Chapter 362 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“Do you really want to talk about this right now? Right here?” Celsie asked, looking into Benne’s eyes while making wild gestures with her hand to remind him that they were by the roadside.

“Yes, I want to. I’m not sure I’m ever going to be relaxed enough to talk about it later unless we talk about it now. So please tell me, Celsie. What do you want?” Benne asked with pleading eyes, and Celsie sighed as she took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

“Honestly? I’m not sure I know what I want anymore,” Celsie confessed, and Benne felt the first stirring of hope in his heart.

“You don’t know?”

“Marriage has never been in my plans. I’ve never thought nor dreamed of getting married all my life. All I’ve ever wanted was to work, make a name for myself and live alone traveling around the world at my leisure. Maybe get a pet, and hopefully have a niece or nephew, or both to dote on. I’ve never thought of marriage, so I don’t know,” Celsie said, and Benne nodded.

“Being in a relationship was never in your plan either, was it?” Benne asked, and Celsie shook her head.

“It wasn’t.”

“But here we are, right?”

“It’s different. Being a teenager I didn’t mind relationships but not marriage. I still don’t think marriage is something I can do.”

That was something that Benne couldn’t understand. Her parents were wonderful, and he had watched them interact long enough to know that they were crazy about each other, so what could have possibly made her decide that she didn’t want to be married?

“Why? What are you scared of, love? Do you think getting married to me will stop you from achieving your dreams? You can still work, make a name for yourself, travel the world, own whatever pet you want, have nieces and nephews to dote on. I can’t stop you from doing any of that. The only difference is, you will be doing all of that with me in the picture. Sharing your joyous and sad moments with me. Can’t you do that?” Benne asked, and Celsie’s brows pulled together in distress.

“I don’t know.”

“So does that mean you plan to break up with me in the future? Because even if you don’t get married to me and you just decide to date me, I will still be in the picture,” Benne said, and tears of confusion gathered in Celsie’s eyes.

“I don’t want to break up with you, Benne. I’m not sure about how I feel right now. I don’t know if I’m going to change my mind on this subject like I’ve done by being in a relationship with you. It’s all still too soon,” Celsie cried, burying her face in her hands.

Benne felt slightly relieved. If she was just saying she didn’t want to get married to him because she had never thought of getting married, and not because there was any tangible reason for it, then there was hope that he could convince her otherwise.

“What about kids? How do you feel about kids?” Benne asked as he reached for her hands, and pulled them away from her face and kissed her palms.

Celsie shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked into his eyes, “I’m not sure I want kids either.”

This was going to be tough, Benne thought as he used his thumb to wipe the tears on her cheeks, “Will a year be enough for you to make up your mind on what you want? I mean you can take a year to think about it and be clear on what you want. All you have to do is promise to keep your mind open to the possibility of marriage and kids,” Benne pleaded.

“A year?” Celsie asked in confusion. That sounded like they were postponing the inevitable to her since they were still going to have to face this issue after a year.

“Yes. I understand that this is all too sudden. So let’s just focus on enjoying our relationship for the time being. You can tell me if you want to be my wife or not a year from now,” Benne suggested.

“What if the time comes and I still don’t want to get married?” Celsie asked, and Benne shook his head.

“What if the time comes and you want to get married?” Benne asked, countering her thoughts, “Let’s not focus on what ifs. I don’t want us to ruin our precious moments together because we are worrying about the future. The past hour has been awful let’s put it behind us. Now that I know your thoughts on marriage, and you know mine too, let’s leave it at that and give it a year. Who knows? I might be the one not wanting to get married anymore by the end of the year,” Benne said on a lighter tone, and Celsie gave him a wobbly smile.

“Okay. On your dad’s birthday next year we will have this discussion again. For now let’s go home, we are keeping the others waiting,” Celsie said, and Benne look away from her to see that Bryan had also parked in front of them.

“I love you very much, Celestia Miller,” Benne said as he leaned forward and kissed her softly.

“I know. And I love you too, Benedict Delgado,” Celsie said with a happy smile, feeling relieved.

“Good. I feel like the weight has been lifted off my chest. We can go home now,” Benne said before signaling to Bryan with a honk that they could leave.

“I think they’re ready to leave now,” Jade said when she heard Benne’s signal, since Bryan and Sonia were too busy necking in the front seat to hear it.

“It was smart of you to give them space,” Bryan said as he pulled away from Sonia and started the car.

“Of course. They needed to talk. I hope they were able to resolve their difference,” Jade said, while Sonia took out her phone to chat with Celsie to find out what was going on.

“Who knows? Maybe they just needed to make out,” Bryan said with a grin as he resumed driving.

“Nah. Benne is more decent than you are. He won’t make out in public,” Jade said in Benne’s defense, and Bryan hooted with laughter.

“You don’t know your favorite brother as much as you think you do after all,” Bryan said with a smirk, and turned to look at Sonia who was yet to say a word but she seemed to be busy with her phone.

“What? Why do you say that? Did he make out in public?” Jade asked curiously, placing her head between the two front seats to look at Bryan.

“Something like that. I don’t know what dirty thing he was doing to Celsie yesterday, but she was making strangled moans while we were all gathered together in the Den, and everyone assumed the sound was coming from Sonia and me.”

“Naturally,” Jade said as she hooted with laughter, “I can’t believe that our gentleman brother would do something like that in public though. It sounds more like something you would do,” Jade said in amazement.

“You had better start believing that maybe your darling gentleman brother isn’t as gentle as he appears,” Bryan said with a proud smile as he stepped on the gas pedal.

Once they arrived at Benne’s mansion and got out of the car, all three of them waited for Benne and Celsie to join them.

By the time Benne and Celsie got out of the car, they were both laughing hard as Benne narrated his experience at the mall to Celsie, and how he wished she had been there to grab his ass like she had done in front of Cora after work.

“We may have to be going out in disguise now. I’m glad I haven’t thrown away my costume yet. I will get some for you. Maybe a pink hair,” Benne suggested.

Celsie laughed softly, “You should probably get me a purple moustache too. I’m going to be disguised as a male. How about I just apply as your male personal assistant?” She said, making Benne laugh as he reached into the backseat of the car to take out the bag containing the stuff Celsie had bought earlier at the department store.

Sonia, Bryan, and Jade felt varying degrees of relief as they watched the couple laughing happily, “All is well with their world again. I guess we can expect more moans tonight at the party,” Bryan said as he went to open the car’s trunk to take out the bags.

Benne placed a hand around Celsie’s waist as they joined the others. Once they got to where Bryan was standing with the bags, Benne took his backpack and Celsie’s suitcase from Bryan, “I suppose you guys can bring in the rest stuff?” He asked, and without waiting for a response he led Celsie to the door, leaving the rest of them to bring in all they had gotten for their dad’s party.

“I’m suppose to carry a bag, but Celsie is going in without carrying anything?” Sonia asked incredulously. Not only had Celsie not responded to her texts earlier, she had been staring at Benne the whole time that she had barely looked at her. Oh, Wow! What a best friend.

“She’s carrying the man’s heart in her hands, and he’s carrying her stuff,” Bryan said with a chuckle, while Sonia eyed the bags.

“Well, I’m carrying your heart too in my hands. Jade isn’t carrying anyone’s heart yet, so you both can come in with the bags,” Sonia said as she hurried after Benne and Celsie, leaving Jade who was glaring at her and Bryan who was laughing in amusement.

“You know your girlfriend is crazy, right?” Jade asked, making him laugh even more.

“That’s an understatement. She is actually very crazy,” Bryan said with a grin as he handed Jade her duffel bag, “If only Harry was here, I’m sure he would have offered to carry your bag like Benne did for Celsie,” Bryan taunted, and Jade hissed at him.

“Take the rest of the stuff in yourself,” Jade said as she picked up the wrapped box of wristwatch and walked away.

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