The Woman He Married

15. Confessions

"So what happened?" Alaia asked as soon as she entered the restaurant and saw Mae cleaning the coffee machine during closing time.

Mae looked at her with widened eyes, fascinated that she got into the shop without much problem. The people there must have gotten used to her after over a month of her random visits during closing time. "I--"

"Did you lose your virginity?"

"Alaia Cooper!" Mae gasped, "Keep your voice low, please. Oh, god..."

"Right, you're not a virgin. I thought you were since you've been single for too--"

"We didn't sleep together. We just slept - with our eyes shut and dreaming different dreams."

"What a boring pair you are," Alaia rolled her eyes, "I can't believe I sacrificed my night out to hear this innocent story. Why did you call me here?"

"I need your opinion. But let's talk when I'm done," Mae reached into her pocket and gave Alaia her room key, "Make yourself at home."

"I can do that," Alaia said. Her gaze shifted to another man coming out to the bar and standing beside Mae. "Hi Arthur. You look as handsome as always."

"Thanks, Alaia." The guy gave her a small smile while Mae discretely urged Alaia to leave. Arthur looked at Mae and hummed, "I need your help with something. Can you come to the pantry once you're done?"

"Sure," Mae replied. "I'm done here, let's go."

"Okay, you see, Vince just asked me to try making milk alternatives last week. I've been working on it and I think it lacks something..." He took out a bottle of milk from the fridge, "It's almond milk, by the way."

"Oh, I heard he's trying to see if we can sell more options," Mae hummed as she watched him pouring the milk into a small cup. "Did you put sugar?"

"Yeah, a little."

"I think dates would make it more taste more natural," Mae opined.

"I think so too," Arthur smiled, "I think we should go on dates."

Mae gaped at him, tilting her head slightly. "What?"

"I know it's a bad way, but I wanted to give it a try," Arthur scoffed, "I'm sorry. It's store-bought milk and yes I did do all this to ask you out on a date in a cheesy way."

Mae chuckled as he coyly picked a block of cheese from the shelf for his little pun. "I hope Vince didn't really ask you to develop milk alternatives..."

"Oh, that's true. I did make some but they're all rejected. I now have to drink almond milk every day to finish them," Arthur sighed. "So... Are you free tomorrow? It's your off day, right?"

Mae shook her head, "I'm sorry, but I have plans tomorrow. Even if I don't, I can't go out on dates."

"Huh," Arthur cocked his brows, "You're taken?"

Mae took a deep breath and nodded as she exhaled, "I'm actually married."

"You're married?!" He gasped, placing his hand on his chest where his heart is. "Oh, god... I almost made a huge mistake right there. You didn't-- you weren't wearing any ring either. I'm so sorry, Mae."

"It's okay, you didn't know better," Mae chuckled, "But we can still be friends, right?"

"Of course," Arthur sighed, in between disbelief and relief. "But I'm glad I let that one out, at least there's certainty than compared to having a crush and not telling them."

"I may not be single, but my friend is," Mae pointed out. They talked for a while before leaving the restaurant. Mae head upstairs to her room and found Alaia on her bed, holding a bottle of beer and whistling to her favorite song.