red quickly.

"Is that really how you plan to greet me?" she asked Cynthia with a laugh.

Cynthia shrugged her shoulders and then cupped her chin with her hand. "I missed you, actually. But I'm more interested in what you have to say," she said, followed by a delighted laugh.

Hearing that, Lara stopped what she was doing. Then faced her bully friend then glared at her.

"Stop it! In fairness to you, it looks like you really came in this early on purpose just to tease me," she said humming as if sulking, but she was disappointed she failed. Because in the end she still couldn't stop herself from laughing again.

Cynthia did return to her table although her lips still had a meaningful smile.

"How is married life?" she asked her.

At that question, Lara immediately smiled again and then looked at her friend who at that moment was also busy fixing herself.

"It's okay," was her simple answer as she didn't hide the satisfaction in her voice.

Cynthia nodded and then opened her mouth again to speak.

"I hope that before the end of this month, Joaquin will get you pregnant again," Cynthia said without hesitation, much to her surprise.

“Hey, what are you doing!” she felt so embarrassed so she rebukes her.

At that moment, Cynthia was looking at the small mirror in her hand. Because she was busy putting on makeup at that moment. The reason why she laughed, even more, and was when she saw her seemingly naive emotion when she stared at her.

"What?" she asked, raising her eyebrows even more as her aura filled with wonder.

"Stop being so loud! Someone might hear you!" she scolded her in a tone that was almost a whisper.

Cynthia's eyes rolled because of what she said.

"Everyone here knows that you just got back from your honeymoon," Cynthia argued. "And one more thing, it's not impossible for Joaquin to get you pregnant, right? Because," she said, leaving hanging the other things she wanted to say.

Lara giggled when her friend said that. Then she shook her head and turned her attention back to work.

"But the truth is, we are all happy here for you," at that point Cynthia became serious.

"Thank you," she said looking at her with a smile.

"How's Callie doing?"

"She's okay, Nanny Loring came earlier, the nanny who used to take care of Joaquin when he was little," Lara told Cynthia.

"Now that everything is fine with the two of you, maybe somehow you are thinking of a way to tell your husband the truth, right?"

Lara had expected that her conversation with Cynthia would reach that topic. But despite that fact, she still couldn't help but grope for something to answer her question.

"Honestly, I still don't know how to confess everything to Joaquin," at this point Lara's chest quickly filled with worry.

Lara saw Cynthia's chest rise after she admitted that.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you can figure out a way to do that."

Lara nodded and then turned her attention back to what she was doing. Even, after all, she couldn't help but be really worried. Not only now but since Rodolfo talked to her about the same topic.

*****

"You got married, but I was not there," it was Patrick who sounded like he was teasing him.

Joaquin laughed softly and then leaned back against the back of his executive chair.

"You're busy, I don't want to bother you with whatever you and your wife are, right?" he answered him in a teasing tone as well.

Patrick shook his head. "Yes indeed. Why are we both victims of a complicated situation?" Patrick said while the tone of his voice was tinged with regret.

Joaquin sighed at what his friend said. Then picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip.

"The important thing is that we are happy with the women we chose to marry and be with for life, Pat," he explained.

Patrick's eyebrows rose quickly after hearing what he said.

Even though he didn't speak, he could see the surprise on his face because of what he said. That's why he didn't make a mistake when he heard what Patrick said next.

"Does that mean you're in love with Lara?" he asked him.

Just hearing the name of his wife, Joaquin automatically smiled sweetly. After that, he felt that he misses her that eventually turned into a deep longing.

"So much in love," that's what he answered instead.

Joaquin saw in Patrick's face the real pleasure that registered there.

And that pleasure was for him.

"I'm happy to hear that from you, Joaquin," he said.

"Thank you," he answered.

"By the way, your Papa called me several times, he was looking for you. I hope you will find some time to call him so that he will somehow be less worried about you," his friend stood up.

"Are you leaving right away?" that's what he said.

"So much work to do at the office. You know, even though I know I won't starve my wife, the life she grew up in is still far away from what I can give her right now. And somehow you can't take the pressure off me because of that.”

"I understand," he answered.

"How about you? How long do you plan to keep your true identity a secret from Lara?" Patrick asked him.

Joaquin was not prepared for that question. The truth is that he thinks he's been so happy these past few days that he almost forgot about it.

"I-I don't know what kind of plan I have to do about that, Pat," he said truthfully.

"Well, it's not that I'm interfering. But you have to confess everything to her. Especially since you know to yourself that your Papa doesn't like her," Patrick reminded him.

That's when Joaquin straightened his seat. "I know. The truth is that I am also afraid of Lara's reaction. I am so worried that she might be angry with me and leave me when I admit to her that the first real reason why I married her was because of the condition my father gave me," his long explanation.

"Yeah. But you can't be like that forever. Because you can't hide all this from her either. What can happen is more difficult and scarier once the truth comes from another person," said Patrick.

That's when Joaquin stared at his friend's face.

"Do you mean that it is possible that Papa will tell Lara the truth? Do you think my father could do such a thing?” Joaquin asked in disbelief.