Morning came and she didn't receive another text from Mike. What was he going to tell her? It's been bugging her since the night he texted her. That night she had trouble sleeping, trying to think about Mike's text. She tried to stare at her ceiling, thinking any possible scenarios that would happen in this morning at this very hour. Was he ill or out of job? Didn't like the flowers her mother chose for them? Or worse… Is he breaking up with her?! She brushed the idea off and got up from her bed. Popping quickly from the bathroom after brushing her teeth, she immediately turned the kettle on. She was still half awake and wrapped in her dressing gown when somebody knocked from her door.
"Good morning, Quirky!" Mike greeted her when she opened the door. He was standing by the doorway, in expensive suit holding a bottle of champagne with his hand and a bouquet of flowers with the other. He wore a smile as bright as the sunshine and as happy as a 5-year old who received a dollar from the Tooth Fairy. That was probably the best morning greeting she had ever received, Miranda decided.
"Hey! Good morning, Marple. What are you- oh!" She was stopped halfway in her sentence when Mike sealed her lips with his. With her hand on his shoulders, she slowly brought him inside her flat. Their kiss was deep and long and more awakening than the coffee she was about to make.
"Wow. That was- yup, yup, really good, my knight in shining armor." She said while wrapping the dressing gown tighter around her.
"These are for you, by the way."
Miranda took the bouquet of flowers which consisted of different kinds.
"I couldn't decide what you'll love so I got you some daisies, tulips, white roses." He enumerated them by his fingers.
"They're lovely. Thank you, Mike.
"And the champagne, too. All for you."
Miranda took the bottle of champagne and placed it on the table beside the vase of flowers.
"I don't understand. Wha- what's the occasion anyway? You're not exactly volunteering to be in the flowers department, are you?"
Mike held her free hand and brought her to sit on the sofa in the living room.
"Miranda I-"
"Oh Goodnes!" She exclaimed cutting Mike's sentence. "Did I forget your birthday? I'm so sorry, Marple." Miranda clasped his hand with both of hers. "I am so sorry."
"No, no, no. It's not my birthday."
"It's our anniversary today?"
"Oh, don't be silly. Of course not."
"You're pregnant?!" She tactlessly exclaimed.
"What on- I'm not, Miranda. I want to tell you that-"
"I'm pregnant?!"
"What? You're pregnant?"
Both of them stopped at what she just announced. Miranda's jaws dropped when she realized it.
"No, no." She denied. "I'm not. Sorry." Her cheek were growing crimson and sweat were forming on her temple. "Can we just establish that I did NOT say that? And no, I'm certain that I'm NOT pregnant, although I've been going to that pregnant club just for the free pies they give to members." She chuckled. "You were saying, Marple?"
Mike fixed his glasses and put on his news reporter- serious face.
"Right. Um. Miranda, I just want to let you know that I… I got the job! Finally!"
Mike seemed genuinely happy. Meanwhile, Miranda's train of thought left her.
"I'm not catching up. What do you mean you got the job? You already got the job!"
"Yes but um. Remember those times that I'm always on the phone talking to Xavier? Well, he's actually been helping me. You see, I asked him if I could be assigned to another station. You know, for a better salary. But he told me that I need to reapply because of those company policies that the station has. And so I did. He's been backing me up all the time. Yesterday, he called me and said that.. He said I got the job! They reassigned me to our mother station!" He sounded so excited telling the story to her.
"Congratulations, Marple." She closed her hands with hers and kissed him on his cheek. "I'm very proud of you. I really am." She smiled and made him smile, too.
"Thank you. I really do appreciate it. I was really doing this for us- for you, Miranda – and for our future. I want to give anything and everything you need. I want to make you happy with me and by my side. Your smile is the reason why I live. Okay that was a bit cheesy"
This made her smile. Miranda was deeply touched by this. She was a bit smitten about what her fiancé just said. She couldn't say anything back to tell how she felt; instead she rewarded him a very sweet smile.
"And the thing is, I'm doing this for our future children."
"I did say I'm not pregnant, right."
"I know, I know. Well, it's just.. We'll be a family soon."
Miranda sighed. "Thank you.. For this. For the flowers and the champagne, although it's a bit early for it. Anyway, where is this station anyway?"
"New York! In the US. And they asked me if I can start next month from now."
"But our wedding's next 3 months, Mike. Michael Jackford, have you actually thought about this." Miranda was out of words again. Not because of gratitude but with anger. She rose from the sofa and went to kitchen and started to pace. Mike followed her. "I can't believe I'm starting a fight."
"Hey, hey. That's okay. And I'm sorry, Marple. The real reason why I'm here is that… Miranda-" Mike took hold on Miranda's hand, caressed the finger where the engagement ring is. "Will you marry me? On the 14th, 2 weeks from now? I know I'm asking you too much but I promise to provide you more than live could give. Be with me, Miranda."
"I didn't know you're a romantic." Miranda said.
Mike chuckled.
Miranda remained silent for a while. Mike just proposed to her. Again. And this time she was still on her pyjamas.
"Definitely. Of course I will." It sounded as if she needed to answer it that way. What else would I say, anyway? She thought.
"We'll get married in 2 weeks, stay here for a couple of days and then fly to New York, stay in lovely hotel and enjoy our honeymoon. We'll go anywhere you want. And visit our flat there."
Mike wrapped Miranda by her hips and pulled her closer to kiss her lips but a scream came from the direction of the door.
"AAHhhh!"
They both saw Stevie standing horrified. "You could have at least closed the door!" She said angrily.
"Um. Sorry. That might be my fault. I'll wait for you downstairs, Miranda. I love you." He didn't even wait to say it back.
When Mike left Stevie gave Miranda some forms to sign. "You can't even say it back."
"Oh whatever. What do you want, my dear little friend?"
"I need you to sign these." Stevie handed her order papers. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything."
X X X
At the joke shop Stevie found Mike examining the stuff toys on the top of the counter. When he turned around, he was attacked by Stevie's stares.
"Hello, Michael Jackford." She greeted with a huff.
"Hello, Stevie. Is Miranda ready now?"
"She'll be her in minutes."
Stevie went behind the counter, started drinking her tea, still eyes fixed on Mike.
No words were exchanged for a moment while the tension built up. Stevie's arms where already crossed. Mike was fixing his tie compulsively. Stevie's eyes slowly squinted and her lips thinned.
"Okay, that's it." She muttered. "Look, I've known Miranda longer than anybody. She's my best friend. We have way better relationship than with any boyfriends that we had in the past. We even pretended that we're lesbian lovers once. Mike, Miranda's family to me. I- I know you're a good man. It's just that she hasn't had a serious relationship, let alone getting engaged. I worry about her constantly." Her fingers start to drum on the sides of the cup she was holding. She's been thinking herself, too. Constantly checking Miranda in her flat, offering a hand for her wedding, and so much more she's been doing just know how she was doing. They are best friend after all. And she's also doing this for their other best friend as a favor.
Mike fixed his tie and wiped his glasses with his handkerchief. Putting them back on, he gave Stevie a shy smile. "I only want to make her happy. I don't care how cliché this might sound, but I want to fix her broken heart. I love her, Stevie."
"I love her, too, Mike. Not.. in.. that way although I said that we pretended that we're lesbian lovers. I mean Miranda is very important to me. I hate seeing her cry. No matter how she hides it by being silly and making jokes, I know she has those kinds of times. And I swear Mike if you'll hurt her, I will-"
"I won't." He smiled genuinely. "I won't, Stevie. Please, trust me that I won't."
By those words, Stevie's heart was reassured.
Both of them transfixed their stares to the source of the sound of footsteps. Miranda was going down the stairs, already dressed for the day, no more Mr. Sheep pyjamas.
"Hey. Everything's alright, yeah?" She asked as she picked a lollipop from the container on the counter.
"Yeah." They both answered.
"Shall we go to the restaurant then, Marple?" She cling her arm around his.
"Most certainly. How about you, Stevie? We're going to Gary's for breakfast."
"Yeah, you'll go ahead. Orders are coming. I'll be there later."
x
Surprisingly, Penny and Tilly were also in the restaurant having breakfast and for the wed-min meeting. The restaurant was still a bit prepared. Gary, still in jeans and t-shirt, was sitting on a stool by the counter doing the account of last night's business and listening to the girls in the table in front of him.
"Ah! Penny, Tilly. Good morning. Just the right timing. Good to see you here."
"Michael, darling. Just in time. Tilly and I were just discussing about the ribbons. Tilly here suggested purple but I wanted to have the what I call lilac."
"Mother, we all call it lilac. And purple and lilac obviously looked the same." Miranda started, anguished.
"Well, I guess.. lilac." Mike answered sweetly.
"Fantastic! Such Fun!"
"You're too nice. Did you know?" Miranda whispered and a smile followed the words. "Lilac, huh?" They both giggled.
Miranda glanced to Gary for a moment and saw him glancing at her, too.
"Oh, Miranda dear. You're early. I didn't notice you're here."
"UNBELIEVABLE." She commented with huff and hand thrown in the air.
"I guess the smell of pancakes woke you up!" Penny started to laugh, in the tune of 'Applause' by Lady Gaga. "Such Fun!"
"Anyway, Kongers, did you need anything? You are unusually early."
"Well, Mike and I have… um.. some news to tell you guys."
Gary left his accounting and was all ears to what Miranda was going to say.
Penny seemed surprised, her hands on her chest, trying to control her own breathing.
"Oh dear glorious God." Penny exclaimed. "I can't believe this. My own daughter!" Tears were forming in her eyes and her smile was up to her ears.
Miranda was still clueless about what made her mother reacted that way.
"Miranda.. Are you…" Tilly looked at Miranda's tummy. "Are you?"
"MY DAUGHTER IS HAVING A BABY! I'M HAVING A WHAT I CALL GRANDCHILD!"
"What?!" Miranda, Stevie and Gary yelled in great surprise. Stevie was already sitting on a stool across Gary's.
Gary stared hopelessly to Miranda and his jaw tightened together with his fist.
Penny and Tilly were already celebrating. "We should plan the baby shower, Pen-pen."
"Oh right! Of course!"
"Mother, no! I'm…"
"Did you know about this?" Stevie said to Gary.
"I was going to ask you that."
"Guys, guys. Mike, help me here. Okay. GUYS! I. AM. NOT. PREGNANT!" Her hands were in her hips, feeling a bit hero-ish.
And on the other side, Gary felt relieved, like a big thorn was pulled out from his heart.
"Shame. And I thought we can go to that pregnant club innocently and not just because you liked the nibbles."
"So what's the good news?" ask Stevie.
"Miranda and I decided to move our wedding to the 14th of this month." He said, like the way he reports the news on the telly.
"But that's like 2 weeks from now. Don't you think it's a bit much to ask from Miranda? Can't you just be a bit patient and wait for another 3 months to happen and get married on the originally planned date?" Everybody was surprised at how Gary reacted to Mike's announcement. The tension building in his body showed the muscles on his arms. "Miranda?" Saying her named softened him and creased a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Well, it a hard decision but it's for the both of us, Gary. For Miranda." Mike grabbed Miranda by her hips and pulled her closer. He started explaining about getting a promotion from the company and his move to the US and he will be bringing her there. "We'll get married in the 14th, travel a bit for our honeymoon and stay in New York for good to start our own family." His voice was as sweet as a love song when he looks at Miranda while talking. "And he already said yes, Gary, for the second time."
Right in his face.
Miranda just forced a smile.
"Did you know about this?" He helplessly asked Stevie but she only shook her head as a no.
There was frown on his face when Miranda looked at him while the people on her side were celebrating.
"I guess we better get going, then. Tilly?
"Yes, Penny-lope"
Both of them headed to the door and left the restaurant.
"I should go, too, Quirky. See you at dinner?" Miranda nodded. "Bye. Love you."He placed a kiss on her lips.
"You know where I am." Stevie said, taking the last bite of her pancake.
"Bye, Stev."
Miranda and Gary were left again in a closed space together. Miranda hopped on stool beside him.
"Busy-busy?" She asked when she noticed that Gary started to do the accounts again.
"No, not really. Just doing this to spare me some time." His eyes were as mesmerizing as the first day they met. Those puppy eyes will still melt her heart anytime of the day, even on those days when she tries to forget him.
"Going somewhere then? No chef uniform today, I see."
"Oh, this. Rose – she invited me. She just moved to a new apartment so she asked me if I can go do the groceries and cook with her. It's just a small house warming, that's all. Nothing romantic."
"Oh." She huffed flatly.
Gary noticed how exhausted she was. It's still 10am and she's already had heavy shoulders. Slowly, he noticed, her smiles became fewer and fewer as the days came.
"Breakfast? I bet you haven't had one today."
"No, thanks. I think I lost my appetite."
"You never lose your appetite!" He joked. Finally, there was a smile from her. "Come on, I made pancakes."
While she was eating, Gary noticed Miranda growing worried.
"What's wrong?" he asked, turning to her direction.
"I just thought New York seemed a bit.. Frightening. You know, the buildings, the lights. I'll miss Mum, Stevie and the girls, and You. I have to cook for Mike. No "I'll go to Gary's for breakfast" excuse. Oh, I will miss your baking. The cake and.."
There was a sound of weary in her voice.
Gary took a paper and pen from the files he had on hand.
"Here." He starts to write. "I, Gary Preston, will ALWAYS call Miranda so that she won't be lonely in her lone walks in the street and New York and when she's alone in their flat. I promise to help her when she cooks or bakes. I promise to send her pictures of Penny, Stevie and the girls to make her happy…"
Miranda smiled and Gary smiled back. His gestures were really thoughtful for Miranda. It's \when they were still in Uni, helping each other in their homework and revises and end up getting kick out from the library for laughing with each other too much.
"… and I promised to send her the things I bake especially for her." He wrote his full name on the last part of the letter and signed it. "And I promise that I will never leave her."
"Thanks, Gary. Really appreciate this."
He was happy that he made her happy with the child-like thing he had done. Yet he didn't care. He cares about her, that's what matters. And he will miss her, too.
"More pancakes?"
"Yes, Sir."
Just like that. For a moment they did what they used to do. They were back to being friends.