Chapter 6. Is Yesterday Enough?

That night, over dinner, they shared stories about their past, their family, their concerns, how Isabelle chose to be a stewardess, and how Rayleigh ended up being a surgeon, head surgeon, and vice president of hospital management. "So, you're rich, rich?"

"I think so, yes."

"Am I your sugar baby?"

"I don't want you to be just my sugar baby." Rayleigh turns serious. "I want you to be more than that."

"Wife?" Isabelle smiles, half-joking. Even so, her feelings are overflowing with things.

"I want to take things slowly with you, Belle; I have all the time in the world to figure us out. I don't want us rushing into things." She stopped, didn't want to sound like a jerk, and said, "I don't want you to regret things. A wife, of course, Belle. I want a wife, but you're young and you love your job. I don't want to be the one who takes it from you."

"Hmmm, yes, I love my work. I enjoy it." She sips her wine.

"Then do it; we can manage; I'm rich enough to be back and forth between New York and Bangkok every time I need to." Isabelle rolled her eyes but laughed anyway.

"I have scheduled a day off in New York once in a while, sometimes in Europe."

"See, closer."

"I like you so much, so so much; if you ask me to go inside your room right now, I'll gladly follow." Isabelle sips more of her wine. "But I don't want you to be overly jealous; I have life and friends. And I don't want to be your choice; I have to be your number one. I'm always serious whenever I'm in a relationship."

"Baby Belle..." Rayleigh stretched out her hand to gently stroke Isabelle's cheek, making the latter smile. People in the restaurant stared at them with curiosity, awe, and everything in between. I see two stunning women currently flirting with each other.

"You do things to me whenever you call me that."

"Belle is mine; everyone else can call you Rose."

"Ugh..." Rayleigh still sees Isabelle hesitate; she doesn't want to force her or make her look too clingy. But if the younger one is scared of her cheating or doing something else, then she has the answer.

"Baby, I'm a surgeon. An orthopedic surgeon is one of the top. My schedule day by day is surgery; I don't have time to do other things or make you a choice. I fell for you the very first time I saw you yesterday." She asks the waitress to give her another full pour. "Cheesy, huh?"

"A bit. But the feeling is mutual." She clinks her glass to Rayleigh's, smiling widely. "Damn, my mother would be delighted to hear I'm about to say yes to dating a doctor."

"Is that a yes-to-date doctor?" She teases the younger woman.

"I can call you anytime." She asks the doctor.

"I flipped the world for you, yes."

"Can I ask for a video call anytime?" She asks again, and Rayleigh's smile widens. It has been two days since they first met and got to know each other, and it feels so right to be with her.

"You can even see me during surgery, yes."

"We can do this, can't we?" This time, it's Isabelle who held Rayleigh's hand first.

"I have all the time in the world."

"This is crazy; we just met yesterday, and I'm about to say yes to you. I don't have a safety net if you play around with me." Isabelle takes a deep breath and sips her wine again.

"This might sound even crazier," Rayleigh starts to think. She likes the woman and wants her to be hers. She wanted something to happen between them, but she had no idea how to talk to her sweetly: "Do you want me to put an online camera inside my apartment? So you can see whatever I'm doing?"

"???"

"You can even catch me naked or doing something while calling your name." Now she smirks.

"Babe!"

"So, it's a yes?"

She didn't answer right away. Isabelle knew her mother would be thrilled if she heard about Rayleigh. Since her father's death, Isabelle has been living alone with her mother. She dials her mother's number, asking Rayleigh to wait.

In three rings, her mother answered, "Hello, my baby." She always loves her mother's cheerful voice. Her mother lives in Chiang Mai and is still a sales manager for a retail company.

"Hi, mom, How are you doing? I'm in Bangkok today."

"Are you well? Or are you feeling down?" She can hear a hint of worry in her mother's voice.

"No, mom, I'm in the middle of a negotiation. This could affect my future and probably yours too."

"What is it?" Her mother now sounded serious.

"Uhm, a woman."

"Oh, you're dating a woman now? Take her to me next time."

"Mom, listen!"

"Okay, okay."

"Umm, she's a foreigner, a doctor, a surgeon, and her father owns a hospital in New York. She's in front of me, waiting for me to say yes, so I can be her girlfriend. And-"

"Just say yes!" her mother encourages her, far before she can finish her words.

"The distance, mom?"

"Your father and I were in a long-distance relationship for three years! At that time, we didn't have any media like now; we exchanged letters! Still, we can work it out and marry in the end. He was in Germany before he decided to move to Thailand."

"You did?"

"Yeah, and Rose Isabelle Jenisen. If you think she's worth every penny you waste on her, go for it. Give your mother a doctor, daughter-in-law!!" Her mother laughs out loud, and she stares at Rayleigh, who is still watching her and waiting. "Okay, now we'll talk before you go to sleep; I have a business meeting to go to."

"Yes, mom."

"Take care, eat plenty, and be a good girl for me. Okay?"

"Yessss, mom." She finally hangs up. "That was my mother."

"Okay."

"She told me to say yes to you and make it work." She smiles. "Aren't we moving too fast?"

"What fast? I fell for you faster than you said yes to me." Rayleigh answered, making the younger one laugh cutely. "This is the first time my heart is beating this fast. Here, feel it." She pulled Isabelle's hand and put it into her chest. Isabelle could feel it beating erratically.

"Yes, Dr. Rayleigh MacKenzie, I want to be your girlfriend." Isabelle could see how Rayleigh's face lit up in happiness; her eyes glittered, and it looked greener under the restaurant's dim light.

"Can I hug you now?"

"Yes. Yes." Rayleigh stands up from her chair and goes to hug Isabelle tightly.

"Oh wow, you're my girlfriend now. Right?"

"Yes."

"So, when can I meet this mother of yours?"

Rayleigh isn't on good terms with her mother; her parents are divorced. Because her mother was caught cheating with her father, she can't blame her mother for cheating. Her father's life is his hospital and research; he comes home when he remembers he has a wife and child. So, seeing how Isabelle is so close to her mother makes her heart swell.

"Babe, I just said yes. Why are you asking to meet my mother?" Isabelle laughs; she can't believe she said yes to a woman she just met yesterday.

"Pay my respect; that's how it's done in Asia, right?"

"Yes, but let's just enjoy the time." Isabelle couldn't stop smiling; she felt delighted. Very happy.

-

That night, after their dinner, Rayleigh didn't take her to her room; she sent her home before eleven. She told her to get some rest and leave after giving her a peck. "I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"Yes." She couldn't let go of Rayleigh; she wanted to be with her all night long. There's an urge within her to taste everything about the blond surgeon.

"Rest for tonight; I'll see you tomorrow, baby girl."

"Okay," she held Rayleigh closer, "are you sure you're going to leave me alone?"

"I'm not; don't tempt me, baby girl." She kisses the stewardess tenderly, "But I have a long day tomorrow with those damn professors; I have a lot of work tonight.

and I want you to rest."

"Why is that?"

"I might wear you off tomorrow." She kissed her again, sincerely saying, "I might be afraid you have trouble walking after." She whispered.

"Cocky... You know, Dr. Rayleigh, I'm good with my legs. I can stand for hours." Isabelle whispered back.

"Hmmm. We'll know tomorrow, then. Until then, please rest, baby. You need it; it's tiring working at that altitude." Rayleigh smiles sweetly, and Isabelle's heart flutters; she doesn't expect her new girlfriend to be truly worried about her condition. "See you tomorrow, Isabelle."

Isabelle was walking inside her apartment. "What now, Rose Isabelle?" Someone suddenly coming out of the apartment startled her.

"Holly sh*t, Isla!!"

"I'm here too," Mona said, coming from behind Isla.

"I'll revoke your entry to my apartment." She was still shocked by surprise. "At least say hello."

"We want to, but you keep kissing and kissing," Mona complains.

"You and Dr. Rayleigh, are you two an item now?" Isla asked again, and from the way her best friend talked with the doctor, she was sure they were having something between them.

"We're close, that's all." Now that she knows how Isla felt when she was the nosy one, she regrets teasing Isla with her pilot girlfriend.

"Define close." Isla asks again, enjoying every bit of annoyed Isabelle. "Rose."

"Oh my God, I get it! God damn it! Chantana Duangkamol really teaches you to do things and use them against me!" She yells, frustrated but happy anyway, "Ray asked me to be her girlfriend! Happy now?"

"No! I don't know who Ray is or this doctor, Rayleigh. Enlighten me." Mona, adding more.

"Mona Bagheri, I thought you were my friend?" She and Mona usually tease Isla before they finally confess to dating each other.

"We are." Mona smiles and says, "Now answer."