บท 16: 16
LUCAS' POV
Tray and I had been shocked when Mrs. Mayer decided to give us a second chance. We had forgotten all about signing a contract with her.
So, as for her not to change her mind, I decided to leave for New Zealand that same day, since the flight was going to be a long one. Tray had told me to do whatever it took to secure the contract, but I knew in me that if they wanted something more than me signing the contract, I'd still leave.
I'd seen far more persistent, and stubborn women. It'll be shameless to be held down by someone like Stephanie.
I went back home immediately, but didn't see John at home. Instead, I saw Katie.
"Katie." I called, and she turned around.
"Good morning, Alpha Lucas." She greeted, with a little smile.
"Have you seen John? Where is he?" I asked.
"I'm afraid he left to make preparations for the broken sculpture. He might be back soon. Would you like to wait?" She asked.
"I don't think I can."
"Is there a problem?"
"I have to leave."
"Um, are you aware of the family dinner to celebrate John's moving in?" She asked.
"I think I'll have to miss it. Tell John I'll be back in a few days." I replied, and turned away.
Sadly, John's dinner wasn't as important as the possibility of success I could gain if I flew to New Zealand to meet with Mrs. Mayer.
I took a quick bath, and changed into fresh clothes. I didn't bother to do anything like packing up. That would be done later.
I booked a quick flight for New Zealand, and had to wait for two hours before the flight took off. In that time, I ordered clothes I expected to be enough for my stay in New Zealand. I ordered randomly, because I knew that if I needed more, I could easily get some in. New Zealand.
I didn't know what Mrs. Mayer had in mind, but she told me to think of it as a brief vacation with little business wedged in.
If it were another client, I'd have rejected the offer because I only took vacations when I planned them thoroughly, but Mrs. Mayer was different.
I only wondered why she had to be blessed with such a clingy, and cheap granddaughter.
What I liked most about her idea was that she wanted us to create an idea after looking around at the people, by thinking of what they would need most. She didn't want us to dump the work on the product team.
Finally, I settled onto the plane as a VIP. It was going to be a long flight, so I wanted as much comfort as I could get.
It was then I worried about Emily. Even though John was a young man of Twenty-four, who ought to start acting mature, he was still like a kid in many ways.
Maybe because he was the only son, and the heir to the throne. John never let a grudge go, and all the names Emily had called him had been too harsh. I knew John would definitely want to pay her back harshly.
I had caught a sly smile on his face when he watched her leave. Would she be fine? He had decided on having her as a live-in secretary, but I knew it was only an excuse to pay her back. Although I decided not to think much about it.
Despite holding grudges, John was also soft hearted. Maybe when he saw she was sad enough, he'd give it up. And also, he loved her, so he ought to be more careful in whatever way he chose to pay her back.
I sighed, and leaned backwards. Thinking about Emily was meant to be far from me. I didn't want to wish to get too close to her to the extent that John would think I had feelings for her. I was simply intrigued by her personality. It was rare in the women I'd come across.
Just then, the woman next to him tapped me, and spoke in a weird language.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I cannot identify your language, nor can I speak it." I said, and she took a deep breath.
"Me… Unglish, no." She said, and I wondered if she'd been sent to me to snap away thoughts of Emily from my head.
"I will call a flight attendant for you." I said, but she began to speak rapidly in her language.
"Okay, okay. What is it you want?" I asked slowly, and she began to drag her index finger across her palm, repeatedly. "And….that…..is?" I asked slowly, then she pointed to my shirt.
"Shirt." I said and she raised her hand to her lips like she was trying to have some water.
"Shirt, water." I said, looking at her like I was staring at an unfamiliar math problem.
She touched my shirt once more and did the same thing.
"Oh, wait. You mean red, my shirt's red?"
"Yes. Red. Red…" She repeated,
"Red water. Wine? A kind of juice?" I asked, and she squeezed her face, and pointed to her white skirt.
"Red water, white skirt. Your skirt is stained with red water…?" My mouth suddenly hung open, and I took out my phone, and searched out the picture of a sanitary pad. "You need this?" I asked, and she looked at me pleadingly.
"Um, I'll call the flight attendants, and tell them…" I was saying, but she grabbed my arm hard, and shook her head. She pointed to herself, crossed her hands, and shook her head, then pointed to me and nodded.
"You're embarrassed to ask ladies for a sanitary pad, but you don't mind asking a man?" I asked, with a brow raised, then recalled she couldn't understand me.
"Go. You. No?" I asked, and she nodded.
"You. Please. You. Laugh, them."
"No, no, they won't laugh." I said, using hands, but she looked like she would cry.
"Wow. But I'm a man. It's worse for me to…"
She began to speak desperately in her language once more, and I was baffled. She seemed like she was narrating a whole story, but the words buzzed in and out of my ear.
At last, I decided to help her out, and got to my feet, since I hadn't seen a flight attendant pass by.
"Sorry, excuse me?" I called, pulling back the curtain a little.
"What do you need sir?" One of them asked, smiling, and the rest of them held smiles on their faces.
"Do you have a sanitary pad?" I asked, and their smiles fell.
"Uh, a… a sanitary pad?" She asked.
"Do you have one?"
"Uh… we do not offer sanitary pads on this plane." She replied.
"Really? Oh… gosh." I muttered, and rubbed my temples.
"Then what do I do?" I asked, and maybe my face did the wonders, but they looked at each other.
"I have some personal sanitary pads, but…" Another was saying.
"I need like… how many sanitary pads does a lady need on a thirteen hour flight?" I asked, and felt horribly embarrassed.
Their smiles faded once more, as they regarded me as a pervert, deliberately trying to piss them off.
The flight attendants regained their smiles once more, although I could see their confusion still evident in their eyes.
"Um, may I ask…"
"Don't ask. Also, I'm not a pervert. I just really need it."
"Do you experience peri…"
"No!" I said, immediately.
"If you'd wait for a second." The lady who had offered to give me one scanned my clothes, and probably the fact that I was in a first class arrangement, and decided not to question me.
She returned shortly with a pack.
"If you flow heavy, this should be enough for thirteen hours." She said,
"It's not for me." I said immediately. "I mean, I'm sorry. I'm a man. I need it urgently for… my seat partner." I said, and their faces shifted into one of comprehension.
"Don't tell her I told you though. She speaks a language I don't think you'll understand. Thanks for this." I replied, and left.
I went back to my seat, and handed her the pack of sanitary pads, and her eyes welled up with tears, as she began to speak rapidly in her language.
"Whakawhetai koe. Ka nui te mihi. Ka tino mihi ahau ki tenei." She said, dashing away with her tongue, but through her words, I could tell she was expressing her gratitude.
However, she refused to stand, but kept on staring at me. I tried to ignore her, but eventually, she tapped me.
"Yes?" I replied, with a smile despite being frustrated, and she began to speak rapidly once more, with large tears in her eyes. I bit my lip, feeling a pot of frustration boil in my tummy. "I… don't know. Understand, no. You? Word? What?" I asked, breaking my words down for her, and she pointed at my shirt, a bottle of water, and her skirt.
"Oh, you're still stained." I figured, and took off the shirt I was wearing. "This. Waist, go." I said, wrapping the shirt around my waist briefly, before giving it to her.
She smiled brightly, and began to speak rapidly again. She did just as I had done, and got to her feet, hiding the pack of sanitary pads behind her.
Before she returned, I decided to sleep. I didn't want to solve any lady-like problems anymore.
Thankfully, she didn't bother me anymore, but sang sweetly, and softly in her language, and I appreciated that, but didn't say anything.
I felt at ease, hearing her sing, and I wondered what the words meant, but guessed I'd never know.
We landed in New Zealand by 11pm, and the woman insisted on following me, telling me to follow her through sign language.
"It's fine. I can find a hotel, or…" I was saying but she shook her head strongly, still speaking in her strange language.
The cold was biting, and I kept on staring at my shirt around her waist longingly. The white T-shirt I had on was nothing against the cold.
"Mr. Granger!" I suddenly heard, and there was Stephanie walking to me quickly. "I knew your flight was going to… Oh! Hinewai!" She squealed, and Stephanie and the strange lady hugged each other, speaking rapidly in excitement.
"Follow me." Stephanie said to me, laughing, and I wondered how I had a knack for meeting strange women, who were related to people I knew, and having embarrassing moments with them.
We got into Stephanie's car, and after chatting away heavily, Hinewai drifted to sleep.
"You're one funny man." Mr. Granger. It's weird how you're sweet to a complete stranger, to the extent of getting her a pack of sanitary pads, which is rare on a plane, and giving her your shirt, but totally aggressive to me, a potential business partner." She said, as we drove.
"At least, she wasn't pushing herself on me." I replied
"She called you an angel, saying you didn't hesitate to help her. What if she decides to hit on you? Will you turn harsh?" She asked, looking at the road.
"If necessary." I replied, and she let out a scoff.
"You're one difficult man to work with. Well, let me know if you change your mind." She said, stealing a quick glance at me.
"I won't be changing it." I replied immediately.
"We'll see. You haven't been around pretty girls much, have you?" She asked, and my phone rang. It was the sweetest thing that could happen at that moment. It meant I didn't have to reply to her.
"Hey John."
"Hi. Where are you?" He asked.
"Just arrived in New Zealand." I replied, looking around.
"Now?"
"Yeah, minutes ago. So, about Emily… What did you decide? Still making her a secretary?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Yeah."
"Oh. That's cool."
"Why did you ask?" John asked.
"Just wanted to. No biggie." I replied.
"Can I ask a question, Lucas?"
"Sure, go on."
"Have you met Emily before? Do you know her?" He asked, and I tensed up.
Did he know, or did he not know?
Was he testing me, or was he not?
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