Am I Married?

19. Hot Coffee and Cold Attitude

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Head down. My phone in my hands. I was going through the unread text messages in my inbox. There were some unnecessary texts from the places where I had left my resume. I deleted them. I also had few missed calls from Ryan, Carol and the foster home. I left all of them a quick text that I was kinda busy with my job so I couldn't contact them. After that, I returned my phone to Aaron. 

The ringing of the kitchen's intercom caught my attention. I looked around and waited for someone to answer it. Few minutes passed, but no one came and it didn't stop ringing. So I just shrugged my shoulders, went over and picked it up, "Yes?"

"Where were you, Melanie?" Ashar hollered, made me move the receiver slightly away from my ear, "I've been trying the intercom since few minutes. Just what you all are doing? Playing around?"

"But, I'm not-"

"Bring coffee with my migraine medicine in the study."

"Liste-"

He didn't let me finish and hung up the intercom.

What an attitude!

I wailed and started searching for Melanie. I also asked from other household workers about her whereabouts when I couldn't find her by myself. Five long minutes passed and still I couldn't see her anywhere. Maybe, she had gone out. I hadn't seen her since few hours.

Groaning aloud, I ruffled my loose hair frustratingly. What should I do now? Ashar would've been waiting for her. If she won't show up, she would be in trouble. Without wasting any more minutes, I hurried to the kitchen and quickly made espresso. Since I had no idea what type of coffee he liked, so I just thought to make some espresso. It would help him reduce his headache.

I placed some cookies beside espresso that I had baked earlier and intended to walk towards Ashar's study room. I knew Ashar was going to get angry if he saw my face, but I couldn't wait for Melanie's return. I was just helping my friend. And maybe, just maybe, it could be the opportunity for me to make him talk to me or at least listen to me.

With a shaky hand, I knocked on the door twice. After his approval, I stepped inside. The atmosphere of his study was quite calm and silent. Most of the furniture here were of dark brown. There were numerous books as well related to business, electronics and literature. A small, triangle-shaped, glass table was placed in the middle of the room; pile of files and some stationary was spread on it. The low white lights were on.

Ashar was sitting at his office chair, head down, looking at the file folder. His laptop was opened beside the file. His short hairs were tangled. The sleeves of his white cotton shirt were rolled up, exposing his perfect, toned arms. The dim light that was flickering through the laptop's screen was giving a white, soft glow to his face.

I didn't know I would find an older guy attractive. It was a new, strange fact that I had found about myself lately. I mean we were not from the same age-group and I shouldn't be finding him enthralling, but the truth is I was. His hard skin, prominent cheekbones, long fingers and rough hands were some of his physical traits that could not go unnoticed. Despite his harsh words, angry side, I liked his calm posture like I was seeing him right now.

I think I had completely lost interests in the boys of my age after seeing this graceful man and surely I would keep this new-found-fact about myself in my mind when I would date sometime in future. I would date an older, a mature man.

"Put it on the table and leave." Ashar's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I shook my head and reminded myself the situation I was in.

"I, I don't know about your medicine." I stammered.