A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Things just got to hectic here in this part of the world. I hope you guys can forgive me. I didn't forget about you all, it's just that I couldn't control something stuff in life.  I hope you enjoy this update. Please vote, comment and share it to your friends. 

(Alden)

How many years are we now ? How many more years should two persons be engaged before they get married? I know that in six months time, Maine and I are getting married. But that is still six months. That's too long. Hey, there's that secret marriage thing, right? Does that still exist? Is it even legal? Haaayy ....

In such times like this, I am increasingly asking for help from God. Do you know why? What would you do if you have a fiancee, like her, who's very beautiful, very sexy and God knows what other good things He puts together to create her? A girl with a very captivating lips that is so sweet. With eyes that will drowns in an enchanting gaze till you can't breathe anymore. The body that releases a heavenly intoxicating aroma, I do not know how those two words fit together. What will you do, huh? What? What would you do if that person, who was created perfectly just for you, is right in front of you? Right there sitting on your sofa, waiting to have dinner with you. What will you do? Because me? Well, I lost everything I learned in college, it went out of the window. I felt like I lost all my courage. I was known as one of the fiercest in the world of business. I don't back down. I don't cower. I don't tremble. Businessman like me feared me. Oh God, if they only knew that I, a cutthroat, vicious, powerful and a competitively aggressive businessman, crouch down in fear, shaking my boots, hiding my tails to this woman in front of me all the time, not kidding. I am serious. That's the effect of this woman. That's Maine effect on me. They will all laughed at me, and maybe ridicule me in the process. I will lose all my credibility, my integrity, my reputation to my business partners and clients, I may also start selling all my stocks, bonds and shares and assets, but who cares. She's all I wanted and needed in this world. They can laugh, ridicule, chaff, taunt me all they want, but there's one thing that they do not have that I have... Maisie Daine "Maine" Mendoza. She's the ONE they don't have and I have her.

"Alden? Alden. Alden!" She broke me out of the trance that I am in. Good thing she did. My mind is travelling 10,000 miles per hour to a place that nobody wanted to be in. That's the Maine effect.

"Huh?" Wow. Huh? That all i could say. Brain in a mush, what can I say.

"I was talking to you and it seem like you are out of it? Are you okay." What is she doing? What did she stand up? Where is going? Please God, do not make her get near me right now. I can't control myself anymore. Will you make resistible for just a minute. I need to breath.

"Oh... Uhmm... I- I'm fine. L-let me get some... uhmm... w- water for us." Why in the world am I stuttering? I can't help myself but to shake my head in an endless defeat. "Yeah. I am going to get some c-cold water for us." I turn my back to go to the kitchen and get some water in the fridge. I think I really need them now. I mean the water, I need it now. Oh God, I can't. I just can't. I will lose my mind.

"Are you okay, Den?" Oh God, why didn't you stop her? Okay, Alden, take a deep relaxing and even breaths. Slowly inhale, then slowly exhale..... "What are you doing?" She went on.

"I... uhmm... I'm fine." Dang it, Alden. Do you really have to be a spaz?

"Are you sure? Coz you seem like out of it. Are you sure you're fine?" She went on asking me. What am I going to tell her? And if I don't tell her anything and she finds out about it anyway, which she always do, I know she's going to be upset. Ugh.

"I will be fine. Just a lot of thoughts." Averting the conversation for what is really going on in my mind and sometimes it does save me from getting in trouble to too much trouble with her. She hasn't gotten mad at me that much yet, upset maybe but not mad, and I don't want to see the Maine from almost a couple of years ago when she walked out on us all because she got upset with her dad. She forgave her dad, that's her dad, of course she'll forgive him. What about me? If make her mad, will she forgive me? That's what I do not want to find out. It's better not to make her angry. It's better not to give her a reason to be mad at me because I may lose her. I do not want to lose her. Not again. If she could leave all of us when her dad hurt her feelings, I know she can, and she will, also leave me in a heart beat. I love her too much to lose her and she knows that. I always make sure she knows how I feel about her but not how my little buddy feels about her. That is a big no no.

"Are you still thinking a way for me to go to your reunion?" She asked. She's so innocent with the way she is right now. How can you not?

"Wait, I thought we already got that settled, remember?" I hastily asked her. Did she forget right away?

"Okay. So, we are actually doing that plan? What if that plan fails?" She casually asked, her eyes stuck on TV, eating the cake she brought. Yeah, we made sure her stuff was taken home.

"I don't think that plan will fail. I got you. You got me. What else could go wrong?" She stared at me like I'm crazy. She's sizing me up.  "What?" I innocently beamed.

"Den, you are too much. What's up with I-got-you-you-got-me stuff? I couldn't get the connection." You can see the amusement with a mixture of light confusion in her eyes.

Oh, my. She's too adorable. I pulled her for a hug. She's right. There's no connection. Like I said, I'm a genius but when it comes to her, I'm nothing. I kissed her on the temple at let go of her. But that was the worst move I've ever made the whole night. Her eyes tells me of a deep love. Love that pulls me to kiss here again. Ang again. And again. And again.

Her lips are so inviting to take it. To taste it. To ravage it. Oh geez.... How am I going to resist this enchanting creation in front of me. I took her lips with one swift move. Gentle. Tender. I don't want to let go. It's soft compassionate kiss at first, then it became deeper and intense . Her lips are so sweet. I am running out of breath. I gave her and me a small space in between to catch, she's trying to catch her breath, too.

I stopped because I know my limitations. I know how far I could go and I know it wouldn't be that far. Not far from violating her womanhood. I can't. I won't. I respect her too much to ignore what I think she wishes for. I know that she wants to stay the way she is until after the wedding and I will help fulfill that dream. The question is, how? How am I going to that, when she's so captivating. So enchanting. So bewitching. So alluring. So Irresistible. So seductive in her own way. I once heard in my office that Kendall Jenner is the hottest girl they know. I went search her on the internet. i was appalled to see her. My Maine is still the hottest by far.

"Den, why did you stop?" Why, oh why? Why did she ask? Maine what am I going to do with you.

"Why? You don't want me to stop?" It is not hard to understand what she's trying to imply. I'm a man. I'm weak. Men do get easily tempted. I easily get tempted, especially by her, but what on earth she actually wants to happen. I don't want her deciding anything at the heat of the moment, that won't be fair for me and definitely will never be fair for her.

"No. Not really." She's breathing heavily, so am I, but this is not the right time.

"Are you ready for where this is going?" Her eyes looks sleeping. It feels like it's sucking me in to a deep trance. Every superhero have a weakness. If Iron Man's weakness is his heart, Batman's is his parents, Storm is being enclosed, she's claustrophobic, Cyclops' not having control,  Wonder Woman is her bracelets being bound together, Superman is kryptonite, Aldemar Denreich Richards' weakness is Maine. That is definitely the truth.

"I don't know. I'm confused. I want to but I am afraid to." She said in a husky sleepy voice. How could you control yourself? " I like what I feel when I'm around you. I love the sensations your kisses gave me, I'd like to feel you more........" She left it hanging. She left me hanging. "but I am really scared." She finished it off in a most seductive way. Her eyelids are heavy. Her breathing is labored. Her warmth is burning me. I took a deep breath and kissed her lightly on the lips one more time.

"If there's that little fear left in you, even if you desire the sensations too much, even if you desire the fire that is consuming from inside you,  it means you are not ready yet. I will not force you, Maine. I love you so much to do that to you. I will wait till then." I pulled her in a hug and for some reason I felt good inside.

"Den, you think I am not ready for it?" She sexily whispered. This is why I can not control my being. Her eyes shows dismay and relief at same time.

"I don't know. What do you think? You're the only one that can answer that. I can't tell you whether you are ready or not because it is not my body, it's yours. I will not push you. If you feel that you still that little part in you that makes you afraid, that tells you no, then you are not. Maine, I love you so much. I am not going to take anything from you as special as this that easy. You know I can wait till after the wedding, right?" I said to her reassuringly. "I want you. I really do. God knows how much I want you so bad, but I don't think we should do it just yet because it's going to make me happy. First and foremost, I want you to be happy, too." I don't know what's running in her mind right now but I hope I didn't make her feel unwanted by me.

"I understand. Thank you for respecting me. I love you, Alden." That was a huge relief. I thought it's going to be a victory for my little buddy, but good thing that we both know what we want and not what our body wants. Sorry, little buddy, it's not your time to shine.

"So, do you want to clean up or me?" She ask happily, changing the topic. She bounced back just like that. Just like a bouncy ball. This woman in front of me is full of surprises. I could never have a dull moment with her. I could never find another one like her. 

"Well, how about, you get the bed ready and I will clean up here and wash the dishes, too. is that okay?" I need to get distracted for a little bit for my little buddy to cool down. I am on my last strand of sanity. I need to hold onto it as much as I can. I made a promise and I intend to keep it. A promise to her which I do not intend to break.

"Mmnn... why don't you fix the bed. I'll clean up here. You need to be up early tomorrow, remember?" Oh, why does she have to be so gorgeous and enticing.

"Okay. Let's clean this up together and while you're washing the dishes, I will get the bed ready. Does that sound like a good plan." I said smiling at her. She cocked her and squinted her eyes at me. Oh, dang. Little buddy, I hope you didn't die, coz I just died looking at her.

"Okay." She said happily. "And please.... will you stop smiling and hide those deep dimples of yours away from me. You know I go weak in the knees seeing those." She said giggling. Oh, God. What did I do to suffer like this. All I can do was smile and shook my head. "I may not be able to control myself, Mr. Richards." She amusingly said. What the heck!

"Maisie Daine Mendoza, you need to knock it off. You know.... I've been controlling myself since I found you out there, and you, doing what you're doing right now may not help me fulfill my promise to wait till after the wedding." I chuckled as I said it. "I may take here right now.... here in the couch." She stopped on her track, turned around and seriously looked at me. I just smiled at her and walk pass her, brushing through next to her. All I hear was a gasped and a few seconds later.....

"Mr. Aldemar Denreich Reyes Richards, I know you wouldn't do it because you're not the kind of guy..... And that's why I love you." She said in a very serious, sexy manner. 

"Oh come on! What did I do to deserve this punishment, Maisie Daine?" I said in a child like manner. She stared at me with those squinted, gorgeous, captivating pair of eyes and shook her head.

"Come on, let's take a rest. It's been a long night. You have work tomorrow." She said sighing deeply as she continue. Now, tell me. Is there any way to control these hormonal roller coaster of emotions? My little buddy may not hold it anymore.... would you? If all he did was stand and bow down?

"Haaaa....." I let out a huge sigh of frustration..... not relief, but frustration. "Okay. Let's finish up and go to bed." I sighed. "Just so you know, I am not working tomorrow." I winked at her and she just smiled at me.

We quietly get do everything we need to do as far as keeping everything clean and tidy in my unit.

"Den, I'm going to my unit really quick to get some clothes for tomorrow!" I heard her yell from door, then I heard a click and then silence.

"Maine?!" She didn't even wait for me to say yes or no. I got out of my room all the way to my door. "Maine?" She's gone. I went all the way out and followed her. Her door's locked. Well, at least her door is locked. I know her code but I'll just wait for her here in the hallway. I stood by my door. A few more minutes later I heard her door clicked.

"Den?! What are you doing there?" She asked with a one brow raised and I grinned. She pulled her door close and locked it.

"Waiting for you." I said.

"Alden, you are acting paranoid again." She said as she passed me.

"Well, can you blame me. I almost had a heart attack a few years ago before we become "we" and that history repeated itself tonight." I paused for awhile.  Her eyes looked down. "Of course, I'm going to be paranoid, Maine." I said in a serious tone but smiling. She just shook her head, walked in and went straight to my room.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you, just name it." She grinned from ear to ear and bat her lashes and threw in those puppy dog face. How can you resist that? I just let out a deep exasperated sigh as a sign of defeat. Man. This girl is going to be a death of me. How many times have I said that? Too many to count.

"Anything?" I naughtily asked. Wondering what she would say.

"Yes. Anything>" She said seductively smiling. I raised one brow and intently look at her. Sizing up my five foot four inches fiancee with my arm crossed across my chest. She was smiling then her eyes went big when she realized what she just said.

"Oh my.... oh no. Not that. I mean anything but that!" Rattled?  It was the most amusing thing ever. She was panicking. Trying to find other ways to get out of it. I just shook my head and let out a loud chuckle.

"Just get your butt on the bed so we can rest now." I said still chuckling. All I could do is shake my head as I follow her on the bed.

She occupied the side closer to the bathroom door and lie down. She pulled the comforter down to let me in. I turned off the lights and turn on the bedside lamp and laid down next to her.

"Goodnight, love." I kissed her on the lips and hugged her.

"Night, Den. I love you." She kissed me back and hugged me, too.

"I love more, Maine." I closed my eyes and things went quiet, then off we go to the dreamland.

//

(Chronicler)

"Ivy, is there any way for me to just skip the class reunion?" Alden asked her.

"Why?" She quickly turned to him and asked with furrowed brows. "Where this is all coming from? I thought it was already set-up. Ooooh... Mrs. Belmonte is not going to be very happy." She went on.

"Why is she not going to be happy?" Alden was kind of surprised with what she just said. "What does she have to do with me whether I attend or not?" He continued. I look back at the folder sitting in front of me. I have a meeting in an hour with a Japanese businessman.

"Well, she added you to the program." She nonchalantly said and simply walk out of his office. He looked up just in time to see what she was trying to do. He smelled something fishy.

"Mrs. Ivy Lane Ayala-Samaniego! Where do you think you're going?" He sat straight on his swivel chair and leaned back casually. Giving her the tell-everything-or-else look. She made a peace sign and smiled playfully towards him.

"I promise you. It wasn't me." She said playing off the guilt away.

"Hmm... Why do I have this sinking feeling that I am going to regret this?" He stupidly asked. This is one of those things that he is somewhat afraid of, because he knows that all his friends, including his brother, are planning something crazy and to make matters worst for him, they had Mrs. Belmonte on board the crazy train. You have to understand, they went to the same school and, well, he found out that Ivy went to the same high school but was in a different section and hung out with a different group. She went to the same college and that is why Ivy knew some of the things that he had done in high school and that's where Tony and her met and the rest is history.

"Why? You know what, you are the only one thinking that there is something iffy going to happen." She innocently uttered.

"Ivy Lane! You are not making any sense. Now I am pretty sure that you guys have something do why Mrs. Belmonte wanted me to attend so bad." He squinted his and cross his arms.

He was about to say more when the two stupid idiots with a dopey look in their fave and not even knowing what is going on, walked in. They may have realized, or I may say, some what realized, the Alden and Ivy are into some kind of conversation and they did not like the look on Alden's face and the way he stared at them. These three think that may be because he's busy with Maine all the time that he won't be able to catch on?

"Hep! Hep! Hep!" He called out as soon as the two started to turn their backs to get out of his office. "Samuel?! Anthony?! Where the hell you two think you're going?" He calmly called them out.

"Uhmm... " Sam was out of words. For those who remembered Sam, he is the most tactless person in this group. He's the one that couldn't keep a secret but tried to keep one.

"Well, I... uhmm...." Tony was looking around and fishing an alibi, something he could find to get out of this sinking sand that they all made. He already have an idea that Alden somehow know that they threw him under the bus or something.

"Ah huh. What a good conversation. Is there anything you guys want to add on those lies you are all trying to construct in your heads?" He said with total amusement. He wanted to laugh so hard but needs to stop himself from doing so.

"W-what lies? W-we don't lie." Sam said stuttering. You can taste the guilt that is showing on his eyes. "Oh, you are hurting my feelings, bro." He continued as smiled bitterly. His acting sucks.

"Ah huh... sure." Alden said nodding. He was trying to suppress a smile more like trying to suppress a hard laugh. He loves to see his friends slowly sinks on the sinking sand they'ere standing on or dig their graves in front of him. It's a total entertainment package.

"Lies. Us? Lying?" Tony parroted after Sam. "How could you think such things towards us? Oh, now you are hurting our fragile feelings." Tony articulately said. Alden's brow raised. His friends know that he doesn't believe their "acting". Alden knows his friends to well and they know that. How many years that they've been together. They've seen each other rise, fall, broken, built-up and they all stayed strong. So, yeah, they all know each other's weaknesses and strength.

"Oh, hush you two!" Ivy said raising her voice a little bit. She walked back in Alden's office pass the two and sat down on love seat across Alden's desk. Sam and Tony dropped their shoulder and walk completely in and sat down. Tony sat next to his wife and Sam on single seat couch. "He already knew." She huffed.

"What?!??/What?!" The duet continues. Looking at her so fast and she just cocked her head and gave them a one shoulder shrug.

"Oh you two stop playing. I didn't tell him anything. He figured it out on his own, have you forgotten that we are in front of Aldemar Denreich? He skipped a grade, remember. Do you think he's not going to figure out the dumb trick you three pulled?" Ivy uttered. She's kind of annoyed at the moment. Ginny and her already spoke to them three; Alric, Tony and Sam, that it wasn't a good idea but they did it anyway.

"Three? Oh,  my ever so wonderful brother is on this, too? Great. Just freaking great." He let out a an annoyed sigh. "Have it occurred to you guys that I may not be able to go?" He exasperatedly continued.

"Wait... why?" Sam asked. Tony and Ivy may have an idea as to why.

"Why? I do not know. You guys tell me. I am not even aware that Mrs. Belmonte wants me to do something, she hasn't called yet but there's that chance I may not attend." Alden said calmly. There's no reason to be mad at his friends. Annoyed, maybe. Angry, no. It was just a small thing.

"Why?" Even Tony somewhat know that the reason, but asked anyway.

"Maine may not be able to go. And if my fiancee is not going, I am not going too. It may be our reunion, but what am I going to there without her?" Alden expressed. Tony smiled. He was right, it's Maine reason.

"But why? Maine did not attend our high school. Why is it important for you not to attend if she's not?" Sam asked. Confusion written all over his almost uni-row.

"Sam, Maine may not be an alumna of our school but she is my date. She's my fiancee. And if she's can't go, I won't go either." He said straight out. "What am I going to do there? I won't enjoy the night." He explained.

"Will she get mad if you go?" Sam asked. Tony smirked.

"No, she won't, but I still want her to go with me." Alden was so adamant about it. Tony understood. Sam may not be able grasp it yet at the moment, but he will, soon.

"Sam, you know what the problem is? You don't have a girlfriend that's why you don't know what Alden is feeling at them moment." Tony was going to say some more when he interrupted him.

"Okay, Mr. I-am-married-and-I-still-act-like-12. What's having no girlfriend has to do with my question?" He annoyingly retorted.

"You just don't understand what it feels like not have your girlfriend, and in my case, wife, to be in a place where you see your old buddies and you can't even introduce her to them and be proud to show the woman you are with. That's what Alden is trying to say." Tony explained.

"I still don't get it." Sam said scratching the side of his head.

"Have you invited Patty?" Ivy asked. He just looked at her and she saw that little pain flashed so quick in his eyes hearing her name. He look down.

"Well, that a different story." He sadly said. His friends wonder what was that all about.

"Sam, the question is, did you ask her?" Ivy asked again.

"Y-yes, I did. Last week." He answered not looking at any of them.

"Okay. What did she say." Tony eagerly asked. Sam didn't respond. Alden sat up and lean towards his desk.

"Sam, what did she say?" Alden repeated Tony's question. Sam was a little hesitant to reply.

"Come on, Sam. Did she say yes?" Ivy encouraged him.

"No." He simply said after a moment, frowning. The three were dumbfounded. Looked at each other and back at him.

"She said no? Did say why?" Alden asked. He knows that Sam has his rough edges but he also know that Patty is his weakness. He just know how to play it all cool. He felt pity for his friend, but of course, he won't tell him because he knows, Sam still needs his pride a little.

"Yes." He answered, still looking down on his hand.

"She said yes? Then what's the problem." Tony asked.

"No!" He is sounding annoyed.

"No?/No?" Tony and Alden both asked Sam almost simultaneously.

"No...." He message the back of his neck. you can tell that he is getting frustrated.

"Which one is it? Did she say yes or no?" Ivy annoyingly asked. This is not going anywhere. This boys are getting into her nerves now.

"I ask her if she could come with me as my date on our reunion. She didn't' say yes but she didn't say no either." He said wearily. It's Patty. Everyone knows what she is and how she is.

"What? Did she say? Is she going to think about it?" Ivy asked. Patty is starting to get into her nerve. Sam has been honest and truthful to her since the day they met. He stop seeing other women and even stop going to bars without Tony, Ric or Alden. She doesn't know what's this girl's game plan.

"I don't know. She then she asked me if Maine is going." He said with his head still bent down and still massaging the back of his neck.

"All she told is that if Maine don't go, she won't go." He shook his head. "I can't force Maine to go so she could go. I don't know what to do anymore. I've done everything that Alden and Tony had told me. Kuya Ryan and Ric had given me some advice to make her believe that I stop my womanizing habit since I met her. I even heard Maine told her to give me a chance. I don't know." He retired with the thought of just giving up. "Should I give up?" He then asked. 

The three felt a hurt tug in their hearts because what they see in Sam's eyes. They know that he is not a full blown womanizer. Sam just had one girlfriend and after their break up before their high school graduation, he never saw her again. He was became too friendly to other girls but that's just it. He never slept with any of them.

"Don't say that Sam. Don't give up. Weren't you the one that told me to go and get Maine before it's too late? To fight for her no matter what? Remember that? We were at your rest house in Tagaytay." Alden reminded his friend. "Don't give up. If you love that much, keep pressing on." Alden added.

"You know what," Ivy cut them off. "She's starting to get into my nerves. She so 'pabebe'. I can't stand women like that. If she likes you then go ahead. If she doesn't then don't. Don't give the other person a false hope. It's a waste of her time and your time. Not only that, it's waste of effort." Her voice filled with a contempt anger. So what if she doesn't talk to her, she's not her friend, Maine is. And if she sees her again, she won't even give a care.

The three stopped and think of it. Hearing such words from Ivy meant something. Coming from a woman makes things more less complicated. He had know Ivy to be rational person and straight to the point.  Isn't that the reason why Tony married her?

"Did you tell her that Maine might not be able to come anyway?" Alden's voice broke of Ivy's negative thoughts about Patty.

"No. Why Maine is not coming?" He looked up and stare at the people on front of him.

"Do you love her that much?" Tony ask Sam. He looked at Alden and Ivy as he was waiting for Sam's answer.

"I guess. I haven't been like this to any other girl. Not even in high school." He replied with no hesitations.

"You know what Sam, I don't think Patty knows how to value you." Ivy said suppressing her irritation towards Patty. She doesn't want Sam to feel worse than he is right now. "A word of advice from a female friend, make yourself a little less available for her. Probably if she started not seeing too much of, she may realize how important you are." She retired with those words.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. He seemed like confused as to what Ivy was talking about.

"Be available to Patty but too available. Be there for but when it is very important nit only whenever, and do not show your face if you are not needed, women don't like that. Have her miss you once in awhile. Let her know in a subtle way that you care for her, that she's special but you also need to show that you have life away from her. Concentrate on your dad's business or maybe finally take over the business. Run it. Maybe she's seeing as the happy go lucky and caring in the world person that's why she's a little effy about you. Perhaps she sees you as not a serious type person." Tony responded, agreeing with his wife. He understand what his wife was talking about.

"After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder." Alden cooed with what Tony said. Agreeing to both husband and wife.

"Don't you have that trip to Japan for the airline thingy?" Asked Ivy.

"Yeah. What it has to do with this? And beside I don't want to go." He asked with a confuse look. Don't get me wrong, Sam is smart, all of them are, but there are things about a simple common sense that doesn't come across easy for them. Smart people sometimes don't have common sense. Hahaha. You may disagree with me but that part true.

"Well, your dad has been wanting you to go for that seminar, right?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. I don't want to go. I will be miss----" He stopped mid sentence and looked at Ivy and Tony and smiled. "Ooooh, I get it. Okay, I'll call dad and let him know that I'm going." He stopped for awhile and made a quick thinking. "Do you think it will work?" He finally asked.

"I don't think it would work." Ivy responded so fast. He stared at her, jaw dropped and all confused. "I know it would. Trust me Sam, it'll work. I'm a woman. I know what we want and what we need. We, definitely, do not like and need a happy-go-lucky-not-caring-in-the-world kind of guy. I know how our brain works." She continued, smiling. Tony patted him on the back and signaled him to face Alden.

"Listen to her. She knows." Tony said with pride in is his voice.

"Yeah, bro. Ivy knows what she's talking about." Alden sounds like a proud friend, too.

"Anyway, not so much about me now. How can we help you to get Maine to go to that reunion?" Sam asked. Alden faced turn from smiling to a thinly pressed lips. It seemed like he was thinking, which we all know, Alden overthink things sometimes.

"I don't know. I want her to be with me on that day but I don't want her to feel pressured. I want her to not stress on things especially this." Alden expressed. They know Alden treats Maine's welfare more important than his own.

"Aside from the orders, what are other things you think why so she couldn't?" Tony asked. She knows Maine to well, too. She's very focused on things at task.

"I think that's it. She had a wedding cake delivery that day. The wedding starts at nine in the morning ang the reception starts at 12 noon." He repeated what Maine told him in the coffee shop's kitchen. He remembered telling Maine that he would and help her and have Troy drive the delivery van back to the shop so she can still get ready and go with him.

"Ivy, what time is your salon appointment?" Tony asked his wife.

"It's not a salon appointment. It's a spa appointment." Giving him deathly glare. "I know how to fix myself. I just wanted to relax the before that. Why'd you ask." She continued with the question but you can feel the daggers that are coming out of her eye and the smoke coming out of her nostrils for Tony. Alden sensed that daggers and Sam smelled the smokes.

"Uhmm.... Who's going with you?" Alden curiously asked.

"Is Ginny going?" Sam echoed.

"Yes... and not only Ginny, Allyn is going with me, too. She's complaining of a wedding event that she's planning. It was moved twice already. And the bride keeps on changing her mind and the groom is getting so frustrated and... I don't know. Thinking about her dilemma really stressing me out. It's bad enough I have Mr. Short-tempered over here and Mr. Hon-I-forgot-my-stuff and Mr. I-am-going-to-die-without-her over there, we have Ms. I-am-pabebe-so-back-off, then adding Ms. I-have-enough-of-everyone's-drama-so-pay-attention-to-my-drama.. Guys, you know how to slowly kill people. I think Ginny and Maine are the only sane out of all of you." She went on with her rant. "I have to go back to work. Alden, you have a meeting at conference 2 in 10 minutes." She ended her conversation with the three stooges. She got up shaking her head and smiling secretly because of what she just called the three.

"Wow... you can name people with in insult." Sam said dryly. He's pouting hearing the name Ivy gave to the love of his life. Tony just shook his head, wanting to say something but change his mind and kept it to himself.

"Thanks, Ivy. The is a very wonderful name you got for me." Alden said playfully shaking his head. He knows Ivy was just kidding. "Will you take Maine with you, too?I'll pay for all of it." He asked. Hoping the Maine could relax sometimes and where's best to do it with? With her friends.

"If she agreed to, and besides, I don't need your treat. For Maine, I'll take care of it." Then she turn and left. Alden, Tony and Sam smiled at her remarks. She loves Maine and they know that. Tony was so blessed to have her as his wife.

"I think your wife turn to be Maine's bestfriend instead of you." Alden chuckled with his own comment. Tony smiled widely with that thought.

"I guess, I lost a friend to my wife." Tony Shook his head. He's so proud of how wonderful his wife is to Maine and how the ex-girlfriend turned bestfriend and his wife are the best of friends now. 

"I think, everyone gets infected by the Maine-bug." Sam said with a big laugh.

"I guess so./I guess so." Alden and Tony said in chorus.

"Not only that, I also realize her effect on everyone around her. It's so positive." Sam  said in a very calm voice.

"Yup. That's Maine effect alright." Alden is such a proud fiancee to her. He gives off so much positive vibes and happiness to everyone around them especially to him.

She may be hurricane-Maine waiting to happen. She may be the type of girl that would literally fall and create a mess just like in the past and, once in awhile, in the present. Her mom and sister may scream for "cleanup on isle Maine", but the people the she met and touched, she's considered as one precious gem. Priceless. Flawless. Rare.

"Dude, we got to go. I still have to talk to dad for that seminar in Singapore." Sam said turning to Tony. His face is serious. Looks like he will be taking care of business now.

"It's in Japan, Sam. Stupid." Tony retorted laughing and giving him a slight knuckle in the back of his head. Sam just scratch it and laughed. Alden laughed at the two as he picked up his laptop, his pen and a couple pf things off his table.

"You two need to leave. NOW. I have a meeting in a few minutes and I think you two have a company to run?" Alden reminded his two crazy friends. Tony was promoted at the senior engineer of operation. He's hoping that he's friend will eventually become the CEO of their family's company.

"Den, Mr. Tanaka is in the conference room now." Ivy reminded him as she stand on the side. They didn't even see her came in.

"Bye, hon. See you later." Tony kissed her on the cheek and she smiled and nods for response.

"Bye, Ives." Sam bade his good bye and smiled at her and so as she.

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End of Chapter 4: Maine Effect

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💖~Joni~💖
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©️ Parting Time
Arrange Marriage: Destined? 2
First Published: October 9, 2016