Versailles Series Book 5: The Barista

CHAPTER 41

~ tabi ~

"You still have a lot to tell me, babe."

I looked up at Calhoun who was sitting on the bar. I was finishing up our lunch after we finally got up from his bed.

My forehead knotted. "I think I told you everything already."

He shook his head. "Uh-uh."

"What do you want to know?" I plated the seared salmon and side salad on our plates before sitting beside him.

"I want to know why you have a scar on your tummy."

My fork stopped mid-air with his question. I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting more like: "When did you fall in love with me?" or "How did you feel when you realized you loved me" or something...

"Y-you know about my scar?"

He nodded as he munched on his side salad. "I saw it when you were sick and I took care of you." He squeezed my hand. "Whenever you're ready of course. I just want you to know that I know and you can tell me about it anytime."

I smiled. I wondered if the story would ever come up. I thought never.

"I had weight and period issues when I was young, Calhoun. I mean I ate a lot too so it wasn't shocking. But my periods were painful especially when I was in college."

He stopped eating and just looked at my face. His face didn't show pity. He was worried.

"I just thought it was normal dysmenorrhea. I hated going to the doctor. I never went to the doctor to have it checked." I tucked a few curls behind my ear. "When I was in France, I passed out. I woke up in a hospital and the doctor told me I had to undergo an operation to remove my cysts. I was scared..."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Cal...that time, we barely talked. If we did, its because we had a few hours off our busy schedule. I didn't want to worry you. You were in a pretty rough patch back then too. It was a difficult time for us."

"Inconvenience me all you want, Tabi. I want to be there when you need me to be there. Heck, if you don't need me I'll still be there. I was worried as hell when I saw how much weight you lost when I saw you again."

I caressed his cheek. He has always been a constant presence in my life. "I knew you will say that."

He kissed my hand on his cheek. His eyes held affection for me. It was deeper now than the one his eyes held before. "I'm always here for you, Tabi."

"I know...I know..." I smiled reassuringly at him. "My boss and workmate were there for me. They helped me with the money and they stayed until I fully recovered. I wasn't entirely alone but I wished familiar people were there." Hinaplos ko and lugar kung nasaan ang peklat ko. "I'm well now. I regularly visit my OB. I follow her instructions in the last letter. I'm healthier now, Cal. Stop worrying about me."

"I won't stop worrying about you, Tabi. You should know that by now."

I chuckled and pinched his cheeks. "I know so." I cleared my throat. "So...is that all you're asking me?"

His eyes squinted as if thinking of what to ask me. Knowing him, he already has everything in his mind.

"You have a fucking professional driver's license."

I covered my face with my hands. How does he know these things and not tell me at all? How does he keep it to himself?

"You made the mistake of making me in charge of your wallet, Tabi. That's where I saw."

Of course. All these secrets spilled out of my stupidity.

"That's a long story, Cal."

He glanced at his watch. "Asia and I will be leaving by ten this evening. It's just one in the afternoon. We have a lot of time."

Mukhang wala na talaga akong kawala rito.

"Do you remember all those times you passed out in bars because you got so drunk?"

He nodded, unsure.

"Well, there was one time I picked you up and you vomited all over the cab. The driver was furious of course and I had to pay for the carwash and all the cleaning needed."

"I didn't know that."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course, your drunk ass wouldn't remember it."

"Continue..."

"So I learned how to drive secretly. It was easy because we weren't together as much as we used to. And I loved driving Mama Sierra around. So you got drunk this one night, I picked you up as usual. You were brokenhearted and all that shit. When we got home, you kissed me. Like Frenchie level." I felt my cheeks heat. "You were my first kiss."

I pulled his chin up when his jaw dropped with my revelation.

"Ang OA mo ha."

"I kissed you? Damn it. Why can't I remember it? I would have remembered devouring these lips." I was chuckling at the confusion in his expression as he kissed me slowly as if making up for forgetting that moment. I encircled my hands around his shoulders as he deepened the kiss.

"I was your first kiss?" He smirked at me.

"Yeah...which is why it is a hundred times more special."

"How good I am compared to your exes?"

I crooked a brow at him. "And here I thought you don't want me to stroke your ego." Natawa ako. "You really didn't pursue me because you think you weren't enough?"

He nodded. He twirled one of my curls around his finger. "You were perfect. You are perfect." He held my hands and kissed my knuckles. "I won't let you go now, you know that?"

"I don't have plans to let you go too. Now that I know how difficult it is to be just like any other girl in your world."

He bit his lip. "Sorry about that. I was in a bad mood and you hurt me pretty much then."

"I know."

"You know what I realized?"

"What?"

"That we showed how much we love each other in our own ways. We didn't say we love each other. We didn't kiss. We just showed how much we cared for each other."

"I love you so much, Calhoun."

"I love you more, Tabi. More than anything. More than anyone."