No Word

Amy couldn't sleep that night. She turns and tosses on the chair beside the patient's bed thinking about the money she can get if she becomes the next contract girlfriend of Rei's mystery boss.

But she also wondered what kind of man Rei's boss was. She was excited and afraid at the same time.

So many questions are running through her head that's starting to make her head hurt. She could only wish that Rei would contact her soon so she could finalize things on her end.

The longer she waited, the more worried she became.

Her phone finally rang, but to her disappointment, it was not Rei. Instead, it is her managing editor.

"Have you written at least 5 chapters that I could read already?"

She hasn't written anything today due to everything that has happened. Amy could only sigh thinking how fast time passed by.

"I haven't since you declined everything I submitted to you, but don't worry I have a plan, I'll submit it to you soon."

She sounded like she was giving an excuse but she definitely has a plan this time.

Even if she could only hope that her plan would work to her advantage.

Giving her first experience to Rei's boss is daunting to her. But she thought that everyone gets to do it one way or another. 6 months is not that long anyway, so it's no big deal. It's now or never.

Her editor sighed audibly, obviously frustrated and losing patience, waiting for her to submit her work.

"Make sure you do, I already advised you of everything I know and I just want to help you and your family, so I hope you help yourself too."

Amy felt happy in spite of the nagging. A lot of people are looking after her though she also feels useless since she still can't write anything that is worthy to read.

"I will, don't worry about me."

As soon as she hung up the phone, she thought of ways to finally write the project that she'd been tasked to do.

'Once I sign the contract, all I have to do is do my best to become his girlfriend then I'll write about it. Experience is the best teacher they say.'

After cheering herself for the task ahead of her she then drifts off to dreamland.

The next morning when the sun shines bright, the first thing that she does is to check her phone. To her dismay, there was still no call from Rei.

"Good morning Aunt Amy."

Jayson greeted her with sleepy eyes.

"Good morning handsome, how are you feeling?"

She helped him settle on the chair to prepare him for breakfast. Even though Jayson had been confined in the hospital for so long, he was still the same boy who was always cheerful and happy.

Every time she looks at him, he reminds her of her brother and father. They have midnight black hair that emphasizes their vivid amber eyes.

"As always Auntie, I am strong and still handsome!" they both chuckle at his response.

She started arranging their breakfast on the small table in front of Jayson.

"Ash brought these last night. You were sleeping already and he didn't want to wake you up, so he told me to make sure that you'll finish everything so that you'll be strong like him when you grow up."

Jayson was checking each box in front of him. His face brightened up when he saw his favorite egg tart, pork floss bread, mango pudding, and ham sandwich.

"Auntie, I will not be strong like Uncle Ash, I will be like Grandpa Robert," he laughed loudly.

"Are you saying my husband is fat?"

They turned their heads at the same time towards the door upon hearing a female voice.

"Grandma!" Jayson called out merrily.

"Auntie Alice, you're early."

Amy was surprised to see Jayson's grandma so early in the hospital when it was her turn to look after Jayson.

"Well, I have nothing to do at home. My fat husband took Jena to the park to do some exercise, so this little man here will stop calling him Pooh."

They all laugh together as Alice pats Jayson's head.

It was a blissful morning for Amy. If only she could have this every day, she wouldn't ask for more.

As soon as they finished breakfast, Amy decided to stop by the park near Robert and Alice's home.

It was a cool cloudy day, such perfect weather to stay outdoors. Amy found an empty bench under an acacia tree.

Last night, she wrote down the things that she could do with the mystery boss of Rei. The first on her list is to watch a movie.

Most of her friends do that on their dates. And she heard that guys usually make their moves once the movie starts and the theater is dark.

She can't help but imagine the next set of events that might happen to her and the boss when they get inside the cinema.

'Perhaps he will hold my hand or kiss me,' she thought.

She came up with at least twenty things that she needed to accomplish with Rei's boss, which will also be part of her book's story.

A satisfied smile can be seen on her face as she reviews the things that she wrote. That smile is so contagious that the man sitting on the opposite bench can't help but smile too.

Amy was so focused on her work that she didn't notice it was already noon. She checked her phone and was disappointed that Rei still hadn't contacted her.

"Should I call him? I have his number so perhaps I can ask him right? No, I should wait, maybe he hasn't informed his boss yet because he's busy," she murmured to herself.

She decided to go home for lunch and stayed there to continue her writing until the sun was out.

********

A day has passed and still no word from Rei.

She continued her routine of going to different places near the house of Alicia and Robert to continue her writing.

Writing in different places helps her get inspiration from her surroundings. She prefers going to parks and enjoying the different varieties of plants and flowers.

It reminds her of her mom who filled their home and coffee shop with colorful plants and flowers.

Once she starts working on her laptop she will automatically be immersed in the world she created and she often loses her vigilance with her surroundings.

A black Lincoln Navigator parked near Amy's spot. It catches every eye that passes the park except for Amy, who's in her own world. The world she created for her protagonists.

Today, she planned to accomplish a lot in editing her rejected manuscript, saving her time.

"There, almost done," she proudly praised herself.

"I will just add the hot and spicy details later," she murmured to herself while packing her laptop.

She planned to have lunch at her favorite diner today since Jena and the old couple would be spending their day with Jayson, and she was too lazy to cook lunch for herself.

A change of setting would be good for her writing to get new inspiration. As she walked towards the path to the diner, a tall man with light brown hair stepped out of the black Lincoln Navigator.

"Wait here, I'll call you later," he instructed the driver of the SUV.

"She might be going to get lunch, sir. Maybe I should accompany you to be less suspicious," the driver said.

"You're right. Follow us and join me when she enters the restaurant. I'll wait for you there," the man replied.

In the diner, Amy was greeted by the owner's wife as she was a regular there. She ordered spaghetti meatballs and root beer float. She checked her phone to see if Rei left her a message. But still no word from him.

It is the second day already and she's getting worried if Rei was really true to his words. As days pass by, Jayson's condition is not getting any better and Rei is her only hope.

She was in the middle of finishing her meal when Mary called her.

[Amy, what did you do this time?]

With Mary's tone, she can picture her holding the phone in one hand while the other on her waist like a nagging mother.

"Calm down, what are you talking about?" she asked.

[There's a man here, asking questions. He said that he is from a credit company where you took up a loan. But he seems suspicious. He's kinda asking personal questions about you and your life,] she replied.

"How does he look like?" She's intrigued by Mary's story but she already had a hunch of who could that be.

[Well, he's handsome, definitely my type. He has black wavy hair that looks like it's sponsored by a shampoo company, adorable grey eyes, hmmm… what else… cute cleft chin… sexy broad shoulders…]

"Mary! Focus!" Amy cut her off from her fantasies. She could already tell that it was Rei.

'So that's where you are huh, you are investigating me,' Amy felt relieved knowing Rei was doing a background check on her. It just means that he didn't forget about her and most probably was tasked by his boss to do that.

There was a light of hope in her heart. She must be patient; she can feel the victory already.

[What?! You asked me to describe him, so I did. So what should I do with this boy toy?] Mary said with a smirk, still eyeing Rei from afar.

"Just tell him what he wants to know. I know him, you can give him the information that he needs," Amy reassured her best friend.

[As you wish babe… bye.]

"Thanks Mary… Bye…"