MAKING EXCUSES

"I'll be going out around 5:30 in the afternoon." Cayenne sent this message to Stefan who was still working in his office. They were planning for the year end party that the company will hold for its employees. They always do this as a way to give thanks to all the people who lent their hands to help his company grow.

Stefan might look cold and ruthless on the outside but he actually knew how to appreciate other people's hard work. He also like those people who stayed honest to their work. And Cayenne was also someone he really appreciated.

Seeing her message, a smile appeared on his face. "Let me know which gate to pick you up." After sending it, he tried to finish as much work as he can to make sure that he'd be able to pick her up on time.

The two of them waited for the time to pass. Cayenne was still with her family and Arthur was there as well. "Aren't you busy?" she asked. "I don't mean anything bad with my question, 'kay? I am just wondering if you're not busy with anything."

"I'm not." Arthur answered with a smile. "I always make sure to make time for family and friends on weekends."

"I see. That's good to know." Cayenne just peeled an apple for her mother without saying anything after that. The boys continued to talk to their mother and Arthur also shared his experiences when he was still in States. Looking at them, they were clearly having fun with their conversation.

After several hours, Cayenne started to pack her things and placed them in her bag. "You're leaving?" Arthur asked upon seeing her actions.

"Yeah. I still have work to do."

"Didn't you say that you don't work at night?" her mother questioned since what she knew was that Cayenne only worked during the day.

"I need to clean the house, Ma. The three of us were always busy and we need to manage our time accordingly."

Luiz and Kyle just nodded their head. They couldn't say anything or they might spill something they shouldn't have. They were covering up for their sister since they knew that she'd be out working again.

"Will you be coming back tomorrow?" Luiz asked as if he didn't know anything.

"Yes. I'll be here tomorrow. Make sure to look after our mother while I'm not around."

"You can count on us." Kyle responded to his sister.

"Should I send you back? It would be difficult to commute at this time of the day." Arthur offered but Cayenne refused him politely.

"I appreciate your offer but, there's no need to. I'll be fine. Can I leave you with my mother and siblings? I really need an adult to look after them."

"Sure." Arthur was delighted to hear those words from her. Little did he know, Cayenne only did that because she knew that he would insist to send her home. First, she didn't want him to know their exact address which she already told her siblings about it. Second, she didn't want him to see Stefan who will be picking her up. There's just so many things she needed to keep to herself.

"I've got to go now." Cayenne kissed her mother's cheeks and gave her brothers a gentle pat on their heads. She smiled towards Arthur and left immediately. "I'll be waiting at the Gate 5."

"I'm on my way." Stefan replied and told Chris where to pick Cayenne. He was picking her up today because they needed to buy groceries. If it was just normal days, the one who will pick her up would be the taxi driver that Stefan hired for her. Today was just a special circumstance.

Cayenne stood at the side of the gate near the guard house. There were many people coming in and out of the hospital through the back gate. There were five gates in total around the hospital and Gate 5 was the back gate, which was also the farthest gate from her mother's ward.

Not long after, Stefan arrived and opened the door in front of her. "Get in." he moved to the other side of the couch and waited for her to come inside. Without looking around, Cayenne got inside the car and closed the door. Chris started the engine and left the hospital premise.

"Was that Cayenne?" Jessie, one of her co-workers questioned herself but since she didn't see the woman's face, she just dismissed the idea and went to the guardhouse. Her father was one of the guards at the hospital and he was staying at the Gate 5 to bring peace and order to the visitors and the hospital premises.

If Cayenne chose to look around earlier, she would've been busted by her workmates. Not only that, Stefan will be dragged down by her as well.

Inside the car, the two of them were talking about the things that they should buy. Instead of just buying groceries, they decided to buy some equipment that they would need as well.

"Do you still have enough shampoo?" Stefan asked her.

"Yeah. It should last for another month. You bought a lot last time. We still have enough toothpaste as well."

"Then let's talk about our food." Stefan stated while making a list on his phone. "Let's just buy food for the next two weeks. It would be bad to buy a lot and some will just spoil after several days."

"I agree. Let's buy some meat."

"Do you want to have some seafood?"

"Seafood's fine. Just type 'meat' in their and let's check at the meat section whatever's available."

"Okay. Let me add the vegetables, too."

Chris looked at the two people behind him who looked so focus with their conversation. It was his first time to see the gentle expression on Stefan's face and somehow, he realized that the man wasn't very cold as everybody said. Cayenne would always share her opinion to him and he would do the same. They didn't look like some strangers who just met not long ago. They looked like a newly-wed couple who were just starting to live their lives with one another.