The Experiment 2: The Journey

Timeless

He waited while the call rang, tapping his fingers on his desk. His first call went to voicemail but his second try connected after 4 rings.

"Hello?"

"Kayla? It's RJ," he said.

"I know. What's up?"

"Tim's still out of town, right? Do you have plans on Friday afternoon?"

"Well... I'll be spending time with Ezra, babysitting, since his nanny is leaving for the weekend. Why?"

"I need your help."

"For what?"

"I have gotten some gift coupons here for beauty and spa perks - salon, body spa, body scrub, the works - and I need you to please, please take Dei on a girls day out using these. She's going through a phase lately and she's being too insecure about how she looks. She told me it's the hormones but I don't like her feeling that way. God knows she's just as beautiful as ever, but of course she won't believe me when I tell her that."

"Haha! We all go through that phase. And I understand Dei. She's been cooped up at home being a housewife for too long and she barely has any reason to dress up. Do you even take her out on dates?"

"Barely. I was too busy at work since we got back from our vacation and especially during the holidays. I'm planning some stuff now. Don't tell her okay? I wanna surprise her. In the meantime, I really need you to take her on a spa date because we're going to Mark's wife's birthday party on Sunday. You and Tim are going too, right?"

"Yep!"

"Okay. Well yeah. I need her to feel extra beautiful on Sunday, so please make sure she enjoys this girl bonding you're gonna have."

"Why is Sunday so special? She isn't the birthday girl."

"Well..." RJ hesitated.

"What's up?"

"There's a newbie from CA HQ that I will be training for two months and... uhm..."

"Is the newbie a she?"

"Yep, with a nice physique and all. She's gonna be at the party too, according to Mark, and with all these insecurities Dei is having, seeing Geline might cause her to feel worse. And I'm kinda avoiding that."

"Haha! Good luck, RJ."

"Please Kayla? You'll get to enjoy these beauty perks too. I'd take her but I'm not a fan of waxing so..."

"What about Ezra? Friday's in two days, I doubt if I'd be able to find a trustworthy enough babysitter in such short notice," Kayla told him.

"I'll do it. Leave him to me and I'll take care of him and Athena. You guys do your girls afternoon out, go shopping, whatever, and I will take care of the kids," he suggested.

"I said trustworthy, RJ."

"Hey. I am trustworthy. And I'll ask Rizza to help me."

"Fine. I'll go take Dei to this girls afternoon out. I get free food too, right?"

"Of course, Kayla."

"Perfect. Deal."

"And don't tell her we've talked about this, alright? I don't want her to know I planned this and end up overthinking again."

"Got it, Faulkerson."

"Thanks Kayla! I owe you!"

++++++

"Hey, babe," RJ greeted Dei as he walked into their apartment unit, a bouquet of yellow carnations in his hand.

She was cleaning up the living area, gathering Athena's toys and placing them in a huge box. She had on a pullover shirt over a pair of leggings, and her hair was tied up in a messy bun.