Chapter 3 LADY

I woke up without Duke beside me. He is still not home. It is already seven 'o clock in the morning and I am late for my meet-up. I drink my coffee and take a bath. Mark already messaging me asking me where am I now. He is already waiting for me at the cafe. I call Duke but he is not answering his phone. I message him but he is not also replying. I hope he is okay. I took a pen and paper to leave a note for Duke.

"Hi, love,

I know that you are already tired and I am not home to make you coffee that is why I made you coffee in advance. Just microwave it if it is already cold when you arrived. I went to the cafe at the Molino to meet up with the buyer and to send a package to LBC. I love you so much and See you later"

I stick my note on the fridge and with the orders. I went out of the house to make sure that the door is lock and the windows. Duke has a spare key so he doesn't need to wait for me to get inside the house and I am about to leave now when I saw Chase. Chaselyn my friend and our neighbour.

"Lady" She called me before I ride in the car. She walks closer to me and hugs me.

"I will miss you," She said because they are about to go now. They will move house.

"You said, you will leave next month?" I asked her

"But the buyer of the house wants to move as soon as possible, that is why we need to move asap too" She answered and give me the red lipstick as her remembrance.

"We will keep in touch, don't worry" She added.

"Okay, just message me in your free time," I said and she hugs me for the last time and we both say goodbye to each other.

Chase is one of my friends leaving just a few blocks away. We have known each other since our college days. She has two beautiful girls and one baby boy. We are close to each other that is why she didn't forget to see me before they move house.

I ride in my car and leave. I went to LBC to deliver the orders and then I went to the meeting place and to meet Mark. Based on his profile picture he is a man but I am not really sure if he is a real man because he ordered a red dress from me and a woman's perfume. I saw him sitting wearing sunglasses and a black jacket. Drinking coffee and waiting for me.

"Are you Mark?" I asked the man and he looks at me and "Have a seat, pleases" He said so I sit on the chair in front of him.

"Sorry, I am late," I told him and he didn't say anything. He just look at me and drink his coffee.

"You're pretty," He said out of nowhere after drinking his coffee. I didn't react to what he said because I don't know what to react. I haven't heard that word for a long time.

"This is your order," I said and I showed him the paper bag that I am holding. I gave it to him and he took it. He checks the order inside. One red dress and perfume.

"This one that is perfect for my sister," He said. While checking on the dress. He checks the perfume too and smells it.

"I hope she would love this one," He said.

"If she will like the perfume, I will be your regular customer" He added. While staring at me that makes me uncomfortable.

"Do you want coffee, juice or anything that suits you?" He asked

"No, I am fine. I just had my coffee at home before leaving" I answered. He gave me the payment and he asked me when can he see me again but I didn't answer. He paid me the exact amount and I left him alone in the cafe right after I received his payment.

I arrived home and I saw Duke waiting for me. I go down from the car and kissed him. He smells fresh, smells like he took a bath.

Hi, Love" I greeted him with a smile.

"Did you just arrived?" I asked him

"Yeah" He answered. He looked at me and "Where have you been?" He asked.

"I went to LBC to deliver some orders and I meet a buyer in Coffee King" I answered. When m phone rings because someone messages me. He grabs it from my hand and read the message out loud.

"Thanks miss beautiful," He said and he looked at me again

"From Mark" He added. "Who is this mark?" He asked. I don't know if he is jealous. "You went for a date, a breakfast date not a buyer's meet-up," He said as if he is creating a fight again or something that we can argue.

"It is a buyer's meet-up, love," I said. I don't know what's up with him but I am telling him the truth.

"Buyer?" He asked "You went out without me to meet him, then you will tell me he is just your buyer," He asked again.

"I am calling you but you are not answering my call. I message you, text you but you are not replying" I told him and looked at him. I want to ask the problem why is he acting weird and distant but I am scared of his answer. I am not ready to hear his answer.

"You know that I am working right?"He asked but I didn't answer

"You want me to watch for your call?' He asked again. I don't know if he is insulting me by his question.

I didn't answer his questions because it is no sense to me. I went inside the house and didn't mind him. He is starting a fight again. Every time he goes home he is mad. I don't if he is just tired but he is creating an issue that we can fight with and it is almost an hour that we are not talking to each other. He just ate a little and he sleep without talking to me or even kissing me.

I heard his phone keeps on vibrating. Someone keeps on calling him or messaging him. That is why I slowly took his phone beside him and check who calling him but his phone has a password and I don't know the password that is why I can't open it to see who is calling him. The name is not flashing on the screen too. I tried to enter random passwords. Maybe I can guess it but none of the passwords that I enter works. Until he wakes up and saw me holding his phone.

"Why are you holding that?" He asked and he grabbed his phone from my hand.

"Because I heard it vibrating. Some is calling you maybe it is important. check it" I said waiting for him to open his phone in front of me to see who is calling him but he didn't open it. Instead of checking it he put his phone under his pillow and go back to sleep.

I looked at him without saying a word even there is a lot of words in my head. I don't know how to say it. Even I have a lot of questions. I don't know how to ask it. Why are you like that? Why are you suddenly change? Is it because of work or do you have someone new? I asked myself that I want to ask him even I don't know how to ask him because I am not ready to hear his answers. I looked at him silently. Maybe there is no "someone new". I am just paranoid.