Baby Keeper

4 | kasey

"Yeah yeah," he said, chuckling. "I just wanted to ask you if you've got time for coffee...or lunch?"

She and Matt were friends, well, not close but still. They'd never had lunch together alone before though—not that close. That was why Kasey was dead worried about this offer. What was his purpose? Was he going to tell her something about Tess? "Is Tess coming along?"

"No," he said, a hint of secretiveness in his voice that drove Kasey even sadder. "But don't worry. I just want to talk to you about Jian."

"Jian?" She was now surprised. She suddenly remembered Matt was best friends with him. She still couldn't make the connection between her and Jian. Did he tell him something? That prick, she thought. She'd been only loyal and obedient. No matter how grumpy he'd been, she tried to keep her peace and cheer him up. Even when it was impossible. "What about him?"

"I can't tell it on the phone."

"You scare me, Matt," Kasey said.

"Don't worry, doll, everything's fine." Matt chuckled. "I'll take you in an hour."

"Fine, see you."

For a whole hour, she couldn't stop thinking what Matt was going to tell her about Jian. Then, she remembered that all the mystery that came along with Jian. Matt was the only way she could get answers without worrying about Jian. She had to do it in a clean way, though. Ask about him in a conversation so Matt didn't sense anything suspicious.

She was just wondering so hard where the mother was.

When she dressed up, she realized there were still ten minutes till an hour so she called Tess. Since the morning, she didn't call her and although Kasey was sure Tess wouldn't forget about her birthday, she was still upset.

The phone rang several times but Tess didn't pick up the phone. That was skeptical because Tess should have woken up till now and she literally survived glued to her phone. When she dialed her again, she heard the door ringing and canceled. "Mom," she yelled as she walked through the corridor, grabbing her coat from the hanger. "I'm going out."

Her mother emerged from the kitchen door with a smile. "With Henry?"

"No, Matt." Kasey quickly put on her coat. "He wants to discuss something." She quickly wore her sneakers while her mother waved her and got back into the kitchen. Opening the door, she saw Matt waiting for her. "Hey Matt," she greeted him as she walked out.

He looked as nice as usual, she realized. She'd known Matt since they were kids and he never wavered from his usual style. He was always mature and kind, just the opposite of Tess, who could be crazy and as angry as a volcano when she wanted to be. Whenever the two argued, Matt just rolled his eyes and that always caused Tess to explode. "Happy birthday, doll," he said, hugging her tightly. Oh, and he sometimes called her doll.

"Thanks," she said with a wide grin. "So, where we off to?"

"Where do you wanna eat? I'd be okay with anything."

She suggested her favorite food brand and they hopped into his car. When silence crept between them since they weren't too close, Kasey started examining inside: a Starbucks cup, his home keys, a pile of his business cards and a golden bracelet. She blinked when she noticed that. As far as she'd known, Matt didn't have a girlfriend and Tess didn't have such a bracelet. "Matt," she breathed. He turned at her briefly with a smile. "Whose bracelet is that?"

"Oh, that," Matt murmured, but she sensed the tension in his tone. She was a woman after all—her sixth sense worked perfectly. "A colleague's."

Kasey slumped into her seat, looking out of her window to hide her face. She knew she had something to tell Tess now—no wonder she'd get so surprised to know that Matt was carrying someone's bracelet in his car.