Chapter 25: Asher is a lunatic
When Pepper came out of the bedroom, there was a teenager in her apartment. She had never seen the teen before and even though she was smiling, she looked at Asher for an explanation.
"Honey, this is Maddie. She will be babysitting Starr for the evening" Asher introduced.
"Good day, Mrs Knight"
"No…no…no, I am not Mrs Knight. It's the twenty first century, I kept my own name, strange teenager"
"My name is Maddie…" the teenager started to say but Starr interrupted her.
"Mommy is not very good with names"
"Shut your trap, Stacey!" Pepper whispered at the child. Starr gave Maddie a look that says I told you so.
"Don't burn down my apartment before I get home" Pepper said and walked out.
Asher smiled awkwardly at the teenager. "She is really a nice person deep…very…really deep down. Bye. We will be home by 11 pm" Asher waved at his daughter "Bye, Stardust"
Asher walked behind his wife into the car park. He wondered whether he should bring up what happened in the bathroom earlier. Does she have feelings for him? Was she attracted to him?
All these questions drove him crazy.
He picked up the pace and opened the car door for her.
"What are you doing?" Pepper asked with a suspicious countenance.
"Opening the car door for you? It's called being a gentleman" Asher told her.
"Okay. I just needed to be sure that you are not reading meaning to what happened earlier. That was just a moment of…. weakness" Pepper said and cleared her throat.
"Shame…I kinda liked it. You are a beautiful woman, Calliope, if only you would stop hiding your true self under the layers of sarcasm and hostility. You are quite the catch"
Pepper looked away. This was the reason she hated emotional vulnerable moment…baah! She was who she was and she was happy with it.
"You have no idea who I am, Asher. So, I suggest you take a step back before I do something drastic like…"
Asher took a step back from her. "Fine…to be continued. Can we make a stop somewhere before we proceed to the dinner date?"
"Whatever" Pepper murmured and drove off.
Asher had Pepper stop him near a local gift shop. He entered inside. Jacob was waiting for him.
"Mr. Knight…"
"Do you have what I need?" Asher asked him.
His personal assistant opened the suitcase he was holding and took out a small jewelry case and gave it to Asher. He smiled and pocketed the box.
"Okay, I have to go"
"Sir, you need to sign the paperwork for the sale of the newly acquired company. We will strip it and sell it in parts. The board already signed off on it, I just need you signature" Jacob dropped the documents and a pen on the glass showcase in the gift shop for Asher.
Asher stopped and looked at it. He blinked.
"We are not selling KWX! Why on earth would I sell something that means a lot to my wi…" Asher's voice trailed off when he realized he was about to admit to having a wife.
"It's the fiscally responsible thing to do and the board already gave a go ahead, sir. We need to sell" Jacob told his boss.
"Schedule a video conference for 2 a.m, Jacob…we are not selling"
"But everyone would be asleep by 2 a.m, sir"
"Good thing they are not dead, wake them up!"
Asher walked away.
It explains a lot about Pepper's mood, the baking and the mood changes all evening. She must think she was on the verge of losing her Job and it was all his fault.
When Asher entered the car, he was remorseful. He knew how much Pepper loved her job. How much she enjoyed torturing her co-workers.
"I am sorry" he murmured to her.
"You should be…I was about to drive away without you. I should be in bed getting some rest but instead, I am going on a date with my grandparents" Pepper answered and drove off.
Soon, they were standing in front of a restaurant but Pepper refused to walk inside.
"We are not eating here" She declared to him.
"Why not?" Asher asked her.
"Because…because, we can't afford it, Asher. I…might lose my job and everyone has to cut down on expenses, okay. We are just going to wait here for Gramps and Gigi then we will go someplace else"
Asher was about to say something when he spotted the grandparents.
"Gigi! Gramps!" Asher waved them over.
"I can't believe we are finally going to eat here, Richard. Did you know a movie star showed up here last week?" Gigi told her husband.
"Roy Cooper is not a movie star, he is a stuntman that is almost a hundred years old. He doesn't count. But you are right. I am excited to dine like a king" Gramps gave Gigi a look.
Pepper hated that she was about to break their aging hearts. She cleared her throat.
"I am sorry but there has been a change in…"
Asher jumped in before she could finish.
"My treat…it's going to be my treat, Pepper"
Gigi and Gramps walked inside while Pepper pulled Asher back.
"There is no way you can afford this place on your homeless poverty ridden bank account, Asher!"
"Have a little faith, sweetheart. These things tend to sort itself out"
"Yeah! Stupid…with money!" Pepper yelled at him.
"I can afford this place, Pepper" Asher was becoming irritated. "I have more money than I need. I am not bragging, I can buy this whole town and it won't make a dent in my bank account"
Pepper closed her eyes briefly to get over the urge she was suddenly feeling to pull her hair out. She exhaled.
"I married a delusional lunatic and my Gramps is as healthy as a horse!"