บท 59: Perfect 10!

That evening in John's office. His stare was fixed on the dazzling lights outside in full display which can be seen through the glass wall. The city lights have come alive every night yet he feels utterly sad and lonely. He missed his family very much! He missed Catherine, baby Angel, and Baby James. He missed their presence in the bedroom that always bring a gazillion of smile and laughter to his face. He can't wait to see them again and bring them back to where they should always belong, by his side.

Mike arrived early at 6:00 in the evening.

"Bro, I'm ready to meet the infamous Caroline Ramirez!" Mike said excitedly after sitting on the chair.

John's eyes sparkled in astonishment, it's odd seeing his brother looking like this, feeling excited about meeting her wife's twin sister. "Bro, with the way you acted right now, you look like you are going on a date!" he commented.

Mike grinned. "Yeah. I have been wanting to meet Caroline for a long time, just so you know," he answered.

John's eyes flickered with interest. "Really-?"

"Yup. So, I might as well take this opportunity to get to know her and hopefully, I can also help Catherine and Caroline patch up their differences. It's like hitting two birds with one stone. So yeah, I'm excited!" Mike responded with enthusiasm illuminating his entire face.

John studied his brother's profile for a long time. It's not a secret to him that at some point in the past his brother was infatuated with Catherine and even offered a marriage proposal to her. Hmm, could it be that his brother was trying to meet Caroline wanting to know if she can be a replacement to her sister in his heart...or can she be a future girlfriend or wife material?

Mike glanced at his brother, all of a sudden he was feeling conscious of the intensity of his gaze. "Bro, what are you thinking? Why are you looking at me as if you see a Pokemon?" he grinned.

John was jolted out of his reverie and chuckled. "Nothing bro. I'm just transported back to the memory lane for a few seconds," he answered.

"So, tell me about her, bro. Share to me something about Caroline," Mike urged him.

John was silent for a moment. What is there to tell about Caroline? What are the details about her life that his brother wanted to know?

"What exactly the things you want to know about her?" John asked.

Mike pondered for a moment. "Hmm, what are her favorite foods?"

"She eats everything. She's not choosy when it comes to foods," John answered.

"How about favorite past time? Hobby?"

"She loves singing, she loves karaoke. She had a very nice voice!"

"Wow! Really!?"

"Yeah."

"So, how about, favorite color? Favorite motto in life? Favorite actor, actress, favorite movie?"

John laughed. "How the hell I am to know all that? I never ask her about those kinds of stuff. Next question please."

"When it comes to sexiness and prettiness...how would you rate her from the scale of 1 to 10?" Mike asked with great enthusiasm in his voice.

"Hmm, that is a tricky question, bro! Next question please," John said.

Mike grinned. "Oh no! Answer my question, bro, please, it isn't hard to answer at all!" he demanded.

"I rate her 10," John finally said.

Mike's face went pale. "Oh—really? She's that good, eh?"

"Honestly, yes," John answered.

Mike smirked. "So, how would you rate your wife then, if her twin sister is 10?"

John smiled. "Catherine is 100. I love all her curves and cellulite. She's the air I breathe. I love everything about her so no comparison there," he uttered those words with full honesty and sincerity.

For a minute, Mike saw thousands of heart emoji coming out from his brother's love-struck eyes. 'Aww, he really does love his wife unconditionally and I love his wife too, previously,' he said to himself.

Mike coughed for a second, wanting to expel the silence that suddenly blanketed around them.

"One more thing bro, what kind of woman is Caroline?" he asked.

John looked at his brother without batting an eyelash. "She can be slutty, aggressive and will go to the extreme if she likes a guy. I'm just stating what I noticed about her when she was still babysitting baby Jame's and got infatuated with me. That was before, though, as you know people change. Now that she got a daughter of her own, maybe she's no longer like that. So, take my words with a grind of salt," he concluded.

"Thanks for the info, bro. They're informative and interesting," Mike said, his eyes gleaming.

"W-wait, are you going to court Caroline?" John added.

Mike's mouth curved into a smile. "Do I sound like one? I haven't seen her yet. I'm just asking few personal questions about her so that she will feel at ease with me and I can talk to her in a more effective...pleasant way...that's my only intention," he explained.

John shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, as you say so," he said nonchalantly. "Do you still want to go there to her house?"

Mike nods his head. "Yes, of course! Shall we-?"

"Dang! I forgot to call my mother-in-law!" John blurted out all of a sudden. "Wait for a second, I will call her first and inform her about our coming," he said.

John picked up his phone from the drawer of his office table and placed a call to Thelma.

A few seconds later.

"Hello, John..." Thelma said on the other line.

"Hello Mother, how's everyone? How's Caroline?" John asked.

"We're doing fine. Thanks for asking, John. Regarding Caroline, she's stubborn and refuses to talk to her sister," Thelma explained.

"Ah okay. Mother, please listen carefully. I was supposed to be the one to go there tonight and talk to Caroline but I won't do it because my wife might know about it, I just want to avoid another problem. So, instead of me, I will send my brother Mike on my behalf. I will drop him tonight outside your door," John said.

Thelma was silent for a moment on the other line. Of course, she knows about Mike, John's half brother. And right at this very moment, Catherine was living with Mike and Susan's house. If she can't convince her daughter to talk to her sister...what this Mike can do? It's just useless. But she doesn't have the nerve to say 'no' to John.

"Okay. I will wait outside to welcome your brother," Thelma answered.

"Thanks, Mother. Bye for now, see you later," John said and ended the call at his end.