MIKE’S POV:

What makes me feel upset this past few days is because I haven’t saw Aom for more than a week already now.  Well, we do always call and see each other thru the video call, but still I miss her so bad.  She said she’s fine there, and nothing to worry about, but I still wanna make sure by myself that she’s perfectly fine.

“Knock, knock.”

Someone’s knocking my door.

“Come in..”  I said.

The door then open, and I found my mom standing there.  “Ma..”  I greet her, she walks in.  I think I know what she’s going to talk right now.  Its been a while but she keeps asking and telling me about that.

“Did Sarah called you today?”

Bingo!  I was right.  Those same old question since I was teenager.  Well, I know Sarah and her family since I was a kid, as our parents are friends for like century.  And just like the old generation, both of our parent wants us to get married in the future.  I didn’t say that I didn’t have any interesting or feelings with her.  She’s a nice girl and she’s also beautiful, because she has the Thai - Italy mixblood which is makes her appearance will makes any other man drooling over her.  But that’s not it, I fall in love with somebody else already.  Aom.  That petite little girl who made me fall deep in love.  She has those charm that makes me fall in love at the first sight.  But Sarah?  I just feel like she’s my younger sister.

“You should keep on contact with her, Mike.  At least say hi to her.  You haven’t meet her again in few years right?  I bet she’s already became a beautiful young lady now.  I cant wait for..................”

“Stop it, Ma..  I don’t want to hear about it anymore..”

“Why?  Your marriage with her already fixed, and...........”

“I just take her as my sister, Ma..”

“Sister??!  She’s your future wife, Mike!”

“You decided it, Ma..  I never did!”

“Yes!  And you have to agree!”

“I won’t..”

“Why?  Is this about that poor kid?  Who’s her name again?”

“Aom..”

“Whatever.  Did you still in relationship with that poor kid?  Why you never listen to me?  She’s not good enough for you, son.  She’s just after your money and........”

“Shut it, Ma!  Don’t talk about her like that!”

“I’M YOUR MOTHER, MIKE!  FOR GOD’S SAKE!”

“SO PLEASE RESPECT MY CHOICE ONCE!  I’m outta here!”

I left her alone in my room, angrily walking to the garage and throw myself on the driver seat.  I drive recklessly to nowhere for a few minutes, then I slowering the speed.  I stop it at the trafic light.  Put my hands on my head, massage it on the temple, then I smash the steer.  Dammit.  I shouldn’t raise my voice in front of my mom.  But I just cant stand it she’s talking like that about Aom.

The light turns green, I step on the pedal and the car moving slowly.  I decided to go to the bar.  I think I need few shots of whiskey or maybe some shots of tonic will calm me down.  I go straight to the bar and order.  I drink it in one shot.  The warm liquid just like burn my throat.  Man, its too strong.  But I ask for another shot.  I turn my seat to face the dance floor, that’s when I saw Nick, waving hand to me and then walk into my direction.  He’s one of my friends here in the LA.  So I just threw a smile to him.  Thats when I see a beautiful, y young lady walking beside him.  Seriously, a new girl again?

“It’s been a while I didn’t see you here, Mike.  What’s up?”  He said to greet me.

“Just miss this place, Man..  How’s life?  New chick huh?”  I said while pointing on the y lady.

“Sorta..”  He just answer me while shrughing.  Seriously,  this man right here will never change for his entire life.

We talk a lot because we haven’t meet for long time.  Its nice because at least I can forget what I’ve been thinking for a while.

**********

“Jason..”  My dad calls his bestfriend’s name.  We’re all in the Hotel’s Restaurant, attending stupid even of ‘meeting with soon-to-be-wife’ according to my mom.  I lazily turn my head and that’s when I saw a beautiful young lady there wearing white mini dress that show’s her perfect curves of her body.  She let her blonde straight hair down and she wear an eyecatching necklace which is really attractive because its hanging there right up her y cleavage.  My jaw dropped.  !  Is that Sarah?

She’s walking and smiling seeing me, I stand from my seat, for a while it’s like I can not control myself.

“Good evening, Mike..”  She greets me.

“You didn’t wear ur glasses and bracelet..”  That stupid sentence came out from my mouth even without I realize it.  Everyone is laughing.  Dammit, Mike!  Don’t act stupid please!

“Is that how you greet your lovely ‘soon-to-be-wife?’ son?”  Mom asking me.

“No!  I mean...  I just...”

“It’s okay aunty,  I just forgot where to put my glasses and my bracelet, so that Mike maybe didn’t recognise me..”  She smiling.  I smile too, she’s still the playful Sarah that I know.

SARAH’S POV:

So here I am, meeting my ‘soon-to-be-husband’.  I do prepare my self in the best look tonight.  It’s been years I didn’t meet him again since we start entering college.  Kinda miss him, because I feel like I lost a protective brother.  Yes, we were like sisters and brothers back then since we were a kid.  But then he turn out to be my ‘fiancee’ which is I didn’t know too when and where we did engage.  Yes, you right.  Its our parents’ plan.

I’m at the balcony now, enjoying the bussiest night view of LA.

“Champagne?”  A manly voice greet me.  I turn my head and its Mike coming, bringing 2 glasses of champagne.  I take one and smile to him.  “Thanks..”

“What are you doing here?”  He said and take a sip of his champagne.

“Nothing..  Just wan’t to breath nice air..”

“You seems so quite today,  something bothering you?  You can tell me.  I’m still your protective brother here.”

I chuckle, “You remember that?”

“Of course..  You remember when those boys in our school pull your hair to tease you and your bracelets?  I bet those boys will be regret did that if they saw you now.”

We both laugh.

“I heard you have a girlfriend, Mike.  How is she?”

“Ohh..  Aom.  Yeah, she’s fine.”

“I mean,, what type of girl she is?”

“Hahaha, sorry then, my bad.  Well, she’s nice.  Younger than us.  She’s cute, kind, independent, and......”

“So you love her?”  I cut him.

“Of course I do..  Why you asking me that?”

“I just broke up with my boyfriend.  My parents came to his house and give him bunch of money and ask him to leave me.  I don’t know if they threathened him or what, he’s agree to do so, but he didn’t take the money.”

“...............”

“He came to see me the day after that.  We met outside, at the coffee shop.  He said he better let me go, because he wan’t me to be happy.  And he said he won’t ever make me happy.  Bull.  He knows how much I’m happy with him, yet he still use that excuse to broke up with me.”

Mike didn’t say anything, and I can feel my eyes are getting hot.  Tears brimmed in the corner of my eyes.  I sigh, then take a sip of my champagne.

“What did you feel that time?”  He finally ask me.

“Shattered.”  I answer him.  A single tears rolling on my cheek and I just let it be.  I see those tiny lamps from the street, let my mind fly away to nowhere.

“I’m sorry...”  Mike said.  I just smile.

“It’s okay...  I guess he didn’t love me that much.  Because he will fight with me if he did.”

“...............”

“You know what, Mike?  We made our future plans already.  He said he wants to see me first thing in the morning when he wake up everyday,  he wants me to tie his tie everyday before he go to work,  he wants  me to welcome him home and he want me to cook for him,  we want to have 2 kids, we want to go to the Maldives for honeymoon, we want..................”

I can’t suppress my feelings anymore, I cry, and Mike hug me suddenly.  It feels so comfortable.  He shooting me, he rub my back to ease the pain I felt in my chest.

“It hurts...”

“Sshhh...  I know...  Let’s not talk about it anymore...”

**********

We’re arrived back at the hotel.  After what happened in the balcony earlier, Mike ask permission to our family to take me outside.  Seems they all look extremely happy because maybe they think we both start to feel something.  The truth is he just want to take me out so that I can feel better.  Well, at least thats what I think.  Next week will be our “engagement” party, I don’t know what will happen later and I don’t wanna think about it.

“Thanks for making me feel better, Mike..”  I said before I go.

“Thats what brothers do..”  He said.

I smile, then I get out of the car.  I close the door and bend down my body a little bit.

“Good night..”  I bid him bye-bye.  He smiles and waves his hand to me.  I enter the loby while the car drove off.  I straight go back to my suite.  This room feels extremely huge when I’m alone like this, feels empty, just like my heart.  I take my bath robe, and I go to the bathroom.  I think I need to soak my body into the hot water in the bathtube.

I spent almost 30 minutes just to lay down and soaking my body in the hot water.  I’m standing in front of the mirror now.  Looking at the reflection of me.  I’m just about to dry my hair when suddenly my phone ring.  A text message, and its from Mike.

“We’ll find a way for our own love.  Trust me.”

I smile.  He keep encouraging me that we will finally be happy after this.  I know he loves Aom so much.  And suddenly I feel envy.  Why my boyfriend doesn’t fight for me just like Mike fight for Aom?  Mike said, he did that because the truth is he thinks about me, my future, my life, my happiness.  Again, that’s bull.  Because my happiness is with him.  I sigh, I’m just hoping that someone like Mike will love me like what he did to Aom.

TINA’S POV:

I standing in front of the kitchen, looking at a girl who’s busy taking order from the customers.  Today we’re in charge in the front, not in the kitchen.  I was just checking if there’s any cake I can take out and put it on the display because we run out of it now.  When I’m just about to go out from the kitchen thats when I saw her bright smile.  I think I really fall in love with her.  I fall so deep in love with her, like I never felt before.  I still remember exactly what we had last weekend.  When I finally confess my feelings and she did too the day after.  I know it’s impossible for us to really be together, but I’ll wait even forever until I can be with her.

“Staring at your girl eh?”  A woman voice greet me.

“Pita...”  I said, my cheeck suddenly turns red.  You know, the feeling when someone get caught you doing something that you don’t even realize.

“So it’s run smooth?  You and her?”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, Tina..  You know exactly what I mean.  I saw you guys always came together and also go back together.  You pick her up everyday right?  Its been........ 3 days already?  Beside, I can see it in your eyes, the way you see her is just,,, different.”

“Okay, you don’t have to mention everything Pita..  I don’t know how to deny it..”

We both laughing.  Pita always know how to make us, her workers, feel warm.  She’s indeed a good boss.

“I trust in you, Tina.  So if you think this is it, then just go for it.  Remember, you can tell me everything.  I’ll be around if you need me.”  She winks, then pat my shoulder before she go to the mini bar.

I see aom walking to my direction,  so I stand back to my station.

“One choco volcano, one red velvet, one pumpkin pie, two honeydew shake and one hot ginger tea with lemongrass please..”  She said reading the order sheet in her hand.

So I prepare the order right away.   Aom is still standing there watching me do my job.  But then I remember about something.

“Aom, do you think you can accompany me to the restaurant again today?  I need to take something from P’Air.”  I ask her while still busy preparing the order but I took a glance to her.

“Hmmm...  Sure, why not?  Besides, I’m free tonight..”  She answer.  I smile.

“Okay then, its almost 6 pm now, let’s just finish the job then we go..”  I bring all the order in a tray.  “Can you bring it?  It seems heavy..”

“I can handle it..  Just clean up your station and I’ll meet you at the locker room.”

**********

“Aunty Aom!!!!!  Reen miss you..”  A little girl shouted when we enter the restaurant.  Yup, that’s right, it’s Reen, my beautiful little princess.  She’s running to us,  I already open wide my arms but guess what’s happen next?  She’s running to Aom and hug her legs!  I’m so dumbfounded after that, c’mon that’s my little niece who used to be do that to me everytime we meet.  But now?  Did she choose Aom over me now?  Aom is kneeling now in front of Reen, and Reen, with face full of chocolate around , kiss Aom’s cheek.  She’s laughing.

“Aunty,  I give chocolate on your cheek!”  Then she jumping on her feet excitedly while laughing.  Aom pretend to be sulk, she’s pouting.

“Why Reen didn’t give me chocolate too?”  She said.

“I finish them all already..  You should ask uncle Tina, so uncle Tina will buy a looooooottt of chocolate and Reen will eat chocolate some more!”

“Who said you can eat more chocolate after this?”  I said.

“Reen can eat more chocolate because Reen is a good girl!”

Since when she learn to talk like that?  Seriously.

“I won’t buy any chocolate again after this, because my Reen is already forgot about me..”  I said, pretend to be sulky too.  Reen stop her laugh, then she walk to my direction.

“Reen never forget uncle Tina..”  She’s walking closer and pull my hand as if asking me to bend down.  But then Aom take Reen’s hand.

“Wait, we have to clean Reen’s hands and mouth first.  After that Reen can hug and kiss kiss uncle Tina.  Agree?”  She said.

“Agree!!!”  Reen answer her excitedly.  We all laugh.  Then Aom take Reen’s hand and hold it, Reen’s walking and jumping at the same time following Aom’s steps to the bathroom.  I smile, and then I hear a song playing from the stereo.  The saxophone sound, and I think I know the song.  Yes, its Dave Koz song entitled You Make Me Smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD5JK859WEo

Indeed, seeing those scene is really make me happy,  I can put smile on my face all the time if I can see it everyday.  P’Air see that too, so she came while teasing me.

“So now the mighty uncle Tina is became number 2?”

“No la, P’...  Reen just miss Aom that’s why she did that.”

“Let’s bet, she will chose Aom over you start from today.”

“Stop it, P’..  Reen will still love me like usual...”

P’Air and I laugh, and we go inside.

I guess P’air is right.  It’s been two hour and a half already since we came and Reen is totally forgot to give me hugs and kisses like she always do.  TOTALLY!  She’s now still busy playing with Aom.  She even take dinner with Aom, ask Aom to feed her, if not she won’t eat she said.  The restaurant also almost closed because its 9 PM already.  The workers here almost finish their job, and Mom, P’Air and Reen want to go home now.  I walk to the ‘mini band’ and sit on one of the chair.

“Bye bye aunty, let’s play again tomorrow..”  Reen said.  I was already feel a little bit sad when suddenly I found her already stand in front of me.  She hugs my waist and rest her head on my lap.

“Reen haven’t hug hug and kiss kiss uncle Tina..”  She said.

“Because Reen already forgot about uncle Tina.”  I answer her, still pretend to be sulky.  She raises her head so sudden and look me in the eye.

“No, uncle!  Reen never forget you.  It’s just Reen is busy today.”  She said as if she’s not a four years old child.  “Now, let Reen kiss kiss you...”.  I bend down my body so she can reach my face.  She kisses me twice then she wishpering, “From now on, Aunty Aom and Uncle Tina will be Reen’s number one favorite.”  I nod, then I hug her tight.  After that, she runs to her mother because her mother called her already.

Again, now on