CHAPTER THREE

We were late for the dinner. It was already eight and yet we just came by my parent's house. Before we can go down from the car, Jeanne leaned towards me and whispered "Can't wait to get my price" in a seductive tone. I blushed and pinched him. "Ouch" and he laughed and assisted me as I go down from the car.

"I love you baby" he said and kissed my hair. I smiled at him. He can be really sweet at times and I super love it. "I love you too"

"Oh the lovebirds are here" Mamita said. I rolled my eyes.

"Mamita, Mom" Mom was just behind mamita and we kissed and greeted each other.

"Kathy, Jeanne"

"Hello mom" Jeanne said.

"How are you two?" The interrogation starts now.

"We're fine mom" I answered as Jeanne move beside me and held on to my waist.

"Soon to..." have kids. I know that's what mom was going to say but before she can I saw Karl coming.

"Hey Karl! Happy Birthday" I said and hugged him tight. "Thank you" he said. "I saved you didn't I? That costs a hundred thousand" he whispered. "Save me the whole night and I'll make that two" I whispered back.

"Thank you Kathy." He repeated and shot an eye on me "You know greetings aren't enough. Birthday plus promotion, that equivalents to two gifts don't you think?" He's shy in asking for a gift wasn't he?

I rolled my eyes. Spoiled brat. Jeanne handed me the perfume. "Here's our gift"

"This?" He examined.

"And a cheque" I rolled my eyes.

"That's what I love about you sister".

"Happy Birthday Karl"

He gave him a brother hug. "Thanks bro, so what's up? It's been long since we've seen one another at the wedding. I miss Europe"

"You are always welcome to go there" Jeanne offered.

"When you saved enough for your plane ticket and a pocket money" I added.

"No, don't worry about it. Just call me and tell when and I'll be in-charge of all your expenses" What the hell?

"Wait..." I tried to stop him but unfortunately..."Wow! Europe's just a call away. That's so cool! You're the coolest brother Jeanne!"

"No... wait" I said again.

"It's my birthday Kathy, don't ruin it"

"Jeanne" I frowned at him but he only kissed my nose and said. "Kathy it's nothing, it's just a trip you know"

"Let's eat!" Karl said. I looked at him, passing a message..."We are not yet done" and he just laughed at me.

It was a small celebration, just us, the family. We rarely do this dinner thing and it's because of me. I hate going home before. I just don't want them seeing me unhappy, frustrated and not fine.

"When are you going to start handling the business Karl?" Dad started.

"Dad, come on! It's my birthday! Can we talk about that some other time?"

"No, you have to start coming to the business come this Monday" Dad said firmly.

"Dad..."

"Okay, next time, alright? We will talk about this next time" Mom said.

"So Kathy..." I start to roll my eyes. I know where this will go. "We've been in Switzerland last weeks ago" I try to change the topic.

"Really? Have you seen cows there?" I frown. What the hell? What kind of question is that? Jeanne chuckled beside me. "You're ridiculous" I told him.

"You know how to make your sister frown don't you?" Jeanne commented on the side.

"You want me to teach you how?" he answered. "Don't you try..." I warned.

"She hates Mickey"

Jeanne frowned. "Mickey?" he asked. "Yeah. Mickey mouse" Karl laughed.

"She once saw one at the parking lot of her previous office, and you know what she did? She jumped over the front of her car, screaming like a five year old kid!" Karl burst out laughing. Uh! I hate him! I'll kill him!

Jeanne on my side burst out laughing too. I threw my table napkin to him. "I hate you!"

"Karl, stop it" Mamita interfered. Karl stopped laughing, while Jeanne...on my side..."Uh! I hate you!" I pinched him. He still cannot recover. Hello! That was like Mickey! And he was on his way towards me so I jumped over the front of my car...literally!

"I'm sorry baby" he said, still chuckling. "I just can't imagine...the prim and proper you...jumping..." I widened my eyes, threatening him to continue and rolled my eyes then look away.

"Hey" he whispered and held my hand, but I didn't mind him. "I had a meeting with the people earlier"

"I've heard about their proposal" Dad said. "I asked them to do a study if we will have enough money when we go public"

"And I don't want that idea" Mamita said. Uh oh. This is what I am afraid of. "It's a study still Mamita and perhaps they'll own the shares of minority. The majority shares will still belong to us"

Why do we hold the company instead of my uncle and his sons? They have their own and granny got mad when they neglected it. So daddy and mommy have to manage it and merge it with our own company. Uncle has said nothing about it, granny and grandpa raised them to give way with one another. Money? It's just a material thing.

"I don't like it." She said again. "Let's give it a try Mamita" Daddy said.

"Enough of the business, why don't we talk about Katherine and Jeanne" I sighed. I thought it was over! "So are you pregnant now Katherine?" Mom said rapidly. Yeah. She has to say it fast since I kept on changing the topic.

"Mom" I rolled my eyes. "We're working on it Mom. Hope we will have a baby by the following year"

Mom's eyes lightened. "Who would have thought? It was almost a year since you've got married." Jeanne held onto my hand and squeezes it. Indeed it was, almost a year, and this was the happiest year of my life. This year I made a decision, a decision that changed my whole life.

I looked at Jeanne and smiled at him. He is, and will always be, the best for me.

Dinner was over, Mom, Dad and Mamita walk on the other room to talk about business. I told them I'll join them but it seems like it was something I cannot be part of.

Jeanne, Karl and I are sitting on one couch. I being on the edge. Reason? Karl's boasting stuffs to Jeanne. I rolled my eyes. I know he really liked a brother. Jeanne's arm is on my shoulder, unconsciously drawing circles on my shoulder.

"Look at this bro" He opened a picture on his Macbook.

"That's a BMW 740i Sedan right?" Jeanne said.

"Yeah, I've always wanted one. Kathy and I have different taste when it comes to cars. I love BMW and she hates that"

"What does she like then?"

"Something that you should not know" I said. What will he do when he knows it? Well you know that already.

"Saab" Karl said and I rolled my eyes.

He looked at me and kissed my hair. "A great car too"

"Yeah, she's planning to buy one before you met her" What the... "How did you know that?" I asked.

"Daniel saw you at Saab's showroom" Daniel, his best friend

"Why did you not buy?"

"Can't use it so why buy it?"

"It's a great thing she didn't buy because BMW's the best" I rolled my eyes. What do I expect with my arrogant brother?

"What color do you want?" Jeanne asked him.

"I want black, it's something that we share in common. Black's classy."

"Will you be happy if you will have a BMW?"

"Yeah, of course, who's not going to be happy with a car? Wait...Are you telling me you are...?"

"You are my brother so why not and besides it's your birthday, this is our birthday present" He didn't let him finish.

"Jeanne" I opposed but before I can Karl already beamed him and go crazy.

"Wow! Jeanne you are the best brother ever" and gave him a hug.

"Get your car tomorrow" he was jumping like crazy and like a kid he walked, no jumped away and shouted at the whole house "Mom! Dad! Jeanne's going to buy me a new car"

I moved away from him and crossed my arms. "What?" he asked kissing my hair.

"Jeanne we talked about this." I looked away from him.

"Kathy it's his birthday" he keep on kissing my hair and securing a hand on my shoulder.

"But that's a really expensive gift" I hissed.

"I know that will make him happy Kathy"

"Jeanne I am teaching him to be responsible"

"Kathy let's not fight about that. I can afford it."

"And I can afford it too" and I walk away from him. I go up and locked myself in my room. Hell. He thinks I cannot afford it? "Ugh!" I shouted inside my room.

I let ten minutes pass...I sighed. "I'm fine. I'm fine" and then I opened my door, only seeing him in front of it, like he's waiting for me to open it all the time. "Baby" he said and my heart melt.

He hugged me and whispered. "Please don't be mad at me"

I just nodded. God! Why can't I even be that mad at him? Just looking at him with that eyes? It was enough for me to forgive him. "Let's go home" I said softly. He remove his arms on me, looking at me and slowly kissed me. "I love you my baby" he said.

We went down and looked for my parents. "Mom we're going now" I said and hugged her.

"Why don't you stay for the night?"

"We want to but we have no clothes and we'll travel tomorrow morning."

"I understand, by the way about the car Jeanne..."

"It's our gift for him mom" he said.

"Don't you think that's too much Jeanne?" Mom said softly.

"It's a rare gift mom and he deserve it, he's newly promoted and it's his birthday"

"Okay. If that's what you want. You two take care alright? And have fun there" mom smiled mischievously. "Hurry in making my grandchild okay?"

What do I expect? "Bye mom." And with that we ride in the car and move back to our place.

The whole trip was silent. He didn't dare to talk, neither did I. A part of my brain says it was a crazy thing to be mad about, but most of it? Says it was something to be mad about. We've just had a very great day not until he decided to give my brother a luxury car. I've notice that I've been like this for the past few days. Am I going bipolar or something?

When we arrived at the unit I walk straight to our room. "Kathy" he stopped me once he closed our bedroom door. I didn't look back at him but I did stopped.

"Hey I didn't say that you can't afford it, it's not what I mean by that" I nodded and walked away but he didn't let me. "Baby please..."

I still didn't speak. "It's just a car baby, Karl and I haven't talked so much before and after the wedding, it's just my way of bonding with him."

BONDING?! IS THAT BONDING?! "You know how much that cheque cost? It's equivalent to the down payment of that BMW. I want to know if he will buy himself a car or he'll spend it for nothing...and if he buys one I want him to pay for its monthly bills. At the age of 24 he's got a six-digit salary, because he's got a job and he gets salary from the company, not everyone gets that big salary at that age, and yet he cannot save anything, not even enough to buy himself that luxurious car. I want to give him responsibility. He's not getting any younger at this age he's not into serious relationship; he'll not be at 20s forever" I almost shouted.

I walked away from him, but he didn't let me, he hugged me from the back and said. "I'm sorry baby"

Why does he always have to soften my heart? I sighed and softly said. "Let's sleep Jeanne. I'm tired and I do not want to continue this argument."

He turned me to him and he held my chin, forcing him to look at me "Kathy, let's resolve this before getting to sleep"

I closed my eyes. I'm angry. I'm angry. I sighed and closed my eyes. I'm angry. "Let's talk tomorrow" I said. "Baby..."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. I'm not angry anymore" and his eyes glowed. "I hate you, you can easily soften my heart."

"Because I'm your drop dead handsome husband am I not?"

He chuckled. "And conceited!" He held me on the waist and lean and whispered. "Baby, can I get my prize now?" he grinned. I yelped because he suddenly carried me to bed.