AROUND THE HEART IN 80 DAYS

Thirty One

Jacqueline had half the mind of leaving Edrei behind at the gym. You know that very special moment when you're getting too sucked into workouts, that very, very sweet moment? Yes! Edrei was getting too into it.
Had it not been for the fact that they had come in his dad's car --which he didn't want to return yet-- she would have bolted. Seven - forty-eight a.m and the man was still running a treadmill like his life depended on it.

What had she done?!

Her classes ended eighteen minutes ago, Imogen went ahead of her and she was still seated on the bench of the LAT, struggling to zip up her small workout bag. It had been her bag since Nirvana, and the zipper was getting tired and soft, but she couldn't carve out the time to have it repaired, though she knew she should.

The gym was busy as usual. People were using the gym equipment, Tess and Phoebe were at the farthest corner of the room, leading their small troupe of aerobic dancers.
Looking up, Edrei panted out a wicked smile and pushed up his index finger to indicate, 'one minute'. In return, she mouthed out a frustrated 'what?' but her very evil roommate went back to focus on his run, not even hearing anything above his airpods.

That's it! She was walking. Probably should have decided it before wasting a whole eighteen minutes waiting. Nineteen now.

Just as she stood up, to worsen matters, the strap adjuster of the handle of her poor bag loosened sending it to the floor, spilling its contents. Her shoulders slumped and she groaned in dismay. Maybe she should simply get a new one altogether. She'd send Benedict, her delivery guy.

"Tough luck?" Lord rested an elbow on the LAT's bar.

"Very correct!" She bent to get her stuff and noticed he bent to accompany.

"Your bag," he chuckled, "it has seen better days."

She picked up her headset first and chucked it into the bag. "I bought it over five years ago, sentimental attachments but I think it will be wiser for me to... oh!" She reached out to quickly clasp over what he suddenly picked.

"Steady," he smiled ever so naturally and swept the white case away from her reach. When she stilled, he looked down at what he was holding. He flipped open the lid and picked out a long, beaded necklace. His smile increased. "A rosary? Ah! You're a Catholic too?!"

"Too? Wait, you're a Catholic, Lord?"

"Since I was born." He stood up immediately to get his own bag. Unlike hers, his dark red rosary wasn't in a case, just in a side pocket of his own workout bag. "My uncle is the catechist at my church. So naturally I'm used to taking my forty-five minutes after work to pray. You?"

Her cheeks heated as she took her case from his grip to put it back into her bag. "I wish I could be so dedicated. I got so busy so I can boast of, maybe... once a week? Now that I'm vocal about it, it seems awful."

"No big deal. As long as you remember from time to time." Both of them stood in unison. "So do you attend Saint Anthony's in the estate?"

"My God! I attend it every Sunday, and when I'm available, weekday Masses too."

"How come I never see you on Sundays?"

"You attend the nine or six?"

"Nine."

"No wonder. I try to get to the six a.m Mass so I can get plenty of rest."

"I could attend the six a.m Mass this coming Sunday! We could see each other. That would be amazing."

"Why not? I don't talk to anyb--"

"I thought you said you really wanted to go." Edrei's voice sounded so strange in their little conversation. He was already wiping at his face with his brown face towel and letting out small signs of exaggerated breaths. "Come on. It's eight on the dot."

"And whose fault is that? I had been waiting ages!"

"I'm here now. Let's go."

"Wait, wait, Edrei, hold on. Lord here was telling me he attends Saint Anthony. Y'know, the one I attend. Isn't that great? I never realised I could know somebody there." She smiled at Lord once more.

"So... you're saying we'll see each other this Sunday?" Edrei asked, moving behind her. She turned to him.

"We?"

"Yes. I mean, you two seem fascinated. Maybe I should come along and feel what you two feel. Isn't that nice? Lord? We'll see?"

With his plastered glee, Lord offered Edrei that look. "Amazing. I'll be looking forward to it."

"Exciting. Take care of yourself today," was what she could manage to say as Edrei was already propelling her out the door.
"So you're in a hurry now. We could have avoided this like, twenty minutes ago."

"Sorry," he muttered.

She waved him off and looked down at the rosary case in her hand, with a smile. "I've been going to church all this while and you never volunteered to tag along. But Lord comes by and you're fascinated. The code among you men is super strange." She opened the car and got in.
He sure was lucky it wasn't her car that they took to the centre. He would have walked all the way home.

She fastened her seatbelt and looked down at her watch. Four minutes past eight! For heaven's sake! "Edre..."

Edrei surprised her by simultaneously leaning across to the passenger seat where she sat and softly cupped her cheek then pressed his lips upon hers. The action shocked her down to the tail of her spine, but she let go and gave into one of his very sensuous and beautiful kisses.

This man knew what he was doing and how to do it. The connection was so supple and light and yet so fierce in her heart. Magic. Magic was the word. His mouth moved upon hers as if they were meant to be, and when he just as gently pulled away, she started to believe that maybe they were.

They stayed there for a while, faces so close to the other, sand-brown versus cocoa brown.

"Edrei?" Voice ghost-y.

"Jacqueline."

Then more quiet.

Then... she pulled back. "Edrei what was that?"

He looked like he was going to burst out laughing again so he just returned to focusing on the ignition.
"What was that?" she repeated.

"I don't know. I guess I wanted to test the legality of being able to do that. To you, Jacqueline. And maybe as an apology for taking so much time. Then there's the fact that I'm more romantically activated by the good workout," his surprisingly mischievous eyes playfully glanced her way, "then there's the reason that I did it cos I wanted to. Should I never do it again?"

The brows on her face dipped and she seemed to be studying him for a moment, then she faced the window. "It's eight minutes past eight. I should be at the bakery in twenty-two minutes. Put on the heater."

"I'll take it that I can do it again."

"Take a cold bath. We have to be at work soon."

He did laugh out this time and even though she did not want to look at him, the sound of his cosy laughter made her smile.
And she knew he saw her. In her cheek and in the faded reflection from the window.