LOVING YOU BENEATH THE SURFACE

MAKEUP

|Kate|

Chris did message me that he would be coming over to my house after his conference and he would like a homemade meal because he had missed my food, but I was too lazy to go out and get groceries. I hadn’t been at home for weeks, so I didn’t bother to stock my house with food items. Since that was not his first time coming over and fixing something light or ordering something, I ignored it and just continued with my work.

I had been buried with the work for days because I didn’t like all the designs I came up with. I kept canceling it over and over to the point where it got frustrating. That very day, I miraculously got into the feeling and the inspirations kept pouring in nonstop. That was the main reason I couldn’t get my ass up in order to fix him anything and I sincerely got the reason why he was angry.

“He must have kept his belly empty because of the food he was expecting. What have I done?” I thought to myself as I threw the sketchpad I was holding on the couch when he left angrily.

I would have run after him, but I knew it would be useless because Chris would never listen until he’s calm, and he loves to be alone when worked up, so he wouldn’t yell bad words toward the other person. He was such a considerate person and that made guilt weigh me down throughout the night.

“Should I call? He might not pick up”, I contemplated as I paced up and down the room.

The work I was so much embedded in, I couldn’t continue anymore and was just focused on how to make him feel better. I was still on this when Priscilla’s call came in.

“Hey! How is my baby?” I said immediately I picked up the call, but she ignored that totally.

“You, do you want to lose what you have? I am not saying you should be doing some housewife duties, but Kate, you have to work towards this relationship! Why are you so relaxed and nonchalant? You think everything will be okay as long as he loves you? He loves you, that’s a given fact, but don’t throw him out into the cold! Don’t let him regret loving you because you will not be able to handle it” she lashed out straightaway.

I knew she had called to give me an earful when I saw her call come in. Everything she said was right after all. I was very relaxed.

“You skip and cancel dates as you like. You stand him up and just pick up your work! Work! Work and work! Every damn time! Do you think you are the only one working? He also works too! I thought you would have it easy now that you are the head of a company, but you are just getting worse. I am your sister, but I will never support you on this, so fix that attitude before you cry about it later” she added before I could even open my mouth.

“I know that I didn’t do well, I..”

I was still trying to explain myself when she slammed me with “Thank God you know” and dropped the call at that instant.

“She and this her nasty temper”

I sighed and quickly rushed to dial his number over and over, but he was not picking up. I called more than fifty times, but he didn’t pick up a single call. It was then it occurred to me that he knew I would be trying to call him and must have put his phone on silent. He didn’t switch it off, so I wouldn’t have been worried about him being unreachable.

I managed to have a little sleep through the night and rushed up early in the morning to go to his place and stopped for some grocery shopping. I had to beg him about the disappointment. It was highly needed.

****

|Chris|

She kissed me like never before and all the issues I had harbored in my heart melted right that instant. Her soft lips were doing wonders for me and I knew I was in for a good treat because she’s damn good at kissing.

For several minutes, no one said anything and the only sound in the room was the hissing noise of our lips smashing against each other. My hands roamed everywhere they could find as the session got hotter.

We had a round and stopped to take a break since it was just morning and the day was still very long.

“Your baby is sorry. I accept all blames” she whispered to me and I folded her into a cuddle.

“It’s okay. I am sorry for yelling at you. I should have considered your work”, I mumbled, but she shook her head against my chest.

“You don’t have to apologize for anything. It was deserved. You have done everything for me ever since and I rarely do anything. Your level of patience is unmatched” she praised, and a chuckle was forced out of my throat.

I was glad that she realized what she did instead of holding onto my reactions. I am also a human, so of course, I have a strain limit on my tolerance, but since we had both reconciled, it was best to let all negative feelings go.

“Let me prepare something before we go on a date” she announced and slipped out of bed.

“We are going out on a date? Are you sure you don’t need to go to work?” I confirmed once again and she laughed.

“I am the head of the office. It’s okay to be rebellious once in a while. It doesn’t mean the company will crumble just today only” she responded with a smile before disappearing into the kitchen.

We ate, showered together and went to the cinemas first. We were lucky to get tickets for the show she once canceled on our plan. We visited the aquarium, the park and other places our feet could take us.

The moments were healing for both of us, and we decided to put our phones on silence in order to avoid disturbance. We were both energized and the assurance that was looking bleak and thin was strengthened once more.

I so much loved her absence and wished it wouldn’t end, but at the end of the day, we both had to go back to our daily lives while promising to improve more on communications and always finding time for ourselves amidst all the struggles of life.

“Even when the tides of life sweep us unexpectedly and try to drift us apart. Let’s just focus on ourselves and hold our hands tightly till the end. Only then will we truly say we have each other” she told me as she hugged me tightly before she left, and I promised her that she should rest assured.

We had survived several storms that were way worse than whatever was going on, so it wasn’t a big deal.

“I just got our company the huge summer collection deal. I will be supervising the regional summer fashion show. Yes! One of my biggest dreams in right in front of me!” her text dropped in my inbox as I filled out the report of my conference.

I grinned at my phone proudly. I was so happy that she was slowly winning, and her dreams were coming true after all the hardships she had been through.

“How did I find myself such a cool woman? Hell! I am one lucky man!” I blushed hard.