Jason..
“Jason, are you there?” I heard Eve say from one of the stalls but I was too shook to answer her.
“Jason!” She yelled in pain and that was when I came to my senses.
“Okay, I’ve heard. Give me a minute, I’ll be back soon.” I said and left the bathroom at once.
“Get the ones with wings.” I heard Eve say quietly but I was too stunned by her request to go back and ask what she meant.
“Eve … How am I supposed to.. oh God.. this is so embarrassing.. my my …” I mumbled as I went to look for a shop that sells women’s stuff.
Luckily, I found a pharmacy so I entered inside.
“Welcome, Feel free to look around.” The person in charge said to me immediately she saw me. I nodded and walked around looking for what I was here to buy.
I remember Eve vaguely saying she wanted the ones with wings and so I searched for what to buy. I finally found a stand that was filled with pads and as I was about to pick an always-pad that I saw a man enter the stall shouting on top of his voice that he wanted to get condoms. I felt shy to pick the pads now, another man like myself is here to get condoms while I’m here to get pads for someone.
I stalled and waited for the loud man to leave since he kept flirting with the pharmacist who paid him no attention.
As soon as he left, I picked two always pads and I ran to the counter.
“Are you embarrassed?” The pharmacist asked when she noticed me looking around checking if another customer was coming in.
“You don’t need to be embarrassed, I prefer customers like you to those loud men that are proud to tell everyone that they’re having sex but they can’t buy pads for their partners, you’re a true man.” The pharmacist said with a smile and I felt warm inside.
“For your sister?” She asked and I shook my head.
“My wife.” I said to her and she smiled.
“What’s her cycle like?” She asked and I raised my brows.
“You don’t know?” She laughed.
“It’s understandable, it’s nice enough that you’re buying pads for her already.” She said complimenting me again.
“Okay, since you don’t know her cycle or how she feels during this period, I would advise that you give her these pain killers and let her take them with warm water.”
“You can also get a warm pouch or ice pouch depending on how she likes it. So you’ll fill them with either cold or hot water just like the name recommends.” She said adding those pouches to the counter.
“What about food?” I asked and she smiled.
“She can eat anything, it’s not pregnancy though warm food or porridge is nice too.” She said and calculated everything while I paid.
I thanked her and ran back to the bathroom but some women were already going inside and they might think I’m a pervert if I go inside too.
So I waited till they came out before going inside too.
“Here.” I slid my hands under the door of the stall that Eve was in and she took it.
I took the bags that I had left on the floor earlier and left the bathroom.
Few minutes later, Eve came out looking paler than ever.
“Are you alright?” I asked in concern and she nodded.
“Let’s go home.” I said and helped her walk to the parking lot with the bags in my second hand.
We got to the parking lot and went to where I parked the car. I opened the passenger door for her and she got in. I opened the back seat and threw all those things we bought inside before going to the other side and entering into the car too.
I drove us home and when we got there, Eve went straight to her room.
I kept all the bags in my room and went downstairs to the kitchen to get warm water for the Eve.
“Sir, we can do it.” One of the maids said when she saw me putting water into the electric kettle.
“Don’t worry, you can go.” I said to the maid who left with the others. So I was left alone in the big kitchen.
I put rice into the rice cooker with a lot of water and brown sugar. Soon everything was ready then I kept them on a tray. The hot pouch which I felt should be more effective than the cool one, the rice porridge, warm water and some tablets that the pharmacist recommended.
I took the stairs and went to Eve’s room and then I knocked on the door.
“Eve, can you hear me?” I said and I didn’t hear a response.
“Eve.” I repeated and I heard a faint response. I sighed deeply before opening the door and entering with the tray in my other hands.
I settled it on the dressing table before I went to where she laid on her bed. She was thoroughly covered and shivering and I began to wonder if it was the pain or another thing entirely.
“Is this what you go through every month?” I couldn’t help but ask. She didn’t answer of course so I went to get a plate of warm porridge.
“Sit up.” I said helping her sit up and rest her back on the wall.
I fed her the rice porridge and gave her some water to drink. After which I gave her the tablets and asked her to put the pouch on her stomach while I returned the other stuff to the kitchen.
When I returned, she was already fast asleep and I tucked her in.
“This means nothing. It’s just what one would do for any other human being. If she’s pretending to be my wife and she dies, I might have to marry someone else so that’s why I’m helping her.” I convinced myself before leaving the room and switching off the small lamp by her bedside.
It was quite late so when I returned to my own room and laid on my bed, I fell asleep immediately.
The next morning however was quite chilly and I couldn’t help but worry about Eve’s health but when I went downstairs for breakfast, I saw her laughing with one of the maids over something and I fake coughed so I could grab their attention.
The maid scurried off to God knows where while Eve came to meet me.
“Uh…”
“Your Mom and Grandma Nini called, they said they’ll be back in two weeks time so we have the house to ourselves.” She said and I nodded.
“And, thank you for yesterday.” She said smiling and I almost smiled back but I controlled myself.
“I would have done it for anybody.” I shrugged and walked away feeling cool.
“Yeah..” I heard her mumble as she walked behind me.
The food was served and we ate breakfast in silence.
“I’m going out to meet my friend.” She said getting up from the chair with her plates in her hands.
“Drop the plates, the maids will take them.” I said to her,
“I was not taught that way.” She said and walked away and I frowned.
“So much for helping her yesterday.” I thought as I went back to my room to get dressed for work.
Because of the outing yesterday, I had to take a day off which I never do so I had a lot of work to catch up on.
Okay, maybe I don’t have a lot of work to catch up on because I always do what I have to do and a lot in advance but that doesn’t mean I could slack off or go around playing.
Ring ring ring..
My phone rang and I picked it up.
“Clinton, is anything the matter?” I wondered why he would call me so early.
“Sir, he agreed.” Clinton said over the line.
“Who agreed?” I asked in confusion.
“Mr Seo from Mi Mobility.” He said and I smiled.
“Really?” I asked, trying not to hide my excitement.
“Yes.” Clinton said and I smiled.
“That’s good.” I said and hung up.
I gave myself a pat on my shoulder for a job well done. I’ve always wanted to work with MI mobility because alongside my company, they make amazing machineries and they’re highly recognized on the market. Although, it’s said that they don’t accept just anyone’s proposal, however when their representative Mr Seo had told me that he would think about it, I could already tell that they were impressed by my proposal.
Although, I still have some doubts about that man because as long as I have heard about MI mobility, when dealing with other companies, they don’t send a Korean representative, they send a representative based on the country that asked for their time but enough doubts..
This calls for a celebration.
I took my bags and went downstairs and met Eve already dressed in casual clothes and she looked like she was waiting.
“Uhmm Jason, could you drop me off on your way to work?” She asked and I gave her a stern look before nodding my head.
She followed behind me and we soon got to the parking lot. We got into the car and I drove out of the compound.
I dropped Eve off in front of a small boutique. I watched how a fine young man ran out of the boutique to give her a hug and spin her around.
Yesterday, she could barely hold my hands and walk by my side but here she is smiling brightly in another man’s arm.
She said something to the said young man and they both walked towards the car and Eve knocked on the window so I could open the window.
“Thanks for the ride, this is my friend Max.” She said smiling.
“Best friend.” The max guy said, pinching her cheeks.
“Okay.. okay.” She giggled and I frowned.
“That box is for you.” She said pointing at a little lunch box that I didn’t notice was on the floor of the passenger seat.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Food.” She said still smiling and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“Look at you packing lunch for your husband, what about me?” The max guy said getting on my nerves and she laughed again.
What’s so funny anyways?
“Don’t worry, there’s plenty with me.” She said and I frowned.
So she didn’t pack lunch for me alone? So two sides!
“You go girl, I hope there’s enough for me to share with Ethan.” The max guy said I began to wonder who that one was again.
Did she have no female friends at all?
“You invited him?” She squealed and I frowned even deeper.
“Yes, I did.” Max said and Eve laughed.
“I can’t wait to meet him.” Eve said and I cleared my throat to get their attention.
“Are you done?” I asked and she nodded. I closed the window and drove off at a high speed.
All she has are male friends. What kind of girl doesn’t have female friends?
I continued driving until I got to the office. I was surprised to see Alice waiting for me by my office door.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, still upset about Eve’s male friends.
“I heard about your success so I came to congratulate you.” Alice smiled and I shrugged.
“I even brought some wine.” She said following me into my office.
“I’m sure your wife didn’t celebrate with you this morning.” Alice said and I must say that struck a nerve and she seemed to notice as she smirked.
“Sit.” I said and she sat on one of the chairs.
I removed my coat and went to sit opposite her.
“My dad asked about you.” She brought out the said wine from her bag.
“Okay.” I said I was not interested in what she was saying.
“Cups?” She asked and I went to get wine cups from my cupboard
“Here.” I said returning with the cup.
She opened the wine and poured it into the cups.
“Cheers.” She said picking up her cup while I picked mine up.
“Cheers.” I said and we clink our glasses.
“It wouldn’t hurt to have some fun here, would it?” She said seductively.
“After all, you don’t have much work for the day.” She winked and I smiled.
“Sure.” I said wanting to get Eve and her male friends off my mind.
Just what is wrong with me anyways?
Why am I bothered about Eve anyways?.