"I will go and get it for you, don't worry," Raymond offered to help out. He stood up and moved to the counter.
Joanna wasn't sure whether Anthony's intervention was deliberate or unintentional but still, she was happy he came to her rescue.
"Are you tired?" He asked in a meek tone. He shifted his hands from the table to her thigh where she placed her left hand.
"If you are exhausted I can ask Mrs Parker to come up with an excuse for you to come home with us...,"
"I am not tired," She beamed at him. "Even though I was tired, from the moment I set my eyes on these two lovely faces...," She trailed as she raised her hand and took turns touching their faces.
"My worries have been watched away," She concluded, still maintaining her smile.
"Really?" Anthony beats Amos to speak first.
"Yes, really," She replied. "That's how magical your faces are to me so don't worry about me. I am fine," She assured them with a broad smile.
"Since you said you are fine then I won't press the issue any further," He muttered.
Raymond returned to the table soon only to find a peaceful atmosphere. Not only was the atmosphere peaceful but he noticed that Amos' expression wasn't full of hostility like earlier.
Joanna spent over thirty minutes with them. If the decision between Joanna spending time with them or returning to work was left for Amos to choose, the happy guy would have without doubts chosen the former.
But Joanna didn't give him or Mrs Parker the chance to make that choice for her.
[I want the remaining days I have to spend with Amos to be intact. I won't and I can't afford to do anything that will jeopardize those days for me]
These were Joanna's thoughts as she returned to her duty post.
The three men sitting at the table in the Eastern part of the cafe watched over Joanna like they were her bodyguards.
They jumped up at every near accident that occurred and also when a male customer tried to touch her either by mistake or intentionally.
Mrs Parker and Amelia always smile at such occurrences.
"Although they can be a handful, I believe a lady who has them by her side would be very happy. One look at them and you will see that their love for her is overflowing. Because of this love, they would do anything to protect her...,"
"Are you including him too?" Leah asked and pointed at Anthony who was smiling at Joanna.
"Of course," She exclaimed. "Don't be surprised if he turns out to be the most overprotective out of the three men," Mrs Parker smiled.
Just then the memory of Anthony defending Joanna in a crowd flashed before her eyes. He was so fearless even though the crowd was made of only adults.
No child has ever earned her respect except him.
"He is such a lovely boy. He will be among the greatest men of this Kingdom if he can grow up with those traits in him," Mrs Parker muttered. Her smile became broader as she kept looking at Anthony.
Some minutes later Raymond received an urgent call from Derrick. Despite wanting to remain there he had no choice but to leave due to the urgency of Derrick's voice.
He left the cafe in haste after he bade her goodbye.
Raymond's car halted in front of a tall building. A guy that seemed to have waited for him hurried to the driver's seat.
"Rick, I told you I was in the middle of something important but you insisted I must come here so tell me what the hell is going on," Raymond stated. He couldn't hide his anger and he didn't even try to.
"Mr Xavier found out that you missed the commercial shoot...,"
"This is not the first time I have done this so what is the fuss about...,"
"He was mad when he learned about this. He became more furious when your picture at the cafe circulated. And I heard he exploded when he discovered that the cafe where your video and pictures went viral was Joanna's working place," Derrick explained.
He grabbed Raymond's hand and tried to drag him along but to his dismay, Raymond refused to move a muscle.
"Was this why you called me here?" Raymond hissed. Derrick was astounded by Raymond's nonchalance.
Yeah, this is not the first time they have run away from their shoot and neither was it the second time.
But despite their naughtiness they always have one thing in mind; their goal. Never have they done anything that will jeopardize their mission but for the first time he realised that Raymond didn't consider this one thing.
"Mr Xavier can go ahead and rant for all he wants I don't care...,"
"I know you like Joanna. I recall saying you should be more proactive in your pursuit that is to show that I support you...,"
"If you support me then you wouldn't have done what you did...,"
"Oh, cut out of it already Raymond," Derrick snapped. "That I support your feelings towards her doesn't mean I will condone every one of your actions so cut out with this madness ok?".
Derrick let go of Raymond's hand. He walked three steps away and turned his back on him.
"Don't forget the main reason we came to the human world. Although she was part of our plans from the beginning, she was meant to be your plaything. That you discovered she was the girl from the past shouldn't make you act like this...,"
"You are not allowed to say that Rick," Raymond scolded. He extended his hand and grabbed Derrick's hand but the angry guy beat Raymond's hand away.
"I know you don't like to hear this but the fact that she was not the reason why we are here remains, whether you like it or not," Derrick shrieked. He turned and gazed at Raymond.