Chris and Hazel

'Hey Hazel! I am sorry but I won't be able to come tonight because of some last minute work. Please don't mind. We will have dinner next week. Sorry again…

...and send' Ed said clicking the send button.

'Are you sure she will buy that?' Chris asked taking a sip from his coffee cup.

'No way in heaven she is going to believe it but since you won't come clean we have no choice but to avoid meeting her' Ed replied looking at his friend.

Ed wanted to make Chris understand that it was ok for him to tell Hazel the truth but he couldn't understand why Chris hesitated.

'I know that… but I am afraid on how she will react when I tell her everything. Will she hate me for the rest of her life?' Chris asked with a frightened look on his face.

'Come on dude, you didn't do such a crime. Your circumstances were like that as far as I know Hazel, she will understand' Ed said trying to talk some sense into him.

'Yeah, maybe you are right! Plus she likes me too. So she can't stay mad at me for a long time, right?' Chris asked looking at him showing a faint sense of optimism in his tone.

'Correction! She LIKED you!' Ed said laughing.

'...'

'Chris?' Ed called out looking at Chris.

Chris suddenly grew silent after listening to Ed. He knew Ed was joking but what if…he was worried that Hazel would not love him anymore.

'It's not too late, right?' he asked trembling a little.

'You won't know till you try' Ed told him smiling encouragingly.

'You are right! The time has come' Chris said nodding at Ed.

'By the way, when are you guys leaving?' Chris asked placing his cup down on the table nearby.

'Tomorrow night' Ed answered him.

'Oh ok! I am kinda glad that everything is going on well between you and Ava and she even accepted to move in with you, that's a huge step in your relationship' Chris said smiling happily.

'I know but I am kinda nervous. I know that I can convince my parents but what if Ava's parents don't like me?' Ed asked biting his lips nervously.

'If they don't then I will come and tell them how much you helped for my love then they will understand that you are a very good soul!' Chris joked.

'Stop joking around!' Ed said still nervous.

'I am actually quite serious about that. You are my Love God! Without your help I would have completely failed. In fact, you are going to meet Ava's parents this soon only because of me' Chris said looking at Ed.

'Well this is the only way I could drag Charlotte with me, so that you can explain everything to Hazel within we come back' Ed answered as he took his phone from his pocket.

'I am really scared of your sister' Chris confessed looking at Ed.

'I know' Ed said laughing at him.

'Well we won't be around for at least a week so I beg you, just utilize this time well' he continued giving Chris a serious look.

'I know! I have so much to do. I just don't know where to start' Chris answered him.

'How are you gonna do that?' Ed asked in a worried tone.

'I have my own trump card!' Chris answered smirking.

'Robert and Aurora' Ed said looking at him.

'Your trump cards, right?' Ed clarified looking at Chris' reaction.

'Well...yeah! I know Hazel loves them so much. So I could only get her to listen to me with their help' Chris replied.

'I think I have to leave' Ed said looking at his phone suddenly getting up.

'What's wrong?' Chris asked taking the phone from Ed.

'Charlotte texted me that's it's an emergency. I will have to go look. She asked me to come to Ava's place' he said looking around for his car keys.

'I will go with you' Chris said grabbing his car keys from the key stand.

As they reached Hazel's place, they entered the door finding the three girls seated in the living room.

'Char, what happened?' Ed asked rushing towards them.

'Why, what's wrong?' Charlotte asked him back.

'You were the one who texted me that it was an emergency' Ed said with a panicked look on his face.

'Bro, calm down! I just wanted you to find a place to rent near Hazel's office' she answered him calmly.

'Are you shifting from your flats?' Ed asked looking at Charlotte.

'No…not me. Hazel' Charlotte answered him.

'Why?' Chris asked acting on impulse.

All the other three looked at him trying to figure out the reason behind his alarmed expression.

'Well cause since Ava is moving in with Ed, this place is quite big for a single person to live in and till now me and Ava were sharing the rent and things will become hard on my end if I pay the whole rent so I kinda felt it was unnecessary to stay here and I wanna live somewhere close to my office' Hazel explained looking at Ed and Chris.

'Well maybe she could move in with you' Ed whispered to Chris smiling.

'I am cool with that but I am sure that Haze would kill us if she hears this' Chris answered him slowly.

'Nope, I don't think she will but Char will' Ed answered in a low voice careful that no one noticed their little conversation.

Chris looked at his friend in objection for a moment before replying;

'She will!' he said giving in to Ed.

The two giggled silently but before anyone could catch them in their actions they managed to come back to the current situation.

'So where are you gonna move, Haze?' Ed asked looking at her.

'Well she wanted to see whether she could go back to the apartment she used to live in but it's already rented out so we'll have to look somewhere else' Charlotte answered him.

'Maybe we could look for one after we come back' Ed suggested.

'That's ok Ed. I already managed to find a place maybe after you guys leave I will go and have a look and move out by this weekend' Hazel answered them.

'Why are you rushing Haze? Wait till we comeback then we could help you too' Ava said quite unsure of why Hazel wanted to move out right away.

'There's another reason too Ava. Usually we leave early in your car and so office doesn't seem very far but considering that I can't bring my car from my parent's house anytime soon I will have to use public transport and it's a lot of work so I felt it would be better if I can move out sooner' Hazel explained to her friends who seemed pretty much worried about her.

'Don't worry guys, I am here right? I will help Haz…' Chris offered.

'That's ok Chris. Ryan will help her' Charlotte spoke out cutting him short.

'Guys seriously, quit worrying! I can take care of myself' Hazel spoke out trying to make them understand that she was fine on her own and they needn't worry.

'Ok honey, if you say so! But if you are in need of some help then please don't forget to…' Charlotte started.

'Just call me, ok?' Chris interrupted her looking at Hazel. He was really worried by the thought that Hazel was moving somewhere else where she will have to live by herself.

Hazel nodded at him smiling a little.

Charlotte looked at Hazel in disbelief and as she was about to confront Hazel about that Ava stopped her shaking her head telling her not to ask Hazel anything. Though Charlotte didn't understand the reason behind Ava's action she decided to keep quiet.

'Anyways guys, you all take care. I have to bounce cause of some work. I will meet you guys in the airport tomorrow' Chris said waving them goodbye. Soon Ed and Charlotte left the apartment and after finishing all the other works Ava and Hazel went to take some rest.

The next day night around 8 p.m. they gathered near the departure gate waiting for Chris. Chris arrived soon with Robert and Aurora.

'Hey, sorry guys! I was caught in traffic' he apologized coming over.

'That's ok we still got time' Ed said looking at him.

The kids ran up to Hazel and stood next to her looking around the airport.

'Travel safe man!' Chris said looking at Ed.

'Ok and you don't mess up anything when I am not around' Ed advised.

'Stop worrying about me, idiot! You prepare yourself well and go. Make sure your parents like Ava' Chris said.

'They will! After all she is one hell of a girl' Ed replied looking at Ava.

Chris smiled at Ed's comment and turned to look at Hazel. She was standing with Charlotte and Ava trying to hold the kids back before they could wander off somewhere.

'Don't get nervous! They will like you for sure' Hazel said trying to hold Robert before he could slip away from his hands.

'Ok but…' Ava started.

'No…buts, you are a strong girl so don't doubt yourself!' she said motivating Ava.

'Rob! Stop trying to run away, you could get lost' Hazel said looking down at Robert.

'Haze?' Charlotte called out.

Hazel looked up at her.

'You kinda look like their mom' she teased giggling.

'Well Yeah!' Ava said favoring Charlotte.

'Both of you shut up! I don't want the kids to hear all this' Hazel said looking at them.

'Shall we head in?' Ed asked coming over to them along with Chris.

'Yeah' Charlotte and Ava nodded at him picking up their luggage.

As they headed in for checking, Hazel and Chris waved them bye and headed towards the exit.

'I will drop you' Chris said to her.

'That's ok I will take a taxi' Hazel said denying his gesture.

'Your place is far from here. Taxi isn't safe so I will drop you' Chris said and walked towards the parking.

'Well he always manages to get the final say' she whined quietly watching him walk over to his car followed by his kids.