YVONNE continued setting her hair as she watched her mother’s reflection in her vanity mirror. She had been sitting on her bed behind her since she started fixing herself.
“Do you really need to attend that event?”
He nodded consecutively as she clipped another batch of hair strands on the curler.
“Maybe you should ask them to send another writer to the event. Your publishing house has a lot of writers, yet it’s you again.”
“Mom.” Yvonne heaved a sigh and turned to face her mother. “Of course, they’ll be sending me because I’m one of the benefactors of this charity institution.”
A part of her revenue from her novels was being donated to the charity that helps children with congenital heart disease, and it had been quite a while now since she started her advocacy. She even persuaded her publisher, editors, and co-writers to donate as well, which was why their publishing house became one of the major benefactors. Since she was the mind behind all that, her publisher decided to send her as one of their representatives on the charity’s founding anniversary.
“I’m just worried about you.”
After her parents learned about what really happened between her and Anthony, they were always afraid to let her go alone.
“Maybe you should ask one of your cousins to come with you.”
“It’s an RSVP, Mom. And I’m not going there alone. One of the editors will accompany me.” She left her seat and sauntered toward her mother. Yvonne crouched and cupped her mother’s hands. “I’ll be fine, okay? I’m old enough, and I can take care of myself.”
“You can take care of yourself, yet that bastard Anthony managed to—”
“It’s because I gave him the liberty to come near me. But now that I know his real intention toward me, I won’t give him a chance… never again.” She gently squeezed her mother’s hands.
“That’s why it’s best if you get yourself a boyfriend, someone who’s more decent than Anthony.” Yvonne closed her eyes when his mother cupped her cheeks. “Someone who can protect you.”
“Maybe I should just get myself a bodyguard,” she jested.
“Yvonne…” Her mom groaned. “I’m serious!”
“Well, a bodyguard is someone who can protect me, though.”
Her mother pushed her, causing her to fall on the floor.
“Mom!”
Her father appeared in her room after a few moments.
“Your editor is here to pick you up,” her dad informed her. “Hurry, and don’t make her wait.”
Yvonne got up from the floor.
“Hm… tell her I’ll be there in a jiffy.”
“Don’t forget to text me once you get there, and let me know if you’re coming home,” her mom said before leaving her room.
“Aye!” she responded with a salute.
SHE grabbed a flute of champagne from the roving waiter that walked past her. After almost half an hour after she and her editor arrived at the party, Yvonne wanted to go home. But the event hadn’t started yet, and she still had to participate in the auction just like her publisher wanted.
“You shouldn’t drink too much,” Miss Jenny reminded her as she finished her champagne in one big gulp.
“Don’t worry, Miss Jenny.” She grinned. “I’m still sober. But I think I need to go to the restroom.”
Drinking champagne made her bladder full, and now she had to release what she was holding down there. Yvonne left their table and headed to the restroom immediately.
It took her a few moments before she could release everything, but she didn’t leave the cubicle yet and spent another couple of minutes before finally coming out. That was when she saw a middle-aged woman in front of the cubicle, waiting for her to leave.
“O-oh… I’m sorry about that. Did I make you wait for too long?”
“Not really.” The woman smiled at her. “The other cubicle ran out of tissue paper, so I decided to wait until you finished your thing.”
“Oh.” She felt her cheeks burning. Maybe this woman thought she was doing number two. “Anyway, they’re out of tissue in both cubicles. But here, I have some wipes left.”
She opened her purse and fished for the pack of wet wipes.
“Oh, thank you. How kind of you.”
The woman accepted the pocket of wipes and went in. Yvonne, on the other hand, sauntered to the sink to wash her hands and touch up. After a few seconds, the woman got out of the cubicle and approached her.
“Thanks again,” the woman said, beaming at her.
“You’re welcome,” she responded politely.
“Are you coming back to the party?”
“Yeah.” She sighed as she returned her lipstick back to her purse. “How I hope not.”
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“It would be fun if I could meet someone who’s dashing like a prince charming to enjoy the party,” she jested. “But there’s none.”
The woman laughed, and Yvonne was sure that she saw a twinkle in her eyes. For some reason, she was intrigued by that.
“What’s your name?” the woman asked afterward.
“Yvonne.” She didn’t hesitate to give her real name. Most of the time, she’d introduce herself to strangers with her pen name, but this woman was different. There was something in her.
“You know what, Yvonne… I like your vibe.”
“Oh, really?” She cupped her cheeks.
“Hm… I think you and I clicked instantly.” The woman’s hand reached hers, and they shook hands. “I’m Edwina. Edwina Collins.”
Her mouth dropped open upon hearing the woman’s name. It rang a bell, of course. If she was one of the Collins, then there was a huge chance that this Edwina Collins knew Rohan.
“Is there something wrong?”
“Your name reminds me of someone I know,” she told her after a while.
“Who?”
She swallowed hard. “Rohan.”
Yvonne saw the woman’s eyes twinkle once again.
“Really? You and Rohan knew each other?”
“Yes.”
“Since when?”
It seemed that she was interested in digging more about her and Rohan. But why?
“We were classmates.”
“Oh. Are you two close?”
Yvonne didn’t know how close they were before they drifted apart from each other after he had hurt her feelings. But it wasn’t the time to tell her about it yet.
“I think so.”
“Well, it’s nice to hear. Rohan’s a little allergic to women, and I don’t know why. I’m starting to think he’s… you know. Do you think he’s gay?”
She shook her head hard.
“I don’t think he is. Cynical, maybe. By the way, are you his… mom?”
“Yes, I am. Anyway, can I get your number, Yvonne?”
And as if she was compelled, she gave Rohan’s mom her number.
“Thank you. See you around.”
Yvonne was left inside the restroom, stunned.
“What just happened?”
YVONNE didn’t get the chance to talk to Rohan’s mother again during the party. The woman was too famous she spent the whole party talking to every person who knew her. Well, she didn’t mind. If truth be told, she didn’t know what to say if they ever had an encounter again.
She was preparing to go to bed and was about to go to sleep when her phone suddenly rang. Her brows furrowed upon seeing that her caller was again an unknown number. And then she remembered that she had given her number to Madam Edwina.
“Hello, who’s this?” she asked politely. Though she had already guessed who it was.
“Yvonne, it’s me, Rohan’s mom. I hope I didn’t interrupt your sleep.”
She sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed a pillow that she had put above her lap.
“No, it’s fine. I’m not doing anything right now.”
“I see. Are you free tomorrow, Yvonne?”
“Yes, I’m free.” She’s not really free, but she was moving her schedule for Rohan’s mom.
“Great. Let’s meet tomorrow then. How about coffee? Or maybe we can dine in a nice restaurant, too.”
“Anything’s fine with me.”
“All right. See you tomorrow then. I’ll ask my driver to pick you up, okay? Just message me your location.”
“Sure.”
“Goodnight, Yvonne. Sleep well.”
She was just staring at her bedroom wall when the call ended. What kind of sorcery was that? Why was she always seemed to be compelled by Rohan’s mother to say yes? Yvonne heaved a sigh and lay down on her bed. Maybe it would be better for her to just go to sleep and wait for what tomorrow would bring.
But even before she could fall asleep, her phone’s messenger pinged. She was supposed to ignore it, but there was this voice at the back of her head that kept telling her to read the message.
The message came from one of her friends, Axel. She opened the message and saw that he had sent her a photo of Rohan having a drink in his diner. From the looks of it, it seemed that it was taken in the afternoon. She let out a long sigh afterward. Their friends were always like that, sending her updates about Rohan whenever they saw him. But she didn’t get why they were doing that.
Why update her when everyone from their circle knew what happened between them?