Stay with Me by Awesomekristii (primary phonics .TXT) 📕

DELILAH

“How long you two have been together?” My head shot up from the dough I was kneading and meet with a pair of grey eyes. She was chopping the onion and that too like a professional.

I cleared my throat trying to get with any idea.

One year?

Two years?

Six months?

What should I say?

“Uh, a month.” I hope this was believable. She nodded, continuing with her work. I couldn’t even say if she has believed me or not. Her one side f the face was only visible, and it made me more nervous lying at her.

“I have asked him for so long you know to get someone. It gets lonely to live all alone in this huge mansion.” She turned and walked to the sink before washing the other vegetables she was going to cut.

“Even though I know Liliana was here but still, that boy doesn’t let anyone close to him. Except for Steven, that too sometimes.” She looked grim as she spoke.

I only gave her a nod, not knowing how to console her. It’s difficult to get consoled when you know the exact truth and she knew her grandson.

I didn’t want to feed her with any extra lies of him being super happy or contended because somewhere or the other even I know there was something behind those façade of coldness marring his face.

“Things will get better.” I gave her a little smile and saw her eyes glistening a little. I kneaded the dough more before trying to change the subject.

“Are you a professional cook or something, Mrs Black, these cuttings are so good?” I saw her mood lifting up at that before she chuckled lightly.

“Leave the formality, call me Grandma or Grams as Damien does.” I smiled a little at her, nodding.

“And yeah kind of. Not professional but I have my cooking school back in Arizona.” My eyes brightened at her words. She took a slice of the capsicum and cut it thinner this time.

“That's amazing.” She laughed lightly at the zeal in my voice.

“By the way, what do you do, Delilah?” I stilled at her words not knowing what to say.

I didn’t have any identity of my own, no job, no proper college degrees. Nothing. I was that useless.

“I…” What had Damien said to her? I didn’t ask him that. Hoping that he hadn’t told her anything I spoke the truth.

“I have recently thinking to join the culinary classes.”

“Ohh.” Her eyes fell on me surprised. “As in professional?” I nodded at her timidly. I know I couldn’t match Damien's status.

A mere student of culinary while he is the successful businessman.

However I didn’t hear the denial or the rejection in her voice. She grinned at me, her voice energetic.

“That’s so good. I will be getting a company in my cooking now. We could try making different dishes. Experiment them.” I laughed seeing her and felt a weight lifted down my chest.

We made the pizza together, chatting constantly and it felt real good to talk after so long. She taught me a few more tricks in the cooking.

How to make those perfect slices and even trying different flavours in the same dish.

My stomach almost grumbled at the smell of the pizza baking and Grandma laughed lightly at that.

“You must be real hungry. Why don’t you go and change yourself? It’s a welcoming dinner of Grandma.” I laughed at that.

“Then it should have been me who would have cooked everything.” She swatted her hands in air.

“It was you only, I just accompanied.” I tried to deny that but she faked glared at me before turning back inside the kitchen.

I walked upstairs and quietly sneaked inside my room. I haven’t brought everything to his. I feel sad leaving this room which I have decorated with my own hands.

I showered and changed into a white coloured sweater dress, and descended down.

“What's with this dinner set up, Grams?” I saw his features softening as he asked her rolling up his sleeves.

His tie loosely knotted, and his hair a little dishevelled. Grandma handed him a glass of water, smiling brightly.

“A welcome dinner set up by Delilah and me.” He almost rolled his eyes, looking at her amused.

“You are some guest her or what? It’s your place as well and I asked you so many times to settle in with me.”

“Pfft!” She shook her head. “This old lady loves her humble abode too much to leave. It’s better at my place.” Damien just sighed at that.

“You're ready!” Grandma beamed at me and I sensed a pair of eyes landing on me. I could feel his heating gazes at me but I tried and keep myself as cool as possible.

She turned towards Damien narrowing her eyes. “This isn’t how you meet your girlfriend after a long day at work.”

Oh No.

I almost forgot the façade we were in. I smiled at her nervously. “It's f-“ I saw him standing up and walking towards me before he bent a little and before I could realize he placed his lips over mine.

Oh my God.

I felt firecrackers in my stomach as if all the butterflies are unleashed inside me, fluttering with the feel of his hard lips over mine.

But before he could deepen, he removed his lips. But that was enough to make my heart beat frantically against my chest and my senses consumed in the feel of the lips.

“That's how you should.” She grinned and asked us to take the seats. And Damien and I had to take the seats beside each other. I know my cheeks must be on fire but I couldn’t help.

This is just the beginning and I don’t know how long I can survive in this façade.

We served ourselves. The homemade pizza along with the lemon rice and chicken. My toes fidgeted with nervousness being this close to him. I could even feel his heat radiating at me. His musky smell infiltrating my nostrils.

I settled firmly on my seat. Just have the dinner and be gone. “When are you going to join the culinary classes?” I looked up at grandma from the plate.

“Probably in a week.” She smiled at me, nodding her head. I could feel his eyes and it made me guilty for not informing him that. After all he was my inspiration to join the classes.