Perfect Strangers

*

“So, Rhett, how’s business?” Stan asked across the table after her father’s introduction to Kai was done.

Myla passed Kai the bowl of freshly cooked pasta, and he cleared his throat. “It’s good thank you, Stan. Keeping me busy,” he laughed.

“What type of law is it you specialize in?” Stan asked as he wiped his mouth on his napkin, dropped it onto the table and replaced it with his wine glass.

Myla stiffened next to Kai. In all her planning, one thing she hadn’t thought to discuss with him was the type of law. She just assumed they would never ask, since they hadn’t before. Sensing her panic, Kai slipped his free hand under the table and gently squeezed her thigh in reassurance. “Matrimonial law,” he replied before twirling a forkful of pasta into his mouth, but keeping his hand on Myla’s thigh.

“Matrimonial, hey? I bet that’s interesting,” Stan mused.

“It sure is. I really don’t get why so many couples marry these days if they have no interest in standing by each other through the rough times. So many couples come through our offices wanting to divorce, mostly because of infidelity. I mean, do the vows they take before God mean nothing anymore?”

Myla sat with her forkful of pasta midway to her mouth and she looked wide-eyed at Kai. Removing his hand from her leg he brought it up to her chin and winked when he pushed his finger up, closing her jaw.

“I have to agree with you there, Rhett. It’s a travesty today that the vows are taken with such flippancy. Myself and Victoria have been married for nearly thirty-five years, these days’ marriages last for thirty-five months, if that, before ending in divorce.”

“That’s true, Stan. Why do you think it makes me a ton of money?” Kai laughed, Stan joined in with him as Myla grimaced and proceeded to eat her pasta.

“I must say, I was surprised you found love again, Myla, considering the heartache Casper caused you, I really thought you would grow old and lonely,” cut in Victoria.

Closing her eyes, Myla’s fork began to shake. Anger, once again flooded her body. Taking a deep breath, she placed the fork back down. “Not now, mother,” she warned.

“Casper?” Kai questioned and a deathly silence descended the room.

“Casper was Myla’s reason for moving to London,” said Grace quietly causing Myla to shoot her a death stare.

“He wasn’t the only reason I moved away,” she replied and looked disdainfully at her mother.

“Has she not told you about Casper, Rhett?” Inquired Victoria, without waiting for an answer she continued. “They were high school sweethearts, joined at the hip, I always thought they would get married.”

“I’m sure Rhett doesn’t want to hear this,” Myla said flustered. She wanted to avoid all talk of Casper.

“No, actually Rhett does want to hear this,” smiled Kai tauntingly in her direction.

“Anyway, he ran off and married her best friend Darcy and broke her heart, she never got over him.”

“Ouch, what a schmuck,” Kai retorted.

“That’s enough. I got over Casper a long time ago, mother, how dare you bring this up now, in front of my fiancé, it’s in the past,” Myla said unamused.

Placing his hand on her arm, Kai pulled her face with his other hand to look at him, “It’s in the past, Myla. Everyone has a past, all that matters now is us, our future,” he said soothingly as he pushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled. Realizing she was causing a scene she nodded at him. “I’m sorry for my outburst,” she mumbled to the rest of the table before picking up her fork and continuing with her meal.

“I should warn you, Myla, Casper is back in town,” said Grace uneasily.

“Yes well, that maybe the case, but this town is big enough for me to avoid him, so let’s just end this conversation right now, shall we? Besides, I’m engaged to Rhett and I’m very happy, so kindly leave the past in the past.” Myla spoke firmly but shifted in her seat uncomfortably and clamped her hand on top of Kai’s, who was sat staring at her intently.

Victoria let out a loud a high-pitched laugh causing Stan to cast a cold hard stare her way. “Grace, darling. Have you not told Myla yet?” Grace looked down at her food, unable to look at Myla.

“Told me what?”

“You’ll be seeing a lot of Casper while you’re here, he’s the best man at Grace’s wedding,” Victoria replied with glee.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“I like him, Victoria, he seems good for Myla,” said Stan as they washed and dried the dishes in the kitchen.

“Yes well, you like anybody and everybody,” she replied. Pulling the plug, she drained the water down the sink.