Dave
“So, where are we going today?” I asked, placing my hand on the driving wheel.
“Uh…. let’s see. I haven’t decided yet,” Emilia responded, fixing her hair while checking out the mirror.
“Then, should I start the car?”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
“Do you think it is a good idea to leave without telling Aileen about it? She’ll be having breakfast alone also. We could leave after having breakfast couldn’t we?” I suggested.
She looked at me with a puzzled face. “I told you to start driving. And I told the maids to inform her about it, right? Don’t worry. She usually eats with me or you. So, she can manage one day by herself, no problem.”
“Uh…. alright then.”
There was no point in convincing her, she was set on not listening to me. Mother and daughter are the same, demanding, forceful, and stubborn to the core.
I turned on the car and drove past our packhouse. After 10 minutes, she was finally done putting on her makeup and pulled out her phone to go through the map.
“Why did you suddenly want to go on a date? Is there any specific reason behind it? Is it a special day?” I asked while keeping my eyes on the road.
“Why? Can’t we go out without any special occasion?”
“Not that, just felt like asking.”
I couldn’t believe her words when she suddenly suggested going on a date out of nowhere. I thought she was joking. For as long as I can remember, she usually stayed at home during her day off to rest. Then, why did she feel like going on a date today?
There has to be a special occasion, but she’s not telling me about it.
But, all my worries are regarding Aileen. I couldn’t go to pick her up from college yesterday, and today when I said I’d drop her off at college, I had to leave with Emilia in a hurry.
I hope she’s not upset with me. I don’t like making her sad for no reason.
“Take the left turn, we are going to a cafe to have breakfast,” Emilia instructed. “And then we’ll go to do some shopping together and then in the afternoon watch a movie and have lunch in a restaurant. Then in the late afternoon go on a long drive and have some burgers and fries with an iced coffee in the evening before returning home. How does the plan sound?”
“Uh…. good. I guess? When did you plan all that?”
“Just now,” she chuckled. “I checked all the routes and it was the best outcome we could make out of these 8-9 hours. I made you skip work, so we need to enjoy the day to the best, right?”
“Right. Let’s go find a cafe then.”
We were chatting in the car before we got off to eat. She looked quite overexcited today and was enjoying the food all laughing and chatting.
I hardly get to see her like this, it’s quite rare. Today must be a good day for her. When she left for the toilet, I decided to text Aileen. But before she could give a response Emilia came and asked, “Why are you busy on your phone? You aren’t using that unless it’s a very urgent matter.”
I looked up feeling startled. “What? I can’t use my phone now?”
“No! You have to focus on me only today! I’m confiscating this for now,” she snatched away my phone from my hands and kept it inside her purse. “Don’t worry, you’ll get it back after you return home.”
She’s going too extreme here, isn’t she?
I just wanted to make sure whether Aileen is upset or not. Or else I’ll have to deal with her wrath after reaching home.
After breakfast, I brought her to some shops to check out clothes. While she was trying them, I sat in the trial room waiting for her to come out.
As I didn’t have my phone with me, I felt very bored as I had nothing else to do. From a distance, I noticed that the shop clerks were peeking at me from the counter.
Do I look weird or something? Why are they looking at me like that?
2 minutes later, a clerk approached me. She was a young lady around in her twenties. She was also with the women who were sitting at the counter.
“Do you have anything to ask me?” I asked, looking in her direction.
She became flustered right away. “Uh, well. I mean….. I wanted to say…..”
“Why are you hesitating? Go on with whatever you want to say,” I replied. “Don’t feel nervous.”
Her cheeks flustered red when she looked me in the eyes. “I’m sorry. I was feeling nervous to approach you because you look so handsome.”
Handsome? Is this why they were giving me the stares?
“I’m flattered to hear that. So, what do you want to say to me?”
“Uh…well…..” she kept glancing behind her back, looking at those girls who stood quite far from her.
“By any chance are you taking me for a creep loitering around the women’s section intentionally? If that’s the case, I can prove myself innocent.” I inquired.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “What? No! That’s not what I’m thinking. I wanted to know whether you have a girlfriend or not?”
My girlfriend? That’s why she was so hesitant. I get it all now.
“I’m sorry but, I”
“Dave!” Emilia’s sharp voice drew my attention.
I looked behind me and saw her standing wearing a black short skirt and sleeveless red top.
Since when did she start wearing such flashy clothes? I thought she preferred wearing comfortable clothes.
Everything looks quite weird today. I must be dreaming.
She walked over to my side in a hurry. Then looked at the clerk with quite an angry expression.
“Do you have any business with my husband? Or do you know him?” she asked, bluntly.
The clerk became frightened hearing her question. “Uh, no I don’t know him. I was just talking with him a bit.”
“I see, what were you talking about?”
“Uh, well…” the clerk kept examining Emilia and I could see she was thinking something while doing that. And it seemed quite rude to me.
“She was telling me about the new section of clothes which they have released today. Said, I should check them out with you,” I interrupted, stepping forward.
Emilia and the girl both looked at me surprised.
“Is that so? You could’ve told that earlier. Wasted our time for nothing,” Emilia replied, turning to the girl. “Bring us over there right away. I don’t like the clothes in this section. Too dull for me.”
“Uh, sure Madam,” the clerk gave a short bow before, turning to me. “Please come with me, I’ll lead the way.”
I nodded and we both followed the girl. She showed her different types of clothes which Emilia took a liking to so she went to try them out.
I was standing against the wall with my arms in my pocket when I overheard someone talking.
“Yeah, can you believe that woman is his wife? She looks way too old for him.”
Whose wife are they talking about?
“Yeah, I think so as well. She already has wrinkles and saggy tits and is yet to check out flashy clothes in the teenager’s section. It’s such a joke people don’t understand where they stand!” one of them chuckled.
“True! Is this why you brought her to this section in the first place? To make fun of her?” another snorted.
They are talking about Emilia. Why didn’t I get that earlier?
“Yeah, of course. Or else why would I do that? She’s making herself a joke without realizing it. And that’s funny!”
“But, I still don’t understand why that handsome man would marry an old woman like her. She’s certainly way out of his league.”
“Who knows? Maybe he’s into older mommies. Or she might be providing for him. Or else why would a guy like her be marrying a woman like her when there are so many young women out there like us, right?”
You have to be kidding me. How far can go to insult anyone?
“Yeah! She has to be 10 years older than him! Truly his mommy! They don’t suit each other at all!”
“Then, why are they still together? I feel sorry for the guy.”
Their words were pricking my skin like a needle. I rushed over to the source of the voice and saw Emilia standing wearing a tank top and shorts.
She stood there with a sad expression which made my heart break. Don’t tell me she overheard their conversation.
No way, that’s so terrible!
I need to handle the matter right away. I walked over to her side and placed my hand on her shoulder.
“You are looking very cute wearing this. Do you want to buy anything else also? Or we can go to a different store also. What do you say?” I asked, trying to divert her attention.
She looked at me with a forced smile. “Thanks for asking. I’m fine. But, I don’t wanna do shopping anymore. Let’s go and do something else, shall we?”
“What? Uh, sure then. Go and get changed. We’ll leave.”
“Yeah, wait outside the store. I’ll hit the bathroom and come right away.”
“Sure, I’ll wait in the car.”
She nodded and left. I went outside thinking about her reaction when she came out of the trial room.
She definitely didn’t look happy. Then, why was she forcing a smile? If she overheard their conversation why didn’t she tell me anything about it?
Or maybe she didn’t want me to worry? That’s more like Emilia. Even if she’s hurt she won’t express it out loud.
I feel like I made a mistake by bringing her here. I should’ve chosen a different shop. I feel so bad.
“Sorry to make you wait,” Emilia said, stepping inside the car.
I examined her face and noticed that her eyes were puffy. Was she crying in the bathroom?