Essence of my life

Chapter 6

Caitlyn came out with a huge tray filled with breakfast and Joseph smiled at her. Jackie was still thinking about how his father actually managed to convince her on this issue. And thank all the lords and especially his own father, he gets to eat Caitlyn's hand made food everyday! And to be honest, it tasted better than his mother's cooking.

"Oh, Caitlyn! I can't believe that it is the last day that you will be cooking for me!" Joseph almost pouted making Jackie reel back in wonder.

The time his father has been here, he had observed a lot of changes in him. He smiled a lot and even looked fatherly. Where was the man he once knew, who was always stern and never had enough time to even take notice of Jackie?

And what happened to Caitlyn, that she actually accepted staying back and cooking for him? She always tried to run away and always kept to herself. But when she was with the old man, she tried smiling a little which caused some strange emotion stir in the pit of Jackie's stomach.

What is with this woman that makes me feel this way? he thought.

"It's alright, sir. She will take extra care of you and will also cook better than me," she managed a small smile.

He chuckled, "I will let you on a little secret, come here."

"Yes?" she leaned in closer.

"You cook better than her," he grinned.

A slight shade of pink crept up her cheeks as she tried to hold her smile. She had never been complimented this way. And neither was she compared to anyone before because she literally had no one to be compared to. All her life she was alone and was always an outcast. Suddenly being told something like this was like reminding her that she was alive.

The day when Joseph asked her to cook for him, she couldn't say a no to him. He reminded her of a fatherly figure, which she never had in her life. She faintly remembers her own father smiling up to her this way and now even those memories were slightly fading away. Joseph tempted her on experiencing the warm fatherly feeling she lacked, making her accept on his deal. Why she craved for the things she will never have, she didn't understand. But after all, she is just a mere human with feelings. She cannot forever deny herself of everything she cannot afford!

She smiled during work and Emma, who always had a watch on Caitlyn, was really flabbergasted. How in the world was Caitlyn smiling? Maybe Emma was really blessed to have a look of that perfect lady smile down at her. But the one thing which irked her on top of everything was, Jackie looking at Caitlyn with an awestruck face.

"Mr. Baxter, you have a call," Emma waltzed in, trying to pry off his gaze from Caitlyn.

"Who?" was all he uttered. Where was that dazzling smile he always had on show for her?

"She won't tell who she is," Emma shrugged, "she only asked for you."

"Forward the call to Caitlyn," he ordered.

She rolled her eyes, "yes, sir."

And Caitlyn steals him again!

"Yes, may I help you?" Caitlyn said, with the phone in her hand to her ear, gliding herself into Jackie's office, making Jackie's eyes glue onto her swaying hips.

"I want to speak to Jackie Baxter," the woman on the other side said.

"May I know who this is?"

"Just hand him the phone and walk away, woman."

"I'm sorry, but unless I know who you are, I cannot hand him the phone, ma'am."

"Oh, c'mon! I am not gonna eat him!" she sounded desperate.

"I can't defy his orders ma'am. Now, if you are done, I have other calls waiting on this line." Caitlyn was about to hang up but the woman on the other side stopped her.

"Okay, well, I am his mother. Does that do any good?" she asked in an exasperated voice.

She quickly turned towards Jackie, who was absentmindedly staring at this perfect lady in front of him.

"Mr. Baxter," she shook him from his stare, "it is your mother on the line."

His expression turned sour and his eyes darkened. He certainly didn't want to talk to her. "I don't want to talk to her."

"Ma'am, he says that he is busy. Can you please leave a message?" Caitlyn asked.

"I heard him," she snorted, "tell him that I still want to talk to him."

"Sir, she insists."

"Put her on speaker," he instructed her in barely a whisper.

She nodded, turning it on, " ma'am, you can talk now."

"Jackie, baby, I am so sorry! How much longer do you want to keep away from me?"

He didn't speak.

Caitlyn was about to turn around and walk away but he stopped her and asked her to stay.

"I don't think that it is appropriate for me to listen on a personal conversation," she replied.

"Doesn't matter," he cut her off, "please stay."

His piercing gaze made her stop in her tracks in defeat. Guess she has to listen to their personal conversation after all.

"Jackie, baby, are you listening?" the phone crackled and snapped their attention back to his mother.

"Yes, mother," he sighed in defeat.

"Call me mom! Like you always did!" she whined.

"Why did you call me?" he was right at his point and his mother seemed to go silent this time.

"I just wanted to know how you were," she sounded timid and uncertain.

"Well, if you have to know, I am still alive. You finally seemed to have taken notice after three years," he voice was stone cold which even got Caitlyn silently shuddering.

"I am sorry, Jackie. I shouldn't have taken off that way unexpectedly, but I was forced and I lost track of time!" she sounded desperate.

"You lost track of time for three years?" he questioned, "sounds very convincing."

"But, Jackie-"

He cut her off, "no mother, don't even bother to give any explanations to me. We are way past that stage now. Caitlyn?" he called her, "please hang up."

She nodded hesitantly, turning off the speaker mode. "Ma'am, I am sorry but I may have to hang up now."

"I understand," she sighed, "I brought this upon myself. Anyway, nice talking to you, Caitlyn. I will look forward to seeing you."

"Same goes to you?" it sounded more like a question.

"And yes," she added, "please take care of my son."

"Sure."

Caitlyn could feel the mother's grateful sigh as she finally hung up. Whatever the matter was, Jackie didn't really take it very well but his mother sounded very sincere in her apology. And she was rather worried about her son even though he acted so coldly.

Mother's love.

Something which she never knew.

But she craved for it every moment.

"She is coming tomorrow," Jackie sighed, "and father wants me to pick her up, myself! Caitlyn, can you please come with me?"

"I don't really think I should-"

"Please?" he asked with his irresistible gaze. After all, she herself was born human and there were a few temptations even she cannot resist.

"Alright," she said, walking out of the cabin and capturing Jackie's gaze onto her swaying hips again.