The Gift

Mia did not mention the surprise that Dean was about to get on Tuesday morning.

Dean's secretary, as usual, brought in the daily mail to his office. This morning, there was a couriered item. She left the letters on his in-tray and placed a large unbleached paper bag on his desk and walked out. Dean stood up from his desk when he saw 'Simplementes' printed on the bag. He quickly pulled the bag towards him, untied the straw ribbons on the handles, and looked inside.

There was a card and a wrapped tall rectangular box inside. With nervous hands, Dean opened the card first. 'Hi Dean, thank you again for helping me with my popcorn machine. If you already have something like this coffee maker, please let me know and I will exchange it for something else. Also, I would like your team to lead the interior design for my building. Thank you again and I look forward to working with you and Bryan. Best regards, Mia.'

A wide grin emerged on Dean's face and his heart was ecstatic. "Yes!" He could not help but exclaim. He was happy enough with the card but decided to open the present as well. He tore away the leaf-like wrapping paper and inside was a beautiful glass pour-over coffee maker shaped like an hourglass. Dean held it in his hand, looking at it like a trophy glistening in the sunlight. He smiled to himself and felt his chest expand with pride. He cautiously placed the gift back into its box and then the bag. A gift from Mia was precious enough to keep at home, even though she was a client.

Dean sat back down and turned his chair towards the windows. Tapping his fingers on his desk, he decided that he would give Mia something in return. Something special. He picked up his phone and started to text Mia. Halfway through, he changed his mind and dialled her number instead. He heard laughter as Mia said, "Hi, Dean. Long time no hear!"

He chuckled as well, "Hi Mia. I received the coffee maker. Thank you so much."

"Oh! Good. Do you like it?"

"Yes, it looks amazing."

Mia laughed as she replied, "I'm so glad. It's a beautiful design, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

"Also, I saw your note about the interior design... Thank you. It means a lot to me..."

There was a pause and both Mia and Dean were processing the meaning behind what he said. There felt a pressure on her heart as she replied, "It’s my pleasure, Dean. I’ve thought about it long and hard. It's a new building and it will be my new flagship store, so I am ready for a new direction and for us to create an exciting building...together."

Dean beamed on the other end, "Definitely. I am looking forward to it too..."

Mia giggled, "Fantastic. So, tell me. What is the next step for us?"

Dean chuckled in reply, "Well, let me organise my team and I will let David know your decision. Then we will organise a formal document that outlines the services for you to sign off. Then, I was thinking, I could talk to you about the next steps Friday afternoon?"

"Ah. I have quite a packed day this Friday..."

"How about 5pm and we can celebrate afterward?"

"...Ok. I think that should be fine." Mia felt shy about going out to celebrate with Dean alone.

"Is David and Bryan coming as well to celebrate?"

"I'm not sure. I can ask?" Dean frowned. He had no intention of asking them.

"Ok. Sure."

"I will let you know by Thursday. But let us lock in 5pm Friday, ok?"

"Yes. Sure. I've put it in my calendar."

"Great, I will see you then, if nothing changes."

"Ok. Yes. See you Friday 5pm."

"Yes. Thank you again for the present and for choosing us..."

Mia chuckled but said firmly, "Don't let me down, Dean."

Dean joined in with a confident chuckle, "Trust me, I won't."

"See you soon."

"See you. Bye."

"Bye..."

Both of them lingered a little before they put down their respective phones. They could not wait to see each other on Friday.

---***---

Friday afternoon, as Mia said goodbye to her staff trickling of the office, she waited patiently for Dean to arrive. She prepared a checklist of things to discuss with him. One of them was to discuss Kai-Lin's involvement.

Dean was a little late. By the time he came, she was the only one left in her office. He greeted her with a broad grin as he entered her office carrying a large white cardboard box the size of her popcorn machine. "Is it a cake?" Mia wondered.

"Come in, come in!" Mia exclaimed. She led Dean into her own office to put the box down. It did not seem heavy, but it looked cumbersome to carry. He easily placed the box down on the small round meeting table in her room. Before opening the box, Dean turned to Mia and grinned, "How are you?"

"Good! What is this?" Mia's glance darted between Dean's face and the box. Dean sniggered, "Straight to the point." He carefully slid the top of the box upwards, "This is a gift that I made for you as a thank you."

"What is it..." Little by little, miniature people, trees, cars, and a building appeared.

"This is?!" Mia gasped and lifted her hand to her mouth.

Dean laughed, 'Yes, it is."

After Dean removed the lid completely and placed it on the floor, he pointed at the front of the building. "This is a to-scaled model of your Fujin-Jie new flagship store, Mia." He sighed, raised his hands to his sides, and glanced at Mia with an embarrassed smile, "I haven't done this for a while so I'm a bit rusty. I usually get my team to do this now. So, it's not perfect but it was fun to do."

"You made this by yourself?" Mia observed Dean with wide eyes. He chuckled again, "Yes."

Mia put her face close to the model building. She saw that it was made of painted cardboard, fibreglass, wooden blocks, and foam boards. She marvelled with an open jaw at its intricacy that had come alive from Dean's plans.

Dean bent towards the model himself and pointed here and there, "Can you see the indoor river on the ground floor, the hanging forest, the French shutters, and..." His fingers stopped at a tiny figurine, "There you are..."

Mia's eyes followed his fingers to a small plastic faceless figure that he had painted with long black hair, a yellow dress, and white shoes. It was just like one that she wore for her new building party. The figure was standing just outside the front door with a hand raised.

Mia abruptly turned sideways towards Dean. She was speechless as a bursting sensation emerged in her chest. Dean gazed back at her with a satisfied smile, his face inches away from hers. She continued to stare at him as the bursting feeling grew. She did not know what expression she was making but it suddenly made him look surprised. At this moment, she raised her head slightly and caught his lips.

In an instance, Dean enveloped her firmly with his arms against her body and they were kissing each other ferociously.

Mia pressed against her meeting table for support from Dean's force. He was kissing her along her neckline and then hastily moved his lips back to cover hers. His hands moved up and down her spine causing her dress to shift.

Mia's hands were wrapped around his neck but soon moved through his hair. His hair was soft and silky to touch. They were in this snug embrace until Mia recollected herself and pushed her hands against Dean's firm chest. "Dean, there are cameras here," she mumbled breathlessly.

"Huh?" Dean huffed, glancing at Mia with a dazed expression.

"There are cameras here..." she repeated.

"Oh..." he said as his eyes darted upwards around the room and towards the ceiling.

The weight of their bodies had moved the meeting table against the wall. Dean lifted Mia onto the table. He placed his arms on either side of her and bit lightly on her bottom lip. Noses touching, he whispered as he searched Mia's eyes, "I want you Mia...My place?"

Heat rose on Mia's cheeks, "My place... it's closer..." she uttered and hugged him so that he could not see her face. Feeling her body heat and her sweet rosy scent surround him, Dean grumbled, "Mia, let's go now."

Dean grabbed both of Mia's hands and slid her off the table. She snatched her clutch bag as they walked eagerly towards the front door and to his car hand in hand.