"Papa bear! Open up!" I shouted, hoping Ohm could hear me and open up their shop's door for me. It's just 7am, and it's cold, yet here I am in front of Tawan's shop with 5 cups of assorted drinks he requested earlier. If he isn't my friend, I would have not woke up early to prepare the drinks and come here this early. But I'm gonna make sure to give him an earful.
It took a while before Ohm opened the door. As usual, he greeted me with a wide and bright smile.
"Good morning, P'Apple." He said as he helped me with the drinks.
"Hey, what's wrong with your boss. Why is he nagging me so much these days?" This is both a question and a complaint. Ohm just giggled. "Yah, why are you giggling?"
He laughed and shook his head. "Nothing, Phi. It's just that you teo are so cute. You complain a lot about each other but you still care." He explained.
"And what do you mean by that?" I raised an eyebrow. He just ignored it.
"Look at these." He pointed at the cups of drinks I brought. "You complained about him nagging yet you still did what he asked you to."
"Ugh. Ohm, it's business. I will make the two of you pay for these." I jokingly said. Ohm laughed.
"Wait, speaking of these drinks, why did he asked me to prepare five?" It's not just five, it's five different drinks.
"Well, it's for his meeting today, Phi." Ohm pointed at the table set-up at a corner where who people are already seated. The lady, who is seated facing the counter, smiled at us. Then the guy she is with, the one seated in front of her turned and it's someone I do not want to see at the moment: August.
So that must be July. She is pretty. She looks classy with her all black suit. She looks sleek and well, feminine, her make up did the trick. Her hair is tied up. She's wearing no jewelries, just some thing rings on her fingers.
"Hey." Tawan said as he exit his kitchen. He is in his uniform already. Maybe for the meeting. He walked towards the counter where Ohm and I are standing.
Upon reaching the counter, Tawan gave me a forehead kiss, which is something that he never did. I also saw the surprise in Ohm's face.
"Good morning, my dear." He greeted me.
"Are you nuts?" I whispered. He just giggled.
"Thank you for bringing the drinks." Tawan took the cups containing the americano. He then proceed to give it to August and the lady. Then he came back to the counter. He took the cup of green tea latte. "This is for you Ohm," he took the cafe latte, "and this is for you my dear Apple." I took the cup. "And this is mine, caramel macchiato."
Ohm and I looked at each other. We are both confused as to what Tawan has in mind. He has been very unpredictable lately. First, he came home a month earlier. He has been delivering the pastries at the coffeeshop, and now this, why did he ask me to make some drinks for August and the lady? What is he up to?
"Come, you two, let's start the meeting." And he walked to the table where August and the lady are waiting. Ohm and I followed, still clueless of what is happening.
"So, may I know what brought you here?" Tawan asked the couple.
"Well, August and I are about to get married." I saw from the corner of my eyes that Ohm and Tawan looked at me. Dear, I hope the lady didn't notice. "I hope you can be the one to make our wedding cake." The lady smiled, and she looked more beautiful.
Tawan took a bread and began slicing it. What's with him slicing bread? He could jist take a bite.
"May I know why me? I pretty sure there are better patissier out there." He asked the lady. The lady was taken aback.
Tawan handed me the plate of sliced bread. I took it just so he can start focusing on his prospect clients.
"We heard about you from August's family friend. They said your creations are beautiful and tasty." I reckon she's talking about Gulf's parents.
"Well I have to think about it." He immediately responded.
"What?" Ohm and I said in unison. I'm pretty sure were thinking about the same thing. It's a good opportunity for Tawan and his shop. Why would he has to think about it? Anyways, hell just do it once.
"What what?" He said, a bit irritated I guess.
"Why do you have to think about it?" I straightly asked him. I signalled Ohm not to butt in, that I'll handle it.
"Why not? I have a lot of work to do. I have the shop to manage, we have to supply to all Gulf's restaurants, we also have to deliver supplies to yours. And I have a contract somewhere. I already signed and I know I will be busy. I have to think about it if I can deliver what they're expecting from me." He explained.
"If that's the case," the lady said, "I do reLly hope you'll consider us. I really want my wedding to be perfect and having a cake made my a good patissier like you will help us achieve it."
Tawan just nodded. "I'll inform you next week about my decision. If I couldn't make, I'll nake sure to suggest someone that you can check out."
The lady smiled. She stood up. August stood up as well. "Thank you very much for you time. And we hope to hear good news from you soon." Tawan nodded once again. "We'll go ahead then."
Tawan stood up and shook their hands. Omh and I just stood up and did our wai.
I just realised that August didn't say a word during the whole conversation. Maybe he doesn't have any say. Or maybe he is shocked to see me there. Or it could be he doesn't want to say something that would put him into trouble. Anyways, I couldn't care less.
"What the hell is Tawan thinking?" I asked Ohm as we walked out of the shop. We're both carryinh the pastries for the coffeeshop.
"You're the only one who can decode what P'Mew and P'Tawan are thinking, Phi. If you do not know, how am I supposed to know?" He asked me back.
"Do you think this has something to do with what happened in the previous weeks?" I looked at Ohm and he shook his head.
"I don't think so, Phi. He didn't know the whole story, remember? Fluke said no one told him." Ohm explained.
But I'm pretty sure he knows something. I've told him some parts of it but I didn't tell him things that would trigger him to come home. Fluke told me that he was the one who brought me home that night I told August that I will sign the divorce papers. Maybe he heard something? But it was raining so hard!
"Oh, why are you still here, Khun?" I heard Ohm said.
It was only that time that I noticed that August and the lady are still in front of the shop.
"We are still waiting for our car." The lady said.
Can't you drive? I almost asked them. I looked at August and he's just looking at the lady, not paying attention to anything or anyone. Yeah, yeah..he's in love with her. Madly deeply in love.
"Let's go Ohm, Fluke might be waiting for us." I told Ohm, he immediately got my signal.
"Guys, sorry I overslept. I only get to sleep at around 3 this morning." I tried to explain myself as I reach the dinning area. It's already 11 3 in the afternoon. Mew, Kao and Fluke are having tea time.
"It's okay, it's a Sunday, anyways. Would you like to eat something?" Mew asked me.
"Anythung will do." I told him
He immediately stood up to get me some food.
I sat down beside Kao who is reading a very thick book.
"Where is Earth?" I asked the soon to be groom.
"Still asleep, phi. He's so tired from last night." Kao said. Fluke almost choked from the tea he is drinking. "Calm down, Fluke." Kao said calmly.
"Here is you food." Mew put down a bowl of ramen in front of me.
"Where did this came from?" I asked him. They hate having deliveries on a Sunday. Where did the ramen came from? No one can cook ramen in this household.
"Well, from your visitor, actually." Mew explained.
"I have a visitor? When? Where?" I asked curiously.
"At the living area, Phi." Fluke whispered.
I was curious who it was that I immediately stood up and went to the living area. But all the excitement faded when I saw August.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him. I tried to make my voice as emotionless as possible.
"Well, I came here to ask you a favor." He tld me straightforwardly.
"What?" I said in disbelief.
"I'm here to ask you a favour." He repeated himself.
"What?" I asked again. I saw him get irritated.
"I said-" I didn't allow him to finish.
"I heard what you said. But I couldn't believe it." Silence. "Weeks ago, you were so keen at cutting ties with me, with us. And now here you are asking for a favour? Why? Are we friends?"
"Look, I know what I said and it's still what I want to do. But I can't see my fiancée that sad and bothered. She really wanted your friend to make our cake." He explained himself.
I wanted to laugh and say sarcastic things to him. How dare him just come here and ask for a favour as if nothing happened?
"Look, it seems to me that Tawan already made a decision. Whatever that is, he will keep and follow it. We, his friends, cannot do anything about it. Once he makes a decision, it's final. So, even if you beg me here, it won't help at all because he already made a choice." I explained to him. He looked disheartened.
Silence. It was a long awkward silence. Even the people in the dining area where silent.
"I hope," I began. He looked at me. "I hope you keep you words. I've kept mine. I have not been talking to you . I have not even looked at you unless needed. I've kept my promise to cut ties with you. And I hope you do as well." I told him frankly. "I do not want to feel any hope. And looking at who you are now, it only makes me sad and hurt. I'd rather not see you anymore. So, I really do hope that we will cut our ties now. Cuz it's making me feel uncomfortable now, facing you."