The Painful Forever (Unhappy Wives Series #1)

Chapter 7: Then

Isaiah surely waited for me until my work is done at seven. He was just busy reading his thick books quietly and I couldn’t stop myself from turning to look his way every single time. All day, there was nothing I wanted to do but to pull the hands of time so I would be done faster.

I walked to him and smiled. “I’m done,” I said in a girly voice. I didn’t know why I was trying to act demure in front of him. I just feel like if he knew who the real me is, he’d back out.

Well, what would he back out for anyway? It’s not like we’re going to see each other exclusively now. He just wanted to have a breather from his books and it just happened that I am here. There shouldn’t be any big deal with it.

We’re going to out as friends. Or less than friends. I shouldn’t fret about it too much.

Isaiah looked up his pair of brown orbs made my heart skip a beat. Damn. I have seen people with blue, green or gray eyes but they pale in comparison to Isaiah’s brown orbs. It’s not anything special but they have a certain feel in them that makes my system go in haywire.

“Oh, yeah,” he beamed as he closed his book and placed it inside his bag. He grabbed his key on the table. He stood up and slung one strap on his backpack on his left shoulder. “Do you have your car?” he asked.

I nodded shyly and I can see that his face fell. Should I have said otherwise?

He pursed his lips before forcing a smile. “Would you like to ride with me instead?” he asked in a polite manner that actually surprised me. His eyes widened when he saw my expression. “I mean, so we’d get to the restaurant together,” he explained, sounding so defensive.

I smiled and nodded. “Yes. Sure,” I replied. “I can just go back here and get my car back. The café is open twenty-four hours anyway.”

He licked his lower lip and let out a sigh of relief before finally smiling. “Okay.” The atmosphere was awkward and I bet, it’s going to even be worse when we’re already inside his car.

And it is.

The moment he shut his door from the driver’s side and fastened his seatbelt, silence filled the inside of his black Mazda SUV. Awkward wasn’t even a word to describe. It was much worse than that and I don’t know if there ever is a word to suffice the exact description of this atmosphere.

But then I have to do this. This is only the first time. If he asks me out again, I doubt we will be this awkward again. I won’t let that happen next time. Besides, I would be able to get to know him more tonight and that’s what I am going to put on the topmost of my priority list.

“Are you okay?” he asked just to break the awkward silence. “I’m sorry. Is it awkward?” he chuckled.

I looked at him and saw him smiling at me. He kind of looked apologetic but I didn’t dare ask him why. “I think it’s normal to have an awkward atmosphere on the first time that we’re eating together,” I told him just to make him ease it a little.

He blinked at me before nodding in understanding. “Thank you,” he uttered. “I promise to not be a geek and boring dinner mate,” he kidded before starting the engine.

I chuckled and nodded. “Me, too,” I replied before we headed off.

“So…” he trailed. “I forgot to ask you what you want to eat for dinner,” he chuckled nervously as we entered the main road. “I was just too busy wanting to have dinner with you that I totally lost the idea of where I would take you for our first date.”

First date? Does that mean we’ll have another one in the future?

I swallowed hard to calm the beating of my heart. It was just going crazy inside my chest that I felt like I wouldn’t be able to speak if this keeps going on.

I cleared my throat and counted to five in my head before finally finding the courage to speak out. “I don’t have favorites in general but we can try with the basic? Filipino dishes?” I suggested to finally continue with the topic. And besides, I don’t want him to think that I am difficult to handle because I only give him one-word replies.

His impression of me and my personality is important to me. I want him to have the best impression of me.

“Filipino cuisine? Sure, I know a good place near Araneta,” he told me like he’s sure that I’m going to like it. Well, I definitely will. I’m not really picky on food. I would eat whatever is on the table without question.

“Sure,” I replied. “I haven’t been around Araneta for months because I was busy with the business. “Is that a new restaurant?” I asked, a bit happy that the atmosphere is slowly getting brighter. I would like to continue with this progress.

“Yeah,” he replied as he stopped by the red light. “It just opened last week. My friends from the hospital went there and told me that I needed to visit it when I am not busy drowning myself in books.” He chuckled at that.

Well, his friends are right. He shouldn’t just focus and stress himself on his specialization exam.

“When are you taking the exam, anyway? You should have to unwind before sitting in for the exam to calm your mind,” I told him and then I immediately regretted because who am I to tell him what he needs to do, right?

He looked at me and smiled before the green light came on. “You’re right,” he said as he turned right. “So, are you free this weekend?” he asked so casually that I felt like he was only asking me if I already ate or something as normal as that.

I looked at him, confused. “This weekend?”

He nodded. “My exam is on Wednesday next week,” he replied. “I would like to go to Baler and surf. Are you free?”

I was frozen on my spot. He’s asking me to go with him in Baler to unwind?

“Or am I pushing it too far?” he chuckled lowly.

I bit my lip and looked down at my fingers on my lap. “I’m not sure yet,” I replied. “I’ll see my schedule first…”

“Okay,” he chimed. “That’s actually better than what I expected.” He chuckled before changing lanes.

I gave in to the urge to look at him and cannot help but think of all the possible reasons for how a man could look this good. He looks like a model in a magazine, only better. The way his muscles flexed as he maneuvered the steering wheel made me wonder if he still has time to work out even with his studies.

It's just too unfair sometimes how all the good physical traits could be on one person alone. No one should be allowed to be this handsome. He just makes other people pale in comparison when they’re beside him. And that includes me.

I sighed and looked out the window until we finally arrived at the newly-opened restaurant he’s saying. From the outside, one can already sense the festive vibes inside the restaurant. There are lights and banderitas handing on the entrance and even more inside the restaurant.

“This looks good,” I told him and he nodded in agreement.

“The ambiance is definitely good. There are also men who are singing in ukuleles and tambourines as they transfer from table to table. Looks fun,” Isaiah said as he led me inside where a staff immediately attended to us.

She showed us to a vacant table and handed us the menu. “You can just ring the bell if you’re ready to order,” she told us before attending to other customers.

The place is almost full. It’s a new restaurant so it is expected to have a lot of customers to try it. Besides, it definitely looks like a great restaurant from the outside because of the ambiance.

I think Tamara and Seraphim would like to eat here, too. I’ll tell them when they’re not busy. Tamara is busy with her fiancé while Sera is out of the country because it is their honeymoon.

“Are you okay?” Isaiah suddenly asked me. “You like the place?”

I looked at him and nodded. “It’s definitely one of the best restaurants in Manila,” I replied. And I’m not even talking about the food here. I’m just basing it all on the vibes of the restaurant and with the man I am with.

To be honest, I have not been on dates with other men. I only have one ex-boyfriend and before that, my dating experience was a big fat zero. We’ve dated for months before I agreed to be his girlfriend.

My dating experience definitely lacks a lot compared to other women out there. When we broke up, I dedicated my life with my café so I didn’t have time to look at men anymore. I didn’t even have time to date.

Until Isaiah came.

“What do you do on your free time?” he started to ask questions about me while looking at the menu.

I bit my lip, trying to concentrate on the menu in front of me but my heart was already getting the better of me. “I bake and do gardening,” I replied before chuckling. Would he even think that my hobbies are interesting? He’s a doctor. He probably thinks of the girls who are working in the same field more interesting than a woman like me.

Without the café, I’m nothing.

“What about you?” I asked back. I’m really curious of who he is if he’s not busy being a doctor—if there even is a time.

He brought the menu down and looked at me. “I try to unwind by playing basketball, driving around, or going to the beach,” he replied.

Wow. He’s a doctor and an athletic? The image of him in the beach, topless, only makes me worry about all the girls who are going to see him. His face is already something to die for but I can only imagine how much more when he’s finally showed his body.

Girls would definitely beyond crazy!

“How long have you been a doctor?” I asked him. “Is that what you really wanted to be?”

Most doctors only study medicine because they are being pushed by their parents. Some do it for the salary. Some do it have a better reputation in the cruel social status. People have a higher respect for white-collar jobs because they earn more than most of the workers in the Philippines.

Isaiah sighed before leaning on the backrest of the chair. “Being a doctor is not a joke, Lily.” He uttered my name like music to my ears. I have never felt goosebumps after hearing my name before. “One has to be very dedicated to finally become a doctor. So, I don’t think someone who didn’t like to study would waste more than a decade of his life just to graduate as a medical doctor.”

I looked at his serious face and nodded. “So, you really wanted to a doctor? Why?”

He chuckled and shrugged. “Well, I wanted to be a doctor for the people,” he replied. “Every year, millions of people die because they don’t have any means to go to the hospital. I wanted to be that doctor for them.”

I stared at him in awe. Heart melting because of his perfection. No one is perfect, they said. But whoever said that probably hasn’t met Isaiah before.

I smiled widely as I felt how genuine he is with his words. “When you go on medical missions, I could supply your food,” I told him and he immediately chuckled.

“Is that a promise?” he asked with a huge grin.

I nodded. “Why are you even asking?” I asked. “You can have all the strawberry cakes.” I joked.

He burst out laughing. “Thank you,” he replied in between chuckles. “If you’re thinking of giving away strawberry cakes, think twice. I might ambush all the cakes and place them inside my house,” he finished before ringing the bell to call the attention of the waitress.

I grinned and shrugged. Oh, damn. I’m really falling at a very fast pace that it never thought was possible. But here I am. Already on the verge of hitting rock-bottom. This is just too crazy.