Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Edward's jaw dropped. Not a single word from his mouth wanted to say anything to Vanilla. He only remained standing for a few minutes when the girl left. This is the first time a woman has dared to answer him.

Shit! Shit! He cursed one after another and stomped on the sofa on the side. Why keep on registering in his brain the useless things she says? Such a scene isn't new to him, it was normal actually. Many women confront him that they are pregnant and take responsibility for him. But why does Vanilla seem to hurt him more?

He squeezed the bottle of wine tightly and put it in the glass. He wanted to forget, he wanted to get that woman's face out of his mind. For him, this is just one big dream. Tomorrow, everything will return to normal.

He would enter the office, go home whenever he wanted and go out with the women who were willing to offer him everything.

His mischievous gulp on the goblet continued, he translated again and drank directly. He tried to calm his troubled spirit.  He looked away from the thick glass concrete. Only now did he have a problem like this and as before he thought it was easy for him to escape. But here he seems to be rude thinking about Vanilla and its future child. Is the effect of the girl's kiss and smile really bad now that he is going crazy when he can't see it?

Damn! What are you doing to me, Vanilla?  You're making me crazy. You're just another girl who went through my life. You are just one of my collections, so stop tormenting my mind.

Edward continued to convince himself. He firmly poured the glass of red wine, he filled it, but that wasn't enough to erase the name and face of the girl. He emptied the whole bottle until it ran out but it was still not enough for his young brain to bury the name Vanilla.

Edward decides to go to the bar. If he is in such entertainment, he loses his stress especially surrounded by alcohol and clinging women. But these past few weeks was different. He goes to the bar not to comfort himself but to forget Vanilla's face. Ever since their warm intercourse, her gentle voice has never been lost in his depths whenever her name is shouted in glory. This is probably why every time he sleeps with others, he thinks of Vanilla.

As soon as Edward entered, he was immediately greeted by a row of women, who wrapped its arms around his neck and guided him to a mini-table. His eyesight was a bit tilted especially since he had been drinking before. But he wanted to get drunk, drown in alcohol and sleep soundly without even thinking about it.

Initially, he ordered three bottles of wine, becoming four, five until it reached a dozen. However, he continued to swallow even after his eyesight was completely rotated. That was followed by the waiter handing him another bottle. His eyes were shaking; he seemed to mow in the seat.

"Can you still drink?" One of the women at the table asked him. It sniffed his neck and its fingers played with his lips.

"I'm fine. I can still - drink…" he uttered at the same time a series of hiccups.

"Why don't you stop drinking right now and enjoy a night with me?" its palms caressed his chest. The woman put her own hand on the man's clothes and played with the young man's fury chest.

"Aren't you enjoying now?" He parted in the middle of the hiccup.

"I mean, we can continue but in a private place."

Even though he was under the influence of alcohol, he immediately understood what the woman wanted to convey to him. Edward stared at her face and Vanilla's face registered in his eyes. Whatever self-restraint he was unable to restrain with his own hands to handcuff the woman. The playful tongue of the woman is hot, impulsive and irritating. But why does something seem to lack his taste? There was no strange sweetness he tasted on Vanilla's lips. Why did he not taste good when he defeated its lips? Is it because those are not Vanilla's lips?

Edward continued what he was doing, he ignored himself comparing the two kisses because first of all Vanilla was different from all the women he had claimed. He picked up the woman but their lips remained close. He slammed it into the small cubicle of the restroom.

He violently took off her spaghetti and bra, before he roughly lowered her own slacks.  He bit her neck until the kiss finally came down with a vigorous licking on the woman's chest. The woman continued to moan one after another, both staring and delirious with their eyes in happiness. Edward was very pleased with the salutation made on the woman's body as it entered the abyss. Even though he felt a little empty, he continued what he was doing until they reached the last meeting together. Edward took ten thousand from the purse and threw it at the woman's chest.

"Enough?" She smiled at him and kissed his cheeks.

"Goodnight." It picked up the money. That was all and quickly escaped inside the cubicle.

Edward was left with a blank mind. The young man let out a deep sigh. Vanilla is really crazy, because even if his partner is another woman, he still sees her face.

"Vanilla, please get out of my brain. Leave!" He tweaked his own hair, before hitting the hard sink in front. "You're not the woman I want. You're not the woman I deserve. You deserve someone else." It was as if he was crazy talking to himself.

The name Vanilla is already etched in his mind and no matter how hard he tries to forget the girl; it's very difficult to do.

Vanilla's eyes were very dry; a roll of tissue had also been used up due to the flood of tears that had not stopped flowing. As soon as she got home from work, she immediately lowered her face to the soft pillow. Even her mother repeatedly knocked on the door and seemed to run out of energy and finally stopped.

When her own eyes seemed to dry, Vanilla opened the door sluggishly. She looked around at the airy space of her house. That was the first time she felt any lack of self. Since her Daddy died of illness, her mother made her feel that she wasn't alone. She grew up next to her mother-in-law. It gave her the strength to fight the problems she faced. But if then the presence of the mother was enough for her to hide that everything was in order, now it seems that there is a big hole in her heart that whatever she does to cover up is still lacking. It wasn't only her mother who would complete her but the presence of the man who first made her exemplary heartbeat. But how could that happen if the man betrayed her face to face and even insulted her dignity as a woman?

A tear dripped from her eyes which she immediately wiped away. She walked slowly down the stairs. She saw her mother going upstairs carrying a tray with only milk and cookies. The lady immediately noticed her presence so she looked up at her. Extreme anxiety, sadness and resentment can be seen on its face. It was last night because she kept knocking on the door to talk to her. Without hesitation, she laid the snack on the floor and grabbed her with a warm hug.

Vanilla's already depressed feeling was relieved a little. She stroked both her cheeks and hid them in her arms again. Her swollen and red eyes didn't escape the lady's curious eyes.

"Honey, do you have a problem again?"  She asked in the middle of comforting her.

"I talked to Edward, Mom. The father of the child I was carrying. I told him I was pregnant."

"Did he take on his responsibility?" She knew her mother would be disappointed with what she had to say next, but she had to confess it. She secretly blew air and shook her head in response. She lowered her gaze to the floor. She was ashamed of herself. She who promised herself not to be like her mother who was alone also fell there. She will raise the child alone.

Without a word, the lady hugged her. She thought it would make her angry but it still convinced her that she had made the right decision. It would have been better if that had happened; it was enough for the man to know the baby he was pregnant with. Her mother commented, that that is what is important to everyone and it's not her fault but it is the man's fault. Vanilla has accepted her fate, just like her mother, she will grow old as a widow due to the illness left to her by the young man. The only thing she couldn't accept was that her child would grow without a recognized father.

What if it asked her where its father was? She would surely be annoyed to find someone who could answer her. So she had to be strong, she had to forget the man and change for the baby angel in her womb.

Vanilla bravely put on her business suit.  Her sympathy for the torn heart is over. She will bury all the tears she wasted. It will be forgotten and will never be remembered again. It's time to bury in oblivion what happened and face her new life with the child.

Vanilla picked up the lunchbox lying on the table along with the small piece of paper. Her mother went to the market early with its housemates. She left a letter with her breakfast on the table. She opened it and the favorite steak and ham was tucked in there. Vanilla rubbed her stomach, before the pure smile on her lips.

"Hang in there, baby. Mommy will do everything for you even if she's just alone." Vanilla continued to grope in her own stomach. She reached for the shoulder bag and hurried away.

Her friend Peppermint called her a few minutes ago. She promised her friend that they would go for a walk today. Actually, last week she asked for her favor to go to church but she just didn't give in because of the amount of piles of papers she had to finish reviewing. Apart from that, her business meetings are also inexhaustible so sometimes she even misses inserting them into the schedule.

Peppermint immediately greeted her when she opened her own office. An immeasurable smile faded from her lips as she saw her. It immediately kissed her cheeks before sitting in the chair in front of her desk.

"I really can't escape you." She replied angrily to Peppermint. It noticed the swelling in her eyes so she relaxed in the seat and her friend went behind her and touched her back. Vanilla shook her hand and looked softly.

"I'm alright." She spoke weakly. Her friend nodded and went back to sitting in the front.

"But it seems like you're not looking alright." Her friend suggested and took a blush on in her little bag. "Is this the face of the alright Vanilla, huh? Gosh, your beauty is ruined." The brush rubbed her cheek, her friend ran the collector across her face.

"Shall we go out?"

"Yes, that's why I'm making you beautiful now. So don't try to stop me. You always reject me whenever I want to be with you."  Her friend's face frowned.

After putting a little blush on her, she started to beautify herself because her friend can't walk when the lipstick on her face isn't complete. There is the blush on, fake eyelashes, concealer, lipstick and her eyebrow pencil which is its investment. She also didn't see her friend come out without a good posture; it seems that it even bounces the models to wear clothes.  If she compares herself to her friend, she isn't at the fingertips of its functions. It seems that it will make the run way all the places it can go to, it seems that it has conquered the one who was able to veil all year because of the white face and the foundation is always chopped up.

"But we're going out now that I have a schedule? I have to finish these." She waved her hand at the mountain of piles of papers on the counter of her desk.

"I won't take a no from you and besides I told your secretary to clear your schedule so you can breathe fresh air, maybe because you only absorb polluted air inside your office." She slightly raised her own eyebrow. Vanilla followed her friend's gaze as if memorizing every corner of her office.

"Well, what else can I do? You've already decided for me. But wait, how's my outfit? Isn't it too formal to go to church?" She was referring to wearing a business suit.  She was worried there, if that was what she was going to wear, she would really be mistaken for her friend's mother.

"Don't worry, my dear. Fairy Peppermint is always here." She lifted her friend's paper bag she had been holding in the air.

"Go on, try it." With a wide smile, she handed her the paper bag with only clothes. She immediately turned to the mirror and changed. It was a black dress that is a thigh-length. The girl's body was molded when she wore it. Its floral design on the back also fits her skin which gives emphasis to her curly hair and even though her hands and neck is not gold-plated, her beauty still stands out. She turned to her friend and smiled shyly.

"So what do you think?" She held on both sides of the dress as he circled herself in the wide space of the mirror.

"Hashtag OOTD." Her friend gave her a vibrant smile.

When it comes to fashion, Peppermint doesn't really give up. She really likes to keep up with what's popular today with the taste of most people. Well, this isn't just her friend's hobby. Left and right as it also post something on social media. Everything that happens in its life no matter how simple it is recorded - if you describe her, she's a spoiled brat. Peppermint is the only daughter of five siblings who are dominated by men, so they treat her like a princess. Apart from that, her house is also a luxury size and whatever she wants is immediately available. Just like when she studied Fashion Designing in America, even though her parents refused to stay away from her, they could do nothing to stop her. It is still a decision to follow.

"Let's go." Peppermint walked to the door first. Vanilla adjusted herself before following the friend.

The four corners of the car were full of loud laughter. How come her friend looks like a broken plaque in stretching jokes? Even her boyfriend Kael was being treated as a joke.

Vanilla couldn't help but smile as she watched her friend. She knew Peppermint is happy, not only in its life but also with her boyfriend Kael.

"So Vanilla, how are you and Edward?"

Vanilla was stunned by Peppermint's question. She didn't prepare for that question, nor did she even know where her friend had gotten it. She looked straight ahead as she stared at her friend driving before answering.

"Forget that man; I don't want to hear from him again."

"Did he know you were pregnant?" She just nodded in response. "So what is his answer? Did he accept the child?"

She wished that was what happened but of course, how could she not know that from the very beginning she was just being exploited by him?

"That man has no heart, Pep. He didn't accept the child, he even insulted my personality."

"What!? That man is so worthless. It's a shame to be handsome if you have a bad habit." The tone of her friend's voice was full of annoyance and regret. She just smiled at her behavior. She wasn't too affected when Edward's name was mentioned; she had forgotten the young man's face. Nothing will ever change if she continues to keep the man's name on her mind. It gave her nothing but headaches, problems and pains. Yes, it gave her pleasure that night but then it was pure repentance.

Her friend parked the car when they arrived in front of the church's large fountain. They got out of the car together and walked straight in. After the mass, they first comforted themselves by looking around the park. They both passed by an ice cream parlor so they thought of tasting it. They also bought a balloon and a bracelet so that they could remember each other. They sat on the bench next to a large acacia still holding the melting ice cream.

"Let's take a picture, Val. I will post this to my IG." Her friend whispered as she pocketed to grab the cellphone. It counted and the camera flashed three times in their faces. "I'll post it later." It slipped the gadget back into its pocket.

They first distracted themselves by watching the attractions in the park while finishing the ice cream.

"Isn't that Edward?" Her friend pointed its long arm at the man sitting on the other bench.

"Where?" She asked crookedly.

"There." Her friend simply sniffed at the weak touch on her side. She looked down and saw that Edward was there, busy pressing his cellphone. Vanilla wonders why the young man is there. From the looks of it, it doesn't go to church, and even if it goes to church all night, the man's sins can no longer be washed away. He seems to be leading the man in the list of people in hell to be picked up.

Vanilla swallowed when she saw his face, it still didn't change even though he had not seen it for four weeks. He is still very handsome even in a simple t-shirt, sneakers and tattered jeans. Vanilla withdrew her curious eyes, she no longer cared what the young man would look like, and the important thing was that she was able to move on.

But why does her eyes seem to have their own brains and it goes back to staring at the young man?

Draw joy on the man's face as a sophisticated woman approaches her. Vanilla's heart pounded at the next scene when Edward kissed her on the cheek, her breathing slightly constricted as she watched the man hug her. She felt pain in her stomach and she seemed to be nauseous again. Peppermint rubbed her back but that wasn't enough to stop her from vomiting. She leaned back in her seat and continued to throw up. When she looked up, she and Edward's eyes met.

Gosh, not again…