Chapter 12: Matters of the heart
Riche and a few others were not pleased with how the party ended. He had a hunch that Carol had given her heart to someone else at the party, but he had yet to find out who the lucky person was.
The event, which had been quite enjoyable for most of the attendees, turned sour when George arrived late and disrupted the peace and calm atmosphere. It all began with an argument between George and Eric, sparked by a misunderstanding that George had dated Whitney. One thing led to another, and soon the situation escalated into a full-blown brawl. Fortunately, two respected gentlemen in attendance intervened and settled the chaos before it got completely out of hand.
The fight should never have happened. It was a pointless argument that spiraled out of control. Several expensive drinks on George's table and others nearby were shattered. George and his friend Marcus, both heavily intoxicated, even attempted to grab broken bottles during the scuffle. Though Eric wasn't as drunk, he was still involved.
George's main target was Walter, but the gossip surrounding him also involved Eric. When George walked into the party, whispers and judgmental stares followed him. Two guests behind him, unaware of his presence, accused him of snatching Whitney from Lincoln, adding fuel to the fire. He became the center of unwanted attention.
Eventually, peace was restored. George and Marcus left shortly after. Riche, meanwhile, spent the entire fight lost in thought, worrying about losing Carol. When he eventually discovered why he had lost her, he resolved to try again at the next opportunity.
Lincoln, on his part, felt that Riche should have been the one to win Carol's heart, though he kept his opinion to himself. A new idea crossed his mind: maybe Riche should forget Carol and pursue Mary instead.
Without informing Riche, Lincoln approached Mary and told her about Riche's interest. Fortunately, Mary was immediately interested. She and Riche worked for the same boss, Dr. Cook, and although Riche didn't know her well, she had been secretly admiring him.
A rumor about Riche circulated—that he had marital issues and was looking to remarry. While some mocked him, Mary felt compassion. The truth was, Riche had never been married. Mary liked mature-looking men, and Riche's beard added to his appeal. His height didn't matter to her.
Lincoln was thrilled Mary liked Riche and couldn't wait to tell him:
"Is she beautiful?" Riche asked.
"Sure," Lincoln replied.
"Beautiful like Carol or your Whitney?" he teased.
"Hey, is Carol your 'own'? You'd better stay off that danger zone," Lincoln replied, amused.
"Alright, but seriously—is she more beautiful than both of them?"
"You'll have to see for yourself. She works directly with Pete."
"I don't think I know Pete. I never had any business at the morgue center."
"Well, is she as tall as Carol or Whitney? You know height matters to me—I'm not exactly tall."
"See her first, then decide. All I know is you'll admire her."
"Okay, agreed. But is she rich?" Riche asked jokingly.
Lincoln hissed, irritated. "Are you ready to meet her now?"
"What if I don't like her? She'll feel embarrassed and misinterpret my reactions."
"Will she know if you don't like her?"
"Women have a way of knowing."
"And if you do like her?"
"Then she'll know too. I've got an idea—go talk to her first. I'll watch from a distance and decide."
"Alright, watch me."
"Wait. Let her stand and walk around a bit."
"No, that's too stressful. Don't you have a heart?"
"I do—that's why I'm asking."
"No way. That's not fair," Lincoln replied.
Reluctantly, Lincoln agreed and approached Mary while Riche observed.
"I like her. I'll go right now," Riche muttered to himself.
He approached her directly, without waiting for Lincoln's feedback. To his luck, she was also eager to meet him. Unfortunately, Riche didn't truly love her—but he masked his feelings well. He confided in Lincoln, who encouraged him to be patient.
"Love can grow. You might end up loving her more than you loved Carol."
"Really? Is that how it worked for you and Whitney?"
"Are you sure it's not just infatuation?" Lincoln asked.
"No. I know what I want."
Meanwhile, Ben and Carol were clearly enjoying each other's company, laughing and chatting without even bothering to dance. Their closeness made it obvious to onlookers that their bond had existed long before the party. Eventually, Riche realized Ben was the lucky man Carol had chosen.
After the party, Lincoln and Whitney were still upset with George. Although they respected the gentlemen who broke up the fight, they believed George should have been arrested for causing such chaos. Lincoln hadn't forgotten George's stunt with the car to impress Whitney. Though Whitney had clarified everything, the memory still lingered.
As fate would have it, George lost his phone during the party. Lincoln found it on the floor—luckily, it was still functional and unlocked. Whitney was with him when he picked it up. Later, as they were about to leave, Lincoln checked the phone, suspecting he might find incriminating messages. Disappointingly, there was nothing—no texts, no messages to anyone he knew, not even Whitney. Lincoln was finally convinced George had not done the things he was accused of and forgave him in his heart.
The next day, Lincoln tried to find a way to return the phone. By chance, he ran into Mary on the street. As he began explaining, the phone rang. The caller ID showed Marcus—George's friend. Lincoln answered, and George was relieved to know his phone was found. Lincoln told him where to meet, and since George and Marcus were nearby, they arrived within minutes.
Everyone was happy. The friendship ties grew stronger. Marcus, upon seeing Mary, was smitten at first sight. He admired her instantly and confided in Lincoln about his feelings. However, Lincoln refused to play matchmaker again. He simply advised Marcus to get her number and speak with her directly.
Marcus agreed— it was a solid plan.