Cora woke up from a loud bang. She looked at the clock, it was 9 am, she didn't need to be anywhere today as it was a Sunday morning, so she decided to turn around and sleep a little more. She closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep, but was rudely awakened when her duvet was pulled away.

Her mother was standing there with the duvet in her hands. "Are you going to explain why you walked away Friday night and didn't call me yesterday, Simon was upset you left him, he is going to be your future husband, you can't treat him like that"

Cora tried to say something, but her mother was steaming and there was no chance to say anything. So she let her rage. Cora knew it wasn't ok, the way she left, but she couldn't stand it, to be any longer at that event. Simon really made her feel unease. Why didn't her mother see that?

"Are you listening, CORA, are you listening. Come on, get dressed, I arranged a brunch meeting with Simon, in The Four Seasons. He is expecting you at 11am."

"What? Why, why didn't you tell me this earlier, no, why did you do this, I don't want to date Simon. He isn't interested in me, he is only interested in my body." Cora got up and locked herself in the bathroom, turned on the shower, so she couldn't hear her mother's voice.

Robert was waiting for Rosamund, his sister always took so much time to get ready, he invited her for brunch, he needed her advice on a new company he wanted to represent, but he wasn't sure if it was a company they wanted to represent, he knew that Rosamund always had the right insights. He also wanted to talk with her about Susan, she knew Susan, so maybe she could tell him about her good side, and why he should marry her?

"Ros, Robert rarely called Rosamund by her full name the taxi is here, we need to go" Rosamund hurried outside, her red hair in a big bundle off curls hanging lose on her shoulders, Robert had always seen how beautiful she was, but since she had met and married Marmaduke she blossomed up.

"Robert, why are you always rushing me, we have enough of time" Robert just smiled at her, holding the taxi door open.

On a Sunday early afternoon it was always busy at the Four Seasons, but Robert managed to get a reservation for a table for two. It was a good thing Violet didn't know about their brunch date, otherwise Susan would be sitting at their table too. Now he had time to really talk with Rosamund, they needed to discuss work, but he wanted to know how it was to be married. Rosamund had just returned from her honeymoon.

"Robert, why are you so against dating Susan? It would make Mama very happy if you just went on a date with her."

"Dear sister, now you are married you know how important it is, to love your spouse. You and Marmaduke are married out of love. I would marry Susan, because mama wants me to. I can not imagine myself being happy with her. I know she is your friend, can you tell me why I should marry her?"

Rosamund frowned, "Robert do you want my honest answer?" She didn't wait for his response. "Susan is clearly the best option for you, she is the right age to start a family with, she can give you a child, so our business stays within our family, you know Gordon is waiting anxiously to take over the firm, you don't want that do you?"

Robert just stared at her, he had not expected his sister to be this practical, he had hoped for an answer from her heart and not her head. "Please excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom." He got up and made his way to the bathroom. When he returned, he saw a couple coming in, and his heart jumped in his chest, there she was: that woman from the event. She was wearing a black little dress, with white sparkly shoes, how she could walk on those heels was a mystery to him. She was in the company of that same man, he got scolded by, his heart sunk back in his chest, she was clearly taken. Still he lingered around, he needed to know where she was seated. He was in awe of her beautiful eyes, and her face was like that of an angel. But there was something wrong, there was no sparkle in her eyes, and she had a little frown on her forehead. She followed the man, she was accompanied with, they were seated on the other end of the room. So no accidentally walking next to her table.

"Robert, what happened" Rosamund said when he returned, "Your cheeks are red"

"oh, nothing, nothing happened" But he knew Rosamund wouldn't believe him.

"You are not fooling me, something happened, I saw you looking at that couple coming in. Do you know them?"

"I have seen them before, but don't know who they are. They were both at that event I was with mama and Susan last friday."

"I think he is that art dealer Mr. Bricker, he had an exhibition at that same location, did you look at it?"

"Yes, you are right, Susan told me his name. I went outside and indeed looked at the art work, not my kind of style, but I could see it was special, do you know her? Are they a couple?"

Robert tried asking this as subtle as possible.

Rosamund chuckled, "No my dear foolish brother, I don't know, but don't get your hopes up, and get back to Susan with your mind, they must be dating, given the fact they were together at that event."

Robert sighed and finished his plate, Rosamund had finished her avocado something, the waiter had told what it was, but the only thing he remembered that it was with avocado, it was something modern, he just stayed at the safe side and ordered a tuna salad. All those modern dishes weren't his taste. He asked for the bill, and then they left. They would go back to the office to finish some details they had discussed during this brunch.

They were already getting into a taxi, when Rosamund said she had forgotten her purse inside, and before Robert could offer to go get it, she disappeared back into the building.

Simon held back the chair for Cora, and he brushed her shoulder with his hand when he returned to his own chair. "What are we drinking my dear, are you in for some champagne or just a white wine?"

Cora forced a smile and said a white wine was perfect. Why did she feel this uneasy in his company.? The moment she saw him standing in front of the hotel, she got chills all over her body, and not those nice ones, the ones you read about in novels, no they made her uncomfortable.

Simon was talking about Teun Postma and how many paintings he had sold that night. He didn't say anything about her leaving early, that annoyed her, he didn't even care that she had left. She looked around the room, and then she saw a familiar face, it took a while before it clicked in her head, he was that nice looking man from Friday night. Sitting with another woman, a very good looking woman, and they were smiling at each other.

The brunch took hours, at least it felt that way. Finally the waiter brought out the check, and Cora made some excuse why she had to go back home, and couldn't stay with him a little bit longer. She avoided going to her mothers house, she wasn't ready to get scolded again after this morning. She changed into her running clothes and went for a jog.