Chapter 101

Maine reached for her phone, that she used as an alarm, to turn it off. She then reached out beside her but found the space empty. She was alone in their hotel room.

"RJ?" She called but there was no answer.

She sat up and looked about the room. She spotted a breakfast tray on the table and as she approached it, she noticed a folded piece of paper by the tray. She smiled. It was a letter from Richard. It read:

My Heart

Good morning and Happy six months!

I really wanted to wake up beside you today to mark the occasion but I had to do some last minute preparations. I'll make it up to you tonight. I promise.

I had breakfast served in our room. Eat up! We'll be walking a lot today and we'll be surviving on paninnis until dinner. Your meds are beside the orange juice. Please don't forget to take them. My jacket is on the coat hanger, use that instead of your jacket. Mine's thicker and it's a bit chilly today. You need to stay warm.

I'll see you at the lobby.

I love you!

Your Home

Maine just smiled at his message and checked what she has for breakfast. It was a small feast of eggs, bacon, sausages, some cold cuts and cheese, toasted bread, hot chocolate and orange juice. There were also two croissants but she left them alone, thinking that in his haste to fix everything, Richard himself forgot to eat something. She ate happily despite her being alone, knowing that Richard prepared everything for her.

-oo-

Maine felt his uneasiness even before she came out of the elevator. She spotted Richard at the front desk just in time to see him jerk his hand away from an FA's outstretched hand. She knew the FA's name was Giselle, an FA who was two batches ahead of her. Beside her was Linette from Maine's batch.

She saw Richard abruptly turned to her direction and smiled his bedimpled smile, the smile that he reserves only for her.

She smiled back and felt the blush forming when she heard him say a little too loudly, "sorry, but today is exclusively for my girl."

She saw Ardee and Adam, and gave a quick wave at the couple as she continued to approach Richard. When she finally reached him, Maine was surprised when Richard suddenly grabbed her by the waist and claimed her mouth in a passionate kiss. She placed one hand on his chest, holding onto his shirt tightly as he held her neck to keep her in place, ignoring the hoots and whistles that came from Ardee's team and the disbelieving gasp from Giselle. Maine heard Adam complaining about losing a bet which Ardee admonished.

When Richard finally ended the kiss, he rested his forehead on hers and said softly, "Happy six months, my Heart."

She smiled back and replied, "Happy six months, my Home. I missed you this morning."

"I'm sorry," he replied as he pulled her to him when he turned towards the front desk. He situated her in between himself and the two FAs from Ardee's team, his arm wrapped possessively around her waist keeping her close to him. He continued, "I promise I'll make it up to you later."

"Have you had breakfast? I saved up the croissants for you."

"Not yet. But I'll eat the croissants on our way to the subway station. Did you like your breakfast?"

"Yes," Maine replied as she leaned her head on Richard's shoulder. "Thank you. But here, eat at least one, RJ. You focus on other things too much, you forget to take care of yourself too."

She handed him one of the croissants that she packed with her and he took it gratefully, keeping hold of her hand and kissing the back of her palm affectionately.

They were suddenly interrupted by Giselle who suddenly exclaimed, "how could you call him 'RJ'? No one calls him, 'RJ'."

Maine heard Richard mutter under his breath that only she could hear, "man, she really couldn't take a hint, can she?"

She looked at him worriedly before she turned to see Linette pulling Giselle away. Linette was looking at her apologetically while Giselle was glaring at Maine, like she had offended her somehow. Maine just smiled and replied softly, "I must be special then."

"Of course you are," Richard piped in, resting his chin on her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek soundly and added, "you're the most special person in the world to me."

He then looked at Giselle seriously and added, "being my girlfriend, Maine has full authority to call me 'RJ'. No one else has the right. Only her."

"I rarely do, though," she added with a smile. "Most of the time, I just call him 'Mine'."

"That's my personal favorite," he said, as he held Maine closer to him. "There's something sexy about your girl being possessive of you."

"That is so true," Adam remarked as he returned to Ardee's side. He draped his arm on her shoulders and added, "Ards, when will you call me 'Mine'?"

"When will you?" Ardee retorted.

"Ooh," Richard exclaimed. "Shots fired. You'd better have a decent answer, Adam."

"Any song you could lend me for this, Jase?" Adam asked.

"Sorry," Richard replied, holding Maine closer to him still. "You're on your own with this one. My songs are exclusively for my Maine. I'm selfish when it comes to my Heart."

Adam cleared his throat, looked at Ardee and said seriously, "can I call you mine?"

"Took you long enough," replied Ardee as she pulled him to her in a resounding kiss.

They heard cheers coming from Ardee's team, with Richard and Maine joining in the teasing. It was at that moment that the receptionist called Richard to give the tickets and brochures that was printed out for him.

As they prepare to leave, they heard Giselle say a little too loudly to her friend, "just you wait, Nette. I just need to be alone with him. He'll replace her in no time."

Richard gritted his teeth and was already mentally counting to ten. Maine reached out to his hand that was already fisted in anger. She smiled as she gave his fist a reassuring squeeze. Then she turned to Giselle and said, "Giselle, do you know what book RJ really hates the most?"

"What?"

"His most hated book. What is it?"

"How should I know?"

"What's his favorite color?"

"Huh?"

"What songs does he like?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

Maine scowled and turned to Richard who was looking at her curiously. She asked, "did you guys even talk when you went out on a date?"

"I honestly don't remember going out with her, Maine," he replied defensively. "And if we did go out, it wasn't a date. It would just be dinner...Or lunch. But seriously, nothing is registering in my head."

He then looked back to the two friends and added, "sorry, Giselle but its true. I can't remember ever eating out with you. Are you sure I was the guy you went out with?"

"Maybe you guys went to the arcade?"

"Does she look like someone who would enjoy the arcade?"

"Fair point. A movie then?"

"I'm staring at the only girl I take to the movies."

"Not even Jane?"

"Seriously," Richard's brows shot up. "You're bringing her up?"

She just gave him a pointed look. He sighed and replied, "it would depend on your definition of movie. Cinema is a no. Watching on a DVD player is a yes. It was Episode I. The deal breaker."

Maine couldn't hide the smirk on her face as she remembered that conversation they had before. She wrapped her arms around his waist and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

Richard smiled and shook his head, but suddenly looked beyond the two friends to Ardee and Adam and asked, "did you guys drug me or something when you forced me to eat with her?"

It only earned him a smirk and a head shake from Ardee. But Maine got curious again and asked, "how many girls did they forced you to go out with?"

"A lot," he admitted. "Martin was determined to find me a girlfriend that time."

Ardee giggled and said, "that is so true. There was actually one time that Jerald literally dragged him to the resto. Jase was struggling to get away. You should have seen his face, Maine. It was hilarious. Poor Sheila. She didn't know how to act around him because of his reaction."

"I tried to be nice," he remarked. "Really, I did. But you guys threw a curve ball at me. I was so looking forward to going home that time, it really showed. I couldn't hide the fact that I wasn't enjoying."

"You're evil," Maine admonished but her pout was exaggerated that Richard just chuckled at her expression.

Richard replied while he reached out to caress her cheek, "I was determined to keep my promise to a certain someone. I have yet to break a promise to her."

She smiled and and moved her head slightly to kiss the inside of his palm, then slowly turned to face Giselle again. Maine said to her, "This is why I know you're no threat to me. RJ waited for me for 8-years. He could have waited longer if we hadn't met yet. Besides, you don't know him at all. You don't know what makes him laugh, what ticks him off or what fascinates him. I'm betting that you don't even know what TV shows he watches. So what makes you think you can take him from me?

"So go ahead, Giselle. I'll even give you the key to our room. But I would bet my life that RJ, would never touch you. I know him too well as much as he knows me. No one night stand with some floozy would give him the kind of satisfaction I am giving him. So rather than embarrass yourself further, I suggest you back off. He's mine. Always has. Always will."