Part 29

No Luke on sight. Not even a text to let them know that he's been stuck somewhere else so he can't make it to keep up to his promise. A promise he made for Charlie and for her

Charlie eating right now opposite her with a shoulder slumped as he's expecting Luke since morning

Only Carl seems entertained looking at the eating woman at her left bewildered. Or maybe bewitched

Carl cleared his throat. Nothing came. Then cleared his throat again.... Nothing came. Jb doesn't even care what's her brother's doing while she's eating like a pacman. Her brother's looking creepy now, she thought. It's good thing that Jb's good on intimidation that she just shrugged off people who stared at her, whatever that stare means.

She looked into her watch. It said it's late so don't expect the other guest. Detemined to forget Luke, she started, "Carl, Jb by the way is my engineer"

"I know", he blurted but still staring at the girl

She coughed to take Carl's attention and she was successful, "So you knew each other?"

"He's the damsel in distress maybe, a month ago? Who scratched my helmet", Jb finally talked after she swallowed a big chunk of turkey

She remembered Jb's story of a man that she saw outside their office building with a mask man fighting for his life. Her friend helped the man with her helmet. The reason why Jb's helmet has scratch on it and she had all those pieces of puzzle solved!

"Oh my God, you were shot!", she freaked out, that's the reason why her brother hurt his left shoulder! "Shucks! Why you didn't tell me this? Who did that to you? And why did...."

He raised his hand to cut her many questions, "Yes, I was but its just a small wound on my left shoulder. The guy tried to carnap my car. Policemen found him a week after."

Carl looked to the girl again, "by the way, thanks J. Sorry about the scratch, I'll buy you new helmet"

"So you had your glass fixed? I'm still not paying for that", Jb responded, looking at her blushing brother

"No, I called the car company and asked for a replacement. I asked for SUV instead. I topped up the price of course, but at least the new car doesn't have that bad memories", he replied still staring at her friend's eyes.

Oh Carl, whatever happened to her charming brother.

Her brother asked a lot of senseless things to Jb who answered it politely. Normally, her friend snapped at guys who looked at her like that but it seems like Jb treats Carl as harmless. That is if her friend's not oblivious with Carl constant glances while eating

Ah, Luke where are you

Jb snapped her out of her trance, "I can't understand." She pointed Carl, "green eyes curly black hair", then pointed at her, "grey eyes and blonde wavy hair. What's the story?"

Christine smiled, "Ahm mothers"

"Yeah, yeah mothers", Carl chimed in. Carl is her dad's son to his first wife. Carl's mother died of birth then her father wed again and that's her mother. It's the reason of their difference in height too as Carl is oddly taller than her.

Jb looked at the sulking little boy, "And this little one have very beautiful blue eyes", she smiled, making her heart shaped face brightened

And there it was, she saw Carl dropped his hand absentmindedly. His fork still in his mouth staring at the smiling woman…. beet red

Christine almost threw her food in her mouth and laughed so hard

Thanksgiving past but no Luke appeared on their doorstep. The guy didn't even bother to text her. Maybe, he met a new woman along the way and forgot his promise to Charlie

As she's descending the stairs pissed, she saw Carl peeking at the doorway of her kitchen. He looks like a small boy playing hide and seek with someone.

"What are you doing?", she whispered at his back that startled him. A sound of spoon twirling on a mug caused her to look at the kitchen.

Jb at her back probably making coffee

"I uh, I think she needs something", he explained beside her while he scratched his head.

She walked forward the kitchen but stop when she heard her brother whispering "nice ass" to himself so she turned, looking up to him again. The guy blushed and gestured his hands surrendering.

"J, you need something?", she inquired when she fully entered the kitchen. She sensed her brother following her.

Her friend turned and smiled at her, "Good morning, madam. I just need a jug of caffeine before I go." A gasped beside her confirmed that there's a guy with them inside the kitchen. The girl's long straight hair was loosed instead of her usual ponytailed form. That and early morning pink cheeks were Carl's ultimate weakness.

Houston we have a problem

"What? You're going already?", she asked

"Ma's coming from the south. So I need to be at my apartment", Jb replied. Which means Frida will be coming to her apartment too since the other one liked her mother's cooking too much

Good thing Luke didn't come. She doesn't know still how to explain Luke's presence if he made it. Which. He. Didn't

"Whatever you're thinking Carl, stop it. You'll get hurt" , advised Christine when Jb left her house

"Why? She's not available? Damn, I've never seen a perfect simmer before", Carl exclaimed

Tin shooks her head with that last statement and replied, "Married. Married to her job. No guys ever came close. The only one might be her boss who she looks up to. She respects the old man." Jb's dangerous woman to cross with and she thought of all guys that expresses interest as pervert. Not that good for her brother. Her brother got a nice pair of jaw, too bad to put to waste

Luke was in rage as he drives through the Whipple Bridge. Ingrid called him Wednesday that her car suddenly broke at Pine street. He immediately went there instead of getting his driver because it's five to ten minute drive depending on the highway traffic. He realized that Pine street she was referring to was in Southern Island when he's searching for his sister at the same street in Northern Island for thirty minutes. So he droved to South Island to get his sister, anyways it's just Wednesday.

The problem is he forgot that driving to that place will take eight hours. He always have their driver when he's going there and he'll sleep during the long drive.

"Why looking grim bro?", Ingrid asked at the passenger seat.

He's driving for almost two days now, he doesn't have patience, "Why you didn't say exactly that you're in Southern Island? I could just send Ben!"

"I'm sorry okay? I'm just scared. I don't know that place"

"Remind me about your fucking boyfriend who left you there alone. I'm going to hunt him down"

"Why are you in that mood? I'm alright now, sitting here in your car", asked Ingrid

Luke changed gears angrily, "I'm supposedly celebrating thanksgiving with my family."

She sighed, "Dad will understand. You came for me"

"I'm not talking about our family Ingrid", he said gritting her teeth, "I'm talking about Charlie and Christine"

She gasped, "You're describing them as your family now? Didn't you even had DNA test before accepting that woman's son?" Ingrid was informed by their parents about his son and she was so angry

"He's my son Ingrid and his mother named Christine"

"Who left you before yet you want to get her back? You're out of your mind", Ingrid said sliding her head

"Tin left for a reason. She's sensible woman unlike you who have nothing to do except flaunting your ass in the social media", Luke defended. His phone's dead bat as he drained the last bar calling a towing company out of nowhere so he can't contact Christine. Now, he needs to prepare himself to bend his knees to Christine. The girl might never trust him anymore

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Houston we have a problem, one of top 100 famous movie quotes from Apollo 13