The Baby Contract????????
????????Chapter 11????????
Over the next few days,Anne spent time with her l@pt©p trying to created the best designs one can imagine,she tried sketch out some ideas on papers but ended up tearing almost half pages of the book,
“Am I that silly enough to always end myself up in ti-ght corners?” She always ask herself during her feud with the paper or the l@pt©p, Charles called the day before yesterday, telling her that the design would be nee-ded by next week end,so the other can commence on the working.Cheryl advised she take a break but she isn’t re-ady to go for such advised,she has limited time and she has to utilized it properly.Ace took the new arrangement badly,his favorite aunt doesn’t have time for him anymore,he complained to his mom every time Anne asks him to go out and pl@ywith his toys.
“Ace,can you spare a little time for aunt? We can go to the water park if you want to.” She said to him over breakfast of Scrambled egg and Oatmeal,he little boy was over excited at the offer,
“Yes.” He turned to Cheryl who was having Coffee and Toast,she smiled at him,
“Mama,let’s go together.” He said beaming with joy,Cheryl shook her head slightly,
“Gotta finish some work,” Anne frowned while Ace’s face fell,
“Got a call from Wheelers yesterday,they’ve got problem with the account, so I’ll have to finish it up and s£nt it to them today.”
Anne took Ace to the water park, she hired a cab driver to take them there and bring them back.Ace did love it there,he pla-yed in the water while Anne sat watching him from close by, she paid for him to use the slide,
“Aunt,come up with me.” He had offered,she refused bluntly,
“Don’t wanna get myself dripping with water now.” She had told him,she got him there with another red haired plummy kid and went back to sit down.After awhile,he c@m£ to her,
“Ice cream.”Ace pointed to a little girl eating ice cream in the other edge,
” You want one??”she asked him,he nodded.Anne carried him and took him to Junk’s Joint, she headed to the ice cream corner,
“Ace,what flavor would you prefer?” She asked the young boy tugging her dress,
“He stood on his toes and pointed to the displ@yon the glas-s,
” Sir…Ace wait,”the boy was now pu-lling her dress,
“Give me one Pistachio flavor and two Gr@p£ nuts.” She told the Ice cream man,he smiled showing a golden tooth while Anne waited to get their their order.
“Here you go ma’am.” He handed her the ice cream while she brou-ght out a fifty dollar bill from her purse,the man smiled,
“Don’t worry,keep the change.” She held the boy’s hand and took him to an empty table,then her darting eyes c@m£ across someone else’s. Like a bolt,he started for her,she stood up immediately, took Ace who was still holding his ice cream and fled the scene while the man surged after her.
“Ma’am, your card plea-se.” The security man at the exit door asked her,she rummage throu-gh her purse swiftly,
“There it’s.” She heaved a sigh of relief and handed the card to him,before he could take a second look,she carried the boy and left the place,they got into a new cab,since she can’t go round to meet the hired cab,
“Aunt Anne, why are we leaving soon?” The little boy asked disappointed that he didn’t spend enough time at the park,
“I’m sorry Ace,” She st©pped,
I can’t tell him I’m running from someone,she thought.
“Ace,we’re going to the mall,how would you love getting some new toys?” She said to him not telling him the whole truth.
“Yes,that would be wonderful.” He cl@pped his hand against the cu-p of ice cream he was holding.
“Ma’am,where are we going to?” The cab driver asked smiling at him,
“Take us to the nearest mall.” She said with an expressionless face.
Their stay at the mall was cut short when Charles called her,since Ace didn’t make a fuss about not wanting to go home,she bundled him in the cab and they drove home with the bags of toys and other stuffs she bought.
“Why are you guys back early?” Cheryl asked them as she opened the door for them,Ace ran and hvgged her showing her the things Anne bought for him.
“Mama,see what aunt bought for me.” He brou-ght a h0twheel Car collection, a G.I Joe toy gun and other numerous toys,Cheryl paid little attention to him but her main attention was on Anne who was looking worried and pacing to and fro the living room. When Ace left them to the room,Cheryl c@m£ to Anne, who was in the kitchen drowning herself with strong coffee,
“What happened?” Cheryl asked her,she turned to her,her eyes was teary,
“I saw him.” This three word s£ntence told Cheryl everything she had to know,Anne had seen Deville and it got her scared and really worked up.
“He was with her and an older woman and he saw me too,luckily I left before he c@m£ close.” She said amidst tears,Cheryl held her close.
“Anne,I’m sorry this had to happened.” Cheryl said,
“She was happy and so vibr@nt…… and she was so……I don’t think she even nee-ds me,she wouldn’t want to meet her mother again.” Anne cried,Cheryl couldn’t help but consoled her,
“Anne,why don’t you go up to him,talk to him about you wanting to meet your daughter, he might allow you and would even be glad to have you back.” Cheryl advised,
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”She stood up and walked to her room while Cheryl still sat in the living room,
” There must be something I can do to help and I think I’ve figured what that is.”she stood up and went inside to meet Ace.
Deville was so angry when they c@m£ back home,
“Mom,I saw her today.” He said to his mom when they tucked Pearl to be-d that night,she took him out of the room and to his,
“What did you say?” His face was void of expression,
“Yes I saw her today at the water park with her son.”
“Why dismissed you go to her?” She asked,Deville saw down,his face shows a lot of disappointment and agony his mom hasn’t seen for years,
“She left immediately she saw me.”
“She got married again mom,the boy’s her son.” Deville said disappointed at himself and Anne,
“Bloody hell,how did you know?” The security men at the gate told me and I confirmed it at the reception.
“She forgot about me,her daughter and got married again,” He tried not to cry but couldn’t suppress the feelings anymore so he allowed the tears escape his eyes,
“Mom,I’m scared for Pearl,everyday I see her grow up without her mother and she has done the best of hiding her disappointment in me for over the years,I don’t want her to hate me for not giving her her mom,I can’t stand that mom,I can’t.”
“Daddy,I don’t hate you.” Both mother and son turned and saw Pearl by the door looking at them with tears in her eyes,Deville rushed to her,
“Sunshine,I thought you’re asleep?” Deville asked her as he carried her inside,
“I had a bad dream but daddy,I don’t hate you,I love you a lot.” She said to him.She had a bad dream where she was crying about someone leaving her and she was crying and calling out to her mom but the person (a lady) didn’t turn back,so she had woken up but didn’t see her dad beside her, so she went to his room and overhead their conversation.
“Daddy,I don’t hate you.” Deville turned to his mom,
“Sunshine, tell me your dream and remember this,I know you love me a lot.” He hvgged her and made her sit on his leg,she told him her dream while he kept stealing glances at his mom.
This is what I never wanted,things are getting worse than they were,he thought to himself.
“Anne,don’t worry nothing will happen to your mom and she loves you a lot to leave you.” Her Granny said,
“But why did she leave me since?” She asked and Deville turned to his mom.
Anne didn’t leave the house for the next coming days,she stayed indoor and concentrated on her work,Cheryl tried to cheer her up but to no avail,she kept stoic on been left alone,so she had no other option than to invite Charles over but didn’t tell Anne about it.
“Who’s there?” Anne asked when she c@m£ out of the room,someone was at the door,she went on and opened the door,surprised to see her boss at the door,
“Sir, come in.” She stepped aside as he made his way inside the living room,
“This is Cheryl’s work,that girl is a pain in the as-s.” She muttered as he stood in the living room,she was wearing a yellow tank t©p and a cotton short,no makeup and her hair in a ponytail, Charles just stared at her as she walked towards him,
“Sir,make yourself comfortable while I get something from my room.” She went inside and brou-ght her l@pt©p while Charles sat down and waited for her.She c@m£ back,holding her l@pt©p,
“Here’s the design.” She handed it to him and went to the kitchen to get snacks for them.She c@m£ back with a tray of French Onion di-p (which she made) and a tube of Pringle and two can of coke,she carefully kept it on the table and sat opposite him,
“This look homemade, you made it?” Charles asked her and she nodded,he took a Pringle and di-pped it into the onion di-p,she was still looking at him,he ate it.
“Wow,that taste good,its superb.” He savoured the taste of the Pringle in his mouth,while Anne smiled a thank you,
“Sir,here’s the design for the n£¢klace,” she handed the l@pt©p to him,
“This was the best I could come up with.” He wasn’t looking at the l@pt©p but was looking at her,
“Anne,can you do me a favor?” She looked at him intently but his eyes could tell her,so she nodded,
“Can you st©p calling me sir? Call me Charles,you calling me Sir, makes me feel very old.” He was now smiling,
“Okay,I’ll try.” She gave him a heartwarming smile.He studied the design for awhile and handed the l@pt©p back to her,
“Its wonderful Anne,never seen something as intricate as that.”She smiled at his compliment, he st©pped talking and stared at her as she smile,
Her smile is so dazzling and her eyes,those eyes are perfect and so…..I can’t put a name to it but her eyes are a perfect work of art of the angel that made her, he thought to himself.Anne who got suspicious of his quietness st©pped smiling,
“Sir what’s the problem?” He was snapped back to his s-en-ses by her voice,
“Uhm….nothing,nothing is the problem.” He was embarras-sed at himself for not able to keep himself in check whenever he’s with her,
“Okay.” She said and went back to her coke,
“I’ll s£nd the design to Alan so they can commence work on it,make is sure you stay in t©uçh with them for more upd@t£s and if in any case they nee-d your guidance.” She nodded,
“Yes sir.” He turned to her in a slight frown,
“Not sir,Charles.” She smiled again and nodded,
“Okay Charles.”
“That’s more like it.” He left his seat and c@m£ beside her,he sat down close to her and she shifted,
“Anne,are you nervous?” He asked she shook her head,
Lie,you are,her subconscious self told her.He placed his hand on her shoulder,she flin-ched,
“Anne,you don’t have to be scared of me,I’ve know you for long and I want to know you more,like what your life was before you c@m£ to work for me,your past life.” He said,she shifted a little from him,
“Well sir,” he stared at her,
“I mean Charles,” he smiled,
“I don’t have a very exciting life growing up,no Santa Claus tale,nor a tooth fairy tale NLR a holiday to Wonderland or Oz.” He laughed,
‘I lost my parent’s when I was around four or five,went to different foster home then I was carted to my uncle’s house to stay.My Uncle Charlie was a very nice man,I’d remember him tucking me to be-d and taking us out for lunch on Sundays but his wife Elaine was more of strict and less of nice,I had two cousins, Jeremy and Sasha. Went to high school, then to St Xavier where I studied nursing,I graduated summa ¢v-m laude after taking twenty-eight credit a four semester in a row.”
“Did you get any recognition from the Pope?” He asked her on the verge of laughing,
“No,but I did get near recognition from him,is that enough?” She asked, the both off them are now laughing.He told her about himself and his family,they discussed other things, like books they’ve re-ad,movies they’ve seen but Anne didn’t talk about Deville or his contract nor she she talk about her daughter, Amanda of even Frank.She fed him the little details she could but not telling him the whole truth.
When they finished the Pringles, she went to the kitchen to prepare something for them to eat and he followed her.
“What are you doing?” She asked him when she turned and saw him putting on the second apron,
“Well,I’m trying to help you out or do you think I can’t cook?” She laughed,
“You cook? I don’t think the owner of Zhang’s Fine Jewelry knows the way to his kitchen talk more of cooking.” He pretend to be angry,then he smiled,
“Okay,let’s make a bet, if I cook well,I earn a k!ssand a dinner with you on your account but if I don’t cook well,I’ll help clean the kitchen and a dinner with you on my account.” He stretch out his hand,
“Deal or no deal?” After contemplating on his offer, she accepted it,
“Deal.” They shook hand,
“And make sure you don’t burn down my kitchen.” She said as she left the kitchen and headed to the living room,
“I bet he can’t even put on the g@s cooker,such a pity.” She said as she sat down and put on the TV clutching the TV controller in her hand.
Chapter 12????????????
After waiting for almost two hours in the living room,Anne decided to go to the kitchen to see what Charles’s up to.The whole kitchen was a great mess,she g@sped,
“Why didn’t you call for my help?” She said to him as she strode to the sink,she helped him was the used dishes and utensils then she cleaned the kitchen table,
“One rule of cooking,you wash away dirty dishes as you cook and as it seems now,you’re losing points.” He turned to her and smiled,the apron was soiled with tomato paste and soy oil,
“You’re a bad chef.”
“Wait till you taste my food,I don’t care about washing or keeping anything tidy,the only Hong I care about now is preparing a wonderful meal for us,o I can win the bet,now allow me finish will yah?” He win-ked at her,she muttered something then left him,
“Make sure you don’t burn down my kitchen.” She yelled to his hearing as she went back to the living room.
Awhile later,he c@m£ out of the kitchen,
“Are you done?” She asked not turning to him as he set the dining table,
“Just a minute.” He did the table setting and went back to the kitchen and brou-ght their lunch,
“Lunch’s served.”He announced,she stood up and went to the table,
” It smells good,I hope it taste as good as that.”she opened the China bowl,
“Spaghetti sauce?” He nodded and she opened the other one,
“Meatba-lls?” He nodded with a smiling face,
“That’s the least I can come up with,hope you enjoy it.”
“I don’t think I will,she replied smiling as he served the food into her plate and then to his.
She took a taste of the noodles and dug into the meatba-lls, after chewing it,she waited for awhile,
” Well,the meatba-lls are good but your spaghetti……… uhm..what should I say?”She tried to think of something but she can’t, his food was very tasty,
“Just tell me I am a good cook and I might just have mercy on you.” He said,she smiled and nodded,
“You really surprised me,I never for once thought you could cook but you really did,you won.”
“Really?” He asked beaming with joy,she nodded,
“I hate to say it but you did.”
“Yes! So….can I get my k!ssnow?”
Surely he remembers,she nodded
A k!sscan’t hurt a fly,he c@m£ closer and was about k!ss!ngher when they heard a knock on the door,she pu-ll-ed from him and went to the door,
“Ace and Cheryl.” She was actually talking to him not them,they c@m£ inside,
“Yum,I want meatba-lls.” Ace said as Anne carried him to the table,
“Wow,lunch?” Cheryl said in tow,she turned to Anne,
“Who prepared it?” Anne smiled,
“Don’t tell me he did.” She said and Anne nodded while Charles went to the kitchen and brou-ght more food,
“Yes he did,isn’t that surprising?” Anne was smiling while Ace continued eating the meatba-lls on her plate,
“Someone has to teach you some manners.” Cheryl said to Ace as she caught him eating Anne’s meatba-lls, Charles c@m£ with the food while Cheryl stood up and got wine from the refrigerator for all of them,
“I never knew you were a good cook,” she said to Charles,he nodded a thank you,
“Cheers to our business success and your great cooking.” They clinked glas-ses,
“Cheers” they said in unison and ate amidst discussion and laughter.
Anne took Charles out for dinner during the weekend according to their deal,but he didn’t allow her foot the bill,
“It doesn’t have to be on your account.” He said to her, she sat across him and gave him a frown,
“You don’t have to pity me,I want it on my account.” She said,his eyes wi-de-ned,
“God strike me dead,no! I’m not pitying you.”
“Then allow me do it.” She said,
“On a condition I get my k!sstonight,remember I didn’t do it that day.” She smiled and nodded,she called the maître due, a woman in her mid thirties, she c@m£ with the menu,going Anne one and Charles the other.
“I just want something light but exquisite.” He muttered as he ran throu-gh the list of food they serve.The restaurant was nice,it was dimly lit and everything was in order,
“Endive Salad,Shrimps and wine.” She said to the maître,Charles looked up from the menu book,
“Good choice.” The woman left to get their order while Charles set her for a nice conversation,
“So Anne,you ever had a b©yfri£nd?” He asked her,she placed her hand un-der the table,on her th!ghs.
Its no use lying,common say it.
“Yes,I had a b©yfri£nd.” She couldn’t look at him but was looking at the dimly lit light on the other side of he restaurant and then to a black man that just walked into the restaurant,
“So what happened?” There was a certain calmness in his voice, she hasn’t heard from anyone in years, she stole a glance,
“Well,we got pretty serious, he proposed and I accepted but something led to something and that something led to breakup.” She said,
“What’s the something? I’m not trying to poke nose but I just wanted to know,she smiled,she un-derstood,
“He cheated.” She wasn’t exactly telling the truth,if he hadn’t cheated she would have cheated because there was Deville and his contract,
“Oops sorry.”
“No,it doesn’t matter anymore, its been six years alre-ady.” The maître c@m£ with their food,
“Anything else?” She asked them,each shook their head,so she left them.Charles opened the wine and poured some in each to the glas-ses,
“Thanks,” she took her glas-s,
“So Anne,do you have a by now.” She had shrimp in her mouth,so he waited for her to chew it,
“No.” That one word gave him a bit of happiness but it still scared him away,
“But I thought you and Alan are a….” She cut him short with a kinda cute and serious look,he backed for defense,
“Don’t get me wrong,everyone was saying it and it was obvious the way he looks at you.” He said,she shook her head,
“Hell no,I and Alan are just friends,we were friend before I care to work for you and he’s the one that really got me the job.” He heaved a breathe of relief at her explanation,
“So am I fighting a lost cause?” He asked,she waited.This question has been asked by countless men on countless dinner d@t£ over the space of six years and they got one answer,
“It’s a loss cause,”but the man sitting in front of her is not other men,he’s Charles Zhang,her boss,a nice,caring ,easy going gentleman that has fallen for her unlike the other men who were like Deville, nothing like Charles. They wanted her cause she’s beautiful and has nice b©dy,that’s all but she doesn’t know whether she loves him or not,he’s every girl’s dream but seems not to be hers, so absurd.
” Anne.”He called her back to her s-en-ses,
“Why don’t we take it one dinner at a time.” She said,he was slightly disappointed but that isn’t putting him off,he isn’t going to give up on her,never in this life.They ate their dinner, they talked about the project and how it was going and then to the contract,
“I showed the design to the client and he loves it,he said the designer really did a great job,then I told him it was my secretary who did it,so he’s inviting the both of us for his daughter’s birthday which is in two weeks.” She liked the comments on her work but wasn’t comfortable with the invitation,
“Charles, I don’t think I want to…” He took her hands in his,
“Anne,do me this one favor plea-se.” He interrupted her,
“I’ll s£nd you the d@t£ when he gives it,don’t worry about the venue,I’m coming to pick you up from your house.” She shyly took her hands from his and after awhile,she gave her approval,
“Thank you Anne.” He said to her.She paid for the meal while he ti-pped,he ti-pped generously and the maître was overjoyed when she saw his ti-p.
Charles insisted on driving her home before going back to the h0tel that night.When they got home,he parked then walked her to the porch,
“Okay,I’ll take it from here.” She said smiling,
“Thanks for tonight.” He took her hand with his,she relaxed,
“I should be thanking you not the opposite.” She said but he just kept staring at her,she felt shy and took her hands from his,he leaned closer and k!$$£d her on thel-ips, she wanted to get off but decided against it on a second thought,
A k!sscan’t hurt a fly.She allowed him k!ssher and even opened her mouth to him,he k!$$£d her pas-sionately and urgently, his hands on her w@!st,his k!sswas getting dee-per and dee-per,then she slightly pushed him off herself,
“Uhm……sorry Charles,I gotta go and its getting late for you to be driving out.” She was sleigh embarras-sed and he un-derstood perfectly well,
“Okay,good night Anne,she nodded and went inside while he headed to his car and drove away.She c@m£ inside and saw Cheryl by the window,
“Welcome girlfriend.” Cheryl said leaving the window side and coming to sit with Anne,
“You k!$$£d him.” Cheryl said,trying her best to stay calm and not bur-st with excitement,
“Why were you spying?” Anne asked,finding it amusing and irritating that Cheryl saw them k!ssing,she stood up and headed to her room while Cheryl followed her,
“I couldn’t help but spy but you boss really love you.” She said sitting on the be-d,
“Give menthe details, tell me where you guys went to and…….”
“Cheryl,I’ll give you details tomorrow but for now,I want nothing more than to have a nice shower and go to be-d,I’m dead tired.” She said from the shower,Cheryl g@sped,
“Did you have S-x with him?” She asked jokingly
“Cheryl!” Anne yelled,Cheryl has a way of annoying her,
“Okay,okay.” She stood up and went to the door,
“Just a k!ssis getting you tired,I wonder what you’ll feel if he fv¢ks you.” She said loud enough for Anne to hear,then she ran to her room and closed the door cause she knows what Anne would do if she comes out.
She did right, Anne c@m£ out, she went to the door,
“Thank your as-s you left,I would have punched your mouth and keep you shut forever.” Cheryl giggled from her room and Anne shut her door,
“Such a nuisance.”
Tbc…