200 So Close Yet So Far!

One Hour Later...

They finally arrived near the vicinity of the building, Ramon parked the car a few meters away from the stores. John checked his phone the time is now 12:00 noon, time for a lunch break.

John exited the vehicle holding the shopping bag in his right hand, he walked briskly towards the laundry shop. He pushed open the door and he was overjoyed to discover that he is the only customer inside! He saw Catherine raised her eyes towards the door, his breath faltered.

He sat down on one of the vacant chairs. He just continues watching her face mesmerized by her beauty as if he had just seen her for the very first time!

Her face was like a burst of sunshine!

"Hello Sir...how may I help you?" asked Catherine when she noticed that the customer didn't start using the laundry machine right away as if waiting for something...

The man didn't answer her question.

After a few minutes, he walked closer to where Catherine was situated behind the counter.

John saw a pen and paper, he took it and write something in the paper...

'Hello...sorry I am mute but I can hear clearly, can you please assist me? I don't know how to use a washer and dryer...'

John smiled a bit, the truth is he never takes care of his laundry by himself, and he never used a coin laundry washer before. He has other people to do it for him.

Catherine read the written message and smiled to herself, he is mute! hmmm...that is why...

"Don't worry Sir, I will assist you, I will teach you how to operate our coin laundry washing machine, it will be super easy as 123, and any 5 years old can do it," she said smiling.

Catherine walked towards the customers shopping bag and took out all the contents. They were all brand new, as in newly purchased clothes! There still price tag attached to the clothing and the price of the jackets? OMG! Expensive as hell! She runs her fingers briefly on the surface admiring the quality of the fabric. She walked back to the counter to get a scissor and cut the price tag. There are a total of four jackets and four white t-shirts. She also noticed that the mute guy did not bring with him his own powder detergent and fabric conditioner, the laundry shop was selling powder detergent and fabric conditioner for those who forgot to bring anything with them, she took two sachets of powder detergent and two fabric conditioner from the counter, she will have him pay it later after the washing is done.

John handed Catherine some coins.

Catherine uses two machines for separate washing of the white t-shirt and colored jackets. She walked to the washer and inserted the coin, empty the detergent and fabric conditioner and load the 4 white t-shirts first into the washer machine, then the jackets on the other washer. The washer runs for thirty minutes...

Catherine went back to the counter and wrote something into the paper...' We will be using the dryer after washing your clothes, Sir, and you also have to pay the powder detergent and fabric conditioner I used earlier, Sir...'

She stood up and walked towards the man who is currently staring at the washing machine. She handed the paper to the mute man to read. The mute guy accepted it and read her message, he then smiled at her, she smiled back.

John retrieved his wallet and took a PHP500 hundred peso bill and extended it to Catherine.

She went back to the counter to get a change.

John followed her and wrote something in the paper...' Keep the change! It's yours because you are very helpful and beautiful!' then he smiled broadly and handed the paper to her.

Catherine read the message and smiled...then she began writing in the paper...' No sir! I won't accept your money. I only took what you owe to the laundry shop, thank you Sir, but I can't accept the tip!'

After giving the change to the guy, Catherine walked backed to the counter, she noticed that the mute guy kept glancing at her. She picked up some of her old travel magazines from under the counter drawer and handed it to the guy.

"Please spend your time reading while waiting for your laundry to finish, Sir..."

She offered the magazine to him and he accepted it and he starts flipping on the pages.

Catherine went back to the counter and starts reading her cookbook recipes. She was engrossed in her reading, she didn't notice his continuous staring of her face from time to time.

Thirty minutes is finally over, Catherine unloaded the t-shirt and the jackets from the washer and put it in the dryer above. Then another thirty minutes waiting time for the clothes to starts drying.

John was observing Catherine's movement, she really has no idea who he was...It's kind of odd that they were inside the same place yet they were acting like a complete stranger to each other, it began to make him feel a bit sad. She is so close to him yet so far away! But she smiled at him a few times and her smiles sent tiny butterflies in his stomach, her smile is always beautiful and her eyes lit up every time she smiles. "I love you so much, Cath!" he whispered into her direction.

His whisper might have some underlying power because the wind carries his voice into her consciousnesses, she raised her head and looked at him, he smiled and she smiled back and she returns her attention back to the book she was reading, propping her head on her hand in the countertop.

Her sunny smile earlier sent his heart again to overdrive of happiness!

Thirty minutes of waiting for the clothes to dry was finally over. Catherine rose to her feet and removed the clean clothes from the dryer, she brought them to the chair beside the guy. When he does not make any move to fold his clean clothes, she took the initiative to fold his clothes neatly and piled them back into the shopping bag.

"There you go, Sir. Your clothes are now clean! Thank you for using our laundry shop services. Come back again Sir!" she smiled radiantly at him.

John smiled back, she was so close to him. He can almost smell her sweet womanly scent drifting into his nostrils, so intoxicating! His arms suddenly moved almost wanting to reach out to her to hug her, but she stood up abruptly and went back to the counter.

John exited the door of the laundry shop, outside, he waved at her goodbye, she waves back and returned her attention to the book she was reading.