ORION.
"Nice of you two to finally join us," Athena said sarcastically and yet her tone was playful as we stepped into the cozy sitting room. I couldn't help but laugh as Harro leaned in to plant gentle kisses on her cheeks.
"Hello, gorgeous. You look as beautiful as always." He greeted her and then, he turned to Marcus, extending his hand with warm smile. "Hello, Marcus. Welcome to our home."
Marcus took Harro's hand, his voice sincere yet tinged with nerves. "Hello, Mr. Bishop. Thanks again for the opportunity."
"Just Harro is fine, Marcus. Mr. Bishop is my father," Harro said gently, and I noticed Marcus visibly relax, a smile breaking across his face.
As our eyes met, Marcus gave me the familiar nod of acknowledgment we'd exchanged over the years. But this time, there was something different in his smile—a hint of hope?
"Does father know you're an interior designer?" i asked him but my words however innocently, made Marcus stiffened. Athena shot me a cautionary glance, and I felt Harro's hand squeeze mine gently, probably telling me to be gentle with him. I hadn't meant to pry; my curiosity was genuine.
"Do you enjoy working as an interior designer?" I asked this time, deciding to steer the conversation in a friendlier direction. Suddenly, Marcus's face lit up like it was Christmas morning as he nodded enthusiastically.
"And he's quite good at it too!" Harro chimed in, which made me turn to him. "Athena sent me a link to his Instagram page earlier, and he's done some impressive work." the same time Marcus handed me what I assumed was his portfolio, and I accepted it with an appreciative nod, eagerly flipping through the pages brimming with his incredible designs.
Harro leaned in closer, scanning the visuals alongside me while Athena brought over refreshments. As we absorbed Marcus's artistry, Harro nodded approvingly, occasionally commenting with soft praises like, "This is good," or asking, "What do you think about this?" No pretenses here—we were captivated by Marcus's talent. I didn't even know Marcus had other interests outside our father grooming him to take over the company. He must have really put in a lot of work to become this good, I shouldn't take it for granted.
"So? Are we doing this or what?" Athena asked, her enthusiasm obvious as we finished reviewing the designs. Harro turned his gaze into mine; we shared a silent moment of understanding before I nodded, smiling back at him. I was on board with Marcus working on our home.
"We're definitely doing this!" Harro announced happily, beaming at Athena before turning his attention to Marcus. "Congratulations, Marcus. You got the job! We'll leave our home in your capable hands." He shook Marcus's hand firmly.
"Thank you so much for the opportunity. I will take good care of your home and deliver my best work," Marcus replied, the confidence returning to his demeanor.
I gave him another nod of encouragement and his smile widened. He looks completely different from the person I thought he was. His smile is genuine and he looks like he's really eager to work with us. The Marcus I know didn't even crack a smile when his mother suggested he join the family business at Stone Pharmaceuticals, but look at him now - he's beaming with joy!
"I'll send the rest of the details later so we can decide when to start, though I'll prefer we start immediately." Athena said, and Marcus nodded gratefully before getting ready to leave. Harro insisted he didn't have to rush off and was welcome to join us for dinner, but Marcus politely declined, promising he'd take us up on that offer next time.
As he exited our home, the door closed softly behind him, and Harro turned to me with a smile. "See! I told you everything would be alright," he said gently, and I settled onto the couch with a sigh.
"Yeah, it really wasn't so bad," Athena chimed in. "Marcus was so nervous, thinking he was going to blow this meeting."
"He was nervous?" I asked, surprised and Athena nodded.
"Even though he begged me to let him work on your home, it was still my decision to bring the proposal to you two." she mused in retrospect. "But his enthusiasm and worries were starting to get to me, you know? I started feeling nervous too! He would go, 'Do you think Orion would like this or that?' and he was worried whether you'd even let him work on your home in the first place. I've never been this stressed about working with someone! It was clear he wanted to impress you, Riri, but it was a lot listening to him go on about the things he thought you'd like."
"Impress me? Why would he do that?" I wondered, confusion wafting through my thoughts.
"This is just my own theory," Athena began, "but I believe Marcus wants to build a sibling relationship with you. He always has, but he didn't know how to approach it since your families weren't on good terms. Now that things are improving, he's finding the courage to reach out." she finished talking and I just stared at her still trying to digest her words.
"You don't have to rush into anything right now, babe," Harro said gently, touching my hand. "You can take all the time you need, I'm sure Marcus will understand." His kindness warmed my heart, and I smiled gratefully at both of them.
He was right; I needed time to process everything. I had forgiven my father and his wife, even if it was for my sake, but I hadn't truly accounted for Marcus. He didn't ask for the circumstances of his birth, just like I hadn't chosen mine. Perhaps it was time to consider giving him a chance, to see where this path might lead. I just need to figure out how to go about it first.
"Now, onto other things—are you two packed for your vacation?" Athena's voice cut through my thoughts.
"We're packed and ready for tomorrow!" Harro replied, his smile brightening the room.
"That's good! I need you two out of here so we can get to work. We have just two weeks to get this place ready, and move everything from Orion's place here before you two get back, it sounds tricky but we'll get it done." she assured us, and I nodded in agreement. I knew how fast Athena worked.
"I'm at peace knowing our home will be in your care," Harro said, and Athena beamed, clinking her wine glass against his in silent agreement.
Everything feels right; there was a warm sense of impending adventure already enveloping us. Come tomorrow, Harro and I would leave for a two-week romantic getaway to a beautiful island, and when we returned, this place would officially be our home. I couldn't wait to see what this place would look like with all my belongings mixed with Harro's.