‘Tap! Tap! Tap!’ Three quick knocks came from the door.

“Hold on!” A lady answered from inside.

She was 5’3 feet tall had a polka-dotted doll dress that barely touched her knees. Her wavy, ombre chestnut hair danced the way she hurried towards the door. Once she opened it, she placed a hand on her chest in shock.

“Hey!”

“Hi!” Jack replied the same way. Kimberly steeped back for him to come in. He entered and closed the door behind him with a souvenir in his left hand.

“Jeez! Is this you?” Kimberly gave him a quick, tight hug. “How long has it been?”

“Ten years actually.” Jack gently pulled back, and she held back her smile, not wanting to overreact.

“Wow!” she gasped, and he chuckled.

“I tried to make it to the wedding last weekend, but I was super busy.” Kimberly explained.

“Uh... It’s fine.” he replied, watching her closely. “It’s fine.... Look at how pretty you have become, too. What are you ladies eating?”

She smiled at his words, pulling a strand of falling hair behind her right ear. “Um... Food.” Her beam was a fountain of delight.

“I heard Denim isn’t in town.” Kimberly continued. “Did he travel?”

“Yeah, he did, but briefly. He would be back tonight.”

“Okay.” she nodded in understanding.

Jack gazed around. Even though it was a small house, it was spacious enough to occupy over two housemates. A blend of Japanese and northwestern architecture gave the house a perfect feel. Jack nodded his head, impressed by the way both girls manage the space.

“Is Rose around?”

“Yes, she is. I will call her.” Kimberly glanced sideways with tightened lips.

“Thank you.” he blinked in satisfaction.

“Good to see you.” Kimberly shook her head in laughter as she walked inside.

“Yeah.” Jack exhaled, placing the souvenir on the glassy table before taking a seat.

“Hey!” he pulled up once his gaze met Rosemary.

“Hi.” she greeted, walking toward him.

“Good to see you.” Jack's hands raised, waiting to hug her, but she gave him her side. He ended up clasping his arms awkwardly around Rosemary’s shoulders in a side hug. She avoided his eyes, looking around timidly yet, with a bright smile.

“Welcome to our home.”

“Yeah, it’s a really nice place.” Jack commented.

“Thank you.” A tight-lipped smile followed her reply.

“Yeah!” he snapped, picking up the souvenir on the table. It was a bottle of Rideau Vineyard wine, commonly known to be non-alcoholic.

“I got this for you.” He handed it to her. Since she gave him her card last weekend, Jack had planned to hand her the wine himself.

“What’s it?” she asked curiously.

“Just a little something for you.”

Once Rose collected it, she deepened a hand into the bag and brought out a long bottle of wine. Her rosy lips parted, knowing how expensive it was. His gift was unexpected.

“Aw, thank you!” her smile widened, exposing a set of dazzling white teeth.

“You’re welcome.” Jack replied, rubbing a brow. He could literally see her cheek turn red, hiding her pretty face from embarrassment.

Rosemary gently placed it back on the table, adjusting her hair as she stood up to him. She let her hair down today.

‘It’s straight and beautiful.’ Jack thought.

Once she caught him staring, he looked away. There was an awkward silence between them.

“Okay.” he muttered in a brief burst. Giving a tightness in his voice and he smirked, trying not to sound awkward. “I was on my way somewhere. I just stopped by to drop this here. If you’re less busy later today, we could hang out in a friend’s bar.”

“No-” The word dropped from her mouth when he intervened.

“You and Kimberly.”

Her slim eyebrows knotted in a frown, not sure of what to reply to him with.

“Me and Kimberly?”

“Yeah.”

“Are your friends coming?”

“Yeah, they’re coming.” he concluded.

“Where’s the place?”

“At Easters bar. It’s a place we like to hang out often.” A pin drop silence hung in the air while they shared doubtful glances.

“Oh, yes!” Kimberly broke the quietness, squinting her eyes. “We will hang out with you guys.”

Rosemary rolled her eyes to the ceiling, hearing he friend’s voice. It was annoying.

“I... I didn’t say yes!”

“Oh, she said it in her mind.”

A smirk creaked out of Jack’s lips, knowing that they will surely attend.

“Okay, that’s fine.” Rosemary agreed. “It’s just that I wished we were all hanging out in my church instead.”

Kimberly twisted her lips, looking away while Jack raised his thick brows at the idea.

“Yeah, church... It’s a good idea. Maybe we could do that some other time.” Jack suggested.

“Okay.” she replied him.

“I will be on my way now.” He said. “So, see you later today, Rose.”

“Alright then, bye.”

“Bye!”

“Nice to see you again.” Kimberly giggled, admiring his charm as he stepped out.

Rosemary made an aggressive jerk once Jack shut the door. It pissed her off as he visited, just to ask them for an outing, and Kimberly instantly agreed.

“That’s cute.” Kimberly remarked and raised a brow, making Rose frown at her. “What do you think he’s up to?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean... Look at that. Suddenly, a fine young man shows up at our door brings you an expensive wine. Not just any guy, but one of the musketeer’s members. A guy that no girl dared to look at in the eye. Those guys were dreadfully wicked back then. I never saw Jack’s smile till now. He even laughed.” She coughed out the words in wonder and excitement. “They have really changed. I can feel this.”

“Whatever, we were never friends back then. We will never be friends now even if they become father Christmas.”

“You can say whatever, Rosy.” Kimberly closed her eyes dreamingly. “The way he looked at you in the eyes and smiled. Ugh! I think someone is about to save my friend from the chains of single-hood.”

“Huh?” Rose frowned. “The chains of single-hood? But you’re also single yourself.”

“Well, I was in a relationship two months ago.” Kimberly stated defensively. “You have never dated.”

“Ummm... Erm.” Her friend’s words made her stammer as she placed a hand on her forehead. “You know, Jack is an unchurchly man, and Denim is even terrible. Asher is not even close to my dream guy. We are not equally yoked. I can’t date any of those guys, let alone marry them.”

“Who said that you will marry them?”

“I can’t date a guy that I can’t marry, okay? They see women as nothing but toys and their handwork are as dark as sin, so please, stop that, okay?”

“Ah, yes! I get it, Mother Teresa!” Kimberly stressed with happiness as she hurried into her room. “We are still hanging out with them tonight.”

“Gosh, Kim! I just pray that God will have mercy on you.” She made a cross sign amidst a flare of burning anger.

“Thank you!” Kimberly’s voice echoed from her room.

As Rosemary thought of the idea, her heart raced at being close to Jack again. To him, she knows that this will not happen only once. She knew she had to cut ties with them soon enough.