It's Friday again, and it has been another week of pure euphoria and harmony. The between me and Andy has augmented in a tremendous way, and I am so over moon about it. We sit in this kitchen for hours enunciating about anything and in general after Angel goes to bed, enjoying our usual lemon and honey which Andy can't skip even for a single day. The cooking in this house has a permanent responsibility for me too. I prepare their.., sorry, our, every meal, and I am so delighted for Andy's trust in me to do this. They love my , so much, and now Andy does not eat anywhere else. No offence, but I am bragging about it. It's an achievement for me.
I am patiently waiting for that day he will ask me to be packing his lunch for him that I can break my legs jumping up and down with joy. Meh! Deep sigh! That like the eighth wonder.
Aside from all that, I am also in equilibrium now because I know the bank will not bugging my parents about the loan. I received my first salary two days ago, and first thing I did was to send more than three-quarters of it to my parents. I am that apart from settling down our loan payment for this month, other bills their upkeep for this month will be sorted out too.
What Andy disbursed in my account was mind-blowing. At first, I assumed he had a wrong payment to my account, and I had to wait for him to ascertain. Even parents could not surmise when I told them how much I was going to send. For maid, the salary is sky-highly abnormal, but I am appreciative because, with that , I will be able to help my family more than I even imagined. Speaking of family, I had promised to give them a video call today. Since Angel has gone to and Andy has not yet arrived, it's the perfect time to call them as I wait for
Andy so that we can have our coffee.
I connect the Wi-Fi and make a WhatsApp call. It's 9:45 p.m, meaning that Andy be here any minute. They better pick quick.
"Finally, Tania! We have been gaping at this phone for hours. We were almost up." Mira spoke, after receiving the phone. I knew she will be the first one babble.
"Come on Mira! She wasn't just seated in the house doing nothing like you here!
Show some understanding! Hello dear, how are you? Are you okay?" That's my , the most pragmatic, caring, and loving woman I have ever known. She has , still is, and will be my source of strength.
"Are you alright my child? Are they treating you well there, huh?" And that's my . He has been our hope in disparity, the strong pillar of our family.
"Hi, guys," I say to them all, flapping a hand on the screen. "I am good. Especially that I have seen you guys. Gosh! It's been only a month but I miss you like I last year. Wait, where is Mina?" Mina and Mira are identical twins, my only , and it's rare to not see them together.
"She had a headache and went to bed early. Too bad she....."
"Hey, there, sissy! I could not miss this call for anything. You know me, don't ya?"
Mina's smiling face appears on the screen, and now my entire family is in front of . How I love and miss them!
"I am glad to see you all," I say.
"We're glad to see you too, Tania." They chorus altogether.
"Alright, guys. My boss is about to arrive any minute. Can we do this tomorrow?"
"Sure, dear. But before then, we wanted to ask if we can send you the balance,
Tania!"
"Oh, come on father. All I sent was for you guys. And don't tell me it's more than because I understand the real situation back there!"
"But, dear, were you left with anything for yourself? You also have personal ."
"Don't worry about me, mother. I have everything I need here. And if it makes you , I was left with something." I assure them.
"Alright, dear. Always take care of yourself. And always remember..," she pauses they squeeze together to the chorus again, "we love you s...o..m..u..c..h..." they the last two words with thunderstruck faces like they have seen a ghost. I raise eyebrow to understand their scary gesture and ask what the problem is, but of speaking, they just stare at the screen.
Before I can die of shock, I see a man's hand wave at the screen from my behind, a cold shiver run down my spine.
"Hello!" Comes his sweet voice.
Andy!
Still postured on my stool, I look back, as I listen to the soft voices of my family to his greetings, and here he is, handsome Andy, as always.
Gosh!
"How are you, sir?" My father speaks, as Andy comes closer and stands right me, his front on my back and, men, Isn't he too hot? Damn!
"I am good, Mr Lawson. And how are you all?" Wow! I keep holding the phone as my father and my boss converse.
This greek god of a boss has a way of affecting me, but I keep my composure.
"We are all good here."
"That's great. I'll leave you to continue your talk with An...Tania! Do have a good and a great time."
I was controlling myself excellently fine until that name almost slipped out his lips.
I had to blush to prevent a chuckle. Ania! Really? He was about to call me that in of my family? OMG!
I look at them to see if they deduce anything, and I was about to sigh in relief until
I saw the look on Mira's face. The glimmer on her face, mated with her glare at
Andy, is so dubious. This girl is too sharp for her age, I beg!
"No need, sir!" My dad spoke, breaking the awkwardness. "We were about to say to Tania." He moves his gaze toward me. "Dear, take care of yourself, ? Goodnight, and we love you so much."
"Thank you, father. I love you all too. Take good care of yourselves. Goodnight."
We all wave on the screen, and although nobody wanted to end the conversation, I the red button, and heave a sigh.
Sitting beside each other with Andy like we always do, I serve us coffee. We silence for a few minutes, each lost between their own thoughts and the taste of coffee down the throat.
"You have a beautiful family." He finally broke the boredom.
"Yeah. I love them so much." I reply with all earnestness. My family is my . My all. I would not be working as a maid right now if I did not love .
"You are lucky to have them."
"I know, right? I can do anything for them, including giving up my dreams for their ."
"They are the reason you are here?"
"Yes. It's a sacrifice I willingly made for everyone's sake."
"What's the situation? Maybe I can help?"
That made me look up into his orifices. Is he really serious? Yes! His eyes can't lie.
For the one month that I have stayed with him, I have come to perfectly understand language of his cute eyes. They never, never lie.
"It's a long story. Thank you for the offer but, I want to believe everything is under now."
"Okay. But just in case you need anything, you can talk to me."
"Thank you, Andy." I murmur.
I don't know what exactly is this that I feel for this guy, but I am terrified of it I don't want anyone to get hurt. All my senses scatter when I am with him.
I can't tell if he feels the same. Can he even feel like this for someone like me?
"Do I have something on my face?" His deep voice knocks me back to my senses.
Dear me! Can you get ahold of your emotions?
"No... No! My mind was somewhere else." I lie.
"In bed with Andy?"
Shit! I mean, damn! That thought itself, my goodness!
I thank God my mouth was dry, else I would have choked my lungs out.
"What about you?" I ask, changing the subject.
"What about me?"
Huh, jerk! Not that road!
"Do you have a family aside from Angel? Brother? Sister? Parents?" He maintains for a period that is long enough for me to deduce I was out of line. He is just tight-lipped, but is lost somewhere too, sadly and deeply in thoughts, like has been reminded of something so outrageous. "Sorry, for being nosey." I , and he snaps out of his thoughts.
"It's okay. I don't have any other family except my daughter. No one else." He says gulps down the remaining coffee in his mug.
I pour him another steaming hot Coffee.
"I am sorry for that," I say, and decide to push the button a little further. "What to them?"
"Nothing happened." He says, again, after thinking deeply. "They just never me. Nobody wanted me. Not my father who I never got to meet, not my who abandoned me at the age of one, nor my grandmother who handed me my animal of an uncle at the age of seven, who later mercilessly threw me out of house after my high school. I was all alone. Everyone I met left in no time. I no beautiful memories with anyone, except Angel." How sad! How awful! I been with him for just a month and I have grown to like him. He is a good and a gentleman. Why did everyone leave him? "Anyway," he speaks again,
"that's life for me. I am happy with Angel. By the way, we are going to Rita's house . Those people won't give me any peace if I don't take you to their ."
"Okay." I am still shocked about what I have discovered about him, and that is why
I am not as excited as I should be about the news of meeting my crazy friend once .
"Goodnight." He stands up to leave, looking terribly sad and I abhor that look. I have shut my mouth about enquiring about his family. Now see what my mouth has done to him.
"Ash... Andy?" I call before he could step out of the kitchen, and he turns around, look of sadness still there. It breaks my heart.
"Don't... you...want a kiss today?" I shamelessly ask. If this kissing blows up, I will no one to blame but myself.
"No. Not today!" Ouch! The pain that fills my heart the minute those words escape mouth is a very sharp one. He does not want to kiss me? He is not interested in kisses anymore? I feel like an arrow has just been shot directly into my heart. I thought my kisses meant a thing to him. "Maybe.... a hug?" He spoke . At least. At least.
He opens his arms broadly, and I ran into them, embracing him and clinging to him he is my dear life. "Thank you, Ania!" He whispers, and I snuggle up to him, my arms around his neck.
If only this could last forever, I want to be nowhere else but in his arms.