Chapter 32 (1/1)

Charmaine walked down the busy street and was about to cross at the light when she heard someone shout her name.  Turning around she recognized Derek Kwok, one of the lightning technician from TTT Network.  "Derek!  How good to see you again!"Derek smiled and gave her a quick friendly hug, "I thought it was you!  Where are you off to?"With a cheesy grin, Charmaine said, "Home, where else?"Derek gave her a look that told her 'boring!' then abruptly said, "The entire crew is going for a drink at this new grand opening pub.  Why don't you stop by and have a drink with us?  I'm sure the guys would love to see you again."Charmaine immediately shook her head.  "I-I can't…  I have to rush home and…""And what?" Derek interpreted.  When no answer was forthcoming from her, he continued, "Come for a drink.  Your old boss Raymond Lam will be there too.  I'm sure he'll be surprised to see you again."That would be nice Charmaine thought.  Since he was stuck having to go there for promotion purposes, why not join him.  No one would even have to know of their intimate relationship.  "Alright.  I'll stay for one drink but then I really have to leave."Happy that she was coming along, Derek beamed, "Of course!  Come on.  The pub is just two blocks away."Charmaine followed Derek into the bar and true enough she saw almost everybody from the production crew from when she was assisting Raymond.  They exchanged warm greetings and the usual 'how you've been' questions.  Making her voice casual, she asked, "Where's Raymond?  I would like to say hi to him."Using his thumb, Joe pointed towards a back room and snickered, "He's preoccupied in there if you know what I mean."  Whistles and soft hollers echoed around the group.Having no clue as to what Joe was referring to, Charmaine asked innocently, "Occupied with what?  Is he doing an interview?"Joe chuckled at her question.  "If you're really that curious, why don't you go in and see for yourself.  Perhaps that'll get him to come out and join us out here."Charmaine didn't know what he meant by that but nevertheless walked towards the room.  She knocked on the door once and, without waiting to be beckoned in, threw the door opened.  What she saw made her jaw drop and her heart pummel.  Raymond was entwined with another woman, their lips locked in an obscenely passionate kiss.  They were too engrossed with each other and didn't hear her come in.  As if feeling her presence, the woman suddenly opened her eyes and looked directly at Charmaine."S-Sorry for intruding," Charmaine stammered and it was then Raymond opened his eyes and saw her.Raymond's mind went numb for a second before he realized what he had done.  He caught a glimpse of the shattered look on Charmaine's face just before she wiped it away and replaced it with an empty blankness that made his heart drop and his stomach clench in nausea.  Tearing his lips away from Kate's, he mouthed, "Charmaine" but Charmaine turned and walked briskly away.  He moved to go after her but Kate still held tightly on to him.  "Let go of me," he hissed.Confused by Raymond's sudden change of demeanor, Kate asked seductively, "What's wrong Ray?  I thought we were getting to know each other better."Raymond forcefully plied her hands off him.  "I don't want to know you any better," he jeered and hurried out of the room.  He returned to the main room and his eyes scanned the crowd for a sign of Charmaine.  She was nowhere in sight.  Running up to Joe, he asked anxiously, "I thought I saw Charmaine, is she still here?"Joe took a swig of his beer and replied, "She was but we sent her to look for you.  Didn't you see her?""I did but she left before I got a chance to talk to her," Raymond said evasively.  Looking at the group of men he asked casually, "Do any of you know where she went?  I would like to ask how she's doing and all."A guy in the sound effect department spoke, "I think I saw her leaving.  Don't know for sure was it really her because she was walking real fast and you know how dim it is in here.  But it looked like her."Without a word Raymond turned and ran out of the bar.  On his way to his car he scolded himself for screwing up big time.  Knowing Charmaine the way he did he doubted she would forgive him.  Damn, how could he have done this to her!Raymond arrived home in record time.  The apartment was dark and he didn't hear any sounds from within.  Quickly setting the cake down on the dining table he called out softly to her, "Charmaine?  Charmaine?  Are you home?"  No response.  He made a check of the rooms and sure enough she wasn't around.  Going back into the living room he took out the small gift wrapped jewelry box from his jacket.  With a painstaking sigh he stared at the silver wrapping and tiny bow.  Inside the box held a platinum ring with a cluster of diamonds in its center that he had personally made as a birthday present to Charmaine.  Tonight was the night he was going to ask Charmaine to be engaged to him.  He knew she wanted some form of commitment from him and this was his way of giving her that.  It may not be a wedding ring but it was close enough.  But thanks to his incapability of controlling his desires, he may never get that chance with her again.----------------------------------------------------Charmaine returned to the apartment, her mind still trying to come to terms with what she had seen.  Part of her wanted to pretend she didn't see him or that woman in his arms, or the way he had kissed that woman with those same lips that kissed Charmaine herself only earlier this morning.  But she knew she can't.  It was embedded in her memory along with the hurt and anguish she was feeling.  She doubted she would ever forget that image for as long as she lived.  Walking into the apartment, the first thing she saw was a birthday cake at the center of the dining table with one single candle in its middle.  The flame flickered as she slowly approached it.  Next to the cake was a small jewelry box wrapped in silver paper with a sparkling silver bow in its center.  Her gaze rested on the flickering flame of the candle and an overbearing sense of regret and sadness filled her.Raymond heard her come in and quietly slipped out of his room.  With a wavering smile he said hesitantly, "Happy Birthday."Charmaine didn't crack a smile nor did she give any indication that she heard him.  Tightening her fingers around the straps of her handbag she walked past the birthday cake in the direction of her room.Raymond's hand caught her arm as she tried to walk past him.  Stopping her in her pace he said quietly, guiltily, "I'm sorry.  Let me…""Don't."  Charmaine finally looked at him.  Brushing his hand away she said brusquely, "I'm tired," then swiftly walked into her room, locking the door behind.Raymond stared at the closed door, not knowing what he can say or do to turn things around for them.  Perhaps after a night's sleep Charmaine would listen to his explanation.  With that thought in mind, Raymond walked into his own room.  He sat down on the bed and stared out the window.  He knew he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.  How can he knowing that Charmaine was hurting and it was he who had brought the hurt upon her.  Angry at himself for not being able to control himself, Raymond closed his eyes and fell back against the bed.--------------------------------------------Charmaine packed away the last of her clothes and snapped the suitcase shut.  She had woken up earlier than usual knowing that since her decision was made, she can't prolong it any longer.  Clasping her hand around the leather belt of the suitcase she lifted it off the floor and opened her room door.  She had only taken a few steps when Raymond came out of his own room.Raymond saw the suitcase in her hand and his eyes immediately flew to her stoic face.  "Where are you going?" he croaked, his heart thudding wildly for he knew.  He knew she was leaving.Without looking at him, Charmaine pulled an envelope from her jacket and also a set of keys.  She placed the items down onto the table, right beside the cake and the small silver gift wrapped box.  "Here are your keys.  Inside the envelope is some money.  I know it's not a lot but it's all I can afford right now.  It's my share of the utility bills."Raymond didn't bother looking at the items she had placed onto the table.  His attention was fixed on the woman before him.  A woman who had come to mean something to him without himself realizing it until it was too late.  Blinking back his tears, he stared helplessly at her and begged in an achingly low voice, "Please don't leave."If Charmaine heard him she didn’t show it.  With her face still devoid of emotion she walked to the front door and threw it open.  "Take care," she called out softly and then she was gone.Raymond didn't chase after her.  He knew it was useless.  Once Charmaine's mind was made there was no turning back.  It was this stubborn streak in her that he had admired when he first met her.  Squeezing his eyes tightly shut against the dam of tears that was threatening to fall, Raymond crumpled to the floor.  Life will never be the same for him again and he had no one to blame but himself.