Stumbled In Love [Complete]

13.

I don't even know how long I stood at the entrance of the floor with my mouth hanging gaping wide in shock as I just stupidly kept peering at the back of the man I have been sharing nightly dinners with.

And it wasn't until shocked eyes followed the man's steps back to his own apartment and I was left glaring at his shut door did I feel the hand wrap around my collar as Mrs. Paikarn dragged me into her own house. Slamming the door behind us.

"Close your mouth please before you start nesting three generations of flies in there."

Snapping my mouth shut I shook my head out of the daze as I finally managed to find my voice.

"Arthit... he... he..."

"Blind is the word you are looking for."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't he tell me."

"Why don't you go ask him yourself?"

And I very nearly did, before I stopped myself short, swinging around to face her once more as I narrowed my eyes.

"Is he going to fire me once he finds out that I know?"

"Most likely."

"But why? This makes no goddamn sense. Why didn't he just tell me from the very beginning? We could have made this so much bloody easier. I spent days, no weeks, actually months cursing the man out for all his bizarrely specific shopping requirements."

"I'm sure he deserved it."

"Of course he didn't. He is blind!"

"That he is. But also a little bit of an asshole. They aren't mutually exclusive you know."

"How can you even say that? I wish I had known sooner. I feel horrible that I behaved like a brat to him when I should have been doing all I can to help."

"Oh yeah, you are totally getting fired."

"What?"

Here I was huffing and puffing pacing up and down her living room pulling my hair out in frustration at the horrendous way I had treated him earlier in our relationship, and there Mrs.Paikarn was casually sitting on her dining table popping grapes in her mouth in the most nonchalant way. I guess this wasn't brand new information to her revealed in the most unexpected fashion but still I would have appreciated slightly more empathy at the situation.

Thankfully though I guess she must have taken pity at my bulging eyes and a near nervous breakdown cause she let out an exaggerated sigh while tossing a wayward grape in my direction.

"There are pretty much only two types of people that hang around Arthit once they find out he is blind. And he despises both of them. The first obviously being ones who are trying to figure out how to take advantage of him."

"Who the fuck would want to take advantage of a blind man? The poor guy is..."

"And the second being the ones who instantly start pitying him, aka you.

"Huh?"

"If all of a sudden you are inexplicably overwhelmed by sadness for something beyond our control and you behave even remotely like this in front of Arthit I am quite sure he is going to fire your pretty little ass before you can say the word 'coffee tips' again."

"But I don't get it. Why hide this at all. I can be of more help now that I know."

"By what standards does Arthit look helpless to you?"

"That's not what I mean."

"Ok then tell me what you did mean. Honestly it is better you get rid of your word vomit here once and for all before you go face him."