It was mid morning and Raymond didn't feel like getting out of bed yet.  He had returned home late last night, staying back even when the others left.  He didn't remember too much details of the evening except that his plans for a relaxing night out with Kenneth turned into something other than that.  The shock of seeing Charmaine, the one person he didn't want to see, dampened his mood right from the start.  Raymond usually enjoyed going out drinking and meeting new people.  This time however was different.  Being stuck sitting next to Charmaine, and forced to endure listening to her giggling and chatting happily with the others aggravated him.  She shouldn't be having a good time when she was the cause for his foul disposition.  He couldn’t understand why he hated her so much, but hate he did.  He admitted he had been somewhat surprised, in a pleasing way, when her friend Natalie blurted out that Charmaine was one of his devoted fans.  The pleasant surprise that lighted his face vanished when Charmaine coolly informed him that that was before she got to know the real him.  At that very moment, he was about to demand an explanation, as well as an apology for her caustic remark.  But with all eyes watching them curiously, he made himself appear aloof and turned away, although inside he was simmering with rage.  No one, especially a female, had ever enraged him the way Charmaine Sheh did.  While he may not be an easy guy to work for because he has principles and demands that must be met no matter what, but overall he's not a bad guy.  At least he didn't think so.  If he had been, Jazz wouldn't have remained loyal to him for so long.  So the fault must be hers.  Charmaine was the one with the problem.  Not him.

Pushing up on an elbow he glanced at the digital clock beside his bed.  He had about a half hour to spare before Charmaine arrived to pick him up.  He was filming outdoors again and the location was up by the mountains or some remote place like that.  He left all the details to Charmaine.  He was about to swing his legs off the bed when a hand touched his arm.  Letting out a shriek he turned around and found Myolie lying beside him.  "What are you doing here?" he squeaked, his heart thudding wildly from the little scare.  He didn't remember bringing her home.  Did he?

"Raymond," Myolie murmured with her eyes still half closed with sleep.  She pulled him back down to lie on the bed and draped a leg across his body.  "Why are you up so early?"

Pushing Myolie's arm and leg off him, Raymond scrambled to get out of bed.  "I have to work."

"Can't you lie with me for a few more minutes," Myolie whined as she sat up and lazily wrapped the bedsheet across her body.

"I can't."  Raymond walked over to his armoire and grabbed a pair of slacks and a loose fitting shirt.  He dressed quickly and throughout it all he felt Myolie's hungry eyes on him.  Without turning back to give her a glance he walked out the bedroom, pausing only briefly at the doorway to say, "You should get dressed."

Once away from his bedroom and Myolie, Raymond tried to recall exactly what happened last night.  For the life of him he can't remember a single thing other than being extremely annoyed and angry by Charmaine's presence.  Out in the living room he saw Myolie's dress on the floor, her purse in a far corner of the room as if thrown there by accident, and her bra and a heap on the floor beside the couch.  Oh boy, Raymond groaned as he rubbed his face with the palms of his hands.  He didn't need this.  Not now, not ever.  Myolie was fun but too clingy.  He regretted the first time he took her home to bed and vowed there won't be a second.  By the looks of things Myolie probably thinks, and rightfully too, that they were officially a couple now, which is the furthest thing from Raymond's mind.  He was at his prime, at the height of his career and he enjoyed his bachelorhood, much more than he would admit.  Flustered by the scene before him, Raymond didn't hear the doorbell ringing at first.  It was only when the ringing became a steady loud sound that finally snapped him out of his thoughts.  He threw the door open and saw Charmaine with two brown paper bags.  Without a word he walked away from the open door.

Charmaine was used to Raymond's mood by now and didn't feel the least bit offended by his rudeness.  She stepped into the apartment and kicked the door closed with her foot.  "You only have twenty minutes to eat before we head out."  She placed the bags onto the dining table and began taking out the platters of food.

"Raymond, who is it?" Myolie called out and seconds later she came into view.  Noticing Charmaine, her smile disappeared and was replaced by a cool politeness.  "Hello Charmaine," Myolie greeted with a small smile.

If Charmaine was surprised to see Myolie in Raymond's apartment so early in the morning, she didn't show it.  Instead, she acted as if it was a natural and common occurrence for Raymond.  Smiling warmly at Myolie, Charmaine took out the last of the coffees and set it down with the others.  "I always buy extra so there's enough for the both of you."

"Aren't you going to have some?" Myolie asked with overly sweetness that was in contrast to the coldness in her eyes and the way she seemed to look down at Charmaine in a superior sought of way.

Charmaine had already sensed Myolie's dislike from last night.  Not understanding why or where it could have stemmed from, Charmaine chose to ignore it and maintaining her warm smile she replied, "No thanks.  I already ate."

Raymond saw the jealousy in Myolie and wondered why she would even be jealous over his assistant.  Certainly, she wouldn't think that he was having anything other than a working relationship with Charmaine.  The thought that she would even think that way brought out a chuckle in Raymond.  Charmaine was not his type and he would never hit on her even if she was the last female on earth, not that it should matter to Myolie since she had no claim on him.  Still, the idea of Myolie being jealous of Charmaine cracked him up and another burst of chuckles erupted from him.

"What's so funny?" Myolie asked, her eyes drawn together in puzzlement.

"Uh-nothing," Raymond replied instantly.  He pulled out a chair and nodded his head at it, "Sit and have some breakfast."

Myolie obeyed and took the seat.  She waited for Raymond to join her before looking at Charmaine and said in a condescending tone, "You don't mind waiting for us to eat in another room would you?  I don't like people looking at me when I eat.  It gives me pressure and I won't be able to enjoy my food."

The tone in which Myolie used spoke volumes to Charmaine.  Stifling back the urge to curse at the other woman, Charmaine turned to Raymond and said in a low voice, "I'll pack some light clothes for you to change into when you're done with the shootings."

Raymond nodded and waited until Charmaine disappeared into his bedroom before directing an annoyed look at Myolie.  "What was that for?"

With her fork in mid air, Myolie cast Raymond a baffled look and asked innocently, "What are you referring to?"

"The way you just spoke to Charmaine."  Raymond never liked mincing words and for Myolie to even try that fueled his annoyance further.

Shrugging her shoulders delicately, Myolie took a bite of her eggs and chewed slowly.  "I always talk that way to the servants."

"Charmaine is not a servant," Raymond said firmly.  "She is my assistant and is only substituting for Jazz.  I prefer that you don't speak to her that way ever again."

Myolie dropped her fork onto the table, her face dark with fury.  With disbelief she grounded out, "I can't believe you are defending a servant."

Locking his eyes with her, Raymond repeated, "Charmaine is not a servant."

Myolie knew when to back down.  Smiling lovingly at Raymond, she touched his hand with the tips of her fingers and said softly, "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean it that way.  Of course she's not a servant.  She's your assistant and assistants are very important to people like us."

Accepting her apology Raymond relaxed and picked up her fork to hand it back to her.  "Finish your breakfast before it gets cold."

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Inside Raymond's bedroom and oblivious to the conversation out in the dining room, Charmaine took out a small pile of shirts from Raymond's closet and began folding it neatly to place into a small duffel bag.  She had just finished packing the last item when her cell phone rang.  She didn't recognize the number but nevertheless answered it.  "Hello?"

"Hi Charmaine," Kevin greeted softly on the other end.  "This is Kevin Cheng, remember me from last night?"

"Of course I do," Charmaine giggled, enjoying the sound of his warm familiar voice.  "I suppose you got my number from my dear friend Natalie."

Kevin chuckled, "Please don't be angry with her.  I forced her to give it to me.  I hope you don't mind."

"I don't.  Why are you calling me?" Charmaine asked coyly but she had an idea.  She had sensed his interest in her from last night and she herself was interested in him as well.  Who wouldn't be?  Kevin Cheng was handsome, charming and smart.  He's what you call a good catch in today's standards.  They had spent most of last night talking amongst themselves.  It was as if they were life long friends, the ease in which they could go from topic to topic.  When they parted last night he promised to stay in touch with her and Charmaine knew he would but she didn't think he would call this soon.  So to suddenly get a call from him excited her and she felt like a high school girl again waiting for the boy to ask her out on a date.

"Are you busy tonight?" Kevin asked hesitantly.

"It depends if you're going to ask me out," Charmaine replied teasingly.  On the other end she heard Kevin's rambunctious laughter and added, "Well are you?"

"Yes!" Kevin answered immediately.  "Does dinner meet with your approval and how about I pick you up from wherever you're going to be at around 8:00pm?"

Charmaine smiled happily to herself.  An evening out with Kevin is just what she needed to feel like her old independent self again.  "That sounds wonderful.  I'll call you later.  Bye Kevin." 

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Standing outside the hallway, Raymond had heard their conversation, at least Charmaine's part.  Without a word he turned and stalked back into the dining room.