Secrets of Lakefront House
CHAPTERS 18. LUNCH BOTH

The afternoon rolled over and he stopped in front of Paradise Restaurant, just a few blocks from The Upper Spot Cafe. Jilena remembers going there several times as a teenager — one of them was dating Noah.

When he entered the restaurant in the ancient colonial building, Jonathan was seen sitting at a table in the middle of the room, wearing a blue-and-white checkered shirt, his sleeves rolled up to the elbows. The girl circled her around the entire room of the restaurant. Every table in the restaurant is covered with a red-and-white checkered tablecloth and an antique old candle holder in the middle of the table, nothing has changed, still the same as before. Jonathan sees Jilena coming, he stands up and waves at her, his shirt not tucked away, hanging down his dark blue jeans. His appearance looks relaxed. His wide grin showed that the man was very happy to see her.

"Hello," he said, smiling at Jonathan, then glancing around the familiar room. “Waiting long?”

"Not really." replied Jonathan. Pull up a chair and let Jilena sit down. His attitude was very romantic, making the girl feel happy.

They made small talk for a while, Jonathan looked at Jilena with a loving look. Before long a waiter approached, after ordering lunch, again chatting while waiting for their food. The waiter brought their dishes and said good-bye.

Jilena ordered a complete package of grilled rice, while Jonathan ordered a set of grilled fish.

“So tell me, Jonathan, what did you do after you finished High School?" a little surprised when Jonathan wants to bribe him “Try, grilled fish here is the most delicious.”

Her face was blushing with Jonatha's sweet demeanor, for so long she had not gotten such treatment from a man. He leaned forward, Jonathan feeding his food into his mouth with a smile. The man was happy today to meet and have lunch with the girl. The girl he had admired for a long time.

“I entered the police academy, on the advice of my father. He said it would make me a real man. Maybe he thought I was a coward back then.” Jonathan returned to offer the Jilena's mouth food that the girl had welcomed. For some reason, Jilena looks very relaxed and does not mind Jonathan's treatment of her. It seems he even enjoyed it.

"Oh, you're not a coward, Jo."

“Yeah, yeah, kinda.” He swallowed. “Once I logged in, I decided to focus on completing education.”

"That's pretty grueling training, isn't it?"ask Jilena.

He's nodding. "But it makes me a man." She grinned at Jilena, stretching her arms and chest. Looks burly body and muscular arms.

Jilena laughed a little. “Yes, of course. I barely recognized you back then, the day you first judged me. You're not the Jonathan I used to know in school. You've changed a lot"

"I'm still the same Jonathan, only stronger." smiled at Jilena's pretty face.

Jilena smiled at her words. "So what are you doing after you're done from the police academy?"

“So many questions.” The corner of his mouth was interested in forming a smile. “Are you trying to recognize me and want to know all about me?’

“You said you'd come after me.” Jilena observed the handsome face in front of her, waiting for her answer. The man who had warm and friendly brown eyes, his angled cheekbones and jaw radiated a calm strength. “In addition, I'm an investigative reporter. Questions are my life. So tell me. I want to hear it."

"okay." He raised both his hands to surrender. “After the education in the academy is finished, I— went to college in the city of M, continued college with a scholarship. That's where I met Clarisa, Vino.”'s mother

We got married when I was in my final semester and he was my junior. Back then she was pregnant—not planned — and she finally quit school after Vino was born. Then, after I graduated, we moved here. I applied in the police force and was accepted.” He twirled the spoon on his plate.

"Look, your dad was a cop, right?"

He's nodding. “Accounted now.”

"So, I don't think you and Clarisa are together anymore." Jilena looked at Jonathan, he wanted to make sure the situation was there, he did not want to involve himself in the situation that would make it difficult later.

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, first, you are here with me, and also Ramira once said something to me about you, as a single father.”, Jilena explained carefully.

“Yes, it's me. Clarisa hates small town life. He wanted a big city and a big career. In college, she majored in film, so she packed up and left, when Vino was two, and moved to the capital to build her career in acting.”

“How can a woman just leave her family and child?”

"I don't think I know her as well as I thought." Jonatha's pensive gaze floated to the edge of the window. “But it's not all his fault. I'm very stiff sometimes, and he's more free-spirited. I think that's what got me interested in him.”

"Yes, a few times. He called occasionally, sent gifts to Vino at Christmas, and came

to see her on her birthday.”

“It must be difficult,” said Jilena.

“Mainly on Vino.” There was a clear sadness in his voice and face.

Is it hard for Jonathan too? Even though it had been three years since the woman left, did she still love him? Jilena noticed the presence of someone standing beside their table and heard the person cleared his throat.

“Halo, Jilena. Jonathan.”

Jilena recognized the voice and her body suddenly froze. He slowly raised his head. Again he met the man, how can we always meet in the same place? Is he following me? jilena's mind was not calm with Noah's presence there.

“Noah.”

"Hey, Noah," Jonathan said, not knowing about the relationship between the two in the past and unaware of the tension between the two men. Noah doesn't like to see Jilena having lunch together with another man.

Noah feels angry and upset at Jilena for the lie she told him this morning.

Noah crossed his arms. “I thought you said you were going to have lunch with Rami today.” he said in a flat and cold voice.

“The plan changed,” answered Jilena, drank orange juice, did not want to make eye contact with Noah.

"If you don't want to have lunch with me, you should have said it."

The atmosphere became awkward and uncomfortable. His gaze glanced at Noah, then back down. “You're right, I should have told you. I'm sorry." He looked across the table at Jonathan, who looked puzzled by the situation around him.

"Good lunch." Noah turned around and walked to the booth at the very back corner of the restaurant. His face was angry with a sharp look.

"Sorry about that," said Jilena, glancing down as she straightened the linen napkin on her lap. “I met him at The Upper Spot this morning and he—take me to lunch.” He sipped some more water, then stared at the straw as he—stirred him inside the glass. “I really don't want to go with him. Ramira came in time and saved me.”

“What happened to you two? I remember when I graduated, the relationship between the two of you became heated and it seemed like there was a heavy problem.”

"That's how it is." He lifted his face, and looked at Jonathan right in the eyes. "Say, my life fell apart after that."

"You're separated? What's going on?" His eyes were filled with sincere interest. Jilena looked around, making sure no one was within her hearing range. He leaned forward and lowered his voice, half whispering. "I was pregnant at the time."

Jonathan leaned towards her and kept his voice low. “With Noah?”

Jilena frowned at him and pulled back, sitting upright in her chair. "Who else? Is there anyone else?

“No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I'm just surprised, that's all.”

“We only do it once.” He crossed his hands on the edge of the table. “I was so naive back then, I didn't think that I could get pregnant the first time I had sex. He went on to college and I'm so .. well, just forget about that."

"I'm sorry, Jil." His hand extended across the small table and placed his hand in the arms of the girl who was crossed. "I don't know anything about that."

"Do you think we can get out of here?" she asked. “I hate to talk about this with him sitting in the corner there.” said Jilena who was uncomfortable with Noah's whereabouts. The lunch he thought would be the beginning to recognize Jonathan further, even damaged by the presence of people he hated.

“Alright, I'll have the waiter put this food in the box for us to bring. We can continue our lunch in the park. Would you like to order more food.”

“Nothing. This is enough.”

“Good. But I'd like to order a chocolate pudding for you.” Jonathan called the waiter and asked for food to be packed. Jonathan's gaze never escaped from Jilena's face. He really did not expect, something bad had happened to his girl.