Mail Ordered Bride

Part 6

I woke up the next morning to an empty bed and the smell of food cooking wafting in from the kitchen which means that Freen's up. I'm kinda getting used to having someone cooking for me everyday but I don't want the bride to think that she has to do this for me because I know that I could just eat cereal or a pop tart. It's nice having a cooked meal in the morning and I do appreciate it. I roll out of bed before walking into the kitchen to find Freen standing in front of the stove, flipping pancakes. I lean against the doorway with a smile on my face because it's nice having someone in the apartment because sometimes it does get lonely. I take in the bride's appearance to see that she's still in her nightgown and it's rather short since it only comes to mid-thigh. I feel myself twitch in my shorts before shake my head to focus on something else than what Freen is wearing. Today is the day that I put my plan of getting to know my friend/wife better and why not start now. The bride place the pancakes on two plates before turning around to see me standing in the doorway and smiles at me. She sets the plates on the table before walking over towards me and places a kiss on my cheek. I feel my cheek turning red at the display of affection causing the bride to giggle at me.

"I thought that I had a little more time before you woke up but I guess not" Freen said smiling.

"I woke up by the smell of food" I said laughing nervously.

"Well it is waiting to be eaten so why don't you take a seat" Freen said taking my hand in hers.

She leads me to the table as I sit down and look at the delicious food sitting in front of me. I dig into the pancake and they're so fluffy, awesome and filled with chocolate chips. I almost wanted to cry because I haven't had chocolate chip pancakes in a long time. Oh my God this is so awesome. A woman after my own heart. I eat the rest of my breakfast and I'm so full that I want to go back to sleep off the food coma that's coming. I turned to see Freen halfway through with her own breakfast and it gets me wondering what life in her village is like. I mean she never mentioned home before coming here and I don't know anything about her except that she's from a small village in Thailand, she's turning 25 in December and that she can cook. I'm pretty much attached to a complete stranger but I'm going to change that. "Freen?"

"Yes Becky" Freen said looking at me.

"I don't know a lot about you. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" I asked nervously.

"Of course and I'll try to answer them to the best of my abilities" Freen said with a nod.

"Okay, what's Bangkok like? I mean you never talk about home since you been here. Do you miss it?" I asked curious.

"Bangkok is a small poor village in Thailand and not a lot of people know about it. There is a lot of people scrapping by to survive and a lot of young women like myself go into the mail ordered bride service to support their families if we can't find jobs. It is a place that I was born and raised but I do not miss it although I do wish my Father and my younger brother Heng" Freen said looking down.

"What about your Mom?"

"She is... no longer with me. She passed away from an incurable disease and the only thing that I have left of her is a comb that she given me before she died" Freen said as tears begin swell in her eyes.

I didn't mean to make her cry and I don't know what to do so I follow my instincts. I take her by the hand and pull her into my lap as I rub soothing circles into her back. The bride buries her face into my neck and holds onto the front of my shirt as she lets out a sniffle. I don't know what it's like to have someone important taking me so soon like that and I don't want Freen to be sad anymore it hurts. We stay like this for awhile before the bride pulls away slightly to wipe the last of her tears.