"This is Erica. You've been calling Geoff, right? He can't answer because he is with me."
Are they really together? Is Geoff been lying at me the whole time? I try to keep myself calm. I know pregnant women should never be stressed. I should think more of the child in me.
I called Nancy to distract myself from thinking negatively. I asked her to accompany me outside. I want to eat something delicious. Actually, I have been cakes since morning. I want to eat strawberry cake. I wanted to ask Geoff to buy a slice for me this morning but I didn't want to bother him. Nancy brought me to a famous cake shop downtown. I wanted to buy only a slice of it at first but since the strawberries on top of the cake look very delicious, I couldn't help but to be greedy and want for more. The cake looks very beautiful that I decided to just eat it at home.
After visiting the cake shop, I asked Nancy if we can watch a movie.
"Are you sure you are not yet tired madam? Don't you want to call sir Park so you can watch the movie with him instead?" Nancy asked.
"He's very busy. And I don't want to stay at home. I feel so alone in that house. I have never had that feeling before when I was staying in my apartment." I explained. "We can ask Jeffrey to come with us." Jeffrey is my personal driver. He is very and never complained when I ask him to bring me and Nancy somewhere.
"I just feel bad for sir Park. He should be the one accompanying you in the cinema and not us." Nancy said.
"Can you keep a secret? Can you promise you will be loyal with me?" I asked Nancy.
She looked at me with a confused look on her face. "You can always trust me madam. I am loyal to you but I think I should also be honest with you."
"What do you mean?" Hearing this from Nancy makes me feel more nervous. I guess there are really a lot of things I don't know about all the people around me. Is it better that I don't know anything at all? Would my life be more at peace when I don't know anything?
"One of the reasons why I was hired is to tell Sir Park everything about you, about what we talk about, places you go to and things that you do. I and Jeffery were given the same task." She then smiled when she noticed I was looking at the driver. It means I cannot trust the two of them. "Don't worry about him madam, we already talked about it. Our loyalty is with you."
"How I can be sure that I can trust the two of you." I asked.
"We didn't tell everything to Sir Park about what we talked about especially in this car. We only choose the information we share to Sir Park." Nancy
"I want to know everything you know about Erica. If you can tell me about her, then maybe I can trust the two of you." I said. Jeffery now keeps driving and I don't know where we are going now. I don't care where they take me, I'm not interested to watch a movie anymore.
"Honestly madam, I and Jeffery don't know about her. We already talked about it before. When we were hired, we never asked any information about the family. We were also not allowed to ask questions to the older helpers. That day you met her was also our first time to see her. We didn't even know that they were married before." Nancy explained.
"How about now? Have you heard anything about her?" I asked. I was hoping I could get some information from them.
"I'm sorry madam. Talking about the family is prohibited in the mansion so we didn't hear anything. I promise madam, if I hear anything, I will tell you immediately. I and Jefferey should take care of you since you are so kind to us. I already consider you as my friend even though you are my employer."
What's happening to me now reminds me of my past experience with Lance. Did I trust other people easily again? Was I too careless in choosing the people I should believe in?
The car stopped in an outdoor parking lot. It was my first to see this place, maybe because I don't usually go out so I'm not familiar with many places.
"I think you will like this place Mrs. Park." Jeffery said. This is one of the rare times I heard his voice. He normally doesn't say anything. Sometimes, I even forget that he is in the car with me and Nancy.
"Let's go madam. I love strolling in here." Nancy said.
I got off the car not knowing what to expect. All I know now is I'm trapped in a situation where all the people around me are have a character to play. They follow a script and they have to convince their audience that they are real. And that audience is me. I guess they are not playing their parts very well these days.
Nancy guided me to the main entrance of the place while Jefferey chose to stay in the parking area. Upon entering, I saw a small sign saying Botanical Garden. So this is the famous Botanical Garden in this city. I heard many things about it from my coworkers but I never had a chance visiting here. I couldn't help but pity myself.
Nancy and I walked around the garden which is divided in different sections. There is also a maze which allows visitors to look for their way out by following a map. The place is amazing but no matter how I try to enjoy walking around, I can't stop thinking about Geoff and Erica. She said they are together now. What can they be doing? I checked my phone to see if Geoff sent a message or tried to give me a call but nothing. Do people think I'm too kind so they can just play with my feelings anytime? Do they think I don't know how to be angry so they can just ignore me? Do they think I'm too innocent that I believe everything they would tell me? Do they find me so stupid?
"Are you okay, madam? Do you feel tired? Do you want us to go back home now?" Nancy asked. I felt a little guilty with how I behaved with her. I know she is trying her best to make me feel better. I guess she and Jefferey are the only people I can trust now. I want to talk to Annie or my mom about what's happening about me now, but I also don't want to make them worry about me. I will try to figure things out by myself first and when I'm sure about it, that's the time I will talk to them.
"I'm sorry, Nancy. I'm just feeling tired. You know about my condition. Can we go home now? I want to take a rest." I said.
"Of course, madam." She held my arms and guided me to the parking area.
We left the place as soon as we got in the car. Nancy told Jeffery to head to the mansion.
Inside the car, I can't help but think what might Geoff and Erica be doing at this time so I took my phone from my bag and started typing a message.
"Are you still with him until now?"
End of message.
I just held my phone and waited for it to beep but no message came.
After almost an hour, we arrived our place. I went upstairs immediately, hoping that Geoff is already inside the room. Before arriving in the mansion, I told myself that I would forget every doubt that if Geoff is already at home. Just a hug from him would make me stop doubting about him and focus on taking care of myself for our baby. I was hoping that all the thoughts I had today was just because I was sensitive from being pregnant and that everything was just a part of my imagination.
I was excited to open our bedroom door but the room is quiet and seemed untouched. It was also dark inside. I went to the bed and found no one on it. Geoff is still not home and it is almost 10 pm. He also didn't send any message.
I decided to call him and ask him where he is when my phone beeped. It's a message from Erica. Although I still didn't save her phone number, I knew it was hers since I memorized some its first numbers.
"Yeah, he is still with me. Don't wait for him. He will stay with me tonight. Take care of the baby."
End of message.