CHAPTER 3: LADY

I woke up without Duke beside me. He is still not home. It is already seven ‘o'clock in the morning and I am late for my appointment. I drink my coffee and take a bath. Mark is already messaging me asking me where I am now. He is already waiting for me at the cafe that we set to meet.. I call Duke but he is not answering his phone. I message him but he is not also replying. I hope he is okay. Even though I am in a hurry I still manage to take a pen and paper to leave a note for Duke.

“Hi, love,

I know that you are already tired and I am not home to make you coffee. That is why I made you coffee in advance. Just microwave it if it is already cold when you arrive. I went to the cafe at the Molino to meet up with the buyer and to send a package to LBC. I love you so much and See you later” 

I stick my note on the fridge with my right hand and carry the orders with my left hand. I am in a hurry because I am late now for my appointment. I went out of the house while carrying the orders and closed the door and then locked it.. Duke has a spare key so he doesn’t need to wait for me to get inside the house and I am about to leave now when I saw Chase. Chaselyn my friend and our neighbour. 

“Lady” She called me before I got inside the car. She walks closer to me and hugs me.

“I will miss you,” She said because they are about to go now. They will move house. 

“You said, you will leave next month?” I asked her

“But the buyer of the house wants to move as soon as possible, that is why we need to move asap too” She answered and gave me the red lipstick as her remembrance. 

“We will keep in touch, don’t worry,” She added with a smile trying not to cry because she will leave the place and the people that she grew up with.

“I miss this place” She said while giving her last glance.

“I will miss you” She said while looking at me

“I will miss you too” I said 

“Okay, just message me in your free time,”

“Goodluck to your new journey to your new place” I added and she hugged me for the last time and we both said goodbye to each other.

Chase is one of my friends leaving just a few blocks away. We have known each other since our college days. She has two beautiful girls and one baby boy. We are close to each other. That is why she didn’t forget to see me before they left.

I message Mark to wait for me because I am on my way even though the truth is I just ride in my car, turn the engine on and leave. I went to LBC first to deliver the orders and then I went to the meeting place to meet Mark. Based on his profile picture he is a man but I am not really sure if he is a real man because he ordered a red dress from me and a woman’s perfume. I saw him sitting wearing sunglasses and a black jacket. Drinking coffee and waiting for me. 

“Are you Mark?” I asked the man and he gave me an irritated look for a second and said “Have a seat, please.” So I sat on the chair in front of him.

“Sorry, I am late,” I told him and he didn’t say anything. He just looks at me and drinks his coffee.

“You’re pretty,” He said out of nowhere after drinking his coffee. I didn’t react to what he said because I don’t know how to react. I haven’t heard that word for a long time so I am not sure if he is telling the truth or he is just insulting me.

“This is your order,” I said and I showed him the paper bag that I am holding. I gave it to him and he took it. He checks the order inside. One red dress and perfume. 

“This one is perfect for my sister,” He said. While checking on the dress. He checks the perfume too and smells it.

“I hope she will love this one, this is my birthday gift for her” He said.

“If she likes the perfume, I will be your regular customer,” He added. While staring at me that makes me uncomfortable because his stare is like he wants to grab and eat me.

“Do you want coffee, juice or anything that suits you?” He asked.

“Please make yourself comfortable” He said after he noticed me feeling uneasy with him. 

“I am harmless,” He added and he took another sip of his coffee.

“No, I am fine. I just had my coffee at home before leaving” I answered. He gave me the payment and he asked me when he would see me again but I didn’t answer. He paid me the exact amount and I left him alone in the cafe right after I received his payment. 

I arrived home and I saw Duke waiting for me. I got out of the car and kissed him. He smells fresh, smells like he took a bath. I looked at him for a second because he looked so different but again I didn’t mind the changes on him.

Hi, Love” I greeted him with a smile and kissed him but he didn’t mind me.

“Did you just arrive?” I asked him

“Yeah,” He answered. He looked at me and asked “Where have you been?” His voice is disappointed to find out that I am not home when he arrives.

“I went to LBC to deliver some orders and I met a buyer at the Coffee King” I answered. When my phone rings because someone messages me. He grabs it from my hand and reads the message out loud.

“Thanks miss beautiful,” He said and he looked at me again.

“From Mark,” He added. “Who is this mark?” He asked. I don’t know if he is jealous or if he wants to start a fight. 

“You went for a date, a breakfast date not a buyer’s meet-up,” He said as if he was really creating a fight or something that we can argue about. I know that he is disappointed to find me not home when he arrives but his reaction is too much.

“It is a buyer’s meet-up, love,” I said and took a deep breath because here we go again. After the night that I couldn't contact him. He will go home just to think bad about me. Instead of asking me how is my sleep without him. I don’t know what’s up with him but I am telling him the truth. 

“Buyer?” He asked “You went out without me to meet him, then you will tell me he is just your buyer,” He asked again with a look telling me that I am cheating on him with another man but I am not. I don’t know why Mark calls me beautiful and it is not a big deal. 

“I am calling you but you are not answering my call. I message you, text you but you are not replying” I told him and looked at him directly on his face because I am losing my patience now. I want to ask why he is acting weird and distant but I stop myself because I don’t want to start a fight and I am scared of his answer. I am not ready to hear his answer. 

“You know that I am working right?”He asked sarcastically but I didn’t answer. I just looked at him because I wasn’t sure about that.

“You want me to watch for your call?’ He asked again in an irritated voice and I don’t know if he is insulting me with his question. 

I didn’t answer his questions because it made no sense to me. I went inside the house and didn’t mind him. He is starting a fight again and I confirmed it based on his actions and the way he talked to me. Every time he goes home he is mad. I don't know if he is just tired but he is

creating an issue that we can fight with and it has been almost an hour that we are not talking to each other. I watched him eating silently. I am trying to read more about him to know what’s happening to him because he became secretive and distant this past few months. He just ate a little and he slept without talking to me or even kissing me.

He went upstairs and I followed him. He lay on the bed with his back facing me. What’s wrong with him? I asked myself while still watching him until I heard his phone vibrating. Someone is calling him or messaging him. I don’t know. That is why I slowly took his phone beside him and checked who called him but his phone has a password and I don’t know the password. That is why I can’t open it to see who is calling him. The name is not flashing on the screen too. I tried to enter random passwords. Hoping to guess his password. Maybe I can guess it but none of the passwords that I enter works. Until he woke up and saw me holding his phone.

“Why are you holding my phone?” He asked and he immediately grabbed his phone from my hand and looked at his phone.

“Because I heard it vibrating. Someone is calling you, maybe it is important. check it” I said waiting for him to open his phone in front of me to see who is calling him but he didn’t open it. Instead of checking his phone. He put it under his pillow and went back to sleep. As if I am not here beside him.

I looked at him without saying a word even though there were a lot of words in my head. I don’t know how to say it. Even I have a lot of questions. I don’t know how to ask about it. Why are you like that? Why are you suddenly changing? Is it because of your work or you have someone new? Are you cheating on me or Am i just paranoid? I asked myself and  I want to ask him about those even though I don't know how to ask him because I am not ready to hear his answers. I shook my head and I looked at him silently. Maybe there is no “someone new”.  I convinced myself because I let my love for him win rather than my instinct. “I am just paranoid” I told myself and left those questions behind. I lay beside him even though his back is facing me and make him feel how much I miss him.

“I am sorry” I whispered to him while looking at him even though I am not sure if he heard it or not because he is already sleeping.