Chapter 6: Dinner Appointment

Finland was very happy lately. It felt like her life was finally on a better track. She received the medical check-up results on Wednesday and her health status was good.

She did not see Caspar when she went to the hospital to get her papers, so she decided to send an SMS to the number he had given her to say thank you.

[My medical examination results are out. Everything is good. Thank you for your help.]

In less than a minute, came a reply from Caspar.

[You're welcome. We must celebrate your new job. When do you have time?]

Finland felt her face turn red. Was Caspar making a move on her?

[Uhm... I can't treat you before I get my salary. Maybe next month?]

[My treat this time. Next month it's your turn.]

[Hmm... How about Saturday night? I have a part-time job during the day but I am free after 5 pm.]

[It's a deal. I'll send a driver to Robertson Road at 7 pm.]

[OK.]

Finland suddenly felt very peaceful. She just confirmed a dinner appointment with Caspar on this Saturday night.

Is this... a date?

She shook her head, stunned. This will be her first real date... with a handsome surgeon!

Maybe this is God's way of paying back all her misfortunes in life.

She couldn't help but shout on the top of her lungs, "Yeaaahhhhh...!!!"

She looked at the time and then wrote a message to Jean.

[Jean, I met a guy... and we're going on a date this Saturday! I'm so excited!]

Five minutes later a reply came from Jean.

[Make sure he is not a psychopath, OK. Remember, when it's too good to be true, it probably is.]

[So far he seems like a normal guy. I'll definitely give you all the updates.]

Finland thought about Jean's words a bit longer.. Caspar could actually be considered too good to be true. He was extremely good looking, very rich, very gentle, and a famous surgeon. People who have many stunning upsides, usually also have many issues. The thought got Finland worried.

"Ah, it is just dinner. If there's anything off, I don't have to see him again." Finally, Finland set her heart.

Meanwhile, she started preparing for her new job. She had some decent clothes to wear but she didn't have a handbag for work. All she had was one backpack. Hopefully, after her part-time job on Saturday, she would have enough money to buy a nice cheap handbag from the Bugis Village market.

***

Saturday finally came and Finland went to her part-time job eagerly. Even though she was accepted to work for marketing at an MNC (Multinational Company), she wanted to continue doing her old part-time job for extra money.

Today she had to distribute flyers in Chinatown from morning to evening. The hot sun did not dampen her enthusiasm. Her main focus was to buy a handbag later.

"Hey, Finland!" suddenly someone's voice called her from behind. Finland turned around and stiffened.

"Whoa, it is Finland! Oh my God, did she move to Singapore just to work on such menial jobs? Hahaha!"

The group of girls who approached Finland came closer to insult Finland even further.

She would never forget those faces that made her high school years in Jakarta a living nightmare. They were a horde of evil girls who bullied her for years in high school.

"Let's take a look at this flyer and see what it's about!" One of them took a brochure out of Finland's hand and pretended to read it. She then crumpled the paper and threw it in the trash. "You were so full of yourself when you got that scholarship to study in Singapore. Yet in the end, you work as a mere flyer girl. Were you expelled? You must be living illegally here now, right?"

Finland bit her lip, holding back her anger.

"I can help distribute your flyers, Finland!" Another girl took the rest of the flyers from Finland's hand and threw them in the trash. The three other girls laughed.

"Hahaha... this serves you right. Don't be such an arrogant bitch, just because you went to Singapore to study. Meilin went to college in America and now she already has a decent job in Singapore." The short-haired girl turned to her long wavy-haired friend, "Tsk, our high school friend here seems to have a rough life in Singapore. Hey, is your company looking for a janitor, Mei? I am sure she would be grateful to get a cleaning job at an MNC."

"Tss... Please don't make me see her face every day," Meilin replied curtly. They all looked at Finland hatefully and then left, laughing loudly.

Finland wiped away the tears dripping down her cheeks and picked up the flyers from the trash bin. She cleaned them as well as possible and continued distributing the flyers to passerby.

When her shift ended and Finland received her 50-dollar pay, she hurried back to Robertson Road. She sobbed for half an hour before she told herself to be strong and left for the Bugis Village market. She must get a handbag before her dinner date, so she could look a little decent at the restaurant.

Finland found a simple black pleather handbag that didn't look cheap at first glance. With it, she would look decent enough to enter a restaurant.

At almost 7 pm, Finland was ready. She was wearing the same black dress she wore for the job interview a few days ago, and the shoes with a blue flower pattern, and the black handbag.

When she saw herself in the mirror, she realized that she looked exactly like this when she met Caspar last Monday in the hospital.

Her heart shriveled. Caspar would know that she didn't have other nice clothes to wear. She rummaged through her suitcase to look for a replacement, but she couldn't find anything decent.

[Good evening, Miss Finland, I'm waiting for you downstairs.]

Caspar's driver sent Finland a message to inform her that he had arrived. Resignedly, Finland got out of the apartment and into the car. They drove to the Continental hotel.

"Sir is waiting inside," said the driver when he opened the door for Finland.

This was the most luxurious five-star hotel in Singapore and this was the first time Finland set foot in it.

She felt out of place and wasn't sure where to go. She entered the lobby and looked around.

[I am in the lobby. Where are you?]

She sent a message to Caspar.

[I'll send someone to the lobby to pick you up. Just wait there.]

[Oh okay.]

Finland waited awkwardly in the lobby.

Suddenly, the three girls who bullied her in Chinatown today entered the lobby. They were apparently staying in this hotel and seemed surprised to see Finland. They approached her with a sneer.

"What is this little peasant doing here?" Hanna asked loudly.

"Maybe she is looking for 'clients', you know... as a call girl," Meilin replied curtly. "We'd better report her to the hotel manager so she doesn't damage the reputation of this hotel."

Finland pretended not to hear their words.

"As an escort, she doesn't seem to do well. Look at that cheap bag she is carrying!"

They ceaselessly taunted her, and no matter how hard Finland tried to pretend like she didn't care, tears started to well up in her eyes. She tried her best not to curse back.

Fortunately, the hotel staff sent by Caspar arrived soon.

"Miss Finland? Let me escort you to the restaurant."

Finland nodded and followed the female staff to the restaurant on the ground floor. After they entered, the door was closed, and an announcement board was installed.

---The Restaurant is closed for a private function---

The three girls looked at each other in confusion. They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw Finland enter the most expensive restaurant in the city. Furthermore, the restaurant was then closed to the public.