Absinthe

Chapter 57: Still Here Waiting

"Will you sit down?" Faye complained, "You've practically walked 20 miles just by pacing back and

forth! You're giving me a headache."

I stopped walking and turned to stare at Faye.

"No!" Faye said loudly. "You don't get to make that pitiful face at me! Let's go out and grab some

coffee."

I nodded absentmindedly and allowed Faye to drag me by the hand outside the police station.

"God, that place was gloomy as fuck," Faye said.

We walked for a few minutes before we saw a Starbucks. Faye pushed the door open and hauled me

inside.

"Go get a seat," Faye commanded. "I'll order your usual."

I took the empty seat closest to the door and just beside the store's floor to ceiling glass windows. The

chairs were the hard, wooden ones and not the cushioned type. I was fully aware that Faye hated

sitting in such an exposed area, but I wanted to be able to see the police station from where I was, just

in case Jiwoo or Rob comes out looking for us.

"Hell no," Faye said. "We are not sitting there!"

"But..." I tried to protest but Faye cut me short.

"Rob will call the moment something comes up," Faye said. "You don't need to watch the station's

entrance like some sentry!"

Reluctantly, I followed Faye towards the softer cushions and bean bags at the center of the coffee shop

and sat myself across her. Faye handed me a hot chocolate. I was looking forward to an espresso but I

guess this hot cocoa would do the trick, too.

"Relax," Faye said, "Your boyfriend was taken in as a suspect because he was wearing the exact same

outfit as the perpetrators. I'm sure he'd be out soon."

"How'd you know that?"

"Robert told me," Faye answered. "The jewelry store owner at the mall already submitted the CCTV

files. The perps were all wearing white shirts and jeans, possibly to blend with the crowd. But their

faces were captured and as soon as they finished taking up Jiwoo's statement, I'm sure he'll be

released."

Faye's explanation felt like a welcome assurance that everything was going to be okay. However, I still

could not help but worry, especially since I saw how the police brutally hit Jiwoo's back.

"Thank you," was all I could tell Faye in response.

I couldn't recall when, in the last three hours, did I call Faye for support. Robert must have told her.

"Why'd you do it, though?" Faye asked, her expression quite unreadable.

"Do what?" I asked back, genuinely unsure of what Faye meant.

"Why'd you call Rob?" Faye put down her steaming mug. "You know that this will turn out disastrously."

I also put down my hot cocoa. Faye's right. I've debated on whether to call Rob or not. But there was

really no one else to call. And I figured that Rob would be professional about it.

Even if Rob and I haven't fully talked about my new relationship with Jiwoo.

"I'm not talking about Rob," Faye said, eyeing me patronizingly. "God! You have no idea what mess you

got yourself into!"

I collapsed against the comfortably soft chair and melted both in mind and spirit.

"It's not about Rob!" Faye emphasized. "And judging from your reaction, you haven't told him of your

relationship with Jiwoo yet, haven't you?"

I shifted in my seat, anxious as to what words will come out of Faye's mouth next.

"I'm talking about Jiwoo. Just think how this whole situation would feel like for him"

"What do you mean, Faye?"

"Oh don't play dumb!" Faye's eyebrows were dangerously high. "How do you think Jiwoo would feel

when his rich boyfriend's highly successful lawyer suitor fixes this issue for him?"

I didn't like the way she emphasized select words, nor did I like the thoughts that came barging in my

head right after.

"Jiwoo's insecure about your status, you know that right?" Faye continued. "And his male ego would

burst like the fragile bubble that all male egos are, the moment he finds out that it was Rob who got him

out of trouble."

Before I could make sense about what Faye said, her phone rang.

"It's Rob," she mouthed at me. "Yes, Rob?"

Faye quickly got up, snatched my arm and led us back to the police station. I could see Rob waving at

us, Jiwoo in his white shirt, and two other figures I couldn't identify yet.

"Rob!" Faye called out loud as we approached them. "Everything okay now?"

Robert nodded in response. "It wasn't a big deal."

"Thanks, Rob." I said, offering up a smile. Robert didn't return it, though.

"You should buy your boyfriend other clothes so he doesn't get mistaken for some street criminal,"

Robert said.

And for the love of god, I wanted to slap him right then and there. So this was what Faye was saying a

while ago.

"Who's going to pay for my fees now?" Robert asked, his gaze was directed at Faye. "Surely, you didn't

expect a corporate law specialist to deal with stuff like this."

"I'll pay for it," I heard Jiwoo say.

"Good," Robert said. "But since you don't have a retainer agreement, my firm would have to charge you

full fees. I'm a name partner, after all."

"How much is it?" the other guy said.

I noticed for the first time that the two other figures were Jeremy, Jiwoo's brother, and Mowcah.

"Eighty thousand."

"What the fuck?" Jeremy said angrily. "Is this guy for real, Kuya Jiwoo?"

"I'll pay for it," I said. "Where's the nearest ATM?"

"Come on, BJ." Robert said. "Is this how low you've fallen? I don't take cash. Our firm's accounts rep

will contact Faye for the billing."

"Bill it to us," Jiwoo said, finally speaking after all this while. He looked tired and angry and I don't know

how to explain it but I just want to go and hug him right now. "I'll have the funds transferred to you as

soon as I get your invoice."

"Fine," Robert smiled at Jiwoo. "I better give you a discount so you can go and get yourself some Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

decent clothes."

"Rob!" Faye raised her voice warningly.

"What?" Rob asked. "This idiotic shirt and pants are the root cause of all this trouble anyway."

"Rob, please." I said, quietly begging Rob to let it go.

Rob stared at me for a long time. I couldn't really fathom what he wanted to say. No, I didn't really want

to understand it. I'm afraid I'm not ready to hear it.

"Face it, BJ." Robert said. "You made the wrong choice. You're smart and you'll figure it out."

Robert turned and headed toward his car which was parked right in front of the police station. We all

watched him get in. Rob wasted no time in starting his engine and pulling out into the street. Before he

left, however, he lowered his window and shouted.

"And when you do figure it out, I'll still be here, waiting."