E.S.Chapter 7

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“Tell me everything. And I thought you mentioned she has a fiancé.” Charlotte whispered to Nicholas.

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity when Nicholas told her that he went on a date with the new girl at his office yesterday night. They were sitted by her office desk. Charlotte shifted her documents to one corner so there’s enough space for two large pizzas, cheese sticks, sodas and three sets of plates. Yes. Three. Alexander decided to join them as his lunch date ditched him. He’s answering an emergency call from one of the big clients.

“Oh, she said it’s just a cover up. She wants to focus more on work than relationships right now. I would say our date went really well, and we arranged another one this coming Saturday.” Nicholas said as he showed her a picture on his camera phone. The picture showed them sitting on a couch in Starbucks, posing with their iced coffees.

“Details. I need details! And you haven’t even told me her name!” Charlotte exclaimed desperately. Alexander threw a blunt pencil towards her head without looking. Charlotte bent over to pick up the pencil as it bounced off her head to the carpeted floor. She made a face while her face is hidden from Alexander. They had grown close since his family gathering last week. Although she had a very awkward moment when she woke up in his arms; she felt as if something happened when she was drunk, but Alexander convinced her nothing was wrong. She couldn’t remember any of it so she chose to go with Alexander’s statement.

“Her name is Charmaine Lee, she’s only 20…”

“You’re dating an Asian? Oh gosh, this is getting exciting!” Charlotte said as quietly as she could from her excitement.

“She’s an Eurasian. Wait, are you racist?” Nicholas looked at her in shock.

“Hell, no!” Charlotte shouted out and dodged two more sharpened pencils that went flying over her shoulder.  She had a feeling the next thing Alexander’s going to throw is her photo frame. “I’m not racist. I’m just excited.” Charlotte said while cupping her hands over her mouth.

“Alright then. Anyway we went to this street stall selling corn dogs. I…what…they sell really nice corn dogs! Stop looking at me like that!” Nicholas said as Charlotte looked at him jaw-dropped as if she couldn’t believe he brought the poor girl to a street stall for dinner on their first date. “You asked for details girl, stop making all those expressions when I’m offering you the story. And it was totally her idea!”

Charlotte made a mouth zipping motion and sat back on her chair.

“Well we walked the streets while eating. We talked a lot about family, interests, mentors, philosophies and hobbies. Do you know she loves lasagna? I’m looking at a few special recipes for lasagna that’s different from others. I think I might make one for us for our next date. Or do you think it’s too soon for that? Anyway we went to Starbucks when we got tired of walking, and we talked more about ourselves. I mean, I could really see us together.” Nicholas put on a sheepish smile. He looked like someone who has been shot by three of Cupid’s love arrow.

“You want my advice, dude? Let the woman do the work; don’t let them know you’re into them. Treat them cold. Like my pizza.” Alexander sat facing Charlotte at the other side of her desk. He chewed on the cold pizza and sipped his soda. He looked straight into Charlotte’s scowled face. He could sense her trying to transmit a message which is ‘Shut up, you’re not helping!’. Alexander arched his eyebrows and Charlotte sighed.

“Fine, I’ll heat up the pizza.” Charlotte has Nicholas a meaningful gaze and stepped out of the office with the pizzas.

“So, girl problem?” Alexander asked.

“Sort of. It’s been a long time since someone caught my eye.” Nicholas said while swirling the can of soda.

“You and Charlotte, she’s not your cup of coffee?” Alexander pried.

Nicholas laughed. “Well she’s my earl grey tea. But yeah, not my cup of coffee. We’re close. But we don’t see ourselves as a thing. You know?”

“As a matter of fact, I don’t. Every girl I know has a thing with me.” Alexander answered with a smile.

“I take it that you also have a thing with the yellow lipstick lady out there?” Nicholas tried to suppress a smile.

“Oh what? Amy? No. Jeez. Seriously? You’re ruining my appetite, dude.” Alexander landed a punch on Nicholas’s right arm, and they started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Charlotte walked in with two steaming hot pizzas.

“Girls.” Alexander said as he snatched a slice of triple cheese pizza.

“Ah-ha-ha.” Charlotte faked a laugh and handed Nicholas his share of seafood pizza.

After a moment of pizza chewing and soda slurping, Alexander voiced out. “You need to come with me to Bangkok this weekend. We have some financial issues in Candy Sugar’s main factory.”

“Umm, okay. Just two days?” Charlotte picked out olives from the seafood pizza and passed to Alexander.

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“Hopefully. We might have to stay longer, depends on how big the issue is.” Alexander wolfed down his pizza and wiped his hands. “You don’t have to worry about the tickets and our stay there. The client will arrange ‘em for us. You just have to keep track of our schedule for now.” Alexander stood up and went over to his vodka stash in the cupboard.

“Pack a few dresses too, we might have to attend some other events while we’re there.” Said Alexander as he filled three glasses with vodka on the rock.

“Cool. Will we have time to do shopping?” Charlotte asked pleadingly.

“You can shop for jellybeans at the factory.” Alexander smiled.

“Sweet! Buy me some gummy bears and sugar coated sour strips.” Nicholas said as he gave Alexander a toast.

“You don’t eat sweets, Nick. Why are you even buying…Oh…I see, alright, gummy bears and sour strips for you. Do we have special discounts, Xan?” Charlotte took out her smart phone and started typing.

“We could. If you would buy 10 huge boxes of each type.” Alexander poured Nicholas and himself another serving of vodka.

“Fine, do you need me to get you any essentials for the trip?”

“My usual vitamins, and get me extra cash. For, you know. They don’t accept credit cards.” Alexander winked at her.

“Ugh. Save me the details.” Charlotte took out her notebook and scribbled ‘vitamins & C4C – cash for chicks’. “Oh Nick, promise me you’ll email me the details of your second date. Swear on the River Styx!” Charlotte urged.

“Babe, only Greek gods and their children swear on the River Styx.” Nicholas explained.

“I don’t care. SWEAR IT!” In Greek methodology, an oath swore by the name of the River Styx must be obeyed, or else there will be serious consequences.

“I solemnly swear on the River Styx, to email Charlotte Dixon every detail of my second date right after it ends.” They both kept quiet for a moment, waiting for a sound.

“See? No thunder.” Nicholas held up his suit case and took his coat from the rack. “Thanks for everything Alexander; I’m sure we will meet again.” Nicholas shook Alexander’s hand and gave Charlotte a kiss. “Take care of yourself, babe. Remember to call me when you touch ground aite? Love you.”

Charlotte replied with a big hug. “Love you too, Nick. Good Luck!” She started to clean up her desk and stack up the empty plates after Nicholas left.

“Love you Charlotte.” Alexander whispered into her ear.

“Oh, shut up!” Charlotte picked up a pizza box and readied to throw at Alexander’s direction, but he bolted off just in time.