My Stubborn Mistress

"h.e.l.lo," she greeted the girl. "I am glad to see you again. How are you?" she then asked the girl which she looks surprised seeing her.

"Good morning, Miss!" she showed the gesture of respect in this century. Holding her skirt, bend her knees; then partly bowed.

"Carlene, is it?"

Madison wasn"t sure how to react to this, but she remembered, the name is what she gave to Charles. "Ah, yes, Miss..." she replied bowing her head partly once again.

"Marivella... just called me by my name and drop the Miss, would you?" warmly, she smiled.

Tears threatened to flood her eyes. She wants to hug her. "Mama..." her heart whispered. "Um... That is inappropriate, Miss." she refused, not because of how close their age but because she is her mama whatever time they live in. And so, politely, she reasons but Marivella insisted. 

"Friends should call each other by the name."

Amazed, Madison admired her mother more, and she can"t get tired staring at her beautiful face. She"s happy that even the fact how the high society gossiping about her, but her kind-spirit remains. She still shows cheerfulness and prepared to protect anyone, even a stranger. However, in her future life, she still suffered a lot and got lost to a different lifetime.

"Are you working here? I never saw you before," asked Marivella.

She came back to her senses, then replied. "Oh, I am just helping. My family was often on the road, so we are not staying longer around here or any place," she explained.

"I see... I am just hoping to see you often around," said Marivella, a smile planted on her lips.

"Sadly, I have to go. I must bring them to mother and finish the dress soon..." Marivella lifts the materials she bought.

"Oh. Wow. Your mother making dresses!" excitement overwhelmed her, knowing more about her grandparents. She already knew a lot about the Williams, but less about the Chen family from Marivella"s ancestors before HwYoung, Marivella"s reincarnation, and then Ca.s.sandra.

"Yes. I learned to make a dress but the simple ones only."

Marivella blushed and Madison thinks that was charming. This time travel made her discover a lot more about her mother.

"See you around, Carlene." Marivella waves goodbye.

"Goodbye, Mi— I mean, Marivella."

"Enjoy your day!"

"Same to you...""Mama…"

Marivella resume strolling the market to buy other stuff she needed before going home.

"Madam, let me take a break for a while," Madison requested the store owner"s permission. Truth is, the tears already began trailing down her cheeks. With a hasty, she went to the back store as she can"t hold to cry every time she remembered the story in the book of how they separated. To think, it was Lady Isabella who killed her mother.

Madison took a seat on the wooden boxes that scattered in the place. She was snorting when a handkerchief appears in front of her. She looked up and found it was Charles.

"Doctor Charles!" She muttered.

"Although it saddened me to see a woman cry, yours are the most beautiful."

"Huh?" she"s dumbfounded.

"Your eyes, they were beautiful as ever though covered with those tears. I was like looking at a lake where a thousand diamonds s.h.i.+ning upon the sunset kissing goodbye."

She"s speechless. But it made her giggle, all because she"s amused by his corny phrase. He sounded like a trying hard poet. Is it his interest? Hmm... It must be. Anyway, one thing is that Levi throwing corny quotes sometimes, there is no difference now and then.

"There… finally, you were smiling."

"Thank you, Doctor— "

"Charles... just call me Charles."

He smiled and her heart beats wildly. "Um, okay... Charles." Wow. After Marivella, it was Charles she met today.

"Well, mademoiselle… you know, I don"t want to be rude and ask the reason for your tears, but if there"s anything I could do, I am all ears." Friendly as he smiled that warm anyone. Being a doctor truly suits him, but then, Charles in the future became the owner of a car Empire. It seems too opposite.

"Your eyes, they were beautiful even more. I was like looking at a lake where it s.h.i.+nes with a thousand sparks upon hitting by the sunset."

She"s speechless. But she giggles. All because she"s amused by his corny phrase. He more sounded like a poet, or it is also his interest? Hmm... It must be. Anyway, one thing is that Levi was truly throwing corny quotes.

"Well, mademoiselle, I won"t be rude to ask the reason for your tears, but if there"s anything I could do, I am all ears."

Madison stared at Charles. He sounded so much like Levi... Oh, well; he is Levi in the future. Smile tear her lips.

"I just remembered my parents," her reasons which true, anyway.

"Hmm... I see. Then, I intrude on such a personal subject that I cannot have medicine to prescribe you. But, if you need a shoulder to cry on," Charles patted his left shoulder.

Charles... 

You need not do that actually, your corny jokes are enough medicine to me. Is what Madison"s silly thoughts. If she doesn"t wear a veil, Charles would see her smiles, but if her face revealed it will be a lot of questions and would put them in danger. At the moment, she doesn"t know when they could go back in the future.

"Thank you, Charles."

"You are very welcome, mademoiselle," he bowed as a gentleman do. Then he sighed. "Unfortunately, I have a meeting later before lunch. I would pray Heaven and met you once again."

She giggles one more time. Charles is trying hard to be like a poet.

"Ah... Now I would be in peace seeing your bright eyes smiling like beautiful clouds underneath the blue sky. Goodbye, mademoiselle." Charles takes off his hat and bows at her one more time. 

She blushes at his gesture. Undeniably, he is truly a gentleman. "Goodbye, doc, erm, Charles..." Dang! She"s stammering! Madison partly bowed to hide her flus.h.i.+ng face, although there is a veil hiding her cheeks.

Her gaze followed Charles leaving the marketplace. His overwhelming charm spilling out of his body. He greeted anyone she meets in the street, so like Levi. Madison turned around, and she saw Levi in the distance. She follows him when he walks toward the hidden alley headed to the woods.

"Hey? Something wrong?" she asked him when his face frowned.

Levi shook his head. "Did you see that? How shameless I was! d.a.m.n it. I was super dope!"

Dumbfounded, Madison doesn"t understand what Levi"s implying.

"Please, forget how lousy a comedian I am."

Madison examines Levi"s whole facial frame, then she burst out laughing.

"Please, don"t mock me. I got enough shame to myself. d.a.m.n it. I can"t believe how ghastly a Poet I am." Levi"s mouth twitching on the side.

And she cannot stop laughing hard. "Don"t worry, you still look handsome. Women won"t look how poorly you delivered a poem, but they will mesmerize to your handsomeness."

"Really? Am I that handsome?" he winks.

"Ah, I change my mind. Papa still the most handsome at all."

"Eh? No more taking back what you said! You already told me I am handsome!"

"Er, you just heard wrong..." Madison looked away, playfully smiling behind the veil.

"Ugh. I want to kiss you. I need some conciliation. Can I?"

"Silly. No one should see my face." Madison giggles. And then she tiptoed and whispered something to Levi before she headed back to the store.

Left behind is Levi grinning and gesture like yes. Madison smirked. She told him to pick her up later in the evening and go on for a date before they headed to the hut they are staying with Quinn. 

Levi cannot wait, praying that the sun would go south quickly and rest for a day.

* * *

By noon, Madison did not expect to see Marivella once again.

"Marivella, do you need anything?"

"h.e.l.lo, Carlene." she smiled then handed a small wrapped to Madison. "I am just dropping by to give you this. Hope you like it."

"Oh. Thank you, but I don"t deserve to receive any gift or—"

"Don"t worry. I made it just for you, however, I could not guarantee that the needlework was perfect. It seems, not totally my line of work." she laughs, blus.h.i.+ng.

"Oh... Then, thank you. I will keep it with me."

"You"re welcome. Anyway, I am leaving too soon. I have to help my mother for the upcoming Gala."

"Gala?"

"Um… yes. Father was invited so, we have to go."

"I see… then, thank you. It seems like, you just came here to give me this." Madison amazed and mesmerized with Marivella"s smile.

"Don"t mention— Oh."

Madison hugs her. She"s been desiring to do this anyway. "Thank you very much. I will cherish it forever."

"I would be glad…" Marivella laughed, patted Madison"s back. "See you around," she said after they parted.

She nodded, watching her walking away from her.

"Mama…" she wipes the tears that escaped from her eyes.