Chapter 39— Making Her Pasta!

"You should eat, " Henderson muttered. It had been over five minutes since he placed a plate of pasta in front of her but rather than eating she had been peering at him like he was some kind of ghost. "You said you weren't going to be back until five days and it is just the second day, " Lena spoke up. She was tired of keeping her thoughts in her head. "I got bored so I decided to return, don't worry about it." Henderson shrugged with a smile. Henderson called his pilot to get the jet ready so they could return to the city as soon as possible after the call from Cleo. She told him how they saw Axel at the kids' school and how weird Lena started to behave after speaking with him. Cleo went on to tell Henderson that Lena was sick, she didn't want to visit a doctor. She had been crying from noon till evening and she even missed dinner. Henderson was so worried that he could put his mind on anything else, so he made up his mind to return home but he couldn't tell Lena that she and the kids were the reasons he returned, he knew she was going to feel bad and probably scold him for it. "Bored? I don't think you are someone who would get bored of business, " Lena mumbled in disbelief. She didn't believe Henderson's words even for a second, even without being told she suspected that Henderson's return had something to do with what happened at the school earlier. "I'm not such a workaholic. You should eat I was told you skipped dinner and I can tell you are really famished." Lena shook her head, she glanced at the meal it was enticing but the food was the last thing on her mind at the moment. "I'm not hungry, " Lena said but her stomach growled loudly antagonising her words. "I think your stomach feels otherwise." Henderson chuckled. "I'm guessing Cleo called you? So you had to come back. I'm sorry for all of this, I had no idea that Axel was going to show up at Itzel's and Trent's school." Lena sighed. She figured her suspicions were right, Unlike Henderson's words, Henderson was a dedicated businessman and he wasn't just going to abandon his business trip because he got bored except there was a much more important reason. "What exactly are you apologising for? Didn't you tell me that you didn't know Axel before and that you just met him at the award ceremony? So I'm the one who has to be apologising, not you. I'm sorry for getting you entangled in all of this." Henderson's words made guilt fill Lena's heart for lying to him that she didn't know Axel before, but there was nothing else she could have done. She couldn't afford to tell Henderson the truth about the relationship she once shared with Axel. "Lena you should eat, you look really weak. You need to see a doctor, if you don't feel like going to the hospital I can call the family doctor to come treat you at home." Henderson mumbled. "You don't have to do that, I'm fine. It was just a headache, it's not that severe. Moreover, I'm fine now." Lena smiled trying to sound as convincing as possible but seeing how Henderson's brows knitted together she knew she wasn't able to pull it off. Henderson nibbled on his lower lips, his sea blue eyes piercing into Lena's brown ones then he folded his arms across his chest. "I'll pretend to believe you if you agree to eat." Lena glanced at Henderson and then lowered her gaze fixing it on the food. "You didn't have to make the cooks make a meal this late because of me, it makes me feel bad," Lena grumbled. "Well no cook did, I made the meal myself. I can't be cruel enough to wake anyone up to make a meal at this time of the night especially when I know that it won't sit well with you." This statement made Lena hoist her head to peek at Henderson. 'He cooked the meal for her? Was that some kind of joke or something? She didn't think of Henderson as someone who would even know how to make a cup of coffee for himself, how much more cook a meal?' She tried to hold her laughter but she couldn't. She stopped laughing when she Henderson's straight face which she interpreted as him being serious. She grabbed the cutlery and put some of the pasta into her mouth. 'Woah!' She was surprised by the savoury, delicious taste of the meal. The meal was good like some professional chef made it. "You don't like it?" Henderson asked seeing the blank expression on Lena's face and the fact that she stopped eating. She kept glancing at him and then back at the food. "I do, I'm just..." "Surprised? Stunned that I can make a meal?" Henderson chortled and Lena nodded truthfully. "Well, the saying don't judge a book by its cover comes in handy here." "It sure does." Lena smiled. "You should keep eating else I might think you said it's nice so I don't feel bad." Henderson joked. Lena went on eating, even know she thought her appetite was lost it didn't seem like it now, she craved to have more of the food and she ate it, ignoring the fact that Henderson was watching her eat like she hadn't had food in the last two days. "My dad and mom used to own a restaurant until my mom left and it was me and my dad. I had to help him manage the restaurant so having culinary skills was a must." Lena had finished the food on her plate when Henderson started to talk about his parents. "I'm sorry about your mom leaving, " Lena sympathised. She felt pity for Henderson when he told her that his mom left. "It seems like a curse because years later my wife left too, but it's ok. I'm over all of that." "I don't know what to say to you, I just feel sorry for..." Henderson smiled and place a hand over Lena's. She felt chills on her skin as their hands came in contact it was an electrifying feeling. "You don't have to say anything. I and my mom didn't have a good relationship to begin with so when she left, the void was barely noticeable. She had been absent even when she was present. Lena smiled and placed her other hand over Henderson's. Henderson's story about his sour relationship with his mother made her think about how much hatred her mother had for her but she managed to shove the thoughts away. This wasn't about her at the moment, it was about Henderson. She had to give him words of comfort as a friend after all that was what friends always do for each other. "You are a very strong person I must say. Despite all you've been through you still managed to keep going, not everyone has this kind of strength." Lena purred admiringly. "It feels great getting such a compliment from the strongest woman I know, " Henderson gleamed bowing his head slightly and that made Lena chuckle. "Stop flattering me." "I'm not, I promise," Henderson stated, his eyes darted to Lena's hand which was holding his and that made his heart flutter which he found surprising. When Lena saw where his eyes were, she let go of his hand chuckling nervously. "Uhmm, aren't you going to have more pasta?" Henderson inquired trying to dissolve the awkwardness that seemed to have crept in. "I'm full." Lena lied. She wanted to have more food but admitting that was going to make her feel selfish since Henderson prepared the meal and was yet to eat. She didn't want him to see her as some kind of glutton. "Thank you for the delicious meal." "Really? You are full, that food you just ate won't be able to satisfy a little child and you are a full-grown adult. Or would you say you are watching your weight? You look gorgeous just the way you are." Lena blushed at Henderson's words one way or the other he made it a thing to shower her with nice compliments. Lena worried that Henderson was going to take notice of the blush tried to cover it up with a smile. "You should have some too, I haven't seen you eat." "I will if you agree to eat with me, " Henderson smiled. Lena and Henderson just finished eating their meal and she was very full. Henderson was going to convince her to eat more and the food was enticing enough but she had to admonish herself not to be a glutton. "I'm going to have to change Itzel's and Trent's school after suing them for Negligence. How could they let a total stranger see the kids?" Henderson huffed. From the expression on his face, he was pissed about the matter. "Apparently, Axel told the kids he was your friend and also gave them gift bags containing cupcakes and candies. When I confronted the school authorities they said he had come to give a donation to the school and that they had absolutely no idea he was going to meet the kids. In a way, it isn't their fault." Lena explained. "That jerk! I'm going to make him..." "Calm down, Henderson. I returned the gift to him and made it clear to him to stay away from the kids." Lena mumbled calmly. Henderson let out a breath and his brows puckered, "I still don't get it. What does Axel want with the kids? His enmity is with me how dare he bring the children into this?" Lena didn't know how she was going to tell Henderson that all of this was happening because Axel thought Trent was his son. She blamed herself for all that was occurring, if she hadn't bumped into Axel the other night none of this would have been happening. "I think you should just ignore him, I'm pretty sure he is trying to get your attention. If he does anything else you can confront him but just let it slide." Lena suggested but Henderson didn't say a word, he appeared to be lost in his thoughts. "Lena, don't you think it's high time you seek medical attention? It's fine if you do not want to tell me about the nightmares, but I'm bothered by the aftermath it always has on you. You are always unable to go back to sleep after the nightmares and I think it's probably one of the reasons why you've developed the unending headaches, " Henderson spoke his voice soft with affection as he gaze into Lena's eyes.