That Crazy Cheapskate is Mine!

“Maid Service? Really?”

“Surprise!” he hopped.

“Surprise?”

“I just felt a little guilt, you know. In these few days, having you around my house-,”

“I’m sorry… YOUR house?”

“I mean OUR house… and having you did all those chores and I just figured I could do something, you know, for you…” he said.

“And a maid service is the way to do that,” she mocked.

“Well, it’s your fault placing your numbers in every directory. You weren’t supposed to know if I hire Maid Service,” he responded, “I was about to call them behind your back.”

She sighed. Then somewhat softer than before, she asked, “What was it that you wanted a Maid Service to do?”

“Well, I just- the dish, you know…” he tried to explain.

She stomped her way into the kitchen, stared at the stacked dishes before turned to glare at him. She sighed heavily, took off her coat and pulled up her sleeves. She put on the gloves and started washing the dishes.

‘Oh my, she IS a cheapskate! Coming home just because I want to hire a maid,’ he thought.

“Well, I’m off to work now, you want a lift?” he offered.

“No thanks, I have my own transportation…” she declined. She turned to her wristwatch. It was half past nine. She looked back at him and asked, “Did you just wake up?”

“Yeah, just finish showering,” he said, correcting her necktie. He picked up his blazer and said, “Thinking about late entry this morning, whether I’m there or not, the money still come to me. I’m still gonna be rich.”

She locked a killer glare to him, and mumbled, “You rich bastard!”

“Did you say something?” he snared her in the eyes.

“Nothing, I said I’m craving for Sandwich with MUSTARD.”

“Sure you don’t want a lift?” he asked again, trying his best to hold his laughter.

“I’m sure.”

“Okay. Just so you know, taxi is CHEAPER…” he shrewdly stared to her, teasing her to her very soul. He continued, “…than the penalty for driving without a license.”

She patted her coat pocket, looking through her skirt and trailing her way back to the car. She then sighed heavily, remembering how she abruptly left her office just now bringing nothing but her coat and car keys. Obviously, she left her driving license in the office with her wallet and purse.

The honk coming from a Maybach 62S which just parked next to her car startled her. She rolled her eyes before looking at the owner. The glass window slowly descended, revealing the rich guy in his black shade.

“Need a lift?”

“No. I’ll just take a taxi, thank you…”

“And pay for it? Okay…” he said, slowly shutting the glass window. He didn’t drive away, but instead he raced the car while in the park gear, roaring the entire garage. She rolled her eyes. After a moment, she walked her way into the passenger’s seat next to his, and shut the door. With a smirk, Eric locked the door and left the driveway.

Eric stole a gaze at the silent lady sitting next to him. Then he smiled alone. He could see the infuriation hidden beneath the unbearable beauty. He hummed in harmony with the song playing in his car. Then he lowered the volume, and asked, “How much percentage left?”

“What?”

“I don’t know. Your level of irritation, perhaps…”

“Don’t be silly. I’m not annoyed at all…”

“Really?” he asked playfully surprised. “I’m so glad…”

“Yeah,” she said, “In fact, I will express to all my workers of how great, and generous, and sweet my housemate is, and how he is ALWAYS right.”

“Really? Wow! I’m honored,”

They arrived in a very creative building in about 30 floors tall, wide of more than 500 hectares, painted in blue and white. They drove through the side gate and a security inevitably recognized his car, saluted him. He lowered the window and smiled greeting the security.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Anderson, this area is off limit,” the security explained, “Please enter through the main gate.

“I’m dropping Mrs- I mean, Miss West,” he said. The security peeked through the opening and saw his boss in the passenger seat, and opened the gateway hastily.

“You ran a tight security here, eh?” he said after shutting the window off.

“Not really,” she said smiling, “So, you’ll pick me up later?”

“I don’t really mind if you take the cab, though,” he said. Alley widened her eyes, picked up her coat and get off the Maybach 62S. Just as she slammed the door, the glass window rolled down. His voice calling her name stopped her from going. He said, “I’ll be here, honey”

She didn’t turn her face but instead she walked into the big building with a glittery smile on her face.



“Are you okay?” A man in blue shirt covered in coat stopped his typing and stood up, following her to her office. He pulled up a folder stacked in between piles of folders, just on his desk and carried it to her office, “You left so sudden that many of the employees thought something went wrong. I tried calling your phone, but you didn’t answer…”

Michael had been her assistant for god-knows-how-long and had been a best friend to her ever since. She smiled looking at the blurred man in front of her. Alley poured herself a cup of coffee before she landed on the chair. She sighed, ignoring the poor lad, she asked, “I’m here now, so update me please.”

“Al,” he called.

“What do you want Michael? I’ve known you for years and you’ve never pulled up that serious face in a non-meeting time,” she said giggling.

“There’s been a rumor about you. I just…” he started. She gazed at the 25 year old, hoping to hear a good end to the sentence. He continued, “Well… You lived with a guy you barely know…”

Alley spurted a little coffee from her mouth. She apologized as she pulled out a tissue from her desk drawer and wipe it off her desk. Before she could reply, the door opened.

“Miss West, the Japanese Ambassador is here,” a small woman in her mid-twenties who appeared to be her assistant announced.

“Thanks, Sophie…” she said. Then she turned to Michael, “We’ll continue this later? Grab the files and shall we go?”

The door labeled “Conference Room” opened, revealing numbers of important people in black coat, some of them looked foreign to the employees. Alley, alongside Michael walked the foreigners to the main lift as they shook their hands. The meeting lasted for two hours, leaving them an extra ten minutes before lunch break. She walked with Michael to his office.

“Let’s have lunch together,” Michael offered, “My treat…”

“I think I’ll pass for today,” she declined. She didn’t know why but she really eager to go home, in hope of meeting Eric there. “Why don’t you take Sophie?”

“You sure?” Alley nodded in respond to his question. He smiled and picked up his coat, “You coming, Soph?”

Alley patted her coat pocket, looking through her purse and into her desk drawer. She sighed and gave up when she knew she wouldn’t find what she was looking for.

“Hi, honey,” she heard Eric’s voice coming from the door. She couldn’t blink her eyes as she saw him in between the door, holding the keys she had been looking for in the past few minutes.

“Why didn’t you call and tell me I left it?” she asked. Eric didn’t answer, but instead he pulled out a cellphone from his other pocket, and he winked. Alley didn’t know how to answer to that. She totally forgot and left both her keys and her phone in Eric’s car that morning.

“I guess you needed that to lock YOUR office?” he guessed.

“Shut up,” she snapped, snatching the keys and her cellphone away from him.

“So I guess you are free to go lunch now?” he offered.

Alley rolled her eyes. She knew she just couldn’t win with Eric that she decided to follow him. After a long pause, she nodded. She picked up her coat and her purse. As they both left the office, she locked the door and placed everything into her purse, she finally asked, “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere we could find CHEAP SANDWICH with extra MUSTARD?” he said.

“WHAT?”