It has been a week or more Pie stayed at home after the surgery. She thinks it's a right time for her to get back to work as her new sight now is partially adapted to the environment.
"Oh my, where is my handbag?" Pie mumbles alone while looking for it around her room.
"Hey sis! What are you looking for?" Out of nowhere, Alice appears behind her.
"My handbag." Pie answers short.
"Eh? How are you supposed to be here?" Pie turns her body as she realised that Alice is home.
"What kind of question is that? Of course I'm here. It's my room too." Alice drops her body to her bed and unbutton her shirt. Today is so hot!
"I mean..."
"Oh, I know it. Pie sissy, I'm usually come home at this hour. Don't you realise that?" Alice turns her gaze to her sister. She finally knows what Pie meant to her just now.
"Oh." Pie nods slowly.
"Your handbag is there. I hang it at the back of the door." Alice says while pointing her index finger to a wardrobe.
"Thank you." Pie smiles and makes her way to the wardrobe.
"Where are you going?" Alice looks to her sister from head to toe. Seems like Pie is going somewhere? Alice admits that her sister is beautiful. Pie is so stunning and radiant even though she just wear a simple blouse and skirt.
"Work." Pie says while fixing her clothes.
"I'll go first." Pie quickly makes her way downstairs as she knows that Alice will ask a lot of questions to her.
"Mom! I'm going to Aunty Inn's Bistro." Pie tries to spot her Mom at the living room but it comes to her surprise when she sees her father instead of her mother.
"Dad? You're early today?" Pie asks in disbelief. She comes closer to her father who is reading a newspaper while sipping his coffee.
"Huh? I usually come home at this hour Pie." Dad glances to his wristwatch and turns his gaze to Pie who seems so surprise to know that he's home.
"Owh, what happened to me today?" Pie scratches the back of her head and grins stupidly to her father.
"Pie honey don't make that face. You look ugly." Mom comes out from kitchen while carrying a tray of snack. Pie knows it's for her Dad.
"You're late honey. Look, what time is it? You usually go for work earlier than this." Mom shakes her head to see Pie's confuse face.
"Oh..I see." Now Pie knows the reason of today's weirdness.
"Do you want me to send you to work?" Dad offers to Pie. He is ready with his car's key.
"It's okay Dad. Kim will drive me to work." Pie informs her Dad.
"I'll go first." Pie kisses her Mom and Dad's cheeks and left.
"Aishh, did I said Kim will drive me to work just now?" Pie mutters alone as she walks down the street. Pie forgot that she is still in war with Kim.
"I should accept Dad's offer just now. Look, I've to walk out from this housing area just to get a taxi." Pie complains and steps heavily.
"Haish, why does it feel so far to reach the main road?" Pie sighs as she is now sweating a lot like hell.
"Vroom..vroom." Pie hears a motorbike comes closer to her.
"Pie.." Pie stops her movement when the person who rides the big motorbike calls her name.
"Who are you?" Pie's head was flooded with multiple thoughts. She starts to feel scared.
"Your disgusting Kim." The person lifts up her full face helmet and smiles to Pie.
Pie widens her eyes as she heard the name. She didn't recognise that the person is Kim. The full face helmet prevents Pie from seeing her face. She quickens her pace to avoid Kim.
"Hey Pie. Wait!" Kim rides her bike slowly just enough to catch the speed of Pie's step.
"Pie, you're already late. Come, climb on my bike and I'll take you to your working place." Kim persuades Pie who seems ignoring her. Pie's pace become faster than earlier.
"Hey look here. I wear my gloves, my long sleeve shirt covered by my black leather jacket and long pants. I wear socks and shoes too." Hearing that makes Pie glares to Kim.
Pie is staring to Kim as she is asking her "Why do you need to tell me that?"
"See, there are no parts of my skin is exposed to you. So you won't touch the disgusting me. Come, hop on my bike and hold this back handle. You don't need to hold on me. I bought a new helmet for you too. I'm sorry that I can't bring my car today. I send it to workshop." Kim still pleads Pie to come with her.
Kim's words struck Pie heart. She feels guilty as Kim keeps repeating the word 'disgusting'.
"Covered or exposed, touched or untouched, I won't come with you!" Pie stomps her feet and walk faster.
"Okay." Kim gives up and stops from following Pie. Pie realises it and she is so glad that Kim is not following her anymore.
Kim just stares to Pie who is already far from her. Well not really far, she still can see Pie clearly in that distance. Pie is heading to a T- junction. At the junction, she turns to the left.
"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,16,17,18,19,20,21,21.." Kim counts Pie's steps as Pie gone from her sight at the junction.
"Ahhhhh!!!" Kim hears Pie screams out of her lungs.
"Gotcha!" Kim smirks as she sees Pie runs back to the junction.
"WILD DOG!!!" Pie screams loudly as she runs back to Kim direction. Kim can see that there is a dog chasing Pie from behind.
Kim is so amazed to see how fast Pie could run with her short legs. Pie reaches her side in a nick of time.
"Wow! I wonder if Pie could break Usain Bolt record." Kim chuckles.
"Help me!" Pie quickly climbs on Kim's bike.
"Kim! Be quick!" Pie shakes Kim's body in order to urge Kim to leave the place as fast as possible.
"Wear this." Kim hands Pie the helmet and starts the engine.
"Grrr.. Wurff! Wurff!" The dog barks fiercely. It comes nearer to them.
"Haishh.. Haishh! Kim lets get out of here!!!" Pie yells as she feels so scared.
"Calm down princess. My bike is not a cowboy horse." With that, Kim speeds her bike, leaving the street.
Kim rides the motorbike with Pie at her back. Only God knows how much she miss this pretty princess. Since they left the housing area, Pie never release her arms from Kim's waist. She curled her arms around Kim's waist tightly until Kim can feel Pie's body leaned to her back. The earlier incident really scared Pie to death.
"Okay. We are here." Kim stops right in front of the bistro. Pie quickly removes her hands from Kim.
"Thank you." Pie hands her helmet to Kim.
"Most welcome princess." Kim smiles brightly to Pie but Pie didn't look up to Kim's face.
Pie is about to leave Kim and heads to the bistro when suddenly Kim grabs her arm and stops her movement. "Wait, let me help you." Kim pulls Pie closer to her. She takes out a handkerchief from her pocket.
"You should turn to the right girl, not to the left." Kim giggles as she wipes Pie's sweaty face. Pie remains silent and stands like statue in front of Kim. She didn't look to Kim at all.
"Nah, you look cute and clean now." Kim pinches Pie's cheeks playfully as she finished wiping Pie's face.
"I'll fetch you later okay?" Kim stares to Pie's face. Hoping that Pie will look to her.
"No need to be caring in front of me. What ever you do, I still hate you." Pie snatches the handkerchief from Kim's hand and heads to the bistro.
"I'll wait for you at our usual spot. I love you." Kim shouts to Pie.
Aunty Inn's Bistro
Pie pushes the door and enters the bistro. There are no customers yet. The bistro looks empty as no one there.
"Hello?" Pie tries to search for any existence of human being in the bistro.
"Pie? Is that you?" A middle age woman approaches Pie from behind. Pie turns her body to look to the owner of the voice.
"You can see me, aren't you?" The woman holds Pie's shoulder and stares to Pie with her tearful eyes.
"Yes. Aunty Inn?" Pie tries to guess.
"Oh my God! This is unbelievable!" Aunty Inn pulls Pie into her embrace. She feels so happy that Pie can see her with her own eyes.
"Hey come out everybody! Pie is back!" Aunty Inn shouts happily and that, Pie can see all crews come out to see her.
"Hi Pie! Could you recognise me? I'm Fin." One of the crews reaches out her hand to Pie to give a handshake.
"Pie, remember me? I'm Sheldon." Another tall guy steps in front of Pie.
"Pie, this is me. Handsome Jimmy!" The other guy pushes that Sheldon away from Pie.
"Pie! Pie! Pie!" All crews want to see Pie.
"Hey! Hey! Stop it." Aunty Inn dismiss the chaotic scene.
"Seems like everybody miss Pie so much huh?" Aunty Inn giggles to see everybody is so excited to welcome Pie back to the bistro while Pie smile shyly to all of them.
"Hello everybody. I'm back. Lets work as a team again." Pie says cheerfully to all of them. That evening, Pie get to know each and every person of the crews. From time to time, Pie finally recognise all of her friends as she remembers their voice.
Night comes and it's the time for Pie to entertain the audience. They know that Pie is back and now the bistro is very crowded with customers. It's not only the bistro's crews miss Pie that much right?
"Ladies and gentlemen, lets welcome, Pie Mindara!" The host says cheerfully and the audience are of course so glad to see Pie has already with her piano.
"Pie?" The host winks to Pie. Pie nods knowingly as she gets the meaning.
"Oh my God! What should I do?" Suddenly Pie becomes panic to see the piano's keys and also the manuscript in front of her. She don't know how to start. It feels like she lost her memory on how to play the piano.
"Pie?" The host calls her name again as Pie didn't start her performance.
Pie looks to the host and gulps. "Relax Pie. Relax." Pie tries to calm down herself.
Pie closes her eyes in order to remember each and every tone of the music. And yes, she remmeber it. Now Pie know, she just need to close her eyes while playing the piano. Her performance goes well and of course its never fail to mesmerise anyone who heard it.
As usual, after her performance, Pie will rest at her marked corner which is the place around the counter area.
"So, how does it feel to see this place?" Fern brings Pie's favourite drink and place it on the table.
"This place is so good and looks like a posh bistro too." Pie gives her opinion while scanning around the place.
"Who drops you here this evening?" Fern tries to open up her conversation with Pie. She knew it's Kim who gives Pie a ride to the bistro but she pretends that she didn't see it.
"Kim." Pie answers without looking to Fern.
"Glad to know that you two are okay now." Fern traps Pie with her response.
"No, we are not." Pie says in a barely audible voice but Fern can hear it.
"What Pie?" Fern pretends that she can't hear Pie.
"Nothing. Fern, I want some chocolate cake please?" Pie makes her puppy eyes to Fern.
"Haih.. As you wish princess." Fern shook her head and get the chocolate cake for Pie.
"Your Highness, your chocolate cake is here." Fern places a plate of cake in front of Pie.
"Wow! That's so fast."
"Hmm.." Fern rolls her eyes to Pie and takes her seat.
"Fern, who is that guy? I didn't see him earlier." Pie points her finger to a guy who is pushing a trolley full with dirty plates and glasses.
"Where is he?" Fern tries to spot the figure that Pie pointed to.
"That one with the trolley." Pie guides Fern's head to look to the guy direction. The guy is heading to the kitchen with a trolley full of dirty dishes.
"Tiger?" Fern looks to Pie with her blank face.
"Oh, that's Tiger! How dare he didn't show his face to me this evening." Pie pouts her lips.
"Handsome right?" Fern says softly to Pie's ears.
"Haish! You give me goosebumps!" Pie pushes Fern's body away from her.
"Yeah, quite handsome." Pie eyes follow the movement of the figure until he gone from her sight.
Tiger is indeed attractive even though he looks like a nerd with his thick old school glasses and also his neatly combed old fashioned hair style. As you look to his hair, you can't imagine how much hair gel did he used to make his hair like that. So stiff that even a thunder storm would never manage to move any tiny string of his hair.
"Hey! Tiger is mine." Fern nudges Pie's arm and glares to Pie with her serious face.
"Really? Did you two are officially dating?" Pie smiles teasingly to Fern.
"Hey, I think that's your Kim. Okay, time to go back." Fern pushes Pie's body. Forcing Pie to leave the bistro as soon as possible.
"Woah! Time to go back already? I thought we just sit here for a few minutes." Pie still don't want to leave the place. She's actually tries to avoid Kim.
"Nah, we have sit here for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Now go back. Kim is waiting." Fern pushes Pie's body again.
"Okay. Okay. Now stop pushing me. It's hurt." Pie stops Fern's hands and laugh. How can she be mad to her silly best friend.
"Bye Fern. Please say hi to Tiger for me." Pie squints her eyes and makes her way leaving the bistro.
"Now I have to face that liar!" Pie steps slowly to Kim direction. Yeah, Kim is waiting for her at their usual spot.
"How was your work?" Kim asks when Pie reaches her side.
Pie didn't bother to answer Kim. She just throws her sight anywhere but not Kim.
"I think the answer is yes." Kim giggles and hands Pie her helmet. Pie didn't take the helmet from Kim.
"Oh I'm sorry. I forgot about it." Without waiting for Pie's response, Kim helps Pie to wear the helmet.
"Now, lets go home." Kim climbs on her motorbike but Pie didn't do the same.
"Pie?" Kim looks to Pie who stands riverted to the ground.
"Lets go home now." Kim says to Pie calmly.
"I don't want to go home with you." Pie protests.
"I said lets go home now." Kim still manage to say nicely to Pie.
"I don't want!" Pie yells to Kim. She intends to annoy Kim with her manner.
"Pie sweetheart, who's gonna take you home if it's not me?" Kim fakes her smile even though deep inside her blood boils to the max.
"I said I don't want to go home with you!" Pie yells again to Kim.
"Oh Pie, you force me to do this." In no time, Kim sweeps Pie off her feet and carries Pie to her bike.
"Hey, let me go!" Pie hits any part of Kim's body that her hand could reach to.
"Sit still or you'll fall from this high speed bike." Kim starts her engine and speeds her motorbike. Pie tries to distance herself from Kim but she didn't manage to do so as she keeps slide to the front.
Pie's house
"You don't need to fetch me tomorrow and onwards." Pie says to Kim as they reach Pie's house.
"Who's gonna drive and fetch you from work then?" Kim is so shock with Pie's statement.
"It's none of your business." Pie folds her arms and looks away.
"What? You are my girl and of course I do care about you. No! Tomorrow and onwards I'll drive and fetch you from work. This is final decision. No objection." Kim makes her own decision without considering Pie's agreement.
"You're so stubborn!" Pie hisses.
"You too." Kim counters Pie's words.
"I hate you!" Pie turns her blazing eyes at Kim.
"I know you love me." Kim smirks.
"In your dream!"
"Then I won't wake up from my slumber." Kim grins widely to Pie.
"Hishh!" Pie clenches her fist and grits her teeth to control her temper. Pie's face swelled with anger as Kim doesn't affected with her action.
"Okay. Enough with that. Nah, take this." Kim hands Pie a paper bag.
"What is this?" Pie throws her suspicious look to Kim and takes the bag.
"ABC and writing books." Kim answers innocently.
"Huh? For what?" Pie widens her eyes to know that it contains books for children.
"Hey Pie, can you read what is written on that banner?" Kim points her finger to a hanging banner not far from Pie's house. It's a promotion banner of a newly open restaurant.
Pie turns her gaze to the banner. "Err..Ah.." Pie don't know how to read.
"You can't read it right?" Kim shook her head.
"I think your Mom forgot to teach you how to read and write again."
"Take this books and ask your sister or Mom to teach you how read and write again okay? You can't use your braille anymore." Kim cups Pie's cheeks.
"In two weeks of time, I'll test you for that okay?" Kim smiles warmly to Pie.
Pie nods her head in agreement. "Oh my! Did I just agree with her? This is so wrong!" Pie says in her mind.
"Go inside now. Good night." Kim says and leaves the housing area.
Pie, I know you love me. I'll do anything just to win your heart and gain your trust in me back.