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at Grant. Would you wish me on him? Didn’t you say he was a good friend of yours?”

“And so are you. Gosh Tizzy, there is nothing wrong with you, except your desire to look undesirable. Let Grant see the real you.”

“Becky this is the real me. The way I am now. I stutter, I am plain and I hate meeting people. I have no place in his life, and he would be out of place in mine.”

“Tizzy, let us just pretend for one minute, that Grant might feel the same way…”Becky started

“Becky, he can’t feel the same way. You don’t feel love for one woman, and offer marriage to another.”

“This engagement? Why has he not told anyone of it?” Tizzy asked

“Maybe, he has only just got engaged. Becky, I saw the ring, I saw them holding hands and the truth is they make a lovely couple.”

“But..” Becky again began

“No buts Becky, you promised. Now I better let you get home or Roger will never forgive me.”

It was past 10 pm. Roger would not be worried but he would be anxious. Becky rang him and told him that she was on her way. Then bidding goodbye she left. Tizzy assured her that she would be fine and refused to go over to Becky’s place for the night.

Chapter 10

As Becky drove away from Tizzy’s home she noticed a car follow her. Then it sped up into the lane beside her and drove along side. Becky looked sideways. It was Branson. He motioned for her to roll down her window. At the next set of lights she did just that.

“Becky, I need to speak to you.” Branson pleaded

Becky began to wind up the window, when he said, “Please Becky, let me explain my actions back there. It was all an act”

Becky thought a second then said, “Follow me Peter, I am heading home. We can talk there.”

When the lights changed, Becky drove on and Branson maneuvered his car behind hers. She rang Roger on the mobile and warned him that Branson was coming back with her. When they reached home, Roger was waiting at the door.

The two men shook hands. Roger looking confused.

“Roger I am terribly sorry, but I had to speak to Becky urgently. I did not want Tizzy to see me talking to her, hence the dramatics.” Branson explained then turning to Becky “I hope I did not scare you”

“A little at first, but I have to admit, I am very curious to hear what you have to say. I will make one thing clear, hurting Tizzy or Grant is not an option you have.” Becky was still on guard.

“And, if I was meaning everything I was saying about Grant, I would not blame you for feeling that way. Becky the truth is that I have great respect and admiration for the man. But I was playing a part for a reason.” Branson explained.

“In that case, you better come in Peter. We can talk there.” Roger invited him in

Five minutes later they were seated at the kitchen table, coffee mugs in their hands.

“OK Peter, so what was all that about?” Becky started

“Becky you are a good friend to both Tizzy and Grant. Almost from the very first moment that I saw them together, I have believed, that Grant did not look upon Tizzy as just another employee. I am ashamed to say that the first time I saw them; I thought this was another sleazy little office affair. Then I saw Tizzy. The truth is, she was not the kind of woman Grant would just have an affair with. And I also saw the way Grant looked at her, protected her. The irritation he showed at my lunch invitation to her, his anger at seeing us having dinner together. These were all signs of a man who feared losing someone who was very special to him. Again, at first I thought it was because she was a valued employee. But his behavior today, cleared up any doubts that I may have had. I believe he is in love with her himself.”

“Peter, even if he is, which I personally do not believe, it is really none of our business. His personal life is his to lead as he wishes.” Roger said

“That is very true. But if we can see two people love each other, and also see that they are drifting apart because they are misreading each other’s clues should we not put them back onto the right path?” Peter asked.

“And what if we put two people on the right path, but they really don’t want to travel together, what happens then Peter?” It was Roger again who did the asking.

“Then I’ll stand by the wayside and befriend the one that wants to leave” Peter said soberly.

Roger and Becky exchanged glances. ‘Wasn’t this the very thing, I told you this morning, her eyes said.’ But it was too early to express their sentiments to Peter. They had to know more about his intentions.

“Peter I work with them. Their relationship is purely on business terms. In fact until my recent bout of morning sickness, they barely spoke to each other. They have never met socially, they don’t know the first thing about each other. Believe me, there can be no romance there.” Becky uttered words that were contrary to her thoughts

“Then why does he drive by her place at 10 pm at night?”

“Peter that is a public road, anyone can drive through it” Roger said

“True, but why would a man drive through a ‘No through road’, park, then seeing me with her, drive off in a mad rush?” Peter added

“What were you doing there?” Becky asked

“Soon after Grant and Trisha left, Tizzy complained of a headache and wanted to leave. I drove her home. So sure was I that he would come there after dropping Trisha,that I hung around until he did.” Peter sounded as proud as a sleuth would have sounded when he had solved his cases.

“Since you have studied him so closely, do you think Tizzy feels likewise?” Becky asked

“Oh she is in love with him. Whether she is aware of the knowledge herself or not, I am not certain. You see, at the restaurant, she saw Grant dining with Trisha. I could feel the pain she felt at that moment. Grant told me she resigned this morning. Now I told myself, what an odd thing for a girl to do who less than 24 hours earlier had told me of her love for her work and the company. So I asked myself, if she was not running to something, what was she running from? It was definitely not Grant himself because she was happy to work for him. So it must be her feelings for Grant” Peter saw he had Becky and Roger’s full attention. “Believe me, if I did not feel that Grant is in the same boat, I would never try to bring them together. One sided love-affairs are the most painful and damaging relationships.”

“Peter, you are forgetting one thing. If Grant loves Tizzy, then why is he engaged to Trisha? Your meddling will mean at least one person will get hurt, if not all of them” Becky added

“Engaged? Who said that to you? He did not introduce her as his fiancée. In fact just this morning he said that Trisha was an old friend. You don’t call the person you are marrying as an ‘old friend”. Things have changed a lot from when I was young, but surely not that much. There was no mention of romance between them. Did he tell you himself?” Branson was bemused by this piece of information

“Tizzy saw them holding hands, saw her engagement ring. And they have been seeing each other regularly” Becky continued, while Roger merely listened.

“Now how did I miss all that? Guess I was concentrating on Tizzy reactions, though that in itself is a hard job when she never takes those glasses off.”

“She has sensitive eyes.” Becky defended her friend

“Did you say Tizzy saw them?” Peter said reflecting back “Don’t you see that proves my theory. Why would she mention that to you about someone who was a mere “boss”? Hang on Becky, you know more that you are telling me. In fact, I’d say, you already knew what I have just concluded, didn’t you Becky?” Peter had once again judged correctly.

“Peter, I have a question. Why are you concerned? Granted you have known Grant for a long time and are very fond of him. But Tizzy is a very new acquaintance. If you really want them to become an item, then why are you giving the wrong impression at every step? My feelings were that you liked her yourself.” Becky said avoiding his question.

“I don’t just like her Becky, I love her.” Branson addressed them, then after a moment’s silence, continued, “I need an assurance from both of you that this conversation will be kept in total confidence. It is of paramount importance.” Branson waited for their response.

“Will such a promise, hurt either Grant of Tizzy?” Becky was the first to ask.

“No, but breaking that promise will” Branson finished

Becky and Roger were now more than intrigued. Branson’s actions and comments this past week had been very strange. His attack of Grant’s morals and work was slanderous. Yet now he was sitting with them, wanting them to believe that all he felt was concern for Grant and Tizzy’s feelings for each other.

“You have our word.” Becky said, confirming it with Roger

“Peter, I don’t understand one thing, if you love Tizzy yourself, then why are you pushing her towards Grant?” Roger was the one to ask

“Yes I love Tizzy, but I am not in love with her, he is. There is a difference in the kind of love we both feel for her.” Branson replied promptly.

“Answer this then Peter, why have you taken on the task of becoming their match-maker. What do you gain from it? And who are you really trying to help, Tizzy or Grant?”

“It does not matter who I am trying to help. If my deductions are correct, then they belong together.”

“Then let’s go back to what I asked earlier. What do you gain by it?” You are practically a stranger to..?”

“No Becky, I am not a stranger. Far from it! You see, I am Tizzy’s grandfather.” Peter’s words stunned Roger and Becky. Becky’s mug fell from her hands. Roger merely stared at Branson’s face.

“You are what?” Roger exclaimed

“My wife Betty, and I shared one child. A daughter named Cynthia. Though we loved her very dearly, we got caught up in ensuring that our business was a success. Betty and I worked long hours and we established a thriving company. Cynthia went to the best of schools and lacked nothing that money could buy. We did not realise that the one thing that she wanted from us was the only thing we could not give at that stage. That was our time. We grew apart. Then when she was seventeen, she announced that she was pregnant. Twenty-eight years ago, society was not so accepting of unwed mothers. We gave her an ultimatum; it was either marriage or an abortion. The next day she left home. For a week Betty and I searched every nook and corner and met with all her friends. But there was no trace of her. From her friends, we learnt that her baby’s father was married. A week later we received a letter from Cynthia. She told us she never wanted to see us again. She wrote that we