Game, Set And Match

Chapter 7

While Lorraine settled in the bed to watch romantic movies on the television, Phillip decided to use the time to help Steve with some work. Sitting behind the desk looking over the files that Phillip sent him via email. Steve waited while Phillip walked in and closed the door behind him. Steve was kind of bothered that cyberbullies like this had managed to slip through the cracks. While Phillip had been teaching Lorraine how to shoot, Steve had spent the time trying to shut down most of the accounts that spammed Lorraine’s page. Often it felt futile because a few days later a new one popped up with the same profile just a different username.

“How’s it going Steve, any luck?”

Steve nodded. “I’ve made some headway in locking down the accounts but this person is stubborn as hell, every time I lock down an account a new one springs up.”

“If it has been driving you crazy think about how poor Lorraine must have felt. She’s been dealing with it for months now.”

Steve did respond to that. “Tell me something, Phillip. Now that your vacation is almost at an end. I couldn’t help but observe you and Lorraine, are you in love with her?”

Phillip couldn’t stand anymore, he took a seat in a nearby sofa chair and let out a loud audible sigh. “Am I that obvious?”

“Not to everyone but because I know you well.”

Phillip sat up straight in the chair very attentive to his friend, his wide shoulders went a bit straighter. “She’s amazing. The more time I spend in her company, the more I love the little things about her, for example, the way her forehead crinkles when she’s serious, or the lines that gather at the corner of her eyes whenever she smiles, even the way she dunks her Oreos in milk turns me on.”

“So what you gonna do about it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Phillip all your life you’ve dedicated yourself to this business, now that it has grown exponentially beyond our wildest dreams, don’t you think that it’s time you put yourself first, you’ve finally found love, it’s time to settle down, build a family so you have children to leave your legacy to, makes sense doesn’t it?”

“You are right, I’ll do my best to make a damn good husband for Lo, just imagine little miniatures of us climbing over Uncle Steve.”

“Don’t make me laugh, I often think I’m allergic to children, I wouldn’t know the first thing about caring for them.”

“You and me both, as the only child for our respective parents, we are used to getting our own way but we’ll learn.”

“Phillip, I still can’t see you changing diapers anytime soon.”

“Well I’ve got to get her to say yes before I even start planning our kids. This is the first woman I look forward to growing old with, sagging bre*sts, wrinkles and all, I’ll do my damnest to take fantastic care of her and see that she never wants for anything.”

“Okay bro, I don’t think it’s me you should be telling these things to still.” Steve laughed.

“I’m just getting my practice on, do you think I should get on one knee?”

“Why stop there go the whole nine yards.”

“What if she says no, for crying out loud. What do I do then?”

“That’s just your nerves talking man, you’re a good man, no woman in her right mind would turn you down when you have so much to offer.”

Phillip’s jaw clenched tightly. “With all the stress she’s been through lately, I don’t want to feel like I am pressuring her on top of it all.”

“Don’t worry about it, women dig the knight in tarnished armor that comes to save them from their problems and I seriously doubt Lorraine is any different.”

“Besides since when do you give up so easy, if you surrendered to your doubts and fears you wouldn’t be half the man you are today. If anyone can pull this remarkable feat off and make it happen, you can.”

“Thanks for boosting my confidence man, I really appreciate it.”

“No problem, I’m always here for you but let’s get back to work.”

*****

Lorraine couldn’t help but compare Phillip to the guy in the romance movie she just watched, they were both handsome as sin, full of good humor and jokes, with spirit and a sense of adventure. With the exception of the first time he went away and she hadn’t gotten his message, he made it his personal goal to always be there for her ever since. She could always depend on him for assistance, with her past history with men it was good to finally have someone prove all the misconception wrong, someone she could believe in. Even though she had went and slept with him on the first date, it hadn’t made things awkward in fact it was the opposite, it cemented the bond of friendship that had now developed into love. For indeed she had no doubts that she was in love with him.

Even though he was yet to say anything about it to her she was pretty sure that based on his actions he felt the same way. Normally she was a loner, she could fathom when she last found a man as appealing as Phillip that she wanted to be around 24/7. It was a pity the two weeks had come to an end and she would be back to work in another day. She needed more time with Phillip the two weeks wasn’t enough, she wanted more and more time.  His friends could come off as scary, loud and gruff because of their size and scarred features. However when you got to know them they were playful teddy bears, willing to have a good time, jet and run pranks on each other. They went out of their way to make her laugh and feel comfortable around them. She didn’t even mind that they often called her Mrs. Jameson or Phillip’s woman when the mood suited them.

When Phillip came into the bed room she was drifting to sleep but sensing his presence she opened her eyes.

“You awake Lo.”

“Sort of…”

“Okay Lo, I have a proposition for you, could you hear me out please.”

“What’s on your mind?”

Phillip stood towering over the bed while she sat up on the bed her back to the mountain of pillows behind her. He looked down at her and smiled so sweetly her heart skipped a beat. Then he reached down and clasped both her hands in his, he was slightly trembling and he started to speak slowly but with much determination as he got in to his speech.

“I was thinking, you and I get along so well, I don’t want to contemplate a day without you by my side, I believe with my whole heart that you are my other half, the part that I have been searching for my entire life, Lorraine my heartbeat, will you marry me?”

By that time Phillip had gone down on one knee and Lorraine was in shock peering down at him. For a moment the bed room seem to spin, Phillips voice drowned out that of even the television, she had to grab a hold of him to steady herself and he was staring at her so tenderly she wanted to cry tears of joy.

She was in her pajamas for crying out loud this was so unexpected she reeled from the shock but she found her voice in time to belt out a resound, “yes! Yes I will marry you Phillip Jameson.”

He buried his face in her hair breathing in her natural intoxicating smell. She laughed, that tingling in her voice, happy and harmonious made his day. She instigated their kiss beckoning him to take it to the next level with which he complied. This was one memory of her complete satisfaction and joy that he never wanted to forget, may this day be permanently etched in his brain for the rest of his life. “I love you, Phillip Jameson. I love you so much the thought of losing you hurts. I swear if you ever abandon me I will hunt you down, you can’t escape me,”