Chapter 18: The Email

Azalea Johnson's POV

I have two labs today to assist and it was in the afternoon, around 2 PM. I don't think that I would be late for that. But it was a challenge to find my car. I cursed Alex for letting me go on my own. I sighed before I went to the receptionist and asked for my parking spot, A1.

"Hi, I was looking for my car on a parking spot A1. I don't know where it was and I was lost," I said to her but she ignored me. I cursed at her inwardly before I used my sweet voice.

"Hello, hello, hi, can you hear me?" I asked her as I waved my hands in front of her. she rolled her eyes before she looked at me bored.

"what can I help you?" She said lazily. I was trying to control my anger before I smiled saccharinely.

"yes, I would like to know where I can find parking spot A1 if you don't mind I'm asking," I said as I looked at her. She eyed me up and down like I was not the owner of that spot.

"I think you're mistaken, lady. That spot was for Mr. Alexander MacWatters and I am sure that you are not him," she said as she pointed at me. I smiled again.

"well, as you can see," I hold out the keys that Alex gave to me, "I think I am also the owner of that spot now," I said as I was looking at her. She paled instantly.

"Oh, I'm so, so sorry ma'am. Please forgive. I don't know that Mr. Alex was—"

"having someone other than himself, well, I think he did now," I said as I took my keys back.

"so, can you show me that spot or should I call for him?" I threatened her. She must be desperate for me not to call him.

"yes, of course, this way," she said before she took me as she instructed her colleague to look for her spot.

After that encounter with that snob receptionist, I headed out of the condo and I used GPS for finding the campus. It was only 20 minutes drive but the traffic of New York was killing me. Why do I even bother to get to campus on a car, it beats me?

I was looking outside the window when I saw a familiar figure and was walking with someone else. I was in a trace before someone was honking at me. I looked ahead and saw the green light and everyone kept on honking before I went on.

"Okay, okay, hold on. Jeez," I said as I make a turn like the GPS told me to. I was heading for the main gate but I got to stop because I usually don't go by car.

"ID please," I looked at the guard that was stopping Alex with me that he claimed I was to be his niece. great.

"here," I said as I went to give him a smile and my student ID. He looked at me before shrugging. He pulled up the gate and I went inside after he gave me my ID.

"wait, how did you—oh you're the one that is Mr. MacWatters seeing, aren't you?" He said as he looked at me. I was blushing but I just shrugged at his comment.

"well, I wonder how you manage to tame him but you're lucky Ms. Johnson," he said before I put my stick into D.

"well, I hope it will last," I said before I drove inside. He arched his eyebrow before he smiled. I waved at him and I went to my department.

I parked my car at the student parking but it was hard to find one. Not only that, I don't know why I even agreed to drive myself. I can just take Lyft or Uber for Christ's sake.

after a while searching, I found one. It was a long walk between my car and the building but I think it will do me good for my legs. I took my stuff and I went out of the car. I locked my car before someone was calling out for me.

"Lea!"

I turned around to look at the direction of the voice. It was Barbara or Barb as I liked to call her. She was wearing her usual sneakers, jeans, and a blouse. It was summer so she would not be wearing a sweater like she usually did.

"Hey, barb. Where have you been? oops, sorry, how are you? It's been long I saw you around the building," I said as I walked with her. She laughed. I smiled at her. How I missed my best friend.

"well, you know. Here and there. And last week I was in the Bay Area for a conference about new research that will be conducted by world re-known scientists. I think I might apply for that," she said as she slings her arms around me.

I laughed before we went inside the building. I went to the east wing where my labs will be conducted and Barbara has to catch up with her advisor. I told her that we should hang out after my classes and she was up for it. I nodded before I went inside the lab.

I put my stuff on the table that I will be using and I went to pull out some sample of the Aquatic life of the ancient ocean. They have ammonites, belemnites, and many more but it was all about the shell creatures tonight. I smiled as I know that I had first in love with this was when I first took Paleobiology Lab.

I smiled as I put the samples on the table for each section of the lab. I went to take a seat at the table and opened my laptop. I opened my emails and I saw that there were some emails that I needed to reply and one from my advisor.

Hey, Azalea.

I was wondering if you have done your proposal and you would like to set a meeting with me to go over it together.

-Professor Smith

I looked at the email as I have to blink a few times to make sure that I read the correct one. Prof. Smith has sent me an email that I would never think she was interested to talk about. She had dumped the first idea which meant my second proposal might need to make it better than before.

I sighed as I looked at my writing up the proposal. It was lame and unprofessional. I wonder maybe that's why NSF rejected me and called me imposter on other people's projects when those were not being conducted ever before.

I looked at the email and my proposal alternatively as I tried to make up some excuse before I need to meet with Prof. Smith. Then, my mind immediately popped up at the thought of Alex helping me to get the proposal done.

I bit my lips before I searched for my phone. I already saved his number after that date that we met at Carl's cafe. I pulled out his contact and I bit my cheeks. Shouldn't I be able to do this on my own, without his help? Surely with the marriage contract was convenient enough but do I need to stretch it like I was depending on him?

I shook my head before I put my phone down and I was trying to make some excuse for my proposal not being done and primed ready for NSF. I sent out the email and I sighed a relief. At least one of the burden has been lifted from my shoulder. I looked at the clock and it stated that only 10 more minutes before my lab started.

I looked around the lab and there were a few students that were already here. I was smiling at them when one of them approached me to ask about the last lab that we had last week. I explained to her and she nodded. I looked at the clock and it was 2:10 PM. Time to get started.

"Okay, well, hello everyone. How's your holiday?" I asked as I pulled out my presentation for today.

I was exhausted beyond reason. I don't know why. Because of the email that I received from Prof. Smith, or because I was beyond ready to give my proposal for the funding or the fact that Alex was standing in my lab after all of my students were gone.

"hey," he said as he was leaning against the doorframe. I was cleaning up the samples that I brought that I did not notice that he was there. I turned to look at him over my shoulder.

"oh, hey, sorry, have you been waiting long?" I asked him as I pulled some of the drawers and I put the samples inside it according to their labels. I heard some shuffling from the door before the door closed.

"no, I just come to check on my fiancée who has been excellent at teaching her labs," he complimented me. I smiled as I tried to hide it under my hair.

"really? And how do you know that?" I asked him as I was pushing the drawer to close it. I tucked my hair behind my ears and I looked at Alex. He was simply standing in front of me with his hands in pockets of his pants.

"Your advisor emailed me," he said after I went to the table and took my stuff to put it into my bag. I stopped as I turned to look at him. His eyes were training on my face.

"oh," I said as I don't know what to reply yo him.

"I thought you were ready as we will be married in 3 days," he said as he walked toward the table. I arched my eyebrows.

"3 days? Are you insane? My sister is not getting married until Saturday," I said to him as I put my stuff and zipped my bag. He shrugged.

"Not that I care but if we need to follow the contract, you have to tell me if you were not near ready for the proposal," he said. I bit my lips.

"I don't want to burden you with it," I whispered as I was playing with the zipper. somehow, it seems more interesting that our conversation now. Alex sighed.

"it's not and I have promised to provide for you, financially and academically. you can always come to me, darling," he said as he tipped my chin to look at his face.

"shall we work on that?" He asked me, arching his eyebrow. I nodded as I just got lost in his eyes forever.

"Good, now let's do that, but not here," he said as he took my bag and we were out of the door.