Chapter 27 CHAPTER 27
Michael’s POV
Evelyn was seated on the kitchen counter, when I walked in that morning to take my protein pack after an intensive work out session. Her hair was tied in a messy bun with one of her legs dangling playfully while the other rested on a stool. She was eating cereal in a mug. My morning mug.
“Good morning,” she said, pushing a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
Her presence there felt so natural, like she was meant to be in my kitchen in robes, messy hair and taking cereals. It tugged at my heart a bit and I had to fight it.
“That’s my mug," I grumbled.
She looked at it as though I could be wrong. “It was the closest I could reach,” she said eventually. “Sorry.”
I looked at her wrapped ankle. It didn't seem as though it was getting better. “Can you put some weight on it yet?”
She shook her head. I opened the jar I was looking for and fetched a generous amount of protein powder into a cup.
“Is it still painful?”
“Slightly.” Then she pushed herself off the counter. “I’m going to get an xray done today. The doctor wants to see what's really wrong.”
The sound of spoon hitting the mug as I stirred my rink filled the silences between us. “Who is taking you?”
She pushed the empty mug under the running faucet and poured away the remaining content down the drain. “The driver.”
“You couldn’t ask me?”
She faced me. “Ask you what?”
I took a long sip. “Will the driver also accompany you into the doctor’s office? You are my wife and that’s my responsibility.”
Her lips twitched but she said nothing.
“When is your appointment?” I asked, gulping the last content in my mug.
She glanced at the wrist watch on her wrist. “In about an hour's time.”
I nodded, dropping the mug into the dishwasher. “I’ll drive you to the hospital.”
An hour later, I was buried in work and adrenaline. There was a bit of an emergency in one of our new hotels which had just opened. Three cases of food poisoning. It was tragic. About three different agencies were breathing down my neck and threatening to close the hotels. I was pleading for time to figure out the source of the problem. When my reminder rang, I knew I wouldn't be able to take Evelyn to the doctor's office on time.
“I’ll be there soon, “ I said to her over the phone as soon as I could catch a break.
“It’s okay,” she said. “You are busy. I can call to reschedule .”
“No,” I said, glancing at the time. “Give me an hour or two more. Call the office that you'll be late.”
A few minutes past 6pm, I threw myself at the back seat of my car and instructed the driver to take me home. I wasn’t sure if the doctor's office would still be open, but I knew he would definitely make an exception for me. My phone buzzed. It was a call from Rosaleen.
“It’s our date tonight,” she announced. “I”ve booked a place for us.”
“Rosa,” I sighed. "Not tonight please.”
“You promised me, Michael. You can’t cancel on me. I’ve been looking forward to this since forever.”
I bit my lips. I had to choose to cancel with Rosaleen or Evelyn Moon. I owed Rosa for the success of our new product and we had a deal. Evelyn could wait a little bit more.
“What time?”
“I’m there already,” she said. “I sent you the details a while ago.”
I ran my hand through my hair as I opened her message. “It’s been a hell of a day, Rosa.”
"That's why you need to relax. Come, let me make you feel good.”
Would the doctor’s office be open by 8pm, I wondered.
—
Rosaleen chose a restaurant I had frequented a lot before the opening of our hotel. It was one of the few five star restaurants in the city. Dim lights, soft music and themed decorations. We had been trying to woo the chef away but didn’t succeed.
But in the centre of all the beauty was Rosaleen, even more breathtaking. She wore a pale blue dress that accentuated every curve in her body. Her hair was just done and it felt in waves across her shoulders. Her lips were painted in the colour of seduction.
She hugged me and smiled. “You don’t keep a lady waiting.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, stretching the bouquet of flowers I had picked up on my way. It was a get-well-soon flower for Evelyn but I needed to apologise to Rosa for keeping her waiting.
She inhaled the smell. “Thank you, Michael." She beamed."I've forgiven you.”
She looped her arm through mine and guided me to my seat. The scent of her perfume filled my nose, an overpowering and alluring smell.
Dinner was splendid. We had a full course and when we relaxed and finished the dessert, we had talked about everything. From business to social events to our mutual fiend, to events in our childhood.
“I shouldn't have left you,” she said, her eyes holding mine.”We could have been the best thing after this dinner.”
I didn’t agree. She pushed the chair minutes later. “I have to use the bathroom,” she said.
“I don't have to go with you, do I ?” I teased.
“I’ll only be gone for a moment.” She laughed. “Don’t miss me.”
When she left, I realized I had lost track of time. I reached for my phone in my pocket and found it switched off. I had run down my battery.
“Shit,” I said.
Rosa had left her bag on the table and I wasn't sure if her phone was in it or not. I waited for a while, and when she didn’t show up, I pulled the bag close and dipped my hand into it. Her phone was there. I pulled it out and checked the time. It was almost 10pm.
Just as I was about to drop the phone, a notification came on. A message from Alpha Roman. Curiosity got the better part of me. I tapped on the notification and froze.