Perfect

3. Forgetfulness

C h a p t e r T h r e e

X A N D E R said he was a businessman and compared to Taylor who only finished two years in university. He was nothing. Xander's family was rich and he could give Chester all he wanted. He had no match to that Xander.

Yesterday, they exchanged numbers and that day, Xander was going to bring Chester to the mall, maybe to buy him new clothes but Chester wouldn't agree to go without Taylor. So he was tagging along with the father and son shopping. In short, he was the third wheel.

He was still tieing his shoelaces when he heard knocks from the door. He glanced to Chester who was playing with his phone, laying on the sofa while his feet were placed above the center table. Taylor finished tieing first before he stood and opened the door. It was no other than Xander and Taylor felt like a flower who just withered instantly the moment he saw Xander looking so flamboyant stepped inside.

"Hey!" Xander said.

"Hi." Taylor greeted back and stepped back for Xander to walked inside. "Chester." He called when Chester didn't stopped playing and still laying on the sofa. "Your—" Taylor glanced to Xander and their eyes met and he looked away first "—ddad's here already."

Chester tore his gaze from the phone and stood. "Hey." Chester greeted and gave the phone to Taylor.

"You're ready?" Xander asked ruffling Chester's hair.

"Yeah." Chester said. "But I won't go without papa." He said.

Xander turned his gaze to Taylor. "Of course, he will come with us." Xander smiled and held Chester's hand as they went outside.

° ° °

Chester was pulling Taylor's pants when they arrived inside the mall.

"What?" He mouthed to Chester.

"Can't you please drop me in the bookstore?" He said.

"Ha?" Xander said.

"No. You can't leave your dad alone." Taylor said and narrowed his eyes to Chester.

"Please? He won't be alone. You're coming with him and besides you know my sizes and likes. Please?" Chester said. He couldn't be alone with Xander!

"No is a no." He said.

"No, it's okay." Xander said. "You really like books?"

"Really?" Chester's face lightened up and Xander nodded happily.

"Sweet!" He ran but stop on his tracks and looked back. "Thanks, dad!" He said and thumbs up on Taylor while grinning. Taylor just sighed. Xander was spoiling him on the first day.

"Do you always drop him in the bookstore?" Xander asked.

"Yes." He answered and walked behind Xander. That Chester! He thought. How could he leave his uncle with his father alone. He looked like a beggar beside him. And it amazed Taylor how girls there turned their heads to Xander with those flirty looks. In case you don't know, he already had a kid! b***h.

"Aren't you afraid he might get lost?"

"No. He's fine alone with his books. He won't go anywhere but there." Taylor said confidently. He knew Chester. He was always been responsible and intelligent.

They went to a boutique where only expensive clothes were displayed. Taylor almost fainted when he saw the prizes. He saw Xander placed a black jeans in the cart without looking of the prize. He picked the same jeans, but in mint green color that Xander placed in the cart and looked how much it cost. It costs a few grand!

"Do you like that?" Said Xander who just appeared from his back.

"Huh? No." He shook his head no. It was way too expensive for Taylor to afford.

"You can choose anything you want. Consider it as a gift."

"You don't have to. I'm good." Taylor smiled and went to the kids section. It was a pretty big boutique which was divided by men's and women's clothing.

They went to another boutique and this time, they were hunting for shoes and after that, they finally went to the bookstore to fetch Chester. Taylor found him in a corner at his usual spot reading a book.

Chester frowned when he saw them. "You're so fast. I haven't finished reading." He whined.

"We can buy that book. If you want that." Xander said.

Of course. A ten to twenty dollar book wouldn't hurt.

"Really?" Chester said happily and stood instantly.

Xander nodded. "You can pick more."

"I can?" Xander nodded again. "This is the best day ever!" Chester murmured and ran to the shelves leaving them alone.

"Thanks." Taylor said.

"For what?"

"For making him happy." Taylor kinda felt awkward saying those things. Xander patted his shoulder and their eyes met.

"I haven't told my parents about Chester and I want to know more about him before I'll introduce him." Xander said and Taylor nodded.

"Dad!" Taylor jumped when he heard Chester and he was tucking three books in his arms. "Can I have this three books?"

"Of course." Xander said.

He's spoiling him, Taylor thought.

They went to a pizza parlor before they went home. Taylor and Chester went to the studio without changing. Chester went inside the studio and sat in a corner and continued reading his book while Taylor went to the dark room and sat in front of a computer, placing all the shopping bags on the floor which were all for Chester. He saw Macy entered but he didn't mind her.

"Someone give this." Macy placed two regular size brown paper bag on the desk. Taylor frowned.

"Who?"

Macy shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "An admirer maybe." She said and exited.

Taylor glanced to the bags. He grabbed the nearest bag and opened it. His eyes went wide when he saw the mint green jeans and dirty white jeans, the f*****g grand worth jeans. Taylor snatched the other bag and saw a box. Shoes. The gray and black shoes that he was staring while Xander was at the counter paying. Xander saw him staring. How embarrassing, he thought.

He stood and went outside and walked to Macy. Few costumers were sitting on the sofa waiting and some were lining to the counter.

"Where's the person who give you those bags?" Taylor whispered to Macy.

"He left." She said and resumed on entertaining her costumer.

Taylor remembered that he had Xander's personal number. He pulled his phone from his pocket and searched for Xander's number. He couldn't accept those things.

After two rings, Xander picked the phone.

"Taylor, you called?" He said and Taylor went inside the dark room.

"I can't accept those things." Taylor said without further ado.

"You can consider it as a gift."

"I can't. I'll pay for it by installments." He didn't want to owe something from that Xander. Taylor slumped in his chair while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You don't have to pay it."

"I will pay." Taylor said and ended the call. He gathered the bags and placed it near Chester's.

Kenneth went inside the room and wiggled the camera.

"I've got a job for you." He said and plugged the cam on the PC.

"Thanks." He said and Kenneth laughed.

Taylor cracked his fingers and started doing his job. He's going to work his ass for the p*****t of the two pairs of jeans and shoes. He sighed thinking how much money he needed.

The next day, Taylor woke up when Chester was calling and shaking him on the stomach. He opened his heavy eyes. He felt like there were big dark circles under his eyes. He glanced to the clock and it reads seven seventeen in the morning. He just slept for four hours.

"Papa, wake up. Xan—I mean dad is here." Chester said and kissed him on the cheeks. Taylor smiled and stood even though his body were heavy and he could hear the bed was calling him to lay down again. He could open only half of his eyes.

"What brought him here so early?" Taylor said in a sleepy voice.

"Just hurry!" Chester dragged Taylor to the door and opened it. Taylor was surprised to see Xander first who were in his black suit.

"Hi—wow." He said looking at Taylor. "You look—"

"Terrible. Yeah, I know. I, um, overtimed." He lied. When he thought over something, he couldn't sleep and ended up doing something and anything to make him feel tired until he fall sleep. And last night, he spent four hours reading Chester's books before his eyes surrendered.

"I'm sorry for waking you up." Xander said.

"No. It's okay, I guess. So what are yo—" Taylor saw Ella tucking a big bag of chips and beside her were big bags of he didn't know. He frowned. "What are those?" He asked Chester and pointed the bags.

"I bought some groceries." Xander said.

"What? Groceries?" Taylor said and frowned but he didn't say anything. His brain was too sleepy to process whether to be angry or happy.

"Yeah."

"Well, thanks." He said and went to the kitchen, the counter was full of bags. "You really don't have to do this." Taylor said and he saw his own reflection in the mirror near the refrigerator. He was still in his pj's and under his eyes were black circles but not as big as what he expected.

"It's okay." He smiled and ruffled Chester's hair. "Be a good boy, 'kay?" Chester nodded and Xander looked at Taylor. "I have to go. Work." He said.

"Yeah, sure." Taylor nodded.

When Xander left, he sat beside Ella who was grinning widely.

"You two looked like a couple." She chuckled and he rolled his eyes.

"Everyone but not him, Ella." He stood. "I'm going back to sleep."

° ° °

Taylor woke up when he felt someone was shaking his shoulders. It was Chester, he glanced to the clock and it says twelve forty eight.

"Papa, I made sandwiches and coffee for you." Chester said proudly. Taylor sat at the edge of the bed and ruffled Chester's hair.

"Thanks." Taylor smiled. "Wait for me in the kitchen. I'll use the bathroom first." Chester nodded and ran outside the room.

He washed his face, brushed his teeth and changed his pj's. He went to the kitchen and was surprised.

"What are those?" He pointed the bags on the counter.

"Ha?" Chester said confused who was sitting on the chair. "Groceries." He said in as a matter of fact tone.

"Whose? Ella bought that?" It was a lot.

"What are you talking about. Dad did and you ev—were you sleep talking that time?"

"That time?" He said confused. "And why did Xander bought groceries?"

Chester rolled his eyes and shook his head side to side. "He went here early in the morning and gave this groceries. I woke you up and thanked dad for the groceries. You looked like a zombie that time and then after dad went to his work you went back inside the room and sleep like a log. Didn't you remember?"

"Something like that did happened. I thought it was a dream!"

Chester face palmed. "Whatever. Just eat your food."

"You sound like an old man. Like a lot older than me." Chester chuckled. Taylor sat beside Chester and sipped his coffee. Surprisingly, the coffee tasted like heaven. "Mmm, yum." He gave Chester a thumbs up with his free hand. "You know my taste."

"Of course. I'm going to be a chef, papa." Chester said smiling widely.

"Really? I thought you're going to be an author, journalist or maybe a reporter." He took a bite of the sandwich and it tastes good.

Chester shook his head no. "I only like to read their works." He said. "And I've been learning how to cook."

"Then let's test your cooking skills."

"Sure! And you'll buy me a book if you'll like my cooking." He chuckled.

"Sure!"

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