Henry looked puzzled at Joan. He heard about Camila’s mum's death and wanted to check if she was okay. He knows how important she is to Joan and he thought that it might put a good light on him if he comes to offer his condolences.
“What are you doing here Henry?” she asked again, already feeling irritated by his presence.
He offered a small smile and rested his hand on the counter but after one hard stare from Joan, took his hand off and leaned back. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t want to say anything that might be upsetting to her.
“I’m not going to ask one more time, what do you want?” she asked.
“I came to offer my condolences to Camila” he looked behind her to see a sad-looking Camila whose head was bowed. He turned his attention back to Joan and gave the best sad look he could muster “I know this time is difficult but I want to say I’m sorry to hear that” he said.
The glare Joan directed at him melted when he mentioned his intentions. It was nice that he came to console her friend knowing how much they dislike each other.
“Thank you,” she looked back at Camila and felt a pang in her chest as she watched her clean a tear from her cheeks. “We appreciate the thoughts,” she looked back at him.
He could see that her eyes were now clouded with unshed tears, it looked like she didn’t want to shed any tears so that she could offer support to her friend like the strong woman she was.
Henry saw that as a way to get closer to her so that she could lean on him as she provided support for her friend. He moved closer by a step so that she didn’t notice and asked him to step back.
“I know this is really hard on the two of you, considering how close you are to her mum” he moved another step forward. “This isn’t something to wish upon anyone” another step forward.
Joan cleaned a tear that escaped her eyes and frowned at him.
“Why would anyone wish this upon another?”
He froze in his tracks for a second, he watched her closely then moved till he was really close to the counter. He eyes her hand that now rests on the counter.
“Only bad people,” he said still looking at her hand. His eyes moved to her face, still keeping that gloomy look on his face “I hope you guys are managing fine?” he laid both hands on the counter, if he moved his knuckles a bit, he would be brushing against her skin.
“We appreciate your kind gesture but we would like to go on with work,” she said then avoided looking at him. “If you have nothing else to do here, please take your leave” she points to the door.
Henry felt irritated by her suggestions but had to control himself from sprouting nonsense, or else she would have him walk out.
He took her hands in his and brought them closer to his face “I am so worried about you both that’s why I ha-”
Joan slipped her hands from his and pocketed them “I said already, I appreciate you coming by but we need to work. I am not the one who needs all these…” She waved her around and then pointed behind “She needs all the love she could get”
“Don’t even come a foot closer to me” Camila warned.
‘Like I wanted to do’ he wanted to say.
“I hope you guys are okay” he leaned to look at Camila who was already glaring daggers at him “You especially,” he said to her.
‘I know who you came for, wimp’ she mouthed, he was so tempted not to glare at her or say something back and that alone made her smile.
Henry looked around the less-busy café then sat on the stool.
“I would like to order three cups of coffee, two pla-”
“Ordering for us doesn’t mean I’ll let you stay here” she pointed.
“I’m trying to be nice”
“We don’t need it, please go have your seat anywhere but close to this counter and I will have your order by your table soon,” she went on to prepare the coffee for him and bring out his cheesecake from the display glass.
Henry was already irritated by her attitude towards him, he didn’t want her to talk or behave to him in such a manner so he didn’t bother leaving the stool and just wait for his order.
Joan taking note that he didn’t yield to her advice, was pissed and politely asked him again.
“I will not ask another time—”
“Or you’ll do what?” he asked in an irritated tone, unable to keep up the façade. “Will you call your little crying friend there to come save you from me?” he asked.
Joan saw red and raised her hand to slap him but he caught her hand and brought her closer, she panicked and tried to lean back while wriggling her wrist from his tight grip.
“You can’t run away from me” he whispered “You are mine and will contin-”
Joan looked back to see that Camila had already gone inside the kitchen then she wondered how long she had been gone.
She fears no one but Henry was a different person, she had seen him angry, mad-angry, and violent. Once he had tried to use his violent side on her but Camila was there to save her.
‘That’s why he had the confidence to get this close to her’
“Let go of me” she grits, trying not to make a scene and attract the customers. The last thing she wants is to be embarrassed by her crazed ex in front of her customers. The aftermath is always bad.
The thought of people assuming that she was in an abusive relationship with this monster in front of her. She didn’t want to be looked at as that.
“Or you’ll what?” he grinned creepily.
“I’ll finish what I couldn’t the last time,” a voice said from behind Henry and he shakily released her wrist when he heard the voice.
It was Santiago, now standing in front of him with a deadly look directed at him. His fists were balled up, ready to be slammed against Henry’s face.
Santiago took a threatening step toward Henry “Maybe you didn’t get clearly what my fiancée has been telling you”
Henry stared at him in shock “Fiancée?” he glanced at Joan who just watched as the events unfolded before her.
“Yeah, the woman I am getting married to” Santiago took a glance at her, his stare softened but when they landed on Henry, they hardened. “She doesn’t want you around her anymore because it causes her distress. If she’s distressed, I am distressed and when I am distressed, I get angry” he grabs Henry’s shirt.
Anyone could notice the fear that gripped Henry when Santiago held onto his shirt.
“You do not want to see me angry young man, so it’s best if you leave here and never come back” he warned.
Joan couldn’t understand why but she felt some kind of warmness in her chest as she watched Santiago stand up for her and scare Henry like that.
Henry wriggled himself out of his hold and took some steps back “I… I am not scared of you” he said then turned to leave the store. He stopped and then looked back at Joan whose face still held a black-surprised look. “I will come back for you no matter wha—woah, woah, I’m leaving already”
Henry turned immediately and left when Santiago started walking towards him. He hit his foot against the door on his way out and it made Joan laugh.
Santiago turned back to face Joan with a smile on his lips but her smile was now gone when she looked at him “I hope he never comes back”
“You too, out,” she pointed to the door and ignored his presence.