Chapter 43: 26th May
1575 Words
Ring! Ring!! Ring!!!
Jade’s phone buzzed on the table. Sapphire tried to reach for the phone, but she couldn’t. Jade was resting on the other side of her shoulder, and she didn’t want to wake him up. Else, he might not get time to sleep.
The buzzing stopped and continued again. She stretched her hand and finally touched the screen. Doing this, Jade woke up. He took a deep breath and looked around, confused.
“How long have I slept?” He asked.
“Not that long. Almost an hour ago.”
Jade let out a heavy sigh and hummed to himself. “I finally feel alive again.”
Sapphire stared at him with guilt laced in her eyes. For some reasons, she felt responsible for everything. As if she’d pushed him to the wall in the last three days.
“You look like you’ve only had a meal today. How many hours of sleep have you been getting?”
About four hours in the past three days.
“Including the sleep you just had now?” She asked.
Jade nodded positively.
With this, Sapphire nibbled the lower part of her pink, sacred lip in pain. Jade touched her chubby cheeks. They ended up staring into each other’s eyes. A smiled spread across Jade’s lips, making Sapphire smile too.
“Let’s go already. It’s almost midnight.” Jade suggested, holding Sapphire's hand as they walked out of the executive restaurant. They hoy into his jeep and zoomed into the busy road.
Packed at the front of her flat, they both of them walked outside, facing each other under the starry night sky.
“Go inside.” Jade started. “And don’t forget to lock your door properly.”
About to turn back, Sapphire held his hand to stop him.
“What’s it?” He asked innocently.
“Give me your phone for a second.” She requested.
Jade unlocked his phone and handed it to her. She scrolled through and mute it.
“Don’t even check on your phone till tomorrow morning.” She warned. “Just sleep. If you don’t, you’ll die. You got that?”
“I can’t avoid the calls. As a busy person, I--“
“I waited two hours for you to sleep the other time. Don’t you feel bad about that?”
“Are you still angry with me?” He murmured with guilt.
“Well, it’s not like you did anything to make me feel better. All you did was sleep.” She expatiated. “Do nothing once you get home. Just sleep, okay? If you do that, I’ll forgive you for today.”
“Alright. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He replied her with a smile.
About to go, he turned back to Sapphire and wrapped his arms around her shoulder in a soft cuddle.
“Sorry for making you wait. Sorry for putting you through so much already.” He muttered sincerely as he held her tighter.
Hugging Sapphire felt as if the sky was mimicking his heart, but that didn’t stop him. Gently and steadily, Sapphire wrapped her arms around him, too. She couldn’t help but to conceal her tears with soft sniffles.
***
The night had faded with the starry sky. The sun has risen with a bright and fair morning. Everyone was busy with work; Sapphire in school with her pupils and Jade doing what he’s good at; bombarding his works with more than enough works, making sure that life at work is difficult.
After a long-boring meeting, Miss Barbara and Mr. George came out of the meeting room with about a hundred extensive files on their arms. Well, they’ll have to complete everything before the next weekend.
“I need to crack our CEO’s back open!” Miss Barbara sneered as she slapped the flies on her table.
As a child, she used to love anything related to business, but right now, she just wants to quit.
“Why?” Mr. George asked.
She faced him with an almost teary eye. “There might be a battery there, you know? He never gets tired! Or maybe he has a USB supporter by the side of his ears like those newly made robots? I mean... How can one be so energetic overnight?”
Mr. George smiled, unable to reply to her puzzled questions.
“I guess he never gets tired. All my joints and bones feel so out of place right now. I just want to sleep.” She hit her butt on the chair and scoffed at the heap of files sitting in front of her.
***
It was closing time at Blossom High, the school where Sapphire works.
“Come on, kids, line up and have your stamps before you leave. You all did a great job today!” She applauded them as her students jerked in laughter and happiness.
It’s clear that Sapphire has a good connection between her and her students. Other students liked her the same way, too. She’s so friendly and free-spirited that other teachers and co-workers related with her as close as possible.
In no time, her students made a line by the door side. Sapphire took her good job stamp to mark their works and quickly stick a stamp on their left palms, so it won’t easily wipe off...
A bright, bold smile appeared on the kid’s faces as she gave the stamps.
“Next,” she called and pressed the stamp on the next kids palm.
“Good job!” She encouraged. “Bye!”
She waved at them as they take their leaves.
***
The Next Day...
It was the 26th of May. Jade had prepared for work that morning. He went to take a bottle of wine when he noticed the date. A deep feeling of seriousness overcame him when he gazed forward. He saw the model toy Sapphire bought for him, the one he made the other night. Somehow, Jade heard that Mrs. Kate’s late son used to play with model toys. Seeing the toy made him wish her son was still alive. He used to imagine him as a brother, even though they’d never met.
That morning, before going to work, Jade packaged it into a small kit bag and went to pay a visit to his mother.
“Oh, Jade! You’re here!” She walked to him with the utmost surprise as a smile curved on her pretty face.
“I had something to give you.” She said.
“To me?”
“Yes.” Sapphire handed him an envelope. Jade quickly opened it to check what it was.
“I think your uncle is up to something. That’s what your grandpa told me.” She explained.
“So I’m sure that grandpa noticed too. Good, then.”
“Of course, he’s got a sharp eye, after all. Kate replied. I heard you sent getting any sleep lately. You shouldn’t try to rest after working hours, okay?”
“Okay mum.” He replied with content. “There’s something I want to give to you, too. He handed her the bag. It’s a gift for you.”
“A gift? She chuckled softly. “You give people gifts now?”
“I’m not sure if you’ll like it, since it’s my first time giving you one.”
“I’ll love it no matter what it is. I have got none in a long time.” She smiled at him joyfully.
Jade loves to see Kate so happy. Knowing he’s the source of her smile.
Back at his office, Jade went through the file his mother handed to him. In it were how BB Mall get its prices changed and how the Damien change the numbers of zero just for their own personal gain.
Just then, Miss Barbara open Jade’s door.
“Sorry to barge in sir, what about lunch?”
“Oh, it’s fine. I’ll be leaving work soon, anyway.”
“What?” she went, startled by his words.
“Go home early. Inform others too. It’s the weekend, after all.”
Miss Barbara turned out slowly, as if she heard the truth from a liar’s mouth for the first time.
“What the matter? Did something happen?” George asked, trying to understand her puzzled face.
“He said he’s leaving soon. And he said we should all go home early, since it’s the weekend.” She reported in a whisper.
Everyone turned to her.
“It’s unbelievable... Right?” Mr. Tim stammered back.
“That workaholic just said that to me.” Barbara explained. “Does it make any sense? Our boss is a chameleon, isn’t he?”
“You and I can keep working together then, if you want to.” Mr. Tim suggested.
“Are you mad! I told you I’m tired, and you want to do more work?!” she hissed at him and ran to her desk in excitement.
“I’m going home! I’m so going to sleep!”
“Really?” a voice interrupted as they all turned to see who it was. Chloe Charles. She wore a short dress and revealed her figure-8 shaped body.
Just then, Jade walked out of his office, too. A shocked but disappointing look slapped on his face immediately he saw Chloe in front of him.
The other workers peered at them with awkward looks, wondering what was really going on between these two.
- Writer
