Madi’s POV:
I was currently in the restaurant kitchen when I felt my phone vibrate in my pants pocket. It’s Martin. My eyebrow went up at the sight of his name because it’s been four days and I haven’t received any calls or messages from this man yet.
I answered his call without even taking off my apron.
“Madi, babe!” It was he who spoke first.
“And hello to you too, Martin babe.” I greeted him with a smile but my voice has a bit of sarcasm.
“How are you, babe?” he’s giggling on the other line.
“Well, I’m here… still breathing. How about you and where are you by the way? I thought you left me already and went back to Colorado.”
“Of course not! I won’t do that to you. I’m your boy-friend, right?” he chuckled and I rolled my eyes.
“So where have you been for the past four days?” I’m walking back to the office.
“I’m just wandering around the City. And guess what!”
“What?”
“I met someone, Madi!” I can imagine his grin.
“Someone… a man or a woman?”
“Of course a woman, silly!”
“Haha… it’s because you didn’t tell me first, hello! So tell me about this someone and don’t miss any information about her!”
“Well, her name is Nancy and she’s like an angel Madi. I swear, I felt like I was walking on cloud nine by that time, especially when she smiled at me.”
My eyebrows knitted when I heard the name Nancy, but I ignored it. Was it possible that the Nancy he met and the Nancy I knew was just the same? Well, we are in Chicago, the busiest city in the state of Illinois where the population exceeds 2. 7 million… so maybe it’s not.
I continued to listen to him and how he enthusiastically shared his experience with his Nancy girl. I suddenly missed Nancy, Gabriel’s sister just by mentioning the same name as her. Before he ended the call, he said he’s going to see me one of these days.
I checked my face on my compact mirror. I just added some face powder and my love that red shade of lipstick. And after that, I decided to go out to check the flow of our customers, and of course to also check what is Gabriel’s current situation outside.
It has been three days since he insisted on becoming one of our waiters, and I can see that he’s enjoying his job and also enjoys keeping the restaurant interior and exterior with fresh flowers every day. Tsk. Tsk. The efforts of the businessman.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Gabriel’s POV:
“You really are a handsome waiter, son. Are you just a newbie here? I haven’t seen you the last time when I and my husband ate here.”
I smiled at the complement of one of the ladies I was currently assisting. “Thank you, Maam. And yes, I’m their new waiter here. I just started three days ago.”
“Hmm.. well, they’re all nice here. It’s written on the faces of every employee here. Everyone praised the management for the way they treat them, especially the owner. We haven’t actually met the owner yet, and I want to meet him or her. How about you, son, have you personally met your boss?”
My smile widened with her question. I really wanted to say..’Yes, ma’am, I’ve already met the owner of this restaurant and she’s actually my wife. And that I am doing this thing just to see and talk to her every day.’ but I just keep it to myself, because I know Madi doesn’t want to show herself in public.
“Yes Ma’am, I’ve met her already, and just like what the waiters’ said… I mean my workmates, she’s one of the best employers.”
“Wow! So the owner is a woman.”
I just smiled and nodded and continued to take their orders. When I’m done with them, I noticed Tony, the head waiter.. looking around and seeming to be looking for something.
“Tony, is there anything I can do to help you?” I approached him and he smiled at me.
“Actually Sir, I’m looking for a vacant area for eleven persons.”
“How many again?”
“Eleven persons, Sir.”
“Hmm… okay, let me help you.”
I said understanding his problem. Today is Sunday and there were twice as many customers as on other days of the week. The two private event rooms were already occupied so we need to find a vacant area for his new customers.
I was currently fixing my apron when I felt a tap on my shoulder. And when I turned around, the face of my grinning sister first came into my view. Then behind her are my mom, dad, and the rest of the family.
“Hi, brother. I missed you!” Nancy lunged at me and hugged me tightly.
“Ohh… oh!” I hugged her back and kissed her forehead. How did they know I’m here?
“Hi, son.”
“What are you doing here, Dad?” I asked smiling and hugging my father and then my mom.
“We actually didn’t know you’re here, Gab. What are you doing here and why are you in a waiter’s uniform?” my mom’s loud question. That’s exactly what I wanted to ask them.
And I have no choice but to explain to them what I’m really doing in the restaurant and why I wear a waiter’s uniform.
“Have you already found her?”
“Have you already found, Madi?”
They all asked in unison and I proudly nodded.
“Wow! So, don’t tell me you’re doing this hard work for her?” that was Nancy’s amused question.
But I just smiled and nodded.
“Please Gabriel, make it right this time. You’ve had a chance before, but you let it go. You let the most precious woman go.” Aunt Cindy smiled at me. I know how much of a Madi fan she is.
“Yeah, your Aunt is right. Madi is a fine woman. But I hope you’re really ready to enter this new chapter of your life, Gabriel.” it’s my mom holding my hand.
“I know guys. I let her go once, but I promise not to do it again whatever may happen. I know you all know how much Madi means to me and you all have witnessed it. And this time, I’m willing to do everything just to have her back.”
The words I said were all true. I finally realized what real love is and its meaning. I didn’t love Stacey, I love Madi. There’s a great difference between the feelings I used to have with Stacey and the love I have for Madi. I’ve never been a territorial person, or possessive and protective over Stacey before, or maybe I was just in love with the idea of being in love and having someone next to me. While with my wife, I almost went insane when she suddenly left me.
The thing I just can’t accept when Stacey left me was when she aborted our baby. And I didn’t feel anything other than that. But when Madi left, I felt like I had been in hell for the last three years of my life. And now that I found her again, I will give and do everything for her to see me again, and to love me like what she felt for me before.
“I’m proud of you, son.” I felt my Dad’s hand in my arm. “Make it faster so you can start giving us grandchildren.”
They all laughed at his words.
“Is that Madi?” We all followed Aunt Morgan’s gaze and my eyes gleamed with love and amusement when I saw her.
I smiled and watched her interact with her employees. She looked so beautiful even in her simple outfit. She’s just wearing denim jeans and a floral blouse with just a pair of flat shoes on both feet.
“Wow! She got more beautiful after three years.” I don’t need to look behind to know it’s my Mom’s voice.
“Oh my God, Gabriel! I can’t believe what I am seeing right now! Is she really the Madi we’ve known? Gosh! She looked like a Goddess!”
I turned to my sister and she has a huge grin on her face. She was about to approach her when we all heard the voice of a man who claimed her as his girlfriend… Martin.
“Babe!”
He screamed a few meters from her which caused several eyes to turn to him, including my family. How I wish I had killed this man the first time I met him in Colorado.
“Ohh… now she had a new ‘babe’. So, you’re late Gab. Tsk. tsk. tsk.” I heard Phillips’s voice from behind but chose to ignore him and continued throwing daggers at Martin.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Madi’s POV:
I was just twenty minutes standing outside and talking to some of my employees when I heard Martin’s loud voice approaching in my direction.
“Babe!”
I rapidly blinked my eyes in confusion when I saw him walking fast with his arms in a lateral position. Almost all eyes were on him, watching where he is going and who’s the one he called ‘babe’.
A bone-crushing hug was the first thing I received from him and the second was his loud kiss on my forehead. His face shows excitement and joy which I don’t understand why.
“Oh, babe, I missed you so much!” and he hugged me again.
“Hey, wait.. wait!” I pushed him slightly. “What are you doing here? You just called earlier, and you said—-”
“Yes, but that’s just to surprise you.. and surprise!” I covered my face with my right hand as I chuckled at his act. “Hey! I’m gonna introduce you the woman——-”
“Martin?”
He was cut off by a very familiar voice from my right side.
“Nancy?”
Martin and I shared glances when we mentioned Nancy’s name in unison.
“You know each other?” guess what… we all asked in a group.
But before any of the three of us can speak, we heard another voice. A hard and authoritative voice comes from Gabriel.
“Wait! Can anybody explain to me what’s going on here? he asked in no particular, but his eyes were focused only on Martin who currently receiving daggers from him. “And what are you doing here?” he added but of course, Martin being Martin, he just raised his eyebrow and smiled sarcastically.
Gabriel’s question brought me sudden irritation. I didn’t like the way he looked at Martin like he has the right to ask him that kind of question. I sighed deeply and tried to calm myself.
I really wanted to tell him…. -‘And can anyone also tell you that this is not a part of your damn business?’-
But thanks God, none of us answered his question. I was the first to speak and asked again the same question earlier.
“You know each other?” I asked, my eyes were moving from Martin to Nancy.
“Yeah,” Martin answered while still mesmerized by Nancy’s beauty. Then he suddenly whispered to me… “She’s the one I’ve been telling you.”
My eyes widened and a chuckle escaped from my lips.
“So, you know each other too,” Nancy said, nodding.
“Yes, she’s my girl-friend.”
Martin answered and pulled me to his side putting his hand over my shoulders. And I saw the transition of emotions from the sibling’s face. Nancy turned in shock while Gabriel followed Martin’s hand on me, that if it just happened that the looks could kill… poor Martin because I’m sure he won’t be able to see the sunrise the next morning.
But suddenly I got confused… who between the two was he really wanted to be jealous of? Is it Gabriel or Nancy?
“Ohh… M-Madi.. you already have a boyfriend?” Nancy asked, her eyes were moving from me to Martin.
“Ahm—-”
“Yes, she became my girl-friend two and a half years ago.” but Martin cut me off so I looked at him with a silent question written on my both eyes. He also looked at me with a playful-Martin-smile.
“Madi!” we all heard the voices from behind Nancy and Gabriel.
And a wide smile spread across my face when I recognized them. It’s the twin, Sav, and Chris.
“Ohh…” I chuckled as they both hugged my waist.
“How are you, little guys? Wow, you grew up so fast.” I bend my body to their level and hugged them both.
“Madi, is it true that you left Gabi before because he’s been a total jerk to you?”
“Huh?” I gaped at Sav’s question.
My gosh, they haven’t changed.
But Nancy immediately pulled the little girl. “Hey, that’s a kind of question which is for adults only!” she said glaring at her cousin.
“So if we are adults right now, we can ask her about what happened before? Or if it’s true that Gabi didn’t appreciate her efforts before, so Madi decided to leave him?”
Then all our eyes turned to Martin who suddenly burst out laughing at Chris’ question. I bit my lower lip from the sudden awkwardness that wrapped on us, well except for Martin who’s still clutching his stomach from his hard laugh. Does he know how uncomfortable I am feeling right now, and he chose to laugh uncontrollably?
“That’s enough. Madi, can we invite you to our table for a while?” Nancy asked me and I nodded, but then I remember Martin, and I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Don’t worry about me, babe, I’ll just go to Noelle.”
He winked at me then headed straight to the office.
“Hi, Madi.” Aunt Cindy and Aunt Morgan greeted me first.
-‘Oh dear God!’-
“My God, you look more beautiful Madi. How are you?” It’s Aunt Cindy who hugged me after Aunt Morgan.
“I’m good, Aunt Cindy,” I said with my most practiced smile.
“Madi.” I gulped when I saw the two Wilsons from behind them and I smiled awkwardly.
-‘Is there anything more awkward than this? Did they know the truth about the agreement?’-
“Mrs. Wilsons.”
But she hugged me tightly with a sad smile on her face. “I won’t ask how you are today, because I can see, you are fine.”
I didn’t say anything, I just smiled at her. I tried my best not to glance in Gabriel’s direction to ease the huge tension inside my chest.
“But not me.” I turned around to see Mr. Wilsons with a different glint of amusement in his both eyes. “I want to ask her, how is she and if she’s still can be a part of our family?”
“Honey?”
“Dad?”
Nancy and Mrs. Wilsons snapped at him in unison.
“Madi already has a boyfriend right now. Let’s not put her in an awkward situation.” Nancy glared at her father.
What did she say.. not to put me in an awkward situation? What does she think of the situation I am in right now? Isn’t it more awkward than she could ever think?
“Oh, I’m sorry, what I just mean to say is, if she still can be friends with our family.”
“Ahh… it’s okay Mr. Wilsons.” I said smiling at them.
“Anyway, let’s order our food. Our kids here were already hungry.”
Thanks to Aunt Cindy who noticed my situation. She winked at me.
“Okay, but son, can you be our personal waiter?” Mr. Wilsons called Gabriel’s attention.
“Sure Dad.”
He patted his son’s shoulders. “I’m proud of you, son. Keep it up. Never give up and be patient in waiting, things will fall into their place when the time is right.” he muttered under his breath, but my ears expanded like a wolf’s ear so I still heard everything.
A few minutes later, I already excused myself, but I didn’t notice Nancy followed me.
“Madi.”
I turned around and smiled at her. But to my surprise, she just hugged me.
“How are you?”
How many times do I have to hear this question since I came back?
“Well, I’m good,” I answered with a shrug. Well, that’s all I can answer because I don’t want to elaborate on some things that don’t need elaborations at all.
“Hmm… Uhm.. y-you and Martin… you know—-”
“No.” I cut her because I already know what she wanted to ask. “We’re just friends.”
“But why did he introduce you as his girlfriend?”
“Because I am.”
“Huh?”
I chuckled at her confusion.
“I am his girl-friend, in the sense that I’m a girl and I’m his friend. Got it?”
“Ahhh… No.” my mouth dropped with her answer.
“Okay, let’s put it this way. Martin and I were just friends, I am a girl and he is a boy. A girl plus friend—–”
“Oh, okay.. okay! I get it!” she chuckled. “So slow, right?”
I just smiled at her.
“I didn’t know you knew each other.”
“We met in Colorado and have a shared business there.” I simply answered.
“Business? You mean, something like this?”
“Ahm, a smaller version of this. It’s a coffee shop, actually.”
“Ahh… okay.”
“Do you want to come inside with me?” I asked her because I know she’s just really waiting for me to ask that question.
“Sure.” she excitedly nodded.
And we headed our ways to the back office. And there… we found Noelle and Martin laughing together, and I didn’t miss the spark of jealousy in Nancy’s eyes. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. What a small world, right?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Love, I’m going to Paris the next day. It’s a business trip.”
I lowered the magazine to the table and glanced up at Gabriel. I decided not to go to the restaurant today and check the emails of our coffee shop head from Colorado. But when he noticed my plan, he didn’t go either. He stayed in his room and knocked on my door and here he was, in front of me and letting me know about his trip.
“Why do you have to tell me about your plans?” I asked with a sarcastic chuckle.
“I want you to know my whereabouts.”
“Why? For you to know mine too after this?”
“No! That’s not what I mean. I just want to tell you, so if you missed me, you know where to go,” he said with a wink.
And I laughed at him.
“I really missed that laugh,” he said seriously causing my laugh to die.
I sighed and avoided his gaze by lowering my head on the magazine.
“Can we just at least become friends again?”
He asked but I remained quiet, I just set my eyes on the colored book in front of me.
“At least friend? If you can’t give me your trust or the love you had for me back then, I’m willing to wait Madi. I’ll work for it, and I’ll wait until you’re ready again.”
This time I looked at him, but still in silence.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being a jerk and insensitive—-”
“I’ve already heard that. You already said that.” I said with a blank expression on my face.
“I know. But I want to say it again. I want you to know how sorry I am, Madi. And I’ll say sorry again because I can’t promise to see you every day or to go away from you because I can’t. I can’t Madi. It’s okay if you want to ignore me every day, I’ll take it. Just don’t go away again please, like before.”
I bit my lower lip and swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. It’s the first time I’ve seen real pain in his eyes, and it’s also the first time he’s shown me this vulnerable side of him. So when he took my left hand which was resting on top of the table, I just let him. He wrapped it with his both hands and brought it to his lips and his face. I can feel the hot liquid around my eyes but I blinked it away immediately.
“I love you. I love you so much, Madi. I hope you could give me a chance, I——”
“I suddenly feel sleepy,” I said taking my hand out of his grip. But I didn’t look at him. “Can you please lock the door when you leave? Thank you.” I stood up and pushed the chair under the table.
I turned around and walked towards my room without glancing back. I have to do it because I felt like a bomb ready to explode at any minute. And that’s what really happened, the moment I closed the door. Loud sobs escaped my lips as tears ran down my cheeks as if they were in a race.
I leaned against the door and brought my hand over my chest. I was laughing while crying. I remember those women in movies, who would cry right after they closed the door, and I used to find them so weird before. Why can’t they immediately get into their bed and cry and not stand at the door while they cry?
But fucking shit! Because now I understand them. The pain, the tears, and sobs will make you numb to the point that you can’t move so you’ll have to remain standing so you don’t collapse.
It’s been a long time since I’ve cried hard so hard. Why do I still feel the pain of the past? Why can’t I move on? Why do still love him? Yeah.. maybe because I still love him, that even after these years, I am still in love with him. That I haven’t moved on at all, that I just have this feeling inside me to go on with my life. But why can’t I give in to this feeling? Why am I still holding back?