I
“Yher!” Someone at their backs called Atty. Yhera’s nickname. Atty. Yhera immediately turned around to check who called him and to her surprise, he saw him, standing tall and smiling.
“Jethross, how are you?” Atty. Yhera smiled in return as she gently held Seigfred’s hand.
“Hi, Yher and Seigfred. I am fine. Just bought something. Are you here for shopping too?” Jethross asked, his eyes fixed on Atty. Yhera.
“Actually, we attended a friend’s book launching and signing at that bookstore.” Atty. Yhera replied while pointing to the nearby bookstore where Shandall held her book launching and signing.
"Do you mean to say, Miss Shandall's book launching and signing?" Jethross asked surprised.
"Yes. Do you know her, Seigfred?" It was Segfreid who asked.
Seigfred smiled and nodded. "Yes of course. She was my wife's best friend. I also came to greet her and buy her book because if my wife has been still alive, she will definitely come to assist her and buy her book. She has a collection of Miss Shandall's books."
"Wow, what a coincidence," Atty. Yhera said, almost exclaiming.
“Indeed, it is. Anyway, nice seeing you both again, Yher and Seigfred,” He went away after excusing himself. They both follow his back with their eyes. They could see that Jethross seems to be still in hardship seeing his aura.
“Do you still regretted that you were not able to marry him?” Seigfred suddenly asked Atty. Yhera with seriousness.
Atty. Yhera shook her head and smiled at Seigfred. “I could not find that regrets anymore. We were not meant to be, that’s what it means, because I am destined for a happier life with someone else, maybe with the man beside me.”
“Why maybe? I am sure you are destined for me, Sweety. Don’t you ever doubt it,” Seigfred said caressing her head.
She nodded as she encircled her right arm around his waist. “Let’s go back to the bookstore Sweety, maybe Shandall is already finished with her book signing.”
“But, Sweety, I still need to buy something for your Mom.”
“Hmm, let us buy her a new oven for baking. Hers was borrowed by her sister but was never returned again as it was used already by aunt Mary in her home baking business.” Atty. Yhera remembered but now just laughing about it. Although Mommy Lily never said a thing about it, she really wanted to get back that oven from her sister, Aunt Mary.
“Okay, let’s buy her that then,” Seigfred said smiling and nodding.
After buying Mommy Lily’s one of the luxury oven brands that cost Seigfred to pay more than a hundred thousand bucks, they returned to the bookstore to check if Shandall has been done already.
When they entered the bookstore, they were surprised to see that Shandall and Buddy seemed to be getting along well already. Shandall’s signing was finished and the two were then just drinking coffee while chatting and laughing.
Atty. Yhera and Siegfred looked at each other and smiled mysteriously.
II
They invited Shandall for lunch after her book signing who without hesitation accepted it.
"That would be great. But it would be my treat for the three of you, I mean four. My best friend's husband will be joining us after a while," Shandall said with a wide smile.
Atty. Yhera's heart suddenly heaved guessing who Shandall was talking about. She kept her silence anyway. If Shandall knew that Jethross is her ex-boyfriend, then she will be keen on observing her to determine her plans against her.
Atty. Yhera got her phone and sent a text message to Buddy.
"Shandall's best friend was Rose, Jethross' dead wife. So, Shandall will be setting up a lunch with Jethross joining us." This is Atty. Yhera's message to Buddy.
"Fu*k, she has a plan, Yher. We need to watch out well," Buddy replied.
"Indeed, Buddy," Atty. Yhera texted back.
Atty. Yhera excused herself from Shandall and held Seigfred's hand. "Sweety, come with me, please."
Seigfred looked at me and nodded. "Sure, Sweety, excuse us."
They walked out of the bookstore holding hands. After a few meters away they stopped and Seigfred looked at her, inquisitively.
"Something is wrong Sweety?" Seigfred asked with curiosity.
"Shandall invited Jethross for her lunch treat. I have a feeling that she knew, Jethross and I have a past relationship," Atty. Yhera said softly, wondering what could be in Shandall's mind now.
Seigfred was silent for a moment. Then he put his arm around her shoulders and kept her closer to him.
"Then let us take it calmly, Sweety. Whatever her plans, she will not succeed," Seigfred said with firmness.
They got back inside the bookstore where Shandall and Buddy were waiting for them.
"So, can we go now?" It was Shandall who already kept all her things and had her shoulder bag hanged into her right shoulder.
"Yeah, sure. Let's go." Atty. Yhera said giving Shandall a thrifty smile. The latter returned her smile with a wide beam.
Inside Atty. Yhera's head, she wanted to tell Shandall that she knows her plan and she is ready for it. If Shandall is planning to surprise and embarrass me in front of Seigfred, then she will just be wasting her time. She will never fulfill today what she wanted.
They all walked towards a well-known Italian restaurant inside the shopping mall, which according to Shandall, she already made a reservation for them. When they arrived at the restaurant, Atty. Yhera already saw Jethross sitting on the table on the left end part of the restaurant.
She gave Shandall a simple glance and watched as her mysterious smile crept through her lips.
Atty. Yhera held Seigfred's hand and looked up at him, who just smiled at him. He waved his hand to Jethross to Shandall's astonishment.
"Seigfred, did you know, Jethross?" she asked, surprised.
Seigfred nodded. "Of course I know him a long time ago already, and we just saw him a while ago, outside of the jewelry boutique. Why Shandall, is he the husband of your best friend?"
Shandall just nodded and then her smile suddenly faded. Thereafter, however, her eyes lit up when her novelist's mind suddenly came up with another plot that would give Atty. Yhera the embarrassment that she deserves in front of Seigfred.