“You bought her a Range Rover? Henry, I don’t know what to say. That’s very generous, but don’t you think that’s a little early?”
“Too early for what?”
“Well, come on, a brand new Range Rover after you two have been together for a couple of weeks?”
“Well, yes, of course, it is a little over the top, but it just made sense. Even if this doesn’t work out between us, I’m still happy to have given her that car. She deserves it whether in a relationship with me or not,” Henry replies and it does make sense.
“Well, at least I hope she will finally stop ranting and annoying me how great this car is now that she finally has one,” I say laughing but meaning it.
“Are you and Zoe in a good place? What did you mean earlier on?”
“Yes, not really. The thing is that we have been together for ten years now. She wants to make further commitments like getting married and having children. I understand her, really I do. The thing is I never knew when I started this company that it would kick off like that. And now I have more to do than ever, but also I love what I do. It doesn’t leave much time for other things though. That’s why we are constantly arguing at the moment, and I don’t want to lose her, but I also don’t want to lose my company!”
He is the first one I’m telling this. It feels good though. I have been carrying this around with me for a while now.
“I’m sorry mate, at the end of the day family and love is always more important than work or money. Maybe if you get more people, you can trust to work for you, you can have both?” Henry suggests.
“Yes, I really have to think about all these things. That’s why I’m going to take a step back. I need to sort all of these things out.”
“Of course, you should, Ty. If you need anything, you know you can call anytime.”
“I know, Henry. Thanks.”
“No worries mate. See you later,” We hang up.
I keep working but have the feeling that whatever I do it doesn’t get less. I remember when I started this company when I was only eighteen years old. A little advertising company, I remember being so excited. I could never have imagined that it would become so big. That’s how I met Henry. I made a TV-spot for the band.
I keep thinking about how everything started, the many sleepless nights I had. The excitement, the frustration, the anxiety and the success. There was one person always by my side. One person who always had my back and that person is my girlfriend Zoe. It’s only fair that now I give her what she wants. That I help her fulfill her dream. I know she wants to get married and have babies, and I’m ready for that too. Okay, so now I just have to come up with a plan to how I will propose to her.
I get in my car and drive home. I wanted to work late, but I’ve made the decision to focus more on my relationship. I ordered a takeaway earlier and just picked it up. When I arrive at my house I pull into the driveway and walk to the front door. I walk inside and call for Zoe.
“Babe, are you there?” Zoe walks out of the living room in her pyjamas. She looks adorable.
“Hey Baby, what are you doing here? I thought you wanted to stay in the office late?” Zoe asks me, wondering why I’m home so early.
“Yes, I did. But then I had to think about you all the time, and decided to let work be work and go home and spend my time with you,” I take her in my arms and kiss her.
“Aww baby, you are so cute.”
“And you are the best woman in the world!”
We sit down on the sofa and make ourselves comfortable. We eat our food and watch a TV show together.
“I really missed this!” Zoe tells me.
“Me too,” I say and really do mean it.
I have been putting my work above everything and that isn’t fair. It’s not fair to myself, and it’s not fair to Zoe or my family.
“I’ve made a decision, Babe.”
“And what is that decision?”
“I think it’s time for me to step down a little. You have been giving me all this time and patience. Now it is your turn. I will hire someone to help me with my company and I will back down a little with my friendships. It’s not like I’m going to give up my friends completely, but these short trips and all that will be much less,” Zoe looks at me first surprised, than concerned.
“I don’t expect you to do that. I know how much you love your work and your friends. I’m honestly fine with that. I know I have been complaining a lot lately, but that’s only because I miss you so much when you are gone,” Zoe explains herself.
“I know you don’t expect me to do that, but I want to do it. I want to do it for you, no, I want to do it for us! Actually, there is something else I want to ask you.”
“What?”
“Well, I have been thinking about this a lot lately, and although I don’t have a grand candlelight dinner or anything like that, now it still feels right. So Zoe, will you marry me?” I ask her and hope this isn’t the worst proposal of all times.
“Are you serious?”
“Of course I am serious, come on. Don’t leave me hanging in the cold. You need to answer me, Babe,” I beg her to answer me.
“YES. Of course YES!” she finally answers me and I feel a huge relief.
We kiss and she starts crying.
“I hope those are happy tears and you are not crying because you already regret your decision,” I ask her with a smile.
“Of course those are happy tears, you idiot! OMG, I have to call my friends!” she screams and runs to get her phone.
She doesn’t even care that I haven’t gotten her a ring yet. Well, it’s better if she can choose her own one anyway. I have no idea what kind of ring she would like. Usually, I just ask Ali when it comes to anything that has to do with fashion or style. She knows everything about that stuff. But I don’t think she would have been the right choice to help me with an engagement ring. Number one: Ali can’t lie even if her life depends on it. Number two: she has a very posh taste and Zoe is more the plane girl, also Ali always likes the most expensive item in the shop. So, yes. I just rather go with Zoe.
When Zoe comes back from calling every single person on her phone, I have my computer on my lap and am looking for nice places to go on vacation.
“What are you doing?” Zoe asks me.
“I’m looking for a nice place for us to go on vacation.”
“We are going on vacation?”
“Yes, I think we deserve that and we should celebrate our engagement. Kind of like a honeymoon, but a pre-honeymoon,” I say and she smiles at me with bright eyes.
“So, what do you think about the Maldives?”
“Always wanted to go there.”
“Okay, so let’s book it then!” I answer and book the vacation for us.
The next morning I wake up at five am because my phone is ringing. I see Ali’s name on the screen, so I answer it.
“Ali? Is everything alright?” I ask her thinking that the only reason she would call me at five am must be that something happened.
“Yes, I’m okay. Why?”
“Because it’s bloody five o’clock in the morning!” I say a bit grumpy now.
“Oh, well, it’s six am here, and you know I always get up early,” she answers to that.
“So, why is this an explanation for you to call me at five am?”
“Yes, good question, Ty. I thought we were close. Would you say we are close?” she asks me, and I can already tell I did something wrong, but I have no idea what.
“Yes, Ali. Of course, we are close. Very close. Why?”
“Oh, I will tell you why. I talked to you yesterday, and you never said a word about wanting to propose to Zoe. Then you do it and you still don’t tell me. I have to wake up this morning and find it out over her Facebook page? Seriously? I thought that can only be a joke because there is no way that Tyler would propose and not tell me. Who picked the ring? You always come to me with things like that.”
“Okay, okay, take a break!” I int
errupt Ali because I know otherwise she won’t stop, “Slow down. I did propose to her yes. And I have been thinking about doing so now and then for a while. Then yesterday I couldn’t get that thought out of my head, and that is when I spontaneously decided to ask her. I didn’t tell you beforehand because I hadn’t planned it. That is also the reason why I didn’t have a ring. So I will go to the jeweller’s and let her pick a ring herself. I’m sorry you found out like this, but I would have called you, first thing today. I haven’t even told my parents or my sister yet. I had no idea she made a Facebook post,” I explain myself.
“Okay, that makes sense. You can’t blame Zoe though, come on. Of course, she wants everybody to know that she is happy and getting married. You two have been a couple in what feels like forever!”
“I’m not blaming her. I just had not thought about it!” I reply.
“Anyway, I’ve got to go now. My trainer is on his way over and I’ve got to work out. Bye love,” Ali says before she hangs up the phone.
I lay my phone on my nightstand. Great, thanks a lot Ali, now I am awake and can’t go back to sleep. I could work out. I probably should. I don’t know how she does it. I know she hates working out, but she still does it every single morning, and she even gets up between five and six am just to do something she hates. That’s impressive. So I decide to do the same. I walk out of the bedroom and hope Zoe won’t wake up because of me. I grab my workout clothes and walk downstairs. I open the door and go running. The cold air hits me, but it’s somehow really nice. From afar I can hear the first birds starting to chirp. I did the right thing. I want to spend the rest of my life with Zoe. I’m really happy we are engaged now, and I know my family will be very happy about it too.
After my run, I have a shower and call my family to ask if we could all meet at my parents’ house because I have to tell them something. Before I head out to go visit them and tell them that Zoe and I are engaged, I call Henry to let him know that in the next months I will be focusing on my engagement, getting an employee for my company and that he shouldn’t be counting on me as the mate that goes on short trips etc. for any time soon. Henry is totally fine with it and congratulates me. He assures me he will let our other friends know, and that if I need any help I should just give him a call.
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Chapter 17
Henry
Finally the time has passed and Ali is coming to London tomorrow, together with Poppy. I am just about to rush out of my door because I’m going to meet Jeff in my office. These last few days it has been a bit weird between Jeff and me, but I hope he finally understands that he cannot interfere with in my relationship with Ali. And I do have a peace offering. I have finished all of my songs. All I have to do now is record them. I’m pretty sure Jeff will be more than happy to hear that.
I jump in my car and drive off. It’s only a short drive to my office space. I walk inside and Jeff is already there, working.
“Hey mate, nice to see you,” Jeff greets me and gives me a pat on the shoulder.
“Hey. Yes, it is,” I return politely.
I can’t help it. I’m trying not to hold a grudge, but I also just can’t forget how he talked about Ali.
“So, any news?”
“Yes, some great news actually. I have written all the songs. I’m really happy with every single one and now it’s time for recording,” I let Jeff know proudly .
“That’s great to hear mate, I already put a band together for you, so you can start recording as soon as you like,” Jeff replies in a very enthusiastic way.
“Cool, let’s do it!”
“Okay, I’ll call them all now and have them come in tomorrow, so we can start straight away,” Jeff says whilst already reaching for his phone.
“NO, wait. Not this weekend. Let’s start on Monday,” I stop him from calling.
“Why would you want to wait until Monday? That doesn’t make any sense,” Jeff asks me and looks very confused.
“It’s just because...”
“Ah, don’t even try. It’s because of that girl again. I can’t believe it, seriously Henry, but you know what? This is your life. Do whatever you want with it. I’m done. I’m out,” Jeff interrupts me, takes his coat and leaves the office.
I just stand there looking shocked at the door Jeff just walked out of. Did that really just happen? Why did Jeff overreact like that, yet again? I really don’t get it, but at this point I couldn’t care less. Ali and Poppy are coming tomorrow, and I still have a lot to do. Also I have to go and meet up with Ryan. He texted me last night telling me that he is in town now, and that he wants to meet up tonight.
Back home at my house I call my assistant to meet me at the house. When she arrives, I give her a shopping list that I made, so she can fill up the kitchen for when the girls arrive. I want everything to be perfect. I’m kind of hoping that Ali will say that she is just going to stay here and not going back home ever again, although I know that’s never going to happen. Still, making her feel comfortable is the most important thing to me right now. After a couple of hours my assistant arrives back from shopping, and I help her to unload the car. She really did buy a lot.
“Do you need anything else?”
“Actually yes, could you come up to my bedroom and help me?”
“Henry, you are lucky that I have known and worked for you so long, otherwise this would have sounded really inappropriate,” Jessica says.
Now that she mentioned it, I also get how that just sounded.
“No, you know I didn’t mean it like that. The thing is that my bedroom is just like a bedroom of a man. Plain. Maybe you could add a little female, cozy touch?” I ask her.
“Yes, of course I can do that for you. Wow, you really have fallen for that girl. I can’t wait to meet her,” Jessica says and walks up the stairs into my bedroom.
When I walk into my bedroom, Jessica is already taking notes.
“So, what do you think?”
“Well, it’s not that bad. I’ll just get a little rug, some nice cushions, some plants, candles and curtains. That should be enough,” she answers, never stopping taking notes at the same time.
“Okay, do you think you can do that and have it ready by tomorrow?”
“Oh please, Henry. I’ll have it done by this afternoon. I’ll just rush over to Dunelm and get all of it there. I love going to Dunelm anyway,” Jessica tells me.
“Don’t all women do? I don’t understand it, but I know that my mum and my sister love going there as well.”
“Yes, so I’ll be off then. Oh, I’ll have to take your Range Rover, because I can’t fit the stuff in my little car,” Jessica says.
“Sure, take it. I don’t think I’ll be going out and if I do, I’ll just take a different car. The keys are downstairs on the kitchen counter,” I let her know.
“Great, bye then.”
“Bye.”
I realize it’s still relatively early, because my meeting with Jeff turned out to be very short after he stormed off in a temper. That’s why I decide to go for a run. There is a very nice park near my house and because there are some secret ways through the forest, nobody ever sees me there. I love that because that allows me to live freely even if it is just for a few things. I put my headphones on and off I go. It’s cool today and foggy but I like it. Because it had rained last night, the grass is still wet and as I run through the forest I can smell the wet wood and the mud. It’s so peaceful. I think about the argument I had with Jeff earlier. Actually it wasn’t an argument at all, he just freaked out. I never got the chance to say anything. I really need to talk to him about this. He can’t behave like that, that is really unprofessional. If he can’t figure out how to accept and be cool with my new situation, than he and I will have to go separate ways. I don’t really want to think about doing that because he has been with me from the very start. The very start of my career being, when I was only 16 years old, so obviously Jeff is a huge part of my life. I thin
k about how life would be without him and I can’t even imagine it. So I just run faster. It’s like I’m running away from my thoughts, my problems, and my feelings. Does it work? Yes, for the moment it does. Does it solve the problem? No, not at all unless I never stop running.
I arrive back at my house one and a half hours later, soaking wet. I ran so fast that I’m sweating like crazy but I do feel really good now. I walk upstairs, straight away and jump under the shower. I think about whether I have sorted everything out.
● I have the house filled with groceries
● The cleaning lady came this morning and cleaned the entire house
● Poppy’s guest room is ready for her
● Jessica is out and will have my bedroom decorated by this afternoon
Yes, I think I really have everything sorted out. Oh no, Ryan! I forgot about Ryan. I have to call him as soon as I get out of the shower and also I need to eat something, I’m starving. I quickly cover myself in shower gel and then rinse it off. I jump out of the shower dry myself and put on some clothes. A t-shirt and some sweatpants.
I walk in my bedroom and grab my phone from my nightstand and call Ryan.
“Hey Henry,” he answers his phone.
“Hey mate, are you done with your interview?”
“Yes, we just got finished. I’m free now, how about you? Any plans?”
“No, I just came back from running and had a shower. Anything specific you would like to do?”
“I’m kind of tired from the interview to be honest. Also I’m really hungry, so I would like to just grab some food and chill.”
“Perfect! Same here. Do you want to pick something up and bring it, or do you want me to order something in?”
“I’ll bring something that’s fine, I’ll just have the driver go inside and pick it up.”
“Okay, great. So curry as usual?”
“Yep, I’ll bring some curry with me, mate! See you later,” Ryan says before he hangs up the phone.
Keep It Secret: Time Starts Now (Part Book 1) Page 10