Chapter 52

Carlo was the guy who came with Joshua to the Nelmida residence. Edmalyn stopped going down the stairs when she saw the two men. Carla also did the same. It was Ria who went ahead to meet the two men at the living room. The two men felt Ria's presence, so they both looked at her. Carlo's gazed found Edmalyn at the stairs. They stared at each other as if their eyes are talking to each other. Joshua noticed Carlo looking up the stairs. He followed her gaze and there he saw Carla. Joshua frowned as she saw Carla's sharp gaze to them, particularly to him. That made Joshua look away. He just looked at Ria instead. "Well, I guess you came here for them," Ria said to the two men. "Ri," Joshua said. "Carlo needs to talk to Tats." "Why are you talking for him?" asked Ria. Joshua was not able to answer, but Ria knows what he wanted to tell her. Because I'm his Cupid. But of course, Joshua can't say it. "Ria." It was Carlo. Ria's attention shifted to Carlo, as well as Joshua's and the two ladies at the stairs. "Can I talk to Tats?" He's begging her, and Ria can't do anything but look at Edmalyn to check if she can say yes. She wants her to say yes. Edmalyn looked at Ria and she shook her head. Ria was disappointed, but what can she do but relay the message to Carlo? "I'm sorry," was all Ria can say to him. Carlo looked at her with begging eyes, and Ria could not take it that she looked away. "Ria, please," Joshua begged as well. Ria looked at Joshua, but it was Carla who answered Joshua for her. "Tats does not want to talk to him!" Carla yelled at Joshua. "But they really need to talk to each other, for them to settle things between them," Joshua said to Carla. "Nothing needs to be settled between them! That guy already has a girlfriend!" "That is why they need to talk to each other because that is not the truth!" "Why does it seem like you're pushing Carlo to Tats?" "And why does it seem like you're opposing? Are you being jealous because your friend is finally having her happy ever after?" "And why would I be jealous?" "I don't know! Why are you objecting?" "Okay, stop!" Ria suddenly shouted. "That's enough!" Carla and Joshua stopped their argument. "This is still my house, and I set the rules," Ria said. Then, he told Carlo and Joshua, "If they don't wanna talk to you, then I can't make them." "Ri..." Joshua said, trying to appeal. "Joshua." Ria looked at him with authority. Joshua sighed in desperation. "They really have to talk. Look, Ri, help me with this one. You know they really have to–" Joshua stopped when Ria's driver suddenly stepped in between them. He suddenly realized that he has moved forward to Ria making her stepped back away from him. The driver probably thought he's attacking her. "It's okay, Kuya Reimund," Ria told her driver. The driver stepped aside, but his eyes remained on Joshua. "I'll talk to him." Everyone looked at Edmalyn. Ria looked at her eyes, as if affirming her decision. Edmalyn nodded at her. "Kuya Reimund, take them to the sunroom," Ria commanded. Edmalyn went down the stairs, and Carla followed suit. "You're not coming with them," Joshua said to Carla. Carla frowned at him. Edmalyn and Carlo followed Reimund to the sunroom. "You really want them to end up together, don't you?" Carla asked Joshua sarcastically. "And you want the opposite," Joshua answered instead. "Why are you even forcing that idea? You make me look like I don't want my friend to be happy." "Because that's the idea that you're giving me." "Well, obviously you can't understand everything so you're just making conclusions." "Because you don't tell me everything I need to know, so I'm left with making my own conclusions." Carla wasn't able to answer. Why does it feel like Joshua is talking about something else? "You know, you two needs to talk as well," Ria told the two. Carla and Joshua looked at her. "Follow me." She went out the glass door that leads to the patio. At first, the two doesn't seem to want to follow Ria. But since Carla does not want to be left alone with Joshua, she went out to the patio as well. Joshua also followed after because he doesn't want to be left alone in the living room. Ria took them to the garden. They went to the gazebo at the center of the space surrounded by various plants. "I'll leave you two here so that you can talk," Ria said to them. Ria went back inside the living room, leaving the two at the gazebo. However, Carla and Joshua just remained standing there, glancing at each other from time to time. Carla is looking outside to the plants, while Joshua's eyes remained looking down. It was him who spoke first. "I just said that because..." Carla looked at him. Joshua slowly raised his eyes to her. "I was just frustrated." "Why are you even frustrated? When did you start becoming concerned with Tat's love life?" "I just wanted to help," Joshua answered. "I saw how in love they were with each other. I just thought, maybe, they should really have a chance." Carla admits that what Joshua said is true. Carlo and Edmalyn feels the same way for each other. "Because not everyone is given the chance, you know. Some of them are just forced to stop and give up. And that is so frustrating because you still want to fight, but you can't do anything about it because... because you just can't win." That look on Joshua's face made Carla feel like he's not talking about Edmalyn and Carlo anymore. Or about any other person who has been defeated in his quest for love. He was talking about him. He was definitely talking about them.