[Christmas]
One year later...
(Phone ringing)
I was in the middle of my sleep when the phone beside me suddenly ring. I took it under my pillow and answer the call without opening my drowsy eyes.
"Hello. Christmas speaking, how may I help you?" I started.
"Christmas! Don't tell me you are still sleeping?"
As I realized that it was aunt Lorie in the other line, I automatically get off my bed and open the curtain of my window. My mouth formed an 'O', seeing the sun is already set in the sky. "I'm already awake Auntie. Actually, I'm already on my way there." I lied.
"Hmm," she replied in the other line, seems she is not believing me, "You better get hurry Christmas or I'm going to cut off your salary for being always late."
"I'm on my way Auntie!" I yelled and hang off the line.
I throw my cellphone in my bed and immediately fix myself. After ten minutes of fixing, I ride on my bicycle, heading at the Laundry Shop that is only nearly from my apartment. There's no time for me to take a breakfast because I'm very, very late again today. As I arrived, I enter inside together with my bicycle. I just place it at the back and face my aunt who is glaring at me.
"You are on your way, huh?" she said, sounded sarcasm.
"It's traffic in the way, Auntie," I replied, lying for the second time.
"Stop fooling around, Christmas. One more late, I'm going to cut it off in your salary. Entender? (Understand?)"
"Yes, Auntie. Promise, this will be the last time that I'm going here late."
"Stop me with your promises. I already heard that many times." She rolled her eyes. "Anyways, since you are here now, you are going to be in charge here till Friday."
"Eh? Where are you going, Auntie?" I asked in curiosity.
"I was invited in the wedding of my old friend. That's why you are the one who will handle my Laundry Shop for the mean time."
"Okay, Auntie."
"I'm going home now. Here is the key of the shop." She gave me the key. "If there something happened here just call me, okay?"
"Okay, Auntie. Don't worry, your Laundry Shop was in the good hand." I smiled and put the key in my pocket.
"Whatever. I have to go now. Bye."
I watched her walk out here in the Laundry Shop till she rides on a taxi cab. I start sweeping the floor first before I put the sign, we are open in the glass door. I am only the person here who is helping my aunt in handling her business. She isn't yet married at her age thirty and I don't think if she has a plan to find her Mr. Right.
Ting!
Speaking of Mr. Right, I suddenly froze where I standing when a tan handsome man enters here at the shop, holding his laundry basket. "Good morning, Sir. Welcome to Lorie's Laundry Shop."
"Good morning too, Lorie," he greeted and place his laundry basket in the long chair.
"That wasn't my name, Sir. My name is Christmas. Lorie is my aunt's name."
He looks at me seriously straight to my eyes seems it was wrong that I corrected him. "Okay, Christmas." He gave me a little smile and I did the same thing but he didn't saw it because his eyes darted on the cellphone he is holding.
I remain standing here front of the counter, wondering what is he typing on his phone. He maybe texting his girlfriend. Hmm. Mr. Right is the first customer today and this is the first time that I saw him. I had seen a lot of customers who always coming here to clean their laundry but he isn't familiar to me.
He putted down his phone and catch me looking at him. "Is there a problem?"
I shook my head. "There is no problem, Sir." I bite my lower lip as I turned my back on him. That was embarrassing!
"Christmas," he called my name that made me face back again on him.
"Yes, Sir?"
He walks towards me. "Look, I am on a hurry. Can you handle my laundry? I will be back here tonight to get my clean clothes. Don't worry, I will double my pay." He gave me his basket laundry. "Thank you."
I watched him walk fast at the glass door till he rides at his car, holding the basket he gave. "You're welcome? Mr. Right." I just shook my head and start cleaning his dirty clothes using the washing machine here.
As of now, I am already with some customers who is waiting for their clothes inside the washing machine. I'm just done cleaning Mr. Right's clothes and I'm holding an invitation card that I got in the pocket of his coat. This is exactly a wedding invitation card. His name was Duke Grey because it is written here in the invitation and supposedly his girlfriend was Lysias Anderson. Whoever may be Lysias, she is lucky to had someone like him. The wedding date that set here was probably will be held next month, October 25, 2019. Well, best wishes on their wedding.
"Excuse me, Miss?"
I came back on my senses when a girl come to me, holding her laundry basket. I guess she is just ten. "Yes, little girl? Do you need some help with your laundry?"
She nodded. "I don't know how I will clean this here."
"Where is your mom? Are you alone?"
"My mom just got in her work and ask me to bring our laundry here. She said a laundry girl will help me in this. Are you the laundry girl?"
"Yes, I am. I will help you cleaning your laundry. Give me that." I took the basket on her and walk in the machine that I used to clean Mr. Right's clothes. It was already folded inside his basket. There are still nine hours before the night set in the sky.
[Duke] I’m wearing my smile while driving towards the condominium where my fiancée is currently living. She didn’t answer my calls since last night and I’m starting to feel worried what is the reason. I admit that I’d been busy this past few days and the last time I saw her was last week. That’s why I bought her favorite tulips and the Earl Grey chocolate that my company producing. After three years of the car accident of my parents, I start managing the Earl Grey and it’s never been easy from the start but I already getting used in controlling the company. I stop the car as I got here in the parking lot. I am now heading inside the building, holding the bouquet and chocolate I bought for her. I know she miss me too like how I miss her so much. She will probably get surprise if he saw me. When I got in front of her unit, I took my duplicate key and open the door with
[Christmas]The shop is already closed but Duke isn't yet coming back. I am here outside, standing with my bike together his laundry basket. It's already 10:00 p.m. and I'm already thinking he forgot to get his clothes or he is on his way? I don't know which of the two but I'm still going to wait him till 11:00. I'm already tired and I want to take a rest."Oh, Christmas, why are you still here?" asked of the old lady who always clean her clothes here in the laundry shop. She owns a Flower Shop that is two blocks away from here and we are living in the same apartment. Our room is just facing each other in the third floor. She told me to call her granny since I am like a granddaughter to her. Granny doesn't have her family here in Florida because they are all living in California."I am waiting someone to get this laundry basket, Granny then I'm going home later," I answered to her question.She nodded. "I see.
[Christmas] I knew it! The thing happened to us remained only that night. Nothing more and nothing less. He left a payment for cleaning his clothes before he left at my apartment. It's been one week but I'm still hoping that he will step inside here in the shop. For what? To make clean of his clothes again or to talk about what happened to us?Smash!“Christmas!” I came back to my senses when Aunte Lorie smashed the counter that I supposedly to clean. I could see her fury eyes nearly because her face is just in front of me. I can even see her large pores. Gross!“What, Auntie?” I asked innocently.“You are not working!”“I am, Auntie," I replied and continue wiping the table with the cloth I am holding. “See? I'm working. Hehehe.”“Stop playing around!” She yelled and go back at her mini office.“Stop play
[CHRISTMAS]Duke brought me here at the Holy Grain Coffee Shop that is only nearby. He is now sitting in front of me and we are waiting for our order to arrive. I only order a Cappuccino while he order Dolce Latte.I'm a little bit uneasy at this moment, thinking what are we going to talk about. Is it about what happened between us that night? Oh crap! I hope it is not."Is there something troubling you, Christmas?" Duke asked in his forehead knotted."Can I go in the comfort room?" I asked permission instead of answering his question.He chuckled. "Of course, you can just don't make me wait too long."I didn't reply on him and immediately walk towards the comfort room. I face myself in the mirror and close my eyes for a second, thinking what I should do if it's that we are going to talk about."I think I can ditch and leave him here?" I said to myself in the mirror
[Christmas]It is 2:00 a.m. now and I'm still awake. My eyes are darted the whole time in the pregnancy test that I bought while I'm heading here at my apartment. I am scared on what might be the result if I use this. I am scared as well on how I will deal this alone if I really am. Just like what I had said, I'm really going to regret and I am now!"Damn it!" I get off my bed and head to the bathroom to use the pregnancy test to get rid of these thoughts of me.After a minute that I spent inside the bathroom, I am with the result now inside my hand. I go back first to bed and place my pillow into my lap. I close my eyes for a moment, praying for the negative result."Please, make it negative so I won't see anymore Duke," I whispered in the cold air and slowly open my hands to see what is really the result. I almost drop the pregnancy test as I saw it's positive.I woke up ear-no, no, no! I didn't e
[Christmas] The driver stopped me here in front of this huge building that precisely that the address in the card. I can't say anything but to feel amaze on how can he manage this Earl Grey. He still young at his features but already running a company. Duke is so damn lucky that he don't have to suffer in finding money.“Hey!” My attention was caught when the security guard standing at the entrance shouted. He is walking now towards me and I started to panic a little. What did I do?“This is not a waiting area,” he said.“Ah-ahm, actually, I ain't waiting.” I gripped my lower lip. “I am here to see Duke. Is he here?” I asked.His brow arched for a second like a damn woman. “Do you have an appointment to him?”“A-appointment?” I asked stupidly.“Yeah, appointment.”“I don't have an app–”
[Lorie] I am now here in the Parlor making my look elegant for our dinner tonight. I don't know but I feel like this is it. The love I'd been waiting all my life. I think that Carlos has a crush on me that's why he asked me for a dinner. My charm still working even I am already at my 30's, huh?“Lor, where are you going anyway?” asked of Denden who is the one fixing me here. He is my first friend since I made up my mind to moved here in Orlando.“A man asked me a dinner earlier,” I answered proudly at him.He suddenly turn around the swivel chair I am sitting in to him. “Hey, Lorie, don't lie to me. It is not funny!”I laughed at him. “Why? Don't you want to believe that someone is finally asked me a dinner?” I asked and turned back the swivel chair facing at the wall mirror. I am now wearing a black bodycon matching my black stilleto.“For real, Lorie?”
[Christmas] I left here alone in Duke's office because he have to answer an important call in the meeting room that is only at the next door. We just done eating our lunch and I'm still drinking the Espresso that his secretary bought. The way Cheena look at me as she gave my Espresso, seems she wants to kill me with her stares. It was pretty obvious she doesn't like me. I heaved a sign as I leaned my back in the couch, sipping the last drop of my Espresso. I waited Duke almost 15 minutes before he came back wearing his frown face. My forehead knotted as I watched him heading at his desk. He sat in his swivel chair, massaging his temple like I wasn't here.“Ahm, what's the problem?” I asked and if I didn't speak he wouldn't notice me.Duke immediately stood up at his seat and slapped his forehead. “I'm sorry, Christmas, I forgot that you were here.” He apologized and wa