Chapter 7: I know you
Pepper stared at the plate of pasta in front of her with tired eyes. She could argue with Gigi about the quantity or she could pick up her fork and start eating in silence. And may grab something to eat for dinner on her way home.
Pepper loved food. It wasn't a secret. She loved sweet delicious food that could make even the devil thank God. She loved it so much that she hardly starved. Every corner of her personal space had one food or another stashed there.
It was a mystery on how such a tiny person could eat that much and not put on weight. It was like she had a super metabolic rate.
Pepper shoved the pasta into her mouth as she sent repeated messages to June about the possible roommate. If she didn't find one, she would have to sell her car to survive or ask for money from her grandparents which she didn't want to do.
Pepper could literally feel Gigi's breath on her cheeks as she was sitting so close to her that if Pepper sneezed, it would enter Gigi's mouth.
She ignored her grandmother. But then Gramps joined in and they both stared at her as she ate.
"What?!" She yelled.
The unchewed food in her mouth went into the wrong pipe and she started coughing.
"Tsk... tsk, no table manners whatsoever. Were you raised by wolves?" Gigi asked her.
"Yes," Pepper answered with a chuckle in between her coughs.
"Wait! Did she just call us wolves?" Gramps asked with a confused expression.
Gigi shook her head. Her granddaughter was like her when she was in her youth but she still managed to get herself a husband.
"Do you like girls instead of boys, Callie?" Gramps asked out of nowhere.
Pepper turned and stared at her grandfather. Carefully and correctly, she mouthed the word "No. Gramps, I am not gay"
"There is nothing wrong if you like girls. We are not picky, Pepper" Gigi occasionally called her by her nickname when she wants to sound sophisticated and cool.
"But, I am not gay...I am straight. I like boys" Pepper said firmly.
"Then what the hell are you waiting for. Pick one and move in with him"
Pepper stood up and kissed both their cheeks.
"Thanks for the food and...Aiden but I am happy just the way I am. I have my job" Pepper wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.
"But they gave your promotion to that dofus that doesn't deserve it" Gigi complained.
"And I am making his life a living hell just for the fun of it. His misery makes me happy. I am happy, okay? I don't want a boyfriend or girlfriend. Just drop it" Pepper said in a serious voice and picked up her bag to leave.
"Aren't you going to pass the night here?"
Gramps asked her.
"I have to go feed my cat" She gave an excuse.
Pepper headed for the door before they could stop her. Gramps was a baseball coach and quite strong enough to tackle her. He did it last year and broke a thumb.
"But you don't have a cat!" Gigi yelled after her.
Her grandparents sat on the chair. They looked exhausted.
"I just want her to have someone when we are gone. The idea of her alone in the world when we are gone makes me…"
"Nauseous... heartbroken... shattered?" Gigi completed it for him. "You are Eighty three and I am eighty one, we only have a few years left, Richard. We are on our way to death and we won't leave until she finds someone"
Gramps held Gigi's hand. "We won't, Leyla"
Pepper stood at the door a minute more after eavesdropping on her grandparents before she left. She wished they didn't worry about her so much. Too bad, she was incapable of giving them what they wanted. She entered her car and drove off.
Pepper called June from the car.
"Hey, Junie. Just be straight with me. The potential was a weirdo, right" Pepper wanted to stop on her way home for pizza but she decided against it. A glass of wine was all she needed to relax at home.
June was mute for a minute. Pepper chalked it up to a bad network.
"What?"
"I asked you whether he was a weirdo or not" Pepper repeated her question.
"No. He was something much worse. He was a hot gay guy. Turns out he was playing for the other side"
"Perfect. His sexuality doesn't matter to me but his wallet does. Can he afford rent?" Pepper asked her.
"I think so. He will fax everything you need tomorrow. I think I just found you a roommate, Pepper" June said in a cheerful voice.
"Beautiful... that is great. Thanks, Junie. Are you home yet?" Pepper asked her as she drove into her parking space.
She turned off the ignition and stared at herself in the mirror temporarily forgetting she was on the phone.
She wasn't bad looking. She had a comely figure which suited her perfectly. She was mixed race. Her mother was a Korean American, her grandparents moved to America before her mom was born.
Pepper got her crescent shaped eyebrows that almost looked artificial from her mother.
She blinked. Her languid eyelashes of velvet-black blinked once to refocus her mind from thinking about her dead parents. She focused on her looks instead.
Pepper won't go as far as to describe her teeth as heavenly-white teeth but they were clean and white. She loved them alongside her hair, which was a glorious tumble of midnight black and her virility-brown eyes could set any heart a-thump.
She wasn't bad looking. Just couldn't get over a six month old relationship that resulted in a bad breakup that happened seven years ago. She was stuck in time and somehow, she made herself self sufficient and now...now, she didn't need a man.
"Pepper! Pepper! Are you there?"
"Yes, I am. Where are you?" Pepper looked away from the mirror.
"In a restaurant waiting for Ethan" June answered.
"How long have you been waiting?" Pepper asked. She already knew the answer would annoy her. June and her were different relationship wise. While she can't keep one, June had difficulty leaving one even if it was abusive.
"How long, Junie?"
"An hour?" Junie whispered.
"Crap! Not again June. I am coming to pick you up and you have to break up with that jerk face"