Chapter 11 - 11. Four and Half Years...

*crack*

The sudden cracking sound made Reuben and Veronica break their kiss as they looked at the source of the disturbance and their eyes widened in surprise, seeing who / what was the reason of that sound.

A flower vase was broken into pieces on the floor of the hallway and two persons were standing beside it, looking totally shocked after what they saw. One was covering her mouth with her right hand and the other's mouth was gaped open with widened eyes.

These two persons are none other than Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Lopez.

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15 minutes earlier…

"Honey, where is Reuben? Some business partners want to talk to him." Mr. Smith asked his wife.

"I don't know where is he." Mrs. Smith replied.

"Hmm….. Even Veronica isn't here. It's been a while since she went for washroom." Mrs. Lopez said looking around her trying to find her daughter.

"Urgh!! I think both of our children are again busy with their bickering. Let me go and find them." Mrs. Smith said to her husband and got up from her chair.

"Yeah.. Let me go with you." Mrs. Lopez followed her friend.

As they were walking through the hallway, both were complaining about their own children's childishness and thinking about how their children always behaved like some born enemies and badmouthed about each other.

But suddenly their footsteps halted when they saw the sight in front of them....both of their children, who were the so called enemies of each other....kissing each other passionately without a care about this world.

They were so shocked by the view, that the flower vase on the rack beside them, had been shuttered down by their abrupt movements.

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Back to the present…

"What was that? Am I seeing things? Or I've gone mad??" Mrs. Lopez was the first one to break the silence.

Veronica immediately pushed Reuben from her side and straightened her hair and dress which had been disheveled by their kiss and then she also hinted Reuben to do the same.

"Mom…. Aunty…." Veronica awkwardly greeted them with her cheeks deep red like beet whereas Reuben stood beside her without any expression as if nothing had happened.

"Care to explain?" Mrs. Smith eyed her son.

"Actually, this is not what you guys are thinking. It was just….."

"We have been dating each other since four and half years." Reuben confessed as a matter of fact before Veronica could complete her sentence.

Three of the ladies looked at him at the same time with a horrified expression and the mothers' face were truly hilarious to look for.

Reuben looked at their mothers and then his eyes fell on Veronica, "What?"

Veronica kept silent and glared at him angrily like she would chop off him right then.

"Did I said anything wrong baby?" Reuben hugged her waist raising his eyebrows and pouted.

"Is this true, Vero?" Mrs. Lopez asked.

Veronica didn't have the guts to look up at her mother. She just nodded her head in affirmation.

"Both of you….. Come with us." Mrs. Smith ordered as the couple followed their mothers obediently hand in hands.

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In a private room…

Both of the Smith and Lopez family were sitting on the sofa across each other and the couple took a seat in the middle of the two families.

Veronica had her head bowed down and Reuben had enterwined both of their fingers with his one hand while his other hand was holding a glass of cocktail without any stress.

When he felt that Veronica's hand was sweating profusely, he slightly pinched her palm and looked directly at her eyes gently as if assuring her that everything would be okay and to trust on him.

Veronica gave him a slight smile and held his hand more tightly.

"Ahem…"Mr. Smith coughed to break the silence.

"What we are hearing from your mothers.... is that true?" Mr. Lopez asked.

"Yes, Uncle. It's absolutely true. We're both in love with each other since very long." Reuben confirmed, without beating around the bush.

"Yes dad. It'll be soon our 5th year anniversary after five more months." Veronica also agreed and looked at their parents in their eyes.

Thereafter, none of them talked and the room fell into silence once again that only the sound of their breathing could be heard.

After another 5 minutes....

Both Mr. Smith and Mr. Lopez abruptly moved up from their seat and rushed towards each other with their enraged face like they were going to peel off each other's skin.

Reuben kept his glass down on the table and opened his mouth to say something but was stopped by what he had seen the next...