If only I knew

Chapter Sixteen

If the concierge didn't call me, I would have continued sleeping. 

She called me at half past ten with a gentle reminder to check out of my room by eleven. 

Shit. It was half past ten. I actually slept till half past ten. 

I jumped out of bed, quickly washed up, quickly showered, quickly packed (luckily I didn't have a big bag) and managed to scoot out with five minutes to spare. What a mess. 

Then I texted him. 

Me : I almost slept through check out time...! 

JCT : Good morning ~ 

Me : What time did you get up?

JCT : Late too, nearly nine

He calls that late?? Argh.. 

Me : You should have woke me up xx

JCT : We have no plans anyway lol 

Me : ... 

JCT : I'll come and pick you up 

Me : Okay, I'm waiting in the lobby anyway 

He reached me in fifteen, in a loose tee and berms. Feels strange to see his skinny naked calves. 

"I really have no plans for today," he admitted. "Though.. my mom invites you over for lunch..." he added sheepishly. 

My flight is in the evening and I have to be at the airport around six. I have about six hours to kill.. Like I said, I really don't mind just hanging out with him, since we are now a proper couple, but less than twenty four hours old. 

"Okay." 

"Okay?" he was surprised by my answer. 

"Let's go your place then."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You didn't seem very keen to last night..."

"Because it was late." 

"Okay," he chuckled. 

So we drove to his house, plus the daytime traffic we reached in twenty minutes, because we had to pass a busy street to get to his place. 

On Friday, I came in a rush and it was evening so I didn't notice what's in the neighbourhood. He drove past a flower shop when he drove into his apartment compound so I told him I'll walk out and get a bouquet of flowers for his mom. He said there's no need but I insisted nevertheless. 

I walked to the florist and asked for her recommendation for a bouquet to take to the boyfriend's mom on first visit. She gave me a knowing smile and prepared a beautiful bouquet of flowers which made up of sunflowers and carnations and forget-me-nots. I paid for it and walked back to the apartment and this time I had to sign in at the guards house. Since I didn't know his block and unit, I had to call him for him. He ended up talking to the guard instead because of his 'special' status. The guards knew who live in that unit and they were very cautious about who visits. So with him talking to the guard directly, he 'verified' my identity and I was let in. 

He was waiting at the basement lift lobby for me. I took the lift down and found him. 

"How did you know my mom likes sunflowers?" he asked me.

"Does she? The florist arranged for me. I told her I'm visiting my boyfriend's mom for the first time... well, in a way," I shrugged. 

He chuckled. "See - how can she not love you," he joked. "Which girlfriend will insist to bring a gift when visiting..."