JUST MARRY ME! 106
On calm day in the calm summer a bustling business time where everything was moving peacefully even for Paul a thirty year average barista and 'Season loop' Cafe owner until now.
Paul is a calm, composed thirty year old single, barista, light browned, bald with an energetic smile and strength shown through his buffy body now frowning in confusion but little bit of excitement inside.
He got an usual strange order from his regular customer, Angela.
Angela is also same year as him just two months older than him, her color was like she stars covered the evening sky. She glowed beautifully with her long brown hair, red lips and smelled like freshness, forcing negativity down with her high red bottom heels spreading cheerfulness all across the Cafe.
She walked gracefully like a model doing catwalk with a bouquet of twenty red roses in her hands like a trophy approaching him at the cash counter.
She ordered her usual- 'Just Marry me! 104', a hot latte with that note with roses handed to him. He then took out his stirrer and strike off 'Marry me' to 'Leave'-> 'Just leave! 104',
"Have nice day mam!", he handed her the latte,
"Waah!~~~ Why he always rejects me?", she cried funnily leaving no choice for other customers but to burst out laughing again.
This was the only time the Cafe will bloom with laughter and giggliness.
She sat there at the counter sips the coffee sulking while other employees comforting her and mocking Paul.
He was so done with this shit.
It all started on the last November. That day a sudden storm hit the town. Rain was heavy, the winds were too strong. When he was about to close he noticed through the glass door that somebody collapsed in front of his Cafe door in that stormy night. He rushed outside and found Angela passed out. He took her inside after taking her photo for the future and checked her pulse rate. Everything was normal. She just passed out and soaked. He shook her hard
•
•
•
No response. Her body was oddly warm. He touched her forehead. She had a fever.
He had two choices-
◇First-> Leave her alone at God's mercy.
◇Second-> Be a brave man and help her!
Taking her to the hospital was not an option on this flooded roads.
In this scenario there will be two outcomes-
1) A 'thank you'.
OR
2) A misunderstanding that will eventually leads him to-> jail and infamy.
He thought for a long time laying her on the ground like a crime scene. She was shivering like a leaf from cold. Her body was boiling against the cold weather. He had no time to fret on conclusions. Either way he would end up in the jail.
1) A MURDER
OR
2) An ASSAULT.
He had to work fast or else---
His conscience got the best of him. He chose 'ASSAULT', then picked up and took her upstairs to his only room, bedroom.
Now next hurdle question,
1) Leave her like this and wait to worsen her condition and pay the doctor. Which was not a feasible idea.
OR
2) Change her clothes and beg on knees not to call the police.
He took her temperature 39.9°C and chose the second option defeated.
He was clearly at loss.
He recorded a video stating his circumstances, asking for her permissions and apologizing in advance.
He removed her all the wet clothes and wipe her down with a warm towel and dressed her in his clothes. Paul threw her wet clothes into the washing machine to wash them.
She was like a kid to him at that moment. After that he nursed her for all night feeding her some porridge and medicines and wiping her sweat.
He slept next to her on the chair at a distance to check if she needs any urgent care or not.
Next day,
Storm calmed down. Light sun peaking out of the clouds.
It was his day off.
It was ten in the morning, she was still sleeping. Her fever went down so he went to prepare lunch for her. He was prepping veggies when he heard a loud scream.
"WHAT THE-",
He startled, then panic-stricken as he knew what would have happened with him. He prepared enough evidences to prove his innocence just in case. He took a copy of the video and photo placed it at the nightstand for her to see first in the morning.
He was petrified, then he heard stomping from his bedroom to outside where his kitchen was. It was a simple small one bhk apartment with open kitchen concept.
She burst out in his pajama demanding what he didn't expect in this universe, "Just Marry me!",
He got a roller coaster emotions from terror of police to his own safety.
"W-what?", he asked in squeaky voice,
Pressure cooker whistle thrice at that time.
She smelled the aroma that was swimming inside the house. She took a deep breath from her stuffy nose, her stomach growled. He slapped his forehead at his weird twisted luck.
"Wanna eat something first?", he asked hesitantly,
"YES!", she said snorting like a pig,
He served her some moongdal khichdi with some roasted vegetables and warm water. She gobbled her food in an instant. Then he gave her the medicines. She took that without even any second thought. If she was left in the wild to survive, she would be the first to eaten off, he thought to himself. He took a sigh of stress.
"Wah! That's hit the spot! Thank you so much for the food and medicines and clothes and taking care of me.", she said burping and rubbing her stomach,
"Thanks and hey! don't rub your belly after eating.", he said out of habit.<- elder brother of two siblings.
"Wait WHAT?!", he screamed in shock,
"What!?", she screamed back,
"What?", he replied trying to act normal,
"Why the hell did you scream at me?", she asked with confused look,
"How did I find it funny?", cursed himself under the breathe,
"...", said nothing,
She sat in silence, ".........",
She expecting an answer,
"..............",
Her patience is wearing off.
ー
"Mister, If you don't utter even a single word, I swear on my mother that I will beat you right here.", she threatened him.
"!!", he can't decide, if she is scary or empty headed?
He sighed took a deep breathe, "Are you acting dumb or you are literally an idiot who is thanking a man to take over a girl and took care of her? Or are you planning something funny?", he asked what his guts told him,
With a straight face she said confidently, "Well pretty face like yours is worth playing.",
Upon hearing this, he began to feel precarious in his own home.
She coughed and laughed at the same time seeing his reactions. He passed her warm water, "Thanks. Don't be paranoid, I was just kidding. The fact was that I was aware of my situation where I was and how you asked for permission evertime you touched me.",
"Then why didn't you respond anything at that time? I was panicking!", angrily, confused he asked,
"I had no energy left. My work soaked me up like industrial sponge and then there's this fever eating me up for like a month or more? It didn't go away!",
"Industrial sponge?", he muttered,
She continued without noticing, "I worked to my bone for the company, even if I didn't report back before three-thirty my boss will just fire me.", she said calmly,
"What?! How can he?", he was dumbfounded,
The clock was striking two fifty-two.
(This much time passed?)
She said smilingly, "That's how life is... Unemployment is curse!
Thank you for your care. I am well now. I will treat you soon.", she handed him her business card and went to the bedroom.
He tried to read it that time but she calls him for help. He put the card on the table without even glancing and went to help her, "Where are my clothes?",
"They are drying outside. I will get it back for you.", he hurriedly gave her clothes and sent her off. He wanted to stop her and rest more but work is work and what she said was reality. The storm inside his hose also calmed down after her departure.
He lied down on the sofa. After talking to her she looked like a matured women a man like him wants as his wife. He chuckled.
Talked to soon.
Next day he took his thoughts back.
Next day she came with a red rose bouquet, a box of chocolate and a bag of premium coffee beans and an order of a latte what we read earlier which he softly refuses.
From that day her proposing and him rejecting was the main attraction to the customers and passers-by. His sales increases.
"Just marry me! 105", she came again but not with chocolate boxes or coffee beans but with a bouquet consisting of thirteen yellow roses and a red envelope glittering an aura of affection but not love. He hesitantly took it. "Just strike off the marry and make a smile, I need this." She asked looking a bit down. Her nail paint looked dull red.
He did what she asked and gave a strawberry shortcake slice to cheer her. She left smiling bit down and left him with the yellow roses and envelope.
At night,
He closed up the Cafe an hour early and sat down at the table with her business card clenched in his hand which he never opened till now. She is a graphic designer for a gaming company. His hands touched the envelope, caressing it like a baby. He opened the envelope-
"Hey Paul,
I wanted to thank you for nursing me back then. I was at the spot on to be officially burned out and lost my precious job which I cherished for six years.
I heard you asking for the permission everytime you checked me. Even though I was defenseless and you could have just use me however you wanted and throw me away, but you just choose to save a complete stranger like me who was in need, never touched me in the wrong way and never asked for anything in return and returned the gifts back I gave you, that made me fall for you even harder. My appreciation, gratitude turned into greed, greed for safety, comfort and happiness that I got within an hour of our conversation.
That's why I want to stop now. I changed my roses color to yellow hoping that our friendship might last as the thirteen roses expressed 'eternal friendship'.
You are genuinely a very nice guy Paul, I hope whom you choose to mary will fill your life with abundance of food fortune and happiness. I will never come here again.
For the last time thank you and I LOVE YOU!
God bless you.
Your admirer,
Angela."
He clenched his fist tightly unable to find out the reason of his frustration. He always wanted her to stop but not being able to see her again make him feel more frustrated.
He lied on the couch scrolled through his phone and searched meaning of the roses,
Red color represent love and number twenty-one represents...
"So that's what she meant. Commitment?",
He clenched the letter and the card near to his heart and knew what he has to do.
His emotions were controlling him. He clicked the phone icons, dialed the number from the business card and hit the green button.
Her phone buzzed at near her office PC. A woman wearing neon nail paint picked up the phone, "Hello?", she answered,
Paul was about to answered but the voice sounded strange. He cautiously asked, "Am I apeaking to Angela?",
"Who are you? What do you need?", she asked a little menacing,
"I am Paul, owner of Season Loop Cafe.", he answered,
"Oh you are the one who broke her heart! Hey listen Mister, you already rejected her 105 times. Why are you bothering her?! She finally gave up on you after so much of emotional stress. She is trying to forget you. She is working overtime because of you and I am stuck because of you. She is crying right now, I need to comfort her. If you call her again, I will report you to the police. I know everything.", she was more menacing now,
He was scared but still gave a shot, "Give me last chance. Just help me....", he explained his plan to her. After a long background check she gave him her help.
Next day,
Love is in the air~~~
Couples were playing their surprise game with each other. Partying and enjoying their love with each other. It sucks more when it's on the weekday and the office is filled with love birds.
Angela, recently heartbroken it added more spice to her wounds. To calm her wound's spiciness her friend, Maria took her to the Season Loop Cafe.
"I heard they were giving free love smoothie when you say I love you to the owner.", Maria said,
Angela with disgust, "Who came with this type of idea?",
She doesn't want to go there but Maria used a free coupon as an excuse. A broke employee would never gave up on free food.
They entered. The Cafe was filled with red roses and piano musics. There were two aisle, one is red with golden border, second was pink carpet with red petals scattered around beautifully leading to Paul. The Cafe was filled with with couples enjoying their valentine's day. Angela wanted to run away but Maria held her hands and pushed her to order the specials while she will save seats for them.
She reluctantly walked through that pink carpet, roses crushed by her foot releasing an intense smell of roses. She was embarrassed. Paul greeted her with smile and gave her a red mug hand painted with pink hearts filled with her favorite latte, "But I didn't order this.", she tried to gave it back,
"Just look at them once.", he pleaded,
She took a glance at the coffee. Her eyes immediately filled with tears, 'Just Marry me! 106',
He gave her the stirrer. She dropped the stirrer in disbelief. Then she saw Paul in his black and white three piece suit knelt in front of her. He held a bouquet of forty seven red roses, "You are my one and only. I am sorry this took me a while to understand but now my feeling will never doubt whether I love you or not 'cause It will always be 'I love you'.
So Angela, will you be my Valentine?", his breathe shaky,
Angela move to tears hugged Paul chanting, "Yes! Yes!",
Paul embraced her dearly.
The crowd cheered for them, they finally got their happy ending. Maria took this as a chance and clicked pictures of them. Maria took her special smoothie and left to enjoy her single life and couple enjoys their valentine's day.
Next day,
"Just delete it!", Angela screamed at Maria,
Maria posted her ugly cry on the social media which went quite popular in her office.
"No, this is my payback for all the unpaid overtime I was forced to do because of you and Paul agreed with me to share and by the way where is my monthly free meal coupon Paul promised me in exchange of you.", she laughed evil,
"Wahh~~~", she cried pleading,
"Oh but, when I your wedding?", she asked,
"Next year valentine's day.", she fell on her arm and blushed.
"This couple💢💢.... Next year I want my valentine to fall from the roof!", she screamed her wish too loud.
Next year their company's CEO's son made her fall for him.
By the way do you know the meaning of forty seven roses?
