"Do you mind introducing me to this tanned beauty?" Julio spoke as he caught eyes with Cathalina who stood behind Yehezkel.
"I don't remember her being your type"
He scoffed "Shouldn't be your problem" striding over to her, "Afternoon love"
Cathalina cleared her throat, "Afternoon sir"
"Sir?" he chuckled before taking her hand with a little bow, "I am Julio Martinez, only son to the Martinez household"
Cathalina nodded, before glancing uncomfortably at Yehezkel who just quietly stood and watched.
"And you are?"
"…"
"Cathalina Perez" Yehezkel spoke in her place.
Julio glanced from Cathalina over to Yehezkel and back with a smug smile,
"Does this seem to bother you?" he asked her
Cathalina held back, her gaze steady ahead.
Yehezkel sighed, "Don't be rude Julio" pause "You're making my personal bodyguard uncomfortable"
"Do I make you uncomfortable?" Julio asked Cathalina again.
"…"
"It's disrespectful to leave a man waiting"
She quietly turned to him with a stern look. She wasn't unfamiliar to situations like this but this was a little different as her very action could determine the rest of the afternoon.
"Sir" she began
"It's Julio"
She nodded, "Mr. Julio", "I was hired to protect Mr. Yehezkel Fionn and nothing more" she paused, "My presence here should make little to no meaning to you so I would suggest you begin the game you came all this way to play"
Julio watched her as he nodded, with a growing smile and soon, Damien came over with Athena, Nick behind them.
"Everyone's here" Duke began, "Enough of all this and let's get back to the game"
Taking one last glance at Cathalina, who stared right back at him, Julio nodded and walked away.
Yehezkel watched as she turned to him, subtly pissed.
…
Nick and Cathalina watched the men swing but sincerely, Athena was impressive. They both knew nothing about golf but the stance of each one of them, their firm forms and effortless swings made the game of golf look incredibly easy.
A few minutes in and Cathalina brought a 50cl branded bottle water for them both. Eventually, this was what they all drank in the country club. Rich Pricks.
"Don't worry" Nick spoke after a small gulp, "We're halfway through the day and almost done"
Cathalina shook her head as she drank "I and Mr. Fionn have unfinished business"
Nick sighed, "You both always have something to sort out"
Cathalina flashed him a disgusted look before rounding up her bottle of water and soon, the man in question walked over to her and seemed to want to pass by,
"Come with me" he said in a whispered huff before eventually walking past.
She followed behind.
The pair walked over to an edge with tall trees and a cluster of small bushes that faced a lake. She watched as he leaned slightly forward on his golf club, quiet.
"I have wondered greatly" he began, "As to why you feel concern over me when all you have to do is protect me" his gaze fell on her.
Taking a short glance, she looked away, towards the lake.
"I have come down to two conclusions", "One"
He raised his index, "You have grown a sense of sympathy as it is your line of work to care and protect", "Two"
He raised his next finger "Your curiosity has aroused sympathy in you" he paused, "The more you want to know about my situation, the more you come to care"
Cathalina gaped at him. Speechless.
He nodded at her expression before leaving a sigh.
"If I may ask" she began.
He listened.
"What made you deduce these options?"
"Well," he began, "Business builds you to become more perceptive of people", "The moment you and your team stepped into that room in my family home, the first day we were introduced" pause, "I became more aware of each one of you"
"Yes" she admitted, "I care because I'm curious but will you be willing to work with me Mr. Fionn?"
He chuckled lightly as he recalled the day, she first showed concern for him and her reaction towards his response.
"I am a cautious man" he began with a small smile, "You must understand that to work with me means to thread with caution and be more perceptive", "Not many questions will be answered in words, but the answers will be given and all that is left is your mental aptitude, quantitative reasoning and wits."
'Ah' Cathalina thought within her, 'He means, it's not about if he is willing, it's about how well and how fast I am able to catch up'
Coming to a decision, she turned to him and stretched out her arm, "I hope we can work together to make our goals possible"
He smiled, somewhat proud of her action in that moment and with a small nod, he clasped his fingers against hers in a firm handshake.
"Wonderful" is all he said before striding back to the course.
She followed along carefully behind him.
'What was going to change?' she thought, 'Does this mean, he trusts her more?'.
With every step she took, she watched every familiar face on the open field and somehow time seemed to slow down in the midst of her many thoughts.
'These people', 'It's strange how I know them' she paused in her thoughts, 'And yet', 'I don't know them'
A distant memory threw her in a daze while her insides twirled and suddenly a wave of doubt began to overwhelm her.
She questioned her actions and the emotions she felt when it came to Yehezkel, and was this all really curiosity?
Was she doing the right thing?
Was she being too nosy?
And most importantly,
Was this whole circumstance a test in itself from the family directly through Yehezkel?
Cathalina swallowed down, shut her eyes and listened for a second. The nature of her job didn't particularly allow for a break, nor a moment of silence neither a state of complete nothingness.
She agreed.
This was the life she had to choose, especially after the consequences of her past choice. One that almost cost her everything.
At least now, she had room to be redeemed even after what she had done. All that was left was to take care of this one man, Yehezkel Fionn.
That was the job.
But, would she last long enough to see the true form of the man in question? The side of him that no one else knew of. The part to him that revealed itself in the darkest of times.
Their usefulness to him had but a limited time and afterwards, they would never likely cross parts ever again.
No.
That wasn't what she wanted and she would prove to him that she was much more relevant to him than he thought and even if she wasn't sure of what it was that made her important, this deal between them would teach her, show her, the answers she desired.
This was the solution.