Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Andrew picked up Jayd and her mother at eleven a.m. on the dot. Looking high class in a suit, he presented the Lincoln town car as they were seated in the large back seat. Jayd noticed her mother looking around the car as if it was a spaceship “My mother has never been inside a car.” She joked.
“If you like, I could ask a driver to take you around the city or wherever you want to go, Auntie. Most of them sit around and do nothing anyways.” He added with a laugh.
Mrs. Lee smiled forcefully “How generous but I prefer the normal way to travel. The subway is only a ten minute walk from our apartment. But thank you for the offer.”
“Not a problem. It still stands whenever you get tired of walking.” Andrew insisted. Jayd shrugged after her mother turned towards the window and looked away “How’s your ankle?”
“Healing.” She smiled “Thanks for asking.”
“Better late than never.” Mrs. Lee snickered.
“Ma.” Jayd began sternly.
Andrew quickly jumped in to stand up for her mother “It’s okay Jayd. Auntie is right, I should have been more considerate. I still have plenty to learn.” He smiled.
When they reached the restaurant, they were walked to a special room with a table big enough for fourteen people but in truth it was just the three of them “The other tables would have been just fine.” Mrs. Lee instantly commented.
“Actually, this is the room reserved for the Fung family. Anyways, Andrew is always stared at and a few times reporters have tried to come in and get interviews. Can you imagine if we ate outside?” Jayd quickly supported her boyfriend.
“If you have nothing to fear, why fear gossip? It is only words that misinterpret everything you stand for. If you are not ashamed of yourself, you will not worry what they have to say.” Mrs. Lee said wisely.
“I totally agree!” Andrew laughed “It’s usually Jayd that chases the reporters away. I don’t really care what they say about me the next day.”
Mrs. Lee nodded briefly as she looked down at the menu. Jayd leaned in as she squeezed her eyes smaller “You might want to turn down the ass kissing to a minimum. Ma doesn’t like it.” She whispered warningly.
“Don’t worry, I got it.” Andrew said with much confidence “Auntie, feel free to call whatever you want to eat. You can always take home what you don’t finish.”
“Yes, it can be my breakfast for tomorrow.” The woman was relentless and never pass up the chance to make it more uncomfortable. But it appears he didn’t notice the sarcasm in her tone of voice.
They ordered almost every dish on the menu. Andrew picked up a steamed meatball and placed it on her plate “Thanks.” She grinned.
Mrs. Lee frowned strangely “Jayd, you don’t like that dish. Don’t you know that?” she asked Andrew accusingly.
“You never told me.” Andrew turned to her questioningly.
Jayd pressed her lips into a tight smile “I didn’t want to appear picky and after a few months, I figured it’s no big deal and I didn’t want to sound like a liar if I told you the truth. Anyways, it’s grown on me.” She picked up the meat and popped it into her mouth “See, I like it now.” She assured her mother.
The woman was skeptical but figured there was always room for change “That’s fine honey, but you should be honest at the beginning. It can cause a lot of misunderstanding in the future.”
“I agree.” Andrew wagged his chopsticks at his girlfriend “Anything else? Don’t tell me the steam pork buns make you sick, you love that stuff.”
“No, no…I like steamed pork buns.” She added and reached for one to show him as she ate it hastily. He smiled with satisfaction while picking up another dish to give her.
**************
After dim sum, the driver took Jayd and her mother home while Andrew had to catch a short meeting in the office. She waved goodbye to him as the car drove away. Turning to her mother, Jayd’s brightened face was replaced with a dark cloud “You need a lecture!” she scolded.
Mrs. Lee was calm as she turned and walked into the apartment building “I only say what I think.”
“Maybe you’re thinking too much?!” Jayd cried “Please, you’re not even giving him a chance.” She begged.
“If I didn’t, honey I would have taken the invitation today. I have more important things to do.” She opened the door and let herself in while Jayd slammed the door too loudly.
“Like watch television and swoon over Steve wondering why your daughter didn’t choose him right?” she said exactly what her mother was thinking. Mrs. Lee gaped at her daughter in shock “Oh don’t give me that. You know you think that. From the second Andrew walked into our home, you disliked him.” She accused.
“That’s not true.” Mrs. Lee argued weakly.
“Oh mother, you can see the cursing in your eyes when he walked over to hug me.” She narrowed her eyes “Please ma…I really…really like him.” Jayd assured her “Please, give him another chance. You’ll see, he’s not the jerk you want him to be.”
The elder woman knew her daughter had a point, she had not given Andrew a chance “You’re right. I have been especially mean.” She smiled and combed Jayd’s bangs to the side of her face “But what’s wrong with Steve?”
Jayd sighed, she knew the subject would never leave her “Nothing. He’s absolutely perfect…but he’s not Andrew. And I don’t feel the same way about him.” She smiled “Anyways, what makes you think Steve and I will be a good match? Maybe your daughter is too woman for him?” she laughed when Mrs. Lee made a disgusted facial expression “I can be very tough to get along with.”
“Yes, I know. I live with you.” She said dryly and returned to her room “I’m going to take a nap. Dim sum always makes me sleepy.”
***************
On his way to work on Monday morning, he learned from Mrs. Lee that Jayd had already left early for work. Curious, he wondered why she didn’t bother to ride with him like she normally did. When he got there, he instantly noticed her empty cubicle. He turned to his left neighbor “Jeff, have you see Jayd?”
The young architect frowned “No, when I got here, her desk was already empty.”
“I think she was fired.” A nosy girl butt in to comment as she dropped a file at Steve’s desk.
“No, actually, I heard they moved her.” Sandy to his right spoke up.
“Moved?” Steve questioned “Where to?”
“To an office.” Sandy whispered, her eyes snuck over to the manager’s office as it opened “Shark attack!” She hissed and got back to work as did the rest.
Steve quickly sat down as he began working. When his phone rang, he noticed the internal extension was unrecognizable “Steve here.” He answered.
“Steve, can I see you in my office?” Jayd masked her voice professionally.
His face reddened “Am I in trouble, Mam?” She couldn’t hold in the laugh “Jayd.” He sighed “Don’t scare me like that! Where are you? They said you were moved to an office.”
“Yeah, wow, news travel fast. I’m in the east wing, second office to your left. Come look!” she hurried.
Hanging up the phone, he picked up a file casually as if delivering it to the next department. Instead he made a wide turn to the east hall and entered her office. It was small but big enough to hold a large desk and a couple of chairs “Nice.” He raised his eyes as she sat upright at the edge of her leather chair.
“Isn’t it yummy?” she giggled like a school girl “The shark called me in early and told me the good news that I would be the new head architect of Team C.”
“There’s a Team C?” Steve asked.
“Yes, it’s new. I mean, I’m the only member at this point, but Mr. Lau will be assigning a few people to my group.” She nodded excitedly “Maybe you’ll be one?”
He nodded in agreement “Maybe. But you like your new office?”
Jayd wrinkled her nose “Besides that cigarette smell, everything else is perfect.” She pulled out a bottle of air freshioner and began spraying the office.
Steve leaned his head back as the spray hit him “I don’t smell any cigarettes.”
“Of course not! It’s because your nose has been plugged up with that nicotine, that IS your air. You wouldn’t sense a steak grilling in the kitchen.” She shook her head. He laughed while she snapped her fingers “Oh, I almost forgot. I need that file for the new mall in Sa Tin back. I think it was in your file drawer.”
“Okay…boss.” He rolled his eyes “You must love this part.”
“No.” she replied solemnly “I don’t love it, I just enjoy it.” With a laugh, she waved him out of the office as he returned to his desk.
Checking through the file drawers, he searched for the file she needed. Instead her ran across two boxes wrapped in pink metal paper. On top was a card. He opened it curiously ‘I owe you nothing. Sincerely, Jayd.’ He opened the pink box with a bold number 1 over the top. He found two packs of cigarette inside as a smiled crossed his face. Opening the second one, he found a pack of Nicorette gum. The smile slowly faded as he dialed her extension. When she answered, he said wryly “Very funny.”
“Oh, you found the little gift.” She sang happily.
“You buy me cigarettes and Nicorette, something that stops me from smoking? Um, Miss Lee, I am a bit confused by what you are asking me to do.” He played with the packs.
“Oh, you’ll love the cigarette, it has a sweet flavor to it.” She said secretly.
He frowned “What?”
“Just open a pack.” She advised. Steve followed along as he peeled off the plastic cover and pulled out a cigarette. It was heavier than the usual and there was no tobacco inside “Blow from one end…any end.” She said quickly, wishing she could see his face that very second. Again he listened and pushed a puff of air through one end and a small cloud of flour flew out of the end “It’s gum!” she blew up with laughter.
“You are so dead.” He laughed through clenched teeth while looking at the cover of the pack. In tiny print, it had a small warning ‘gum, do not light’.
“It took me sooo long to find it.” Jayd wiped away the tears of laughter “Is it darling?”
Steve shook his head “If you think this takes the place of cigarettes, you’re crazy, woman. I still want my two pack of cigarettes.”
“Why, you do have it. It’s in front of you.” She said casually.
“I have gum! Pink gum!” he blurted while she laughed. Lowering his voice, he whispered into the phone “We’ll talk at lunch.”
“Can’t. Andrew is taking me out.” She said with pure disappointment.
“Oh…okay, well then I reserve tonight.” He claimed.
“Sorry, having dinner with my mom.” She said.
He frowned “At home?”
“Yeah.” She replied. There was a small pause and she remembered “Oh that’s right, you’re not allowed over at my house anymore.”
“What?” he laughed “You’re joking right?”
“No, until my mother learns to love Andrew, you are not allowed to come over and ‘distract’ her with your perfection.” She rolled her eyes “Its sick the way my mom talks about you.”
“Well, you know I’m just being myself.” He said honestly.
“Hold on, I have to barf.” She made a gagging sound and laughed “Meet you on the roof at ten.”
“Okay.” He smiled and hung up.