"STAY HERE FOR TONIGHT"

IT was late at night when Andrew was able to deliver her so Andrea was asleep already while it was Mama Cecille whom they caught up in the living room watching TV. And she was obviously waiting for her.

“What took you so long? Why it’s quite late, Lana,” said her aunt who stood up and went to the kitchen.

With a beautiful smile on her face, Lana showed the ring that she was wearing to her aunt.

And that smile remains when she turned to the young man.

“He gave me a ring,” she said then laughed softly.

A beautiful smile tore from Mama Cecille’s lips. “I’m happy for the both of you. Anyway, come on here already and have dinner,” she said then lead the way to go back to the kitchen.

"Does your wedding have a date yet?" Mama Cecille said while having dinner.

"So far Mama there isn’t yet. We'll just talk about all the details," Lana replied as she started to put rice on Andrew's plate.

"But as soon as possible if you ask me," then Lana saw in Andrew's eyes the strange feeling she couldn't explain. But that caress the young lady's heart was different. "I want to take my wife and daughter in my house, including you, Mama."

Lana felt the sincerity of Andrew's words, so her eyes quickly warmed up. But no matter how hard she tried to let go of those tears, the young lady still held back. She didn’t want to ruin a good day just because she was crying.

At the last thought, Lana didn't even secretly laugh at herself.

"H-House?" Mama Cecille asked in a tone of disbelief.

"Do you remember our old house Mama?" Lana who still can't move on from what Andrew said earlier.

Her aunt's eyebrows met then she stared at her. "Haven't we already sold that?" she asked her.

The young lady laughed softly and then turned to Andrew who was eating fried fish, eggplant, and sweet potato tops while he looked like her was also eating using her hands.

"Andrew is the owner of that house now," Lana replied.

"What? How did that happen?" in Mama Cecille's tone was the confusion.

It was then that Lana briefly told her aunt everything.

"Just in case, how is this house?" Lana's aunt again.

The young lady shrugged. "We can hire a caretaker. Or we can sell it. What do you think?" Lana asked.

"Well, if you ask me I don't want to sell this house. It has a lot of good memories with Andrea," said Mama Cecille with a sweet smile.

Lana nodded. "All right Mama, that's it. Go to sleep, I'll take care of this," she said when she saw her aunt yawning.

Then Mama Cecille stood up and put the glass in the sink in which she drank milk.

"You can spend the night here if you want, Andrew. Your daughter's bed is big, just lie next to her," Mama Cecille instructed before finally leaving the kitchen.

*****

"Do you want coffee?" when Lana finished putting away all the dishes they had used.

"Sure," Andrew replied still just watching her every movement.

The young lady started brewing coffee. Then they continued to the living room.

"Come here," the young man tapped the vacant side of the sofa next to him.

When the coffee cup was placed on the center table, Lana sat down next to Andrew. The young man put his arm around her, so she automatically leaned her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder.

For a moment, silence fell on them and Lana broke that silence.

"Do you want me to lend you something to wear? Even just a t-shirt?" she asked while turning her gaze at the young man.

"Sure, by the way, it's Saturday tomorrow, maybe you want to come and visit our house so Andrea can meet Sam?" before she stood up that was what Andrew asked.

"Maybe after your daughter's ballet class," when she returned, Lana handed the young man her oversized shirt.

Andrew smiled. "All right, I'll just pick you up here tomorrow then?"

Lana replied with a simple nod.

"Let's sleep?" she said yawning afterward.

Andrew laughed softly. "I'm sorry if I made you tired earlier ah," the young man kissed her hair.

"You're really crazy!" she said lightly slapping the young man's thigh.

Andrew's smile widened as she did so. "I really can't stand it. To tell you the truth you know what I was before I met you, don't you? I have to admit that to you as the woman I will marry and the mother of all my future children," the young man said passionately, and then he took her hand and kissed it.

"Admit what?" Lana's chest started to pound rapidly because of that.

"Listen, I admitted then that I was a womanizer. Maybe if I just admit to others who I really am before we meet again, before I knew it I no longer have my career. Because I am the opposite of the man, they think I am," the young man admitted.

When Lana did not speak Andrew continued.

"You're asking me about Patricia aren't you? Yes, something happened to us before. But we don't have a relationship because for her it's more fun to work with pleasure. And because I was like that kind of set up back then, I accepted her offer."

The young lady just listened quietly and even though she didn’t admit it, she knew in her own heart that she was affected by everything Andrew was saying even to say she wasn’t in his life yet when all that happened.

"But everything has changed since we met again when I saw you and Andrea," Andrew said.

"Changed?" despite Lana's reluctance to speak, she was not restrained.

Andrew nodded then gently stroked her cheek. "Only now have I found true happiness. With you and Andrea, I know you are all I need so I can have a reason to work hard and move on with life."

Lana's eyes warmed at what she heard.

"Oh Andrew," she said tearfully hugging him.

"I am trying to be the best man that I can be, for you and Andrea. Because I want to give our family the kind of father it deserves. Because I want you to see that despite everything, I am still worth it," that was what Andrew said meaningfully.