7: Accidentally yours
1351 Words
"Hi, my lady. We meet again." Patricio said to Edith.
"How? I have been looking for you for a month now." Edith was puzzled. He was standing in front of her. She was sitting in one of the trees in the plaza reading a book. For almost a month now she had been coming to the town plaza every day. She is hoping to see him.
"My lady, would you like me to join you? I want to talk to you." Pat was trying to be a gentleman. He did not want to ruin his chance of getting closer to his destiny.
"Si señor. I hope you don't mind sitting in the grass?" She replied with a smile. She was happy to finally talk to him again. The last few days were excruciating, to say the least. All she could think was Pat. How he looked and his smell. She was always daydreaming to the point that Trish had continuously defeated her in sparring sessions.
"May I know why you are reading under the tree?" Pat snapped her from her thoughts.
"Oh, this I have read this already. I am fond of reading and I am just passing my time here under the shade of this tree." She wasn't prepared to answer him. She wanted to tell him that she was waiting for him here. But in the end, she opted not to tell him. She wanted to be a Maria Clara. Someone who was a reserved and well-mannered lady.
"What is the book about? Would you like to have some snacks?" Pat asked her again.
She blushed at his question. She was reading a love story about two lovers who were forbidden to love each other.
"This is about a love story of two young people. I would be glad to tell you more if you are up for it. Are you?" Edith managed to ask him this time.
"Go back, did I hear it right? You are asking me to talk with you about this book?" Pat asked while pointing to the book.
Edith's heart rate increased as Pat's hands brushed lightly with her hand. She managed to feel a spark from his touch.
'Mine!' There it is again her wolf made a claim to her mate.
"I will take your offer for some snacks if you will allow me to discuss this book? Deal?" Edith asked.
"As you wish my lady. And then later I will accompany you to your house. If you would permit me." Pat smiled at her request. It felt like she was one step closer to him already.
Pat stood first and like any other gentleman, offered his hand to help Edith.
"My lady, would you care for me to help you?" He again asked for her approval. She was astonished. He seemed to be much older than he looked when he speaks.
"Si señor." Edith agreed.
They walked from the center of the town plaza to one of the shops Edith came to love. It served Chinese soup with noodles in it. It was the perfect snack she thought. As they needed to let it cool before eating it. That way they had more time to talk.
"Señora, Buenas dias. What will you order today?" A young man asked her from the counter.
"Two orders of my usual soup please." She spoke. Pat was surprised to see she has ordered for the two of them. He did not mind her boldness. She was perfect in every way.
"Would you like anything else? I ordered you my favorite soup so you could try it. I hope you don't mind." Edith apologized as she began to contemplate her actions. She did not want to give him wrong ideas about her.
"My lady, I won't mind at all. If you please, I will take that white bread as well. And please let me take care of the bill. This is my treat." Pat offered.
"Thank you señor. You are very kind." Edith was falling for him. He was such a prince charming. She thought those were just myths from the old stories.
"Anything for you my lady. Shall we?" Pat then helped her seat at the table assigned to them.
"Can we add these siopao please?" Edith asked the young man from the counter for the white bread with a pink dot on the middle to be added to their order. The young man nodded and took out two of those. He then brought it to the table where Edith sat.
"How come I don't see you here often?" Pat asked her first.
"How long have you been here in this town?" Edith asked with curiosity.
"Long enough to know most of the residents here and their shops. But this is the second time I have seen you. Where did you come from?" Pat asked her. He was intrigued by her features. It could be observed that she was a little pale compared to most of the residents of the island. She had also a thick Spanish accent compared to the mestizos and mestizas living there.
"I grew up on this island. This has been my home. Why do you ask?" Edith replied.
"You seem to be different in a good way. You look beautiful in that dress and may I add. Your hair is fascinating. I haven't seen such brownish hair complement the eyes. You are a beauty that takes my breath away." Pat smoothly laid it to her thick. He wanted her to fall for him. She was her destiny, but he still needed to woe her.
'In essence, we are couples. But I must ask her Papa's blessing to court her. I still have plenty of time before I need to go back home.' He thought to himself. He promised his Mama to bring her back when he returns.
"Oh, my señor, thank you for those sweet words. I never had those kinds of compliments." Edith blushed at his words.
"My lady, I don't tell this to anyone but to you, I will gladly repeat it every minute if you like." Pat smiled again.
"Excuse me señor, señora. Here are your orders. Señora this is on the house. The owner insists as you are such a blessing today. After you came in a lot of customers came as well." The young man told them. He placed the soup in front of us and he placed the siopao in the middle of the table. Edith smiled at him then looked at the owner who was sitting in the cash box.
"My lady. You didn't tell me you are a good luck charm." Pat quipped. Although he knew, he was the reason for such good fortune. He was the prince of kama-kama, a friendly creature who likes to help people. Since he was in a good mood, he thought of giving some good luck towards the shop.
"What? Oh no, this is just coincidence." Edith refused his remarks. She thought it was quite odd. Never in her visits did the owner gave her a free snack or that she brought customers. She knew the owner was stingy when it comes to free food. She was baffled, to say the least.
"My lady, shall we eat?" Pat asked her to start eating. The smell of the soup gave her a sense of warmth and comfort.
Edith nodded and took a spoonful of the soup. Blowing it before sipping the soup. She smiled as she tastes the heavenly liquid. It was salty and flavorful. You could taste the shrimp, pork, and herbs in the soup itself.
"This is so good," Edith said to no one in particular.
"You are right my lady. This is the best soup I ever tasted. I should come here often." Pat agreed with her. He never knew human food was this flavorful. He was used to eating fruits and vegetables as those were abundant in the woods.
"May I ask where do you live Pat? It seems you speak from the early 1800s." Edith suddenly asked him. He was unprepared for this.
- Writer
