Laundry

It was a warm night, and I'm down at the laundry place for a quick wash. I always choose Wednesday and Friday, so that I could plan my weekend to fold and do some ironing altogether at the same time. So, my usual Vivaldi's Four Season and a paperback is what gets me through that 25 minutes of wash and dry.

Mrs Myers has always been my laundry companion for the past 2 years. She's this little 72 year old grandma whom we always greeted, and exchange a few words of cares and concerns for each other. After those few minutes of quality times, we are back to our chores. I love her to bits and I will always remember to buy her flowers just to put that cute little smile on her face which brightens up my day and of course hers as well.

I have not been seeing her lately and I was worried for her well-being. But there was this unfamiliar face whom he's just walks in washing his non regular clothing clumsily. Politely, he came to ask how laundry is done. So, I showed him some few good tricks to get most out of his detergent and coins in just 1 wash.

He was appreciative and thanked me with a smile. And that's when I realized he has this very uncanny trademark smile. Perhaps he might be related to someone I know. I might be wrong. My laundry is done and I wondering whether Mrs Myers is still doing well. I wanted to pay her a visit, but this guy still looks busy and confused by sorting out his bucket of clothings.

"Erm... Do you mind telling me again, whether the detergent should be a spoon or two?" He asked with much embarrassment.

"Just one will do. You're just having that amount of clothing, with two spoons, you might wash all of these clothing through the night and still feel them soapy." I explained.

He smiled with an appreciation while sorting out his clothing. And I, with my weakness for men, I've decided to approach him by extending a lending hand.

"I can help, if you want to." I extended.

"Oh, please do teach me. I'm not good with stuff like this and I need to learn fast." He was scratching his head while explaining.

"Says who?" I asked. He just smile without an answer.

As I was sorting out all of his clothing. Suddenly, I pulled out a huge bra. 

I was stunt. I looked at him. My face puzzled. 

He looked at me. Gesturing to explain. He blushed.

I giggled and lifted it up, "Erm... I hope this isn't a surprise that I'm not ready to know." I joked. 

He burst into laughter. 

I really enjoyed the sound of his laughter, secretly.

"You're not into MILF fetishes, are you?" I continued. He just laughs and shakes his head gesturing 'no'.

"Woh... Now, you really brightens up my day. These pile are for my Nana. These over here, those are mine." He was smiling as he was telling me which laundry are who's. I caught a Calvin Klein underwear. So hot!

"Ohh, now that explains a lot. Allow me to apologize with my offensive behavior. I usually think of something witty to talk about. Hope you don't get offended by my crudeness." I sincerely apologized.

"Hey, please don't feel bad. Well, at least you've made me laugh rather than some girls hitting on me during food packing." He smirked. 

Wait, what's that again. He doesn't like girls hitting on him?

"Who's your Nana? If you don't mind me asking." I asked.

"Her name is Nancy Myers. Have you heard of her?"

"Mrs Myer? She's my laundry buddy in this building. Wednesdays and Fridays. What happened to her? It's been quite sometime since I last saw her." I switched and sounded concern all of a sudden.

"She's fallen ill, and she needed a helping hand, so I came by to help her out. I'm just staying a few blocks down. I was recently transferred here for work about 3 months ago." He was explaining. "Oh, I'm Nathan by the way."

"Hey, I'm Kyle. Is she getting better? Can I see her?" Still asking about Mrs Myers.

"Sure! I think she'll enjoys some company. She would definitely love that. Nana has been improving but she's getting a little pampered with me now. Haha!!!" He seems to joke about his complains which was a delight.

"I can see why." Too quick stupid!

"Excuse me?" He asked.

"Sorry, I was saying "Now I know why." I brushed it off and I hope he didn't catch that.

"Haha" Nathan eyed me with a paused. "Do you have time for coffee after meeting up with my Nana? As a way of saying thank you for helping me with laundry." He asked.

"Of course!" I agreed so fast because I enjoy the short conversations with him. Sincerely, I think I would want to get to know him better.

************************ 7 months later ***************************

"Kyle baby, laundry now, coffee later?" My darling Nathan just asked.

"Nana first, then only coffee later. Remember?" I reminded him.

"No wonder she loves you more than me. What a kiss ass." He teased and hugged me.

"I love you more. That's why we both kissed each other's asses." I explained with a giggle.

"Shut up!" He nudges me. "I still can't comprehend Nana's acceptance of our relationship. She still puzzles me until today." He said and stole a small kiss from me.

"Haha... Why don't we ask her later?" I proposed.

Nathan's eyes got wider and gave me a longer kiss and said, "Kyle, I know you think I'm hot and you have never admitted it, and you have never tell it to my face before."

"What makes you said so?" He was right but how?

"I can see why" he uttered with a wink.

We burst into laughter and cuddled each other an hour more before we headed to our laundry. Now, the smell of laundry detergents reminds me of how much I love my Nathan.

I think too much

In the midst of the night, I can hardly sleep. My last conversation with him was that I can't see him anymore. The words we exchanged have been too harsh. We could stop arguing with each other ever since that day in the event.

I know it hurts him as much as he hurts me. We couldn't be in the same room together. There were a few times I hit him with my bare hands, just so to let my frustration go. He didn't even barge and stood there by allowing me to do so.

He attempted to hug me after every argument but I refused. I couldn't face him; I couldn't even look at him. He's way too foreign to me. We're together for 3 years, 2 major arguments so far, and 1 event which made me thinks of him otherwise.

He wanted to come by and talk some more. I rejected the suggestion but he insists. He came and said,

"For what its worth, I am truly sorry you have to go through this yourself. Let me be a part of this."

I looked at him. He stares back with an apologetic look. I sighed and looked away.

"I know you're disgusted now but it was years ago. I didn't hide it from you, it just didn't come across my mind that this is a thing that ticks you off." He continues to explain.

"Look at me, please." He said as he gestures his hand on my left arm.

I was tearing and I looked at him. He was surprised.

"You mean much more to me than anything. You know you do. We both know that we love each other and so many things come our way and we managed to fight off together because of that simple act of trust, love." He speaks more this time.

"You must know, you are so important to me now. One turn of event, you'd lose hope towards me. You've lost your confidence on yourself either. I don't want it to happen like this. Remember, those nights we exchange words of love and encouragement? Those are not empty talks. It meant something for both of us. It carries weight. Our love." He was being sensible.

"You've made me whole, you know that. It is all because of you." He grabs my arm now.

I couldn't stop crying. I just couldn't. I closed my eyes and the words keep on coming back to me. "Newsflash for you newbie, he will always be mine. And you! You are just something he chooses because he can't get me anymore. You're just THAT rebound guy. My replacement! You hear me? My replacement!"

"Why would you allow it to happen?" I asked him as I was holding up my tear jerk, trying very hard to speak in proper sentences. "You were supposed to protect me from him. How could you allow that to happen? I am in shocked to hear those words being uttered by him and I couldn't stop picturing both of you together."

He was wiping away my tears. He was tearing up too. Mouthing “I'm so sorry."

"You were supposed to shield me from him. You were nowhere to be found. You didn't come to my rescue. I couldn't stop thinking what he'd said to me." I cried again after I speak.

"I know. I know. But we just didn't do anything unimaginable. It was a gig night and he pulled me aside for a short kiss just to show others he knows me." He speaks calmly. "You know the drill of who's being who's friend in the circle just to get themselves up there. My guess would be, he knows you were there and he doesn't want to lose face just because we are a couple.

I couldn't stop crying. That jerk who spoke to me that night destroyed my idealism of love. He made it so artificial. He made love so superficial. That monster is an abomination to do such a thing towards the sanctity of love that I once thought was pure. That evil he has inside just reminded me how much he has ruin my trust towards the community.

He tries to hug me. I didn't push him away this time. Why would someone made up stories about him this way? Why?

Just few nights ago, a friend of mine texted me about that guy who hurt us both, telling me he was actually trying to get back into the film industry through my boyfriend. I didn't tell him at all because I felt bad for him for things I've said to him. My anger was outraged.

He was wiping away my tears and started kissing me on my lips. "It will always be you. Forever you. I will not let him destroy what we have so far. We are too damn good." He assured me with much love.

"I'm so sorry about the things I said to you." I apologize

He kisses me even more. I returned the kiss.

"Does this mean we're okay?" He asked.

I jumped on him and hugged him like a bear. He bursts into laughter. And we both laugh at our silliness.

"Yes! We are okay, my famous boyfriend." I said.

"Stop that, you know the fame thing is never real." He reprimanded with a tender tone.

"I know I know. You've said that like a million times more. You're an old man to me now." I joked.

He grins at me and take me hand and kiss it and said, "You are mine forever."

I will never want to doubt him and never want to let him go ever again. He's mine. Forever mine. My famous little boyfriend.