Dinner

CHAPTER 44

Upon hearing her voice, he seemed to be revived, he had the will to get up from lying on the sofa.

"How are you?" she softly asked, the voice which is like a calm air.

He stood up and fixed himself first while he had his phone to his ear, listening to her voice.

"M-my wife," he called almost breaking because of the joy he felt mixed with sadness. Tears began to well up in his eyes. Although a smile was drawn on his lips, it was accompanied by what seemed to be pain in his heart.

"Yes, it's me," she replied.

He was very happy when he heard Ariella's voice. It seemed like years had passed since he hadn't heard her voice, so he was very eager to hear her voice again.

"M-m-my wife," he stammered in joy.

"I was just called to say hello to you. I heard that you haven't come to the office for like 3 days."

Instead of thinking about what she said, his mind seemed to go blank and he only felt joy because she finally called.

He also waited a few days for Ariella to call him on her own. He chose not to call her as Ariella requested because she wanted her mind to be clear, she didn't want to think about anything.

During the few days that they were not together, they did not see each other, did not talk, it seemed that Anton was missing her for several years. It was as if heaven and earth fell on him. It's like he's drowning in quicksand and only Ariella can save him.

He had been floating in the air for a few seconds, so he didn't realize that Ariella had been calling him.

"Are you still there?" she asked.

"I am here. I'm sorry," he replied.

"Ah okay," she replied sparingly.

A few seconds passed with both of them speechless as if they were both waiting to see who would speak first to the two of them.

Anton suddenly thought that Ariella might hang up on him, so he asked. "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet," she replied.

"Same, I still haven't eaten," he said as if implying something.

"So…?"

"Can we have dinner?" he asked. It's true that he hasn't eaten yet, but his stomach is full from the wine he drinks every day. He rarely eats because he has no appetite. Now that an opportunity came to him to be together and make up with Ariella, he grabbed it. Hopefully, Ariella agrees.

Ariella didn't answer right away and he knew she was still thinking about whether she would agree or not. He wishes that she would agree even though the chances are high that she won't agree.

"I will pick you up. We will eat there at the restaurant we always go to," he added to get her to agree.

He knew Ariella was listening to what he was saying, so he waited for her to respond to what he said.

"Okay," she replied sparingly.

Even that one word made Anton happy. He was like hooking a big fish in a well.

"You agree?"

"Yes. Pick me up now. I am already starving.”

The smile on his lips almost went beyond his ears when Ariella agreed.

"I will just take a bath. I'm smelly. You might call me stinky if I don't take a shower. Can you wait for me?”

"Do I have any other choice?"

He hurried to the room to take a shower. He almost panicked in the rush. Instead of making it easier for him, he slowed down even more because he was panicking.

He immediately took a shower that only lasted 10 minutes, then he got dressed. He also constantly changes when he thinks that what he is wearing does not suit him.

When he finalized his outfit for tonight, he sprayed perfume around his body.

He couldn't get rid of the smile on his lips even when he was taking a bath.

A few moments later, his phone suddenly rang, so he hurried to pick it up to answer her call immediately.

He almost tripped in his haste to answer the call.

He answered immediately.

"Hello," he said to the caller.

"If it will take you so long, I will just cook and eat here alone," she said on the other line.

"N-no! I am actually on my w-way. I will pick you up n-now," he said in a panic even though the truth was that he was still at home.

He heard her let out a deep sigh before she spoke.

"I don't want to wait for any longer. I am really starving," he complained.

"J-just wait a couple of minutes, okay? I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Okay. See you. Bye.”

"Bye. I love-" he cut off when Ariella ended the call. "...you," he continued with a weak voice before putting his phone inside his pocket.

He didn't think about anything else because it just took him longer, so he immediately drove away.

He knows where Ariella is, so he will go there to pick her up.

At eight o'clock, he arrived at Ariella's condominium unit. He was just standing outside the door, gathering the courage to ring the doorbell.

He was about to press the doorbell when the door suddenly opened, and a beautiful woman appeared before him whose face he had endured for several days. A few days that seemed almost a year to him.

There was no trace of shock on his face when he saw Ariella because the sweet smile was covered.

"Shall we go?" she asked, but he didn't realize because the wind seemed to blow away his mind and spirit while his eyes were left looking at her.

Ariella later noticed that she was dumbfounded, so she pretended to cough.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "Let's go?"

Ariella agreed with him and went along without hesitation.

Their trip was quiet. None of them tried to speak or even say hello to each other.

Their trip only took a few minutes before they reached La Villa's private restaurant.

While they wait for their order to be served, they just sit quietly and say nothing. It was as if they were both waiting to see who would speak to them first.

In fact, Anton really wanted to talk to her but he didn't have the courage to do that yet.

Anton kept glancing at her while she focused her attention on the phone.

"Are you reading something?" he asked when he noticed that.

She turned off her phone and put it back in her bag before she looked at him.

She nodded, says, "Just for a moment while waiting for our order."

"Are you hungry? Starving much?” he asked again.

"Yes. I'm really hungry," she replied.

"Why haven't you eaten before? Are you skipping meals? Are you taking good care of yourself?” he asked.

"No. I just didn't feel like it earlier."

"So, do you feel like eating now?”

“Yeah.”

Anton smiled when he suddenly thought of something that might be the reason.