The first light of day streaming through my windows, sending gentle beams on my face was the first thing I felt before I was fully awake.
It's another day, another usual day of the same.
Too much of the same sentiments, different atmosphere, but same routine. I was starting to forget when it all started. I knew what awaited behind my closed eyes—reality.
No. I didn't want to deal with it. Not yet. Not after an amazing dream of being with a woman, making love to her not just once or twice, but several times and in several sensational ways.
I kept my eyes shut so I could replay it without distractions. The thought of her sent ripple warmth throughout my body, and I couldn't help the smile that broke out on my face.
The smell of croissants, fruit jams, and coffee assaulted my senses. I heard my tummy growl loudly at the aroma that registered.
But no, I didn't want it to be over just yet. I tried to put off getting up for a few moments more. I pulled my duvet over my face, concentrating so I could go back to sleep, and dream again.
Wait. Something momentarily spoiled my train of thoughts; I couldn't recall the face of the woman in my dream.
I had always felt that something's missing, like I was longing for something—it was getting out of hand and stressing me out—causing a part of my brain to help itself satisfy my wishful urges through dreams. I'd been having visions of a tall, tanned woman every night since God knows when, but this one's eerily different—so vivid I could still feel her warmth.
I turned over, lay flat on my stomach, and grabbed the pillow next to me, then I buried my face in it. It smelled so fine, like fresh laundry and milk & honey from my new shampoo. I breathed in the scent of amber vanilla and musk. It's irresistible. Hold up. It wasn't my perfume yet it's familiar enough to soothe me and take me to an awfully familiar time and memories I fully remember.
My nose scrunched up when the stench of cigarette smoke and liquor wafted through my nostrils.
This isn't right.
I switched to using Relx a long time ago. I'd been to the bar every night for the week, but I didn't remember ever having any of my pillows reeked of cigarette smoke.
I aggressively opened my eyes and almost cursed when I did so; it got me sliding from the world of a dream into reality. The rays of bright sunlight stabbed my eyes and a twinge shot through my temples, making me squint; and only seconds later, the stabbing transformed into an equally unpleasant, painful throbbing.
No matter what I'd done the night before, one thing was certain: I'd gone overboard and was now paying for it—with a massive headache and ... memory loss?
Last night.
What happened last night?
I took my time lifting my eyelids, much more carefully, blinking and staring into the daylight that fell through the open windows. The events of last night slowly filtered back into my head.
Oh, that's right! Of course, I knew where I was last night. But I couldn't recall driving myself home. I remembered drinking at the bar, but no, I couldn't remember anything that happened after that.
I turned to my side and saw the scented candles that I bought yesterday. Good. I was definitely in my room. I held the pillow close to my body while I was still wrapped in my blanket. I curled up as I felt the blast of cool air coming from the AC hit me. Weird. I never changed the temperature of my AC.
My body ached. I stretched out then sat up. It wasn't until the covers glided down into my lap—revealing my bare body—that my heartbeat began accelerating. I unconsciously reached up and fiddled with the mini heart-shaped pendant under the thin gold chain hanging around my neck.
"Oh my God!" I blurted out. My eyes widened and several things struck me at the moment:
One, not only had I felt physically exhausted. I was also naked, and I never slept naked.
Two, I never left my windows open—not without the curtains closed.
Three, that familiar but distinct scent of my pillow was now making sense. There's no way the perfume was mine. There was somebody that slept with me in my bed. Which meant?
Four, it wasn't just a dream.
I swallowed hard, my breathing quickened, and my hands turned ice.
That fragrance. Okay, now it's adding up.
There's no chance I'd wear a sweet scent because mine was of masculine notes.
Oh no! Please, no! It couldn't be someone else. It just couldn't or it had to be just a dream.
My heartbeat was again escalating frantically. I lifted the sheet that's covering the rest of my nakedness, then I placed my hand between my thighs, checking if I would feel any pressure down there. My neck hurt, my arms hurt, my back hurt, my legs hurt. Everything hurt, including down there.
I darted my eyes around my room, looking for something—or someone—that could enlighten me from what had transpired last night. There were some clothes scattered on the floor in front of the bed. My own ... my white dress next to my undies that I wore last night.
I'm screwed! Shit. Rhian, you're just here for a short vacation and yes, you have a girlfriend back home!
I let out a heavy sigh as I slumped back to my bed. For a long moment, I just lay down, squeezing my eyes shut as my mind travelled back to a memory I couldn't forget—ever.
***
It was another busy day at the airport during the height of the tourist season. The place that was usually loaded was extra packed with a lot of travelers. Armored policemen stood at locations throughout the Dubai International Airport and numbers of security men were roaming around.
Rhian was in a foul mood because she missed her connecting flight due to yesterday's delay in Paris. The staff offered to book her on the next available flight but she declined as she didn't want to wait long hours for it. Good thing, they found her an outgoing flight in a different airline. It's not business class, but she was okay with it since the plane was already leaving in an hour.
"What the?" "Oh my!"
Rhian was looking around for the boarding area, and by the time she turned back; she bumped into a woman, spilling her coffee all down the floor.
Her eyes dragged down to the ground, and when she lifted her head, the woman was already raising an eyebrow at her that pissed her off.
"Miss, don't you see the people in front of you?" Rhian snorted as she glared at the woman, raising an eyebrow, too.
The woman snickered, nodding her head sideways. "Look, miss, it was you who knocked against me because you were not looking your way!"
"Whatever! If you're worried about your coffee, don't! I can pay you," Rhian, retorted. She's definitely not in the mood, but this wasn't how she usually deals with situations like this.
"Oh please, I can buy myself another cup of coffee. It seems like 'sorry' isn't in your vocabulary so I'm outta here. Cheerio, miss grumpy!" She gave Rhian a sly smile, chuckling before she walked away.
In normal circumstances, she wouldn't let the woman treat her like that, but she knew that she overreacted because she was being cranky since she arrived in Dubai, so she just let her get away.
She checked the time on her phone, then she dialed her sister's number. She raised her phone, placing it in between her ear and her shoulder as she looked down and fished around in her sling bag for her boarding pass and passport while she walked towards the boarding area.
"Ouch!" "Oh!"
She bumped into another woman and the impact made themselves unsteady, causing them to drop the things they were holding.
They crouched down and scrambled to reach for their things on the floor. Rhian picked her black leather jacket up and so did the woman to hers that was draped over her arm before it fell off the ground. Right when the woman reached for her boarding pass, Rhian stretched her hand out for it, too, causing the woman's hand to land on hers.
Rhian glanced at the paper she was holding. Galura, the only word she got to read before she heard the woman speak.
"I'm sorry, miss," said the woman, looking intently at her.
Rhian raised her head and met the woman's beautiful black eyes, staring at hers. Anybody could be drowned in each other's eyes—and be lost forever.
It was a moment when it seemed like time halted and the whole thing went into slow motion, just like in the X-Men or DC movies where everything in the scene except Quicksilver or Flash stopped moving.
One.
Two.
Three ...
Nobody was blinking. Tourists were everywhere, rushing to catch their flights, but even with the people passing through them, their hands remained together—frozen in their position, that's what they were.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine ...
Everything around them started to blur into insignificance, neither of them wanted to look away. It was a peak hour and the airport was buzzing with people shouting, laughing, and chattering. Announcements of flights departing were being heard around, but Glaiza couldn't hear anything. Nothing but the sound of her heart, pounding a drumbeat in her ears—loud and clear.
Thirteen.
Fourteen.
Fifteen ...
Rhian's heartbeat started to race as they continued to hold each other's gaze. In an instant, she saw herself in the dark pool of Glaiza's eyes. Damn, her eyes! Stop staring. Come on, Rhian, look away! She told herself. It was like there's a spell casted on her as those enigmatic eyes spellbound her, making her immobile.
Nineteen.
Twenty.
Twenty-one ...
Glaiza held her breath. Her thoughts swam as her pulse increased, drawn by some familiar but unrecognized force—her face lifeless. Shit! Para akong nahi-hypnotize. Her lashes ... her eyes are so beautiful, Glaiza thought. There's something behind those brown orbs that enchantingly took her into a different dimension—something even science couldn't explain.
Twenty-five.
Twenty-six.
Twenty-seven ...
Lub-dub ... Lub-dub ... Lub-dub ... Their heartbeats were thumping fast.
Thirty-one.
Thirty-two.
Thirty-three ...
Dug ... dug ... dug ... dug ... dug ... This time faster and the sound grew louder and louder and it's becoming a throb pulsing in their ears.
Thirty-seven.
Thirty-eight.
Thirty-nine ...
Fuck! What is happening to me? Rhian had to do something. She wondered if everyone felt like this when Glaiza looked at them. With all her might, she squeezed her eyes shut, shook her head violently, and then opened her eyes again.
"Ehem! Miss, what are you doing?" Rhian called out nervously in an attempt to appear calm and collected. She quickly pulled her hand away.
Glaiza's eyes widened as she came back to her senses. "Oh! Uhm. Th-that ... "—she pointed at the paper in Rhian's hand—"I believe that's my boarding pass." She stammered in response.
Rhian then realized that she's still holding it. "Here!" She shoved it to the woman and picked up the other boarding pass left on the floor. She rose up, and as she started walking past Glaiza, she rolled her eyes and murmured, "Tss. Laki laki ng mata, hindi niya ba ako nakita?" She then made her way to the boarding area.
Glaiza heard it and was left dumbfounded. She turned to Rhian but she was already facing her back so she just continued to where she was heading.
Napakaganda niya. Kaya lang mukhang maldita. Alam kong malaki ang mga mata ko, cute kaya. She found herself laughing at the thought as she stopped in front of a coffee shop. She walked in and went straight to the counter to order.
"One hot grande Café Americano, please."
"Your name, miss?"
"Glaiza," she replied, not looking at the person in front of her.
The barista quickly wrote it on the cup. She offered her some pastries but Glaiza didn't pay much attention because she was busy looking for her purse.
Where is it? Kinuha ko lang 'yun kanina.
"Uhm. Miss ... "—she glanced at the barista's name plate—"Ramona, no, thanks. I'm fine with just the coffee." She reached up and scratched the edge of her right eyebrow. "Can you hold on for one sec?" she asked.
"Sure."
She went to the side to check her pockets. She was pretty sure she took her wallet before checking in her luggage earlier.
She raised her index finger at the barista and mouthed, "I'll be right back."
She went outside the shop and looked at the spot where she was earlier. Nothing. She came back in and saw Ramona with a cup of coffee in her hand. She was about to tell the barista about her wallet but Ramona beat her to it.
"Looks like you dropped your wallet somewhere, Glaiza." She smiled with a flirty glint in her eyes and tucked her—not-disheveled—hair behind her ear and went on, "Don't worry. I got this. Consider it paid. Here." She winked at Glaiza before handing the cup to her. "The security may help you go find it," she added.
"You didn't have to, but thank you so much!" Glaiza smiled at her before she headed out.
Indeed, Glaiza was escorted to an office where she was interviewed and was asked to fill-out a form only to tell her that nothing matched the description she provided about her wallet.
Glaiza left the office as she already had to go back to the boarding area. She didn't consider missing her flight to look for her wallet because there's no assurance that she would get it back anyway. She mentally noted to contact her bank about her lost cards when she gets back to Manila.
***
Good morning. This is the final boarding call for passengers booked on flight 21GR3 to Manila. Please proceed to gate 8 immediately. The final checks are being completed and the captain will order for the doors of the aircraft to close in approximately 10 minutes time. Thank you.
Glaiza wore her jacket before she boarded the plane. Her nose scrunched up at the smell that registered. She walked inside and located the seat assigned to her.
"Finally," she whispered upon seeing her seat just a few feet away. As she approached the aisle seat, she saw a familiar face comfortably seated onto the window side next to hers. Her eyes were shut while she was massaging her temples with her index and middle fingers.
Uy, si miss sungit! Her lips instantly quirked at the corners upon seeing Rhian—she couldn't help it. Glaiza just watched her for a while. Pwede rin pala siyang maging mukhang mabait.
She carefully took her seat so the woman next to her wouldn't notice her. She then peeked at Rhian on her side before she closed her eyes, leaning back comfortably. "Chance encounter," she whispered, enough for Rhian to hear her.
Rhian opened her eyes, looked at her, and she immediately recognized Glaiza.
"Eleventh of May," Glaiza mumbled. Her eyes were still shut, but she knew Rhian was now looking at her.
"What—anong pinagsasabi ng babaeng 'to?" Rhian muttered, her brows pinched together. She opted to speak in Filipino so Glaiza wouldn't understand her.
"The day we first met," Glaiza continued.
"Baliw ata 'tong babaeng 'to. Sayang, maganda ka pa naman sana, girl." Rhian went back to her position.
A smug smile escaped Glaiza's lips upon hearing her. "I guess you can call me crazy." She turned to her side facing Rhian.
Rhian blatantly opened her eyes. Shit! No, she didn't ... She slowly turned her head to her and was surprised to see Glaiza already gazing at her.
Once again, their eyes met.
"Okay lang, kung sa'yo naman ako mababaliw." Glaiza's smile that crept across her face quickly turned into a big grin, until it lit up her eyes.
Rhian felt the muscles in her throat tighten. She blinked as she swallowed hard, pushing down a lump so that she could speak. "Ha! ... hahaha." OMG, I'm screwed! She forced a laugh—an uneasy one—that came off sounding exactly like the nervous laugh it was, not really knowing what to say. "Did she hear what I said earlier?" She told herself, but before she even realized what she was saying, she had already blurted it out.
Of course, Glaiza heard it.
"I did. 'Yung sinabi mo na maganda ako?" Glaiza asked, a teasing smirk present on her lips.
Air conditioning seemed to be a luxury in the aircraft, but beads of sweat glistened on Rhian's face. She found herself in the most awkward situation of her life, wishing a giant slingshot would whisk her away to another planet like in the game, Angry Birds. And just when she was trying to get out of the hot seat, it got even worse.
"No!"—Rhian shook her head—"I mean, yes, you're beauti—" What?! She paused as she breathed deeply, then she continued, "I uh ... I mean n-no that wasn't. Fine. Y-yes. Yeah, I said it." She stuttered in defeat. She saw how Glaiza's face turned red in an effort to restrain her laughter. She quickly turned to face the window next to her, trying to gauge Glaiza's thoughts of her silly actions. Urgh! This weirdo is annoyingly enjoying. I've been speaking in Filipino since earlier, nakakaintindi naman pala.
Glaiza bit her lip, but she just couldn't hold it anymore. And just like a pricked water balloon, she burst into a fit of laughter. Her shoulders were shaking uncontrollably, she slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Dubai International flight 21GR3 bound Manila. We are currently 2nd in line for take-off and are expected to be in the air in approximately five minutes time ... In a few moments, we'd like to direct your attention to the monitors in front of you as we screen out safety demonstrations. We request your complete cooperation. We wish you all an enjoyable flight. Thank you.
They both snapped their seat belts on and set their mobile phones to airplane mode.
Glaiza's helpless half-tearful giggles finally died down. She cleared her throat and started, "Uy!"—she poked Rhian in the side, playfully but gently, flashing her perfect smile—"Wag ka na mahiya."
Rhian angled around and glared at her. "Don't talk to me. Pwede ba, hindi naman tayo magkakilala!" She huffed then faced the window back, looking outside as the plane took off.
"Ay, sorry. 'Yun lang ba? Sige, I'm Glaiza"—she extended her right hand—"yung sinabihan mo kanina na malaki ang mata."
Rhian's cheeks dimpled. She felt the urge to laugh as she remembered the incident earlier when she said it, but she managed to suppress it.
Another light poke in Rhian's side. "You know what? Ano ... Uhm. ang cute mo pala magpanic 'no? Pero ... mas maganda ka kung nakangiti ka," she paused. There was silence as she watched Rhian's reaction, then continued, "Yieee ... Sige na, 'wag mo nang pigilan."
Rhian didn't know what to feel anymore. She's annoyed, but at the same time there's this fluttery feeling inside her stomach. She bit the inside of her cheeks as she struggled to stop herself from smiling.
Glaiza was about to say something when an announcement from the captain was heard over the speakers.
Glaiza remained silent. Sungit! Porket alam niyang chix siya. She pressed on the touchpad in the armrest to adjust the back seat and the footrest, changing the angle of her seat to match her comfort. She put her earphones on and started listening to Billy Eilish's new album.
Rhian did the same, except she didn't have earphones and didn't want to use the complimentary ones. Yes! She finally stopped bothering me. She zipped her jacket up and ran her fingers through her hair before she closed her eyes, preparing to sleep.
Glaiza dusted her jacket and suddenly sat upright upon catching a whiff of something strange, then she remembered something. She gazed at Rhian and composed herself before talking to her.
"I like your jacket!" She blurted out, but Rhian pretended not to hear her.
"That must have cost a fortune." Glaiza added but Rhian didn't budge. Pakasungit talaga! Isa pa, last na.
"Tell you what? I can sue you for theft."
Here we go again. Urgh! Rhian tossed her a look. "Tss. No, miss, you listen to me. That's a lame pick-up line, okay? Fine. Bakit? Kasi ninakaw ko ang puso mo, ganon?" Oohh burn!
Glaiza was speechless. She just laughed until her sides hurt and a color came into her cheeks.
"What's funny? You can't fool me, you're just laughing it off kasi napahiya ka." Rhian chirped, feeling proud of herself.
"Saint Laurent. This year's limited edition," Glaiza said as she wiped the tears that came out her eyes.
"What?" asked Rhian, confused. This woman is a wacko.
"Leather, made in Italy. It's the 'Blood Luster' designed by the artist Luke Thomas," Glaiza replied, this time with a serious face.
"Oh my, what are you? A stalker?" Rhian exclaimed, covering her mouth with one hand.
"Sira. Stalker agad? Well, apparently, you're not the only one who can buy a designer jacket." Glaiza sneered at her. "Sweetie, I hate to break it, but that jacket you're wearing, it's mine." She winked at Rhian.
"You said what?! Miss, nagpapatawa ka ba?" Rhian gaped at her.
"Do I look like I do? Go, check it out yourself. In the right inside pocket of the jacket, you'll find my wallet."
Rhian did as she was told. She slid her hand inside the jacket, then she unzipped the pocket, and there, she found Glaiza's wallet. Oh my goodness! This day is as bad as it gets.
"Gusto mo 'wag na tayo magpalit e. Tutal mukhang mas bagay sa'yo 'yan at itong sa'yo mukhang mas fit naman sa akin."
Fine. Glaiza, you won. Rhian, for the first time, let her guard down, and a genuine beaming smile spread across her face. The kind of smile that could have done her a toothpaste commercial; the kind of smile that was contagious, finding its way onto Glaiza's lips, too.
"Baliw!" Rhian said, chuckling. She took off the jacket, but didn't give it to her just yet. "So ano? Hindi mo tatanggalin 'yan?"—she pointed at her jacket that Glaiza was wearing—"Well, I'm cool with that. I'd still have the same designer jacket anyway, plus I get to have your wallet, too." She giggled.
Glaiza crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged her shoulders. "Talaga? S-sabagay kapag ano," she paused and averted her eyes. "Mas magkakaroon ako ng rason para makita pa kita ulit," she continued, almost in a whisper. She raised her head and her mouth twisted into a nervous smile at Rhian.
It took Rhian a couple of seconds to react, and before she did, her eyes were locked with Glaiza. She looked down, unable to keep her gaze without flushing like a beetroot.
"Silly! Ikaw, alam mo? Kanina ka pa banat ng banat. Sige ka, konti na lang maniniwala na ako."
Rhian meant that as a joke. But did Glaiza?
Glaiza slipped out of Rhian's jacket and handed it to her, but before Rhian could even reach out to get it, Glaiza immediately retracted her hand. Confusion was seen on Rhian's face.
"We clearly started off on the wrong foot. So ... l-let's try again?" Glaiza uttered the last three words more like a question. "Take two," she added. She cleared her throat as her fingers twiddled with the heart pendant of her necklace. She rubbed her right eyebrow before she held out her hand for a hand shake.
"Hi! I'm Glaiza." Her eyes crinkled at the edges as she flashed a dazzling smile—the Glaiza smile. She had the kind of smile that could soothe all your heartaches and soften you like butter on a fluffy warm pancake; the kind of smile that felt like a rainbow being poured directly into your soul.
Rhian looked deeply into Glaiza's dark eyes as she reached to shake her hand. "I'm Rhian." A sincere smile plastered on her face, not leaving Glaiza's eyes.
Glaiza continued to hold her hand and Rhian could feel the power of her gaze. She was sure Glaiza was reading every thought in her being.
Unable to break from this powerful connection, they were both left spellbound.
The stare would have lasted God knows how long if not for the crew who interrupted them.
"Ms. Galura, here's the wine you pre-ordered."
"Yeah, thanks. Can you give us another glass of this, please?"
After a few minutes, the flight attendant came back with another glass of the same wine. Glaiza took it as she gave the first one to Rhian.
And just like that, they got to know about each other during the whole flight. Their conversation continued as they shared many stories and talked about things they hadn't told anyone else.
Little did they know that it was the start of a beautiful relationship.
Those wonderful hours they shared discovering each other followed several hangouts until they came to know a good deal about each other.
Just when Rhian thought that day couldn't get any worse, she met the woman she would forever be in love with.
Just when Glaiza thought she was never gonna get her wallet back, she found the woman that held a big piece to make the puzzle of her life fit together.
***
I was brought out of my reverie when I felt the pain in my head, I opened my eyes and the room immediately began to spin uncomfortably. My head was a whirl of thoughts and fear. I was starting to get nauseous from the foul taste of the liquor. My mouth was dry, I could drink a gallon.
I got up, not minding my nakedness and went out of the bed. But as I stood up, my stomach flipped. I placed my hand over my mouth as I felt the bile rise in my throat. I ran towards the bathroom door, fumbling with the knob before yanking it open. I'd drank several hard liquors before, but tequila was really something. I wasn't sure I would ever be able to drink it again.
I wiped the back of my hand over my mouth after I heaved the last batch of last night's alcohol. My gaze went up to my image in the big mirror over the sink in front of me, continuing my efforts to recall the details of last night. I felt sick—worse than I'd felt before. I washed my face, but my head was still thumping rhythmically. I could have had a nice and warm bubble bath, but I thought a shower would sort me out.
As the ice-cold water ran over my body, my "dream" came back to me in quick flashes—something about the noise and music at the bar, about a pair of alluring eyes glaring at me, strong tanned arms that held me as I was being dragged to the parking lot, and the seductive smell of her.
Her.
So it was indeed a woman. I closed my eyes in relief, breathing deeply through my mouth.
More clearly now; images of myself kneeling on the floor, ogling at her bare body and wanting to touch her, forcing myself at her and practically begging her not to leave me—something I'd never done in my life.
It was coming back to me now, all too well. That poor woman, she didn't even want to—did she? She tried to push me away as she was trying to turn me down, but I kept it up. Shame at such assertiveness made me wish the earth would open up and swallow me. I wouldn't, I couldn't—no, I'd never been in a situation like this. I had engaged myself in a few flirtings before but never had I compelled anyone to do something against their drive.
That was totally out of my character.
I felt bad for the woman and I hated myself for turning into somebody, even I couldn't recognize. I let the water flow into my body, hoping it would wash away the guilt that grew inside me. I was planning to stay longer in the shower, but the gnawing hunger in the pit of my stomach started up again. I pictured the flaky buttery croissants with a steaming hot coffee, so I hurriedly lathered up, working the soap all over my body, then I quickly rinsed. I went out of the shower and didn't bother to get dressed; instead, I marched towards the bathroom cabinet and got myself a fresh white robe.
After a hasty application of my skincare products, I stepped out of the room and walked through the hallway going to the stairs. The thick tang of fresh coffee wafted from the kitchen. I paused for a few moments before going down the stairs, taking a peek around to see if I would spot anyone.
Aside from the ticking of the clock, there was nothing coming from downstairs, so with light steps—careful not to make a sound—I walked down and it wasn't until I was midway down the stairs that I noticed my pair of sandals from last night. I looked farther down and saw a hanky that I knew wasn't mine. My cream blazer was dispersed down the last few steps to the floor.
I gathered them and dashed into the kitchen. There was a stack of what seemed like freshly baked croissants on a small basket next to my favorite jam, ham and eggs together with brie and cheddar cheese on a plate, and a small bowl of mixed fruits. Everything was perfectly laid on the breakfast bar. I headed to the cupboard for my favorite mug but it was not there. I looked around and there, next to the coffee maker, I spotted the big black mug. I picked it up and it revealed a sticky note—with a handwriting that seemed to be purposely altered—stuck to the kitchen surface
It's stronger than what you would have wanted, but you need it that way. Eat up and please don't think too much.
P.S. I love your new tattoo on your hip. And your new piercings =P
Heat shot into my face. I quickly grabbed the carafe from the coffee maker and poured the steaming coffee into my mug, almost to the top. Placing the glass pitcher back, I picked up the mug, closed my eyes, and I inhaled the rich aroma before I took a sip.
Dang, it's hot.
I almost winced but it was good. I always liked the bitter taste of coffee and it really was how I needed it to be able to face the rest of the day.
I took a knife and fork from the silverware drawer and got the butter out of the fridge before I walked back to the counter. I settled on the stool and proceeded to pile food on my plate the way I always did.
I cut the croissant in two, then sliced them open. I slathered the butter onto it and dabbed it with a bit of jam. The other half, I filled with cheese and ham. Perfect. I stuffed them in my mouth and I cut away the white portion of the egg, slicing across the yolk and took a bite. The saltiness and sweetness plus the runny yolk tasted heaven. Like how I'd learned to love the salted caramel flavor, the combination was always perfect.
I was enjoying the food when I sighted my purse on the countertop next to the sink. How did it get there? I had no idea. I felt my cheeks burn even more as I thought of how wild I might have acted last night. I closed my eyes as the memories wanted to resurface.
Her lips on mine, her hot breath on my skin, her hand curled on my nape while the other caressed my body, her deep groans close to my ear. Naked skin on naked skin, how wonderful it felt ... My fingers firmly dug into the muscles of her—
I snapped my eyes open in horror. So I wasn't quite without memory. If I remembered it correctly, she was trying to pull away, but my grip was firm, too firm that when I looked into her eyes, I didn't see resistance but something else—desire—that kept me going until she gave in and succumbed to the temptation and pleasure our bodies were aching for.
I wasn't usually like this to a woman, but she was different. I couldn't explain but it was like there's a force, irresistibly pulling me into the field of her being—something familiar, yet so foreign; something strange, yet felt so right.
I kept wondering about the thought of her, hoping she would clearly pop up in my head. Her eyes were so vivid yet her face was sketchy. I kept forcing my mind to flash her image but to no avail.
I jolted out of my thoughts when I heard the doorbell ring. My heart started to race in excitement. I took a deep breath, jumped off the stool, and I hurried to the door. I peered through the peephole and a grin instantly beamed over my face upon seeing a man carrying a huge bouquet that looked like red and white carnations.
Before I opened the door, I strode across the hallway, back to the living room, and I glanced at the wall clock. Something was odd but whatever it was, I just shrugged it off.
"Bonjour, madame! Here's your flowers for today, Ms. Howell," he chirped when I opened the door.
"Hi. Good morning!" I greeted him back and gave him a grin.
"Here you go. You know the drill." The tall, well-tailored, and muscular man gave me a friendly wink as he handed the flowers. He held out a clipboard with a sign-in sheet and passed the pen he took from his suit jacket pocket. "Please sign at number eleven."
"Looks like your boss got a new taste in flowers," I said as I raised an eyebrow. "And you came a little later than usual." I giggled as I signed my name.
"Hope you like carnations," said the guy.
"They are my favorite." I nodded as I handed the clipboard back.
"Merci. Have a great day, Rhian!" He exclaimed, flashing a crooked smile. I watched him walk out the hallway towards the elevator before I slammed the door close with my hip.
I looked at the flowers and inhaled its scent. I searched for the card the bouquets always came with, but to my dismay, there was none. It had been a week since I started receiving a bouquet of tulips in different colors every day and I got so used to it that I found myself anticipating every sweet note that I got to read, which I appreciated more now that I didn't get one. Who was sending the flowers and why? I had no idea.
It's true what they say that some people don't know what they have until it's gone.