Chapter 12
Veronica was in the den when the bell rang. Ashley and Kaitlyn were on the floor, trying to piece together another jigsaw puzzle with Frank. It had been a lovely day. The four of them had spent it by the pool, then ordered pizza in and spent the evening in the den playing games.
So when the bell rang, Veronica expected it to be the pizza delivery guy.
“I’ll get it. Must be the pizzas,” she said, getting up from the leather armchair where she was sitting. Frank looked up at her from where he was sitting on the carpet and she noticed that he had his brows crossed.
“It can’t be. The pizzas would have been collected and paid for by the security guard at the front gate,” he said and stood up. The girls still had their heads knocked together, trying to find the missing piece for one of the corners.
“So who do you think it is?” Veronica asked, a little confused by Frank’s suspicious look.
“Has to be a social call. Someone who the guards let through. I’ll get it, you stay put here,” he said and immediately smiled reassuringly. Veronica nodded and went back to looking at the girls on the floor.
She heard Frank’s slippers squeaking on the wooden floor as he walked down the foyer, and then she heard him opening the door. Even though she was trying to play with the girls, Veronica couldn’t help curiosity get the better of her and she tried to listen. She could hear two male voices and shrugged, assuming now that it had to be the pizza delivery guy. Who else would Frank keep at the front door for so long?
Then she heard the door shut and the sound of two pairs of shoes on the wooden floor. Veronica sat up straight in her chair, more curious than ever now. The footsteps were fast approaching, and they were coming towards the den. Frank was bringing someone in there, and Veronica smoothened her skirt and tucked in some stray curls behind her ears.
When the door of the den opened, she stood up and the two girls looked up in unison. Calvin’s nervous smiling face appeared at the door and he stepped in, followed by Frank.
“Calvin!” Veronica said, her hands dropping to her side.
He took a few more quick steps till he was in front of her. Calvin placed his hands on her shoulders and Veronica looked up at him.
“I thought I’d drop by. I was hoping that you’d have some time to talk,” he said, smiling down at her.
“Veronica, who is this?” Ashley’s small voice interrupted Veronica’s trance like state. Not in a million years would she have expected Calvin to just turn up here. She was expecting him to call, but not this!
“Umm…he’s my friend, Calvin. Calvin these are the girls, Audrey and Kaitlyn Davenport,” Veronica said, gently drawing her shoulders away from Calvin’s grasp.
“Hello, girls,” Calvin said and encouragingly dropped to one knee to look at the puzzle they were working on. Veronica took the opportunity to lift her head and look at Frank. He was standing with his arms crossed over his chest and leaning against the door frame.
He had a neutral expression on his face. She couldn’t tell what exactly he was thinking.
“Calvin, we should talk privately,” Veronica turned to him with a jerk. All the nervousness from the previous night, and the guilt came rushing back to her. She knew she was blushing too. The two men she was involved with were both in the same room with her. She didn’t know where to look or who to talk to.
Calvin looked up at her and smiled.
“Of course,” he said and then ruffled Audrey’s hair before he stood up beside her. He placed his arm around her shoulder and Veronica felt her muscles stiffen again. She didn’t want him to touch her, especially not in front of Frank.
“I hope it’s okay with you Mr Davenport, me intruding in your home like this,” Calvin said, looking up at Frank now with a polite smile.
“Of course. It’s no problem. Take your time,” Frank said in a low smooth voice. It was still difficult for Veronica to know exactly what he was thinking.
“It’s just that I have something to important to discuss with my girlfriend,” Calvin added, and Veronica blushed some more.
“Girlfriend? You’re this man’s girlfriend, Veronica?” Kaitlyn butt in and Veronica looked at her with guilty eyes. She didn’t know what to say to her. In front of Calvin no less.
“Yes, she is my girlfriend. And maybe soon, she’ll be my wife,” Calvin said in a happy voice to the little girl, before turning to Veronica with a smile.
“I’ll take over from here, Veronica. You both should go ahead,” Frank said and Veronica whipped her head around to look at him. He looked as calm as ever, and now he was walking towards them. He brushed past her as he walked over to the spot where his daughters were playing, and Veronica felt an electric shock run down her spine when their arms lightly touched.
She felt like she was beginning to choke up, like she was going to break down and cry. Lying had never come naturally to her, and now she felt like a horrible human being for keeping her affair with Frank hidden for so long.
“Shall we go up to your room, babe?” Calvin’s voice interrupted her thoughts and Veronica glared at him, speechless still. He reached for her hand and tugged at it, and that was when she started walking, leading him out of the room. Veronica wanted nothing more than to just be out of that space. She wanted Calvin away from Frank and the girls, as though he might end up causing some kind of harm to them.