Chapter 3

Maddy's POV

I came to work the next day with swollen and heavy eyes. I couldn't sleep last night,I was up thinking on how my apology message should be. Shit! I swore,after thinking for a while and not able to come up with anything meaningful.

I hate apology,I hate saying it,I hate how it makes me look. I hate everything about it! Jane-Anne knew this,probably that was the reason she told me to apologize,it was my punishment indeed.

I sat up in my room,and turned on my bedside lamp. I stood and walked to and fro, I started talking to the air,illustrating it was Him. These were what I said. #Flashback to last night conversation with the air#

Maddy: Hey.. I just... scratch that

Using Hey was some how,let me start with something else

Maddy: Sir,I'm sorr...(bit my tongue by mistake) Shit!

I started again

Maddy: Sir,you're welcome.....

What the fuck is you're welcome?? I started again

Maddy: Sir,I am sorry for the inconvenience I caused you.... last um (thinks) week

Yes! This is it... no,apologizing out of the blue would make me weird.. I started again

After many attempts at my practical apology,I couldn't come up with anything. I felt flat on my bed,and groaned on my pillow. Then I turned face the ceiling.. Thinking about him,wishing he was here next to me on the bed. I was about to think something sexual and stupid,but I quickly came back to my senses. I should focus on the apology not some midnight fantasy.

Frustrated,I threw my hands and legs in the air aggressively,fighting the air. After a while,I stopped to catch my breath. While catching my breath,I thought to myself

...Coming to think of it,i know nothing about this man, like absolutely nothing about him...

All I know was He likes mint chocolate Ice-cream,that's all... And well yes,he was very charming,but apart from that I know nothing else. I exhaled heavily,and got up to try my practical apology again. This time,I know the air was fed up with my words.

I did that all night,and managed to go to bed later around five in the morning. I couldn't catch enough sleep,before my alarm on my clock radio,beside my bed woke me up with its shrill.

I took my bath,dressed and walked down to the shop.

A night well spent indeed.

I exchanged morning pleasantries with Jane-Anne,and went to my seat. I sunk my tired body onto the chair,and closed my eyes.

Jane-Anne walked up to me,directly opposite me standing by the counter

Jane-Anne: Your eyes' been alot of things these days... What's with the swollen eyes? Had a nightmare last night?

I opened my eyes,and saw her staring at me with a funny expression on her face.

Maddy: The punishment you gave to me,kept me up all night

Jane-Anne laughed,I wondered what was funny,I wasn't smiling or said that as a joke.

Jane-Anne: (Stopped laughing) You never seize to amaze me Maddy..You're so funny.

I looked at the other side and didn't say anything

Jane-Anne: Why is it so hard for you to apologize? I mean .. you just have to say I'm sorry

Maddy: If I walk up to him and say I'm sorry out of the blue,don't you think it'll look stupid? I've got to say sorry and also say what I'm being sorry for.... I will have to explain myself, that is why its so hard!!

Jane-Anne was looking at me,and was smiling.. I met her gaze,and she started laughing.

Maddy: Stop it's not funny

She eventually stopped laughing

Jane-Anne: Ohh Maddy... (became serious again) Well that's it .. That's why it your punishment

Maddy: Can't you just drop it,please ? You know I love you

Jane-Anne: And I love you as well,but ain't dropping nothing. I'm your boss and I've given you an order.... well except you don't want me to be your boss anymore

She smirked,and left me to my thoughts. I watched her leave with angry eyes. I know she won't listen to my plea again,and I decided I won't bother her with it too. If He ever comes back,I'm going to summon the courage to apologize to him,if we ever made him uncomfortable. With this thought,I exhaled and felt a bit relieved, but I hoped silently that he never returns. I know i said I've been hoping to see him but not anymore,not here. If I'm to see him again,let it be outside or anywhere else but not this shop,not anywhere close to Jane-Anne.

I got up to carry out my duties.

After cleaning the counter,and arranging the tables,my cleaning job was done. I went over to the counter,my remaining job of the day was to sell Ice-cream to customers.

I checked the time,and it was half past eleven. I was feeling hungry,I asked Jane-Anne to get me a sandwich on her way out. She nodded and left.

I waited her in the shop,and she came back thirty minutes later,I was keeping up with the time because I was very hungry,and had waited for her with bated breath.

She said there weren't any sandwich where she went to buy the food. She handed me a hamburger with coke,and we sat down to eat.

Maddy: Thanks

I collected the food from her,and started eating immediately. She also had hamburger with coke . We ate in silence for a while

Maddy: Jane-Anne

Jane-Anne: ( sipped her coke) Yeah?

Maddy: You know.. I was thinking we should add another section to the shop. That'll be for the snacks,cakes and sweets. What do you think?

Jane-Anne nodded her head smiling

Jane-Anne: You're right... that's actually a good idea. Glad to see i didn't spend my money on food for you, for nothing

We chuckled

Maddy: It is,because having only this coffee and Ice-cream shop around a place like this is really helping business.....

Jane-Anne: (sighed and finished her coke) I know right .. I don't have enough money to work on that right now,I'll save up for it!! Thanks Maddy

She stood up,and wanted to leave but I held her back

Maddy: Well I have some money saved up,I could give you if you'll make me your partner in business

She looked at me sensitively

Jane-Anne: Hmmm where's this coming from ? Is this because I told you *I am your boss and you should obey me* this morning ?

I shook my head with a long nooooooo. Jane-Anne sat down again

Jane-Anne: Then tell me about how and why you came with this idea all of a sudden...

She probed into my eyes,awaiting my answers. I had no problem with her being my boss,I was going somewhere with this.

Maddy: It' just came up to my head while I was eating ...Scratch partnership ....I could give you the money if ..

I met her gaze which told me to continue

Maddy: If you drop the punishment and let it go..

Jane-Anne's expression looked puzzled at first,then she burst into laughter. I was just looking at her as she kept laughing.

Jane-Anne: (Stopped laughing) You'll do anything to get out of this,won't you?

Maddy: Girl anything

She looked at me,then said with a serious face

Jane-Anne: You trying to bribe me just doubled your punishment.... I'll think about what the second punishment should be and inform you later.... And keep your money, we'll talk about this business again after you've served your punishment.

Jane-Anne stood up and left to her coffee section,while I sat back disappointed and devastated.

My mind almost blew up, I literally just worsen the case. Now I'll have to do something else she tells me to along with the first one... I know she won't punish me with anything simple for me to do . Fuck! I've screwed up!