Astraea

When Brylee and Briony left, Lydia slumped herself on her armchair feeling exhausted.

The first time she saw Brylee and Briony, she didn't recognize them at first. The moment her sales assistant introduced them to her, that's when recognition struck her.

They were among the five girls that she bumped into when she was rushing out of Lorcan's pad that morning. At first, she was shocked to see them on Lorcan's doorstep because she didn't expect it then it was replaced with annoyance and jealousy.

She knows that Lorcan never allows anyone in his pad except her. Now there were five young and beautiful girls on his doorstep. It was obvious that they were familiar with Lorcan's pad because they had already opened the door. Lorcan's door has a passcode that only she knows, well at least that's what she thought.

Just the thought of Lorcan with those girls makes her jealous though she knows that she doesn't have the right but she can't help it.

As she passes through them and runs away from Lorcan's pad, different thoughts run through her mind. The image of Lorcan angry at her. Shouting at her and calling her names.

She expected him to be angry at her after what she has done but she didn't expect him to be that angry. Remorseful, maybe but not angry to the point that he would chase her away and would ask her to stay away from him.

She knows that he didn't mean to insult her with those words but she was still hurt. But despite everything, she forgives him. She had forgiven him after what he had said. Because she loves him. And she will just do what he asks her to do. Stay away from him. Even if it hurts.

Because if things go along with her plan, she plans to do just that.

It's been weeks since that night. It's been weeks since she last saw him, heard from him. She missed him terribly. But she did not regret what she did. She wants it. She wants it to be with him.

When she heard their names and surnames, that's when she realized that she thought them wrong. Brylee and Briony Villan must be two of Lorcan's nieces.

She knows about Lorcan's brothers, and that they were all married. And Lorcan had mentioned to her about her five nieces that were close to his age. But he never mentioned that they were close to him.

Ever since Lorcan gave her the privilege to go to his pad anytime she wanted, she had never met any of Lorcan's family. That morning was the first time. And she met all five of his nieces.

And this morning, she met two of them again. She wondered if that was just a coincidence. She pretended not to recognize them. She treats them as her client and nothing more.

If she has to stay away from Lorcan, then she should keep her distance from his family as well. That way, it will be easier for her to move on and forget him though she knows that it would take time to forget him. In fact, she doubts if she will ever forget him.

Lydia grew up in an orphanage. She never knew her parents or any relatives as she was sent to the orphanage since she was just a baby.

Since then, she had been living alone. She found a job and a scholarship so she was able to provide for herself and at the same time study college years later.

She had known Lorcan since she was in her first year in college but she knew that Lorcan never knew her then. He was in his senior year. When Lorcan graduated, she never saw him again until five years ago.

She thought that she would never get to see him again until five years ago in that dark alley. She never expected to see him again in that alley on her way home. He was running after a criminal and she was used as a hostage.

Lydia didn't know what to feel that night, she should be excited and happy to see Lorcan standing in front of her and he was giving him attention. But she is not because he was just giving her attention because she is in the hands of the criminal that he was chasing.

But what surprised her is when he seeks her the next day just to ask if she has been okay.

Since then, they've been in constant contact with each other. They would see each other once in a while, usually, Lorcan will visit her in her shop or she will. And when they did see each other, usually it was just to catch up, have a meal and drink coffee.

Sometimes, Lorcan will appear in her shop just to take a nap while she is working.

If they can't see each other, they will call each other. Asking how they have been, have they eaten or how's work. Lydia knows about the nature of Lorcan's job and she was constantly worried about his safety.

Lorcan is the only friend Lydia had. A friend that she has been secretly in love with since she was in college.

Lydia stood up and took a trip down to her boutique. The stairs lead down to a stock room that is hidden from the main boutique. She needs to have some privacy.

She doesn't mean to be a snub but that's just how she is. She doesn't like getting attention. There were a lot of clients that wanted to meet her personally but she cannot meet them all. Only who has an appointment with her.

Some would invite her for dinner but she always politely rejects them.

When she was downstairs she searched for her sales assistant. "Cara?"

"Yes, Miss Lydia?" Her sales assistant whose name is Cara appeared from the curtain that separates the boutique and the stockroom.

"How many appointments do I have after Miss Brylee?" She asked, wanting to know how much time she got.

Cara looked at the small notebook that she got from her front pocket. "You got five appointments in the coming days Miss Lydia. And just this morning, Mrs. Addington wanted to set up an appointment with you. She will be the sixth."

Lydia nodded her head. Mrs. Addington is a regular client. She has been very good and sweet to Lydia. Aside from that, she is a common acquaintance with Lorcan.

"Thank you, Cara. I will not be accepting any more appointments after Mrs. Addington," Lydia said with a smile.

Cara appeared confused because it was the time of the year that there were a lot of clients who wanted to commission Lydia for a gown and suit. "Are you sure, Miss Lydia? There is a ball in the next couple of weeks and I am sure there will be a lot of clients who will seek an appointment with you."

"Yes, Cara. I'm sure." Lydia replied smiling at her very efficient sales assistant.

"Until when?" Cara was asking until Lydia would not accept an appointment.

Lydia's smile faltered and she asked herself the same question. Until When?

"Until I say so," She said though she was uncertain when or if she would ever be.

When she returns upstairs, she grabs a glass of water from her small kitchen and walks over to the window. As she gazed outside, her thoughts were somewhere and she subconsciously brought her hand on her flat stomach.

Everything's going to be alright. She promised to herself.