“Clark, it’s okay. I’ll take care of it.”
“Nah! I’m okay, don’t mind me. I just want to help you,” he protested and smiled tiredly.
I took a deep breath at this awkwardness. I had been telling him lately to just sit there on the chair but he didn’t want to follow me. Instead, he continued to help me do the laundry; the neighbor’s laundry that I accepted to be precise.
For more than half an hour he was still fetching water in the well. He was fetching while I was rinsing the clothes. His sweat was dripping from his forehead down to his neck. We were under the heat of the afternoon sun.
“Clark, sit down under the tree. The sunlight might burn your skin. It’s okay to not help-”
He cut me off from what I was going to say.
“Angela…” he uttered weakly. He stopped pumping the well and looked straight into my eyes.
“I want to help you so please, just let me. All you can do is do your business then, I will do mine. Okay? To make it easier as well. We still have a lot of work to do and we have a date after,” he insisted and winked at me.
I felt my both cheeks heated up. This man never failed to make me blush.
Today, I and Clark were going to eat outside and he added, that it is a date.
I could do nothing but nod because when I try to protest, I’m sure the conversation will become longer, and especially, he will not let himself lose until things agree on his side.
He is so persistent, isn’t he?
As I hung the clothes under the sun, I glanced at him from time to time. I could see how his both cheeks blushed at the tiredness and heat he felt. Add to that his heavy breathing, showing how tired he was but I hadn’t even seen or heard him complain.
I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. After all, the man named Clark who studied in the States, heir of Clarkson’s left and right businesses, was currently hanging up clothes and helping me do the laundry.
If someone was going to record what he was doing right now, it would be big news on the television, in the newspaper, on the radio, or somewhere else.
When we were done and I got the rent from the neighbor, I hurriedly headed to the bathroom to take a shower.
I cleaned and dressed neatly. Clark was left sitting on a wooden chair in the kitchen. It might be boring but I knew myself that he wouldn’t feel it.
****
“How’s my smell? Still good?” Clark asked and slightly sniffed his armpits on his both arms as he held the steering wheel of the car.
He was now driving, heading somewhere, heading to the place where our first date was going to happen.
I laughed a little when he asked that. As a result, he glanced at me for a moment and got back his eyes on the road.
“What are you laughing at? Do I stink already? Do I smell bad?” he asked consciously and sniffed himself again.
When we finished washing and hanging the clothes under the heat of the sun earlier, Clark wasn’t able to take a shower. He didn’t have any clothes in his car. It was the reason why he was conscious of his body smell.
But honestly, his sweat didn’t stink. He smelled even better. His natural scent burst through his sweat. The smell of his natural scent was not itchy or hadn’t done an allergic reaction to my nose.
I shook my head in response. He sighed in relief and a smile flashed on his red lips.
He released the steering wheel on his right hand but his left was in control. He lowered his right hand and headed in my direction. He gently took my left hand and intertwined it.
I held my breath because of what he did. Even my heart beats faster.
I took a glance at him. He was not looking at me. He only focused on driving. His eyes were straight on the road but you could see that there was a lame smile on his lips.
I just laughed softly and tightened our intertwined hands before I glanced back to the road.
****
I was amazed as I stared at him right now. I was expecting a person like Clark to think that the idea of a date he has in his mind is a fancy restaurant or whatever luxurious but I was wrong. He took me to the amusement park which surprised me.
My smile widened as he fired them one by one the cans. At his last shot, he screamed out of happiness and jumped when all the cans turned down. He approached my direction and hugged me tightly while I am still amused with what was happening. Seeing how he was genuinely happy with what’s happening right now made my heart melt.
A few seconds later, he let go of the hug and approached the gamekeeper. He was awarded a prize, and it was a teddy bear. When he got that, the people watching his game earlier applauded him.
With a wide smile on his face, he immediately approached my direction.
“For you,” he said softly and handed over the teddy bear he won.
I tucked the strands of my hair behind my right ear before I accepted the stuffed toy.
“Thank you,” I thanked and stared at the teddy bear I was holding.
I couldn’t help but shed tears. In the twenty-four years of my existence, this was the first time I have held a teddy bear. This was the first time I have been gifted by someone else. This was the first time I had a stuffed toy.
There were tears in my eyes which I immediately wiped away.
“Angela, what’s wrong?” he asked worriedly as I burst into tears. He came closer to me and caressed both my shoulders.
Again, there were tears in my eyes which I immediately wiped away. I smiled as I looked up at him. I saw his handsome face drawn with concern.
I lifted my hand to touch his right cheek and caressed it.
“I’m just happy. Thank you,” I thanked him again and did not bother to explain more. The important thing was I’m happy especially with what he showed me.
The concern on his face gradually disappeared and was replaced by an understanding smile.
I let go of his cheek. He promptly took my hand. He brought it closer to him. He bowed slightly and gave a tender kiss on the back of my palm which made my heart melt.
He looked at me again. My hand remained intertwined with him.
We stared at each other for a few minutes and ended with a sweet smile from each other. We decided to take a walk and head to other games or rides that can be seen here at the amusement park.