Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

[Rachael's room]

It was almost dinner time but Rachael was still busy packing with her two happy helpers, Emma and Tina.

Looking at the wardrobe which was still half full, Tina sighed, "We need to stop shopping."

"I was about to say that." Looking at Rachael who was closing the fourth suitcase, Emma suggested, "Rach, I think you should just take what you really need."

"I am only taking what I need."

Just then someone knocked at the door.

"It's open."

"What about the handbags? Are you taking everything?" When Rachael shook her head, Tina sighed in relief. "Just separate what you want to take."

"I say just take a couple of them. When you filthy rich sexy husband will notice that you have only two, he will buy you brand new ones," Emma remarked.

"That's a great idea," Tina exclaimed. "Or you can just take his credit card and go wild."

"I am not asking for his credit card—" Rachael chuckled. "It will be weird."

"Why not?"

"And I don't think you have to ask for it, he will give it to you," Tina stated. "I feel like Andrew is a kind of man who loves to spoil his wife."

"I know right? He also gives me daddy vibes," Emma added. "What do you think, Rach?"

Rachael shrugged. "I don't know, maybe—" She swallowed the rest of her sentence when she saw someone standing near the door.

"Maybe what? You also think he gives daddy vibes?" Emma grinned.

"A-Andrew, when did you come?" Rachael awkwardly smiled at him. She had no idea how long he had been standing there and listening to their conversation.

"A while ago." He walked towards them. "Aunt Reeta told me you were busy packing so I came here to ask if you need any help."

Emma and Tina froze.

"How much do you think he heard?" Tina whispered.

"I don't know."

Rachael glared at her best friends who were whispering pretty loudly.

Emma awkwardly smiled at Rachael and then Andrew. "Well, since Rachael has a new helper, Tina and I will leave. We have that thing—"

"Yeah that thing—we have to go." Tina and Emma rushed out without looking back.

After they left, Rachael tried to explain to him what he had heard wasn't like it sounded but she couldn't find the right words.

Andrew on the other hand was trying very hard to keep a straight face. He had heard everything. But to save his wife from all the awkwardness, he changed the subject. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Actually I am almost done."

Looking at the four big suitcase on the floor and the half filled fifth one on the bed, he said, "Let me call Ben, he can take the ones which are done tonight and we can take the rest tomorrow."

"Okay but is it okay to disturb him? I mean, it's quite late." It was almost quarter to nine and Rachael thought it would be very inappropriate to call Ben over.

"Absolutely not." Andrew took out his phone. "He has nothing to do."

After dropping a message to Ben, he said, "He will be here soon."

"Okay, should we take it down?"

"There is no need for that, Ben will do it with others." Walking towards her, he added, "I have something for you—actually for us."

Before Rachael could ask what it was, Andrew pulled out a velvet ring box from his pocket.

"I don't know if you'll like it—we can go over to the shop tomorrow and get it changed," he added.

She took the box from his hand and opened it. "It's beautiful."

"They told me it's from the latest collection of couple rings."

Gently brushing her finger over the rings, Rachael smiled, "It's really beautiful."

After leaving Rachael's place in the morning, Andrew went straight to the jewellery shop to buy a ring for his wife. Though they had to get married in a rush and it didn't happen in a normal way, they were a couple now. And he didn't want his wife to walk around with an empty finger.

He wanted everyone to know she was taken. Taken by him.

"The other one is for me," he added.

The plan was to get a ring for Rachael but when he saw the couple ring, he changed his mind.

…..