The next day, I stayed home to work. I had taken a week off work, so I wasn"t needed at the office anyway. While I was looked through my suitcase, I found Beatrice"s invitation.It"d be best to go with Summer, but if she wasn"t interested, I"d go on my own just to drop her gift off. I put it aside for later. Retrieving the doc.u.ments I was searching for, I made my way back to the sitting area.
"When did you get back?" I asked quietly as I rubbed sleep away from my eyes.
"About 15minutes ago. I was blissfully admiring the breathtaking view right in front of me," she replied, with her fingers tapping my nose then tracing my face.
"Naughty." I grabbed her straying hand and pressed her palm to my cheeks. Her warmth traveled through her palms right into my heart.
"Are you hungry?"
"No. Stop trying to shove food down my throat," she snapped at me. She positioned herself on my laps and continued with her tracing.
"If I don"t take care of you, who will?" I asked, rocking her gently.
"Only you."
My smile broadened when I heard her answer. I rested my chin on her head and told her about the invitation.
"I"ll come with," she answered without any hesitation. "I must protect what belongs to be. Digging my corner is highly prohibited."
I loved her possessiveness, especially the pout that came after her declaration.
"I"m yours and yours only," I rea.s.sured her. I wasn"t going to let my woman feel insecure because of anyone or anything, myself included.
Suddenly remembering our first proper encounter, I laughed out loud with cheer.
"Babe?"
"Hmmn?"
"Remember our elevator introduction?"
"Yeah?"
"Guess what I was gonna say when you asked for my name?"
"Steve Jobs?"
"Nahhh... Yours truly."
I was waiting patiently observing her reaction. It was funny when I said it in my head, but she didn"t get the joke.
She looked like she was about to smack the stupid out of me.
"It might have been a little lame," I reluctantly admitted. It definitely sounded different in my head.
"Just a little?"
After going at it for a while, I knew I was never gonna live this day down. I shot myself in the foot in an attempt to be funny.
Comedy... not my next big move.
Later that evening...
Quincy and I got to talk more about the future. To be honest, I hadn"t projected that far into my future, but for some unknown reason, I just wanted to talk it over with him.
"I don"t know what I"m going to do after graduate school is over. I"ll definitely keep my research work going, submit a few papers, and try more delicious food." That was all I could think about.
"Do you have a place of interest you"d like to work for?" He asked me.
"I could follow in your mom"s steps and be a science lecturer on tenure. I"d like to think college students are easier to deal with than toddlers and rebellious teenagers."
During undergrad, I worked as a chemistry tutor, and I facilitated math and biology after-cla.s.s sessions. I had to prepare lots of materials and formulate several collaborative learning techniques, but I enjoyed doing them. The spark in a student"s eyes when the process finally clicks has to be the best reward to a teacher.
"That"s not so bad. I"m sure you"ll do great. There"s still time to think about other alternatives, don"t push yourself too hard," he said, pushing my hair out of my face.
"What about your company?"
"I have no big plans for now. I"m just going to keep it how it is and try to improve to the best of my ability. If I rushed things, I"d be stressing out the workers, myself, and you."
"Don"t be too tired. That"s all I ask."
"I know."
The couple"s love had two phases: the young and the old phases.
The young phase; whenever they teased eachother and laughed at the tiny expressions on the other"s face, the feeling of young love seeps through every pore on their bodies and radiates the love deep in their hearts.
The old phase; whenever they faced each other and talked about the future or difficulties faced during the day, the words of comfort and encouragement that flows naturally out of their mouths give off an illusion that their love had transcended boundless tests and tribulations. A love so pure that it was worth fighting for.
Although the couple hadn"t said the 3 words to each other, they could feel it deep within their hearts just by looking through the windows to each other"s souls, their eyes.