Fifty Three

"Why? Do you need something?" she asked the man.
"The man with you is drunk; we're about to close, but he still won't leave," said the man, who she acknowledged as a bartender.

"I'm not with him; I came here by myself," Elodie explained.

"But he said the two of you are together," the man explained.

Shit! That man made her a babysitter. She would not have gone if she had known the two of them would meet. But it would be painful to hear if she didn't help him, and she remembered Zander assisting her when she was in danger before. So she went back inside the bar. She noticed him huddled at the table.


"Mr., could you please take him in my car? I can't take him alone, and my car is grey," Elodie asked.
"Sure, ma'am, but it appears he's carrying a car, probably a black one," said the bartender.

"Yeah, I know, but he'll be back tomorrow," she said.

"Sure,"

"I appreciate it."

Elodie emerged from the door, followed by the bartender and another man, who picked up Zander and escorted her to her car.

"Thank you once more."

"No problem, ma'am," they respond.

Elodie started the car and drove away from the bar.  She was still pondering where she would take Zander if in the mansion because the girls, especially Uncle Conrad, would undoubtedly be asked.  She drove to her condo, which I hadn't used in years but had a cleaner every weekend. They arrived at his condo unit at noon. He motioned for the guard to help him carry Zander.

"Good evening, ma'am, I'll take him inside your condo." the guard said.

"I appreciate it."

"You just arrived, ma'am."

"Yeah, so busy," she said.

Zander had already entered the apartment. She threw it on her bed.


"Thank you; here's your money for snacks."
"Thank you very much, ma'am."


After the guard had left, she stripped Zander's clothes and pants. This includes underwear. She no longer bothered dressing it in a dress and pajamas. She simply covered Zander's entire body, preventing him from seeing what was inside. She left by turning on the air conditioner. She laughed at the idea. She also went to the other room to change her clothes and get into bed. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.


Zander awoke the next morning feeling extremely cold. And then there's the pain in his head. He stood up, only to have his eyes widen as a result of how he perceived his appearance. He wasn't wearing anything, and his briefs were gone as well. So he reflects on what happened the night before. He just drank by himself at the bar. And he went to this room with the pure white curtain. What is he doing there? He was about to leave when the door unexpectedly opened. When he saw Elodie walk in, he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around his waist, but it was too late because Elodie had already noticed his nakedness.


"Wow, what a beautiful view early in the morning," Zaneska said, smiling.

"Shit! Get out of here!" exclaimed Zander as a blanket wrapped around his waist.

Elodie just laughed and closed her eyes as she leaned against the door. She stared at him intently, as if she were undressing him.

"What are you staring at? What have you done to me?" he inquired.

"Seriously? I haven't lost my sanity for raping a drunk man."

Zander smirked.

"Where have my clothes gone?"

"Why? Are you going to wear that again?" Elodie asked.

"Those clothes are filthy."

"Yeah, what dress can I wear?" he asked of Elodie.

"You wear a sleeveless shirt? I have a lot in my closet, just look," she says.

"Damn you, I've never been gay enough to wear women's clothes," Zander responded.

"You don't have a choice, other than you don't have clothes to leave this room," Elodie explained.

Zander gave a nod.  She noticed Elodie enter the room.

"Wait!" he exclaimed.

"Hmm."


"Who's house is this?" he inquired.
"I have this condo unit, but I don't use it anymore, especially now that you're drunk," Elodie explained.
"Ah, I almost forgot you're wealthy," Zander could only say.

"No, I'm just lucky. My room with a closet is next to this room. You can go in there to find clothes to wear, and when you come out, my kitchen is underground. There's a door, so you're there. Just pass by. I'll go first." she explained.

When Elodie left, she went into the other room to find something to wear. He winced at what he saw because he only saw women's clothes and the little one appeared to be missing fabric. Not even a t-shirt and pajamas are available. He noticed a brown hoodie and short shorts. She doesn't have a choice but to wear it instead of a backless blouse. He exited the room and noticed a cream-colored door. When he opened it, he discovered a ladder at the bottom. So he went downstairs and saw that there was a table with food ready, as well as Elodie sitting at the table. She smiled as she noticed Zander's expression in the clothes she was wearing, a hoodie and shorts that were too short for Zander due to his height. She looked at his hairy legs as if they were delicious to caress. Zander abruptly drank water.
"hmmm, my shorts look good on you, great. Nice pair of legs," Elodie commented.
"Damn you! Don't make fun of me!"  Zander yelled angrily.

She never imagined she'd be staying in the same house as this snobbish man.

"Of course not! Why would I laugh at you?"

"I saw it in your eyes," Zander grumbled.

"You're accusing me without providing any evidence," Elodie said.

"Whatever."

Zander sat down and began to eat.
"How are you doing? Why are you getting drunk and going to the city just too drunk?" she asked.
"It's none of your business," said Zander.

"Aw, it hurts," Elodie said.

"Don't act as if you don't know, because I don't want to talk," he explained.

"Which?" she asked.

Zander is annoyed by the woman in front of him. He couldn't believe this woman had done something wrong. She's acting as if she doesn't know when, in fact, Mitch is her friend.


"Please. I don't want to talk about what I'm going through. Perhaps you're already aware of what happened to Mitch and me, so I don't want to talk anymore. I'm hurting and don't know how I'm going to recover. I admit that I'm grateful for your presence and assistance last night, but I won't speak." Zander said.
"All right, eat well. I have to leave because I still have work to do in the office, but this condo is open if you want to come here to be alone. And here's the key," Elodie said.
Elodie hands him the key and climbs the stairs with it.

"Are you not going to eat?" he asked.


"I've already eaten bread. And then I'm late." Zaneska replied and continued to climb the stairs.
He was left to eat alone.

"Zander!" exclaims Elodie from above.
"Why?" he exclaimed as well.

"Your car is at the bar house; I left it there last night; you should go," she says.

"That's fine."

When Elodie went to the office, she looked for something to wear. She'll be even later when she returns to the mansion. She exited the condo, got into her car, and drove to the office. But first, she drove around the mall to buy clothes for Zander. So she went inside the mall and bought a pair of pants and a polo shirt, as well as a pack of briefs. When she got out of the mall, she called Lucas first.
"Lucas, where are you?" he asked on the phone.

"I'm at a restaurant close to the company, ma'am," Luke said.

"I'd like to command something for you; please come to me here at SM mall; I'll be waiting for you," she said as she hung up the phone.

She leaned against the hood of her car as she waited for Lucas. Lucas showed up a few minutes later. As he opened the window, she handed him a paper bag.

"Please go to my condo, Lucas; I have a friend who stayed there; please give it to him," I say.

"Don't worry, Miss,"


Elodie got in her car after Lucas left to go to work. She parked her car on the side of the road, went outside, and entered the company. She walked right into the office. And she noticed Randolf sitting quietly.

"What's up? Are you all right?" she asked.
"In a way."

"I hope you applied for a few months of leave," she says.

"Is that all right with you?" Donald asked.

"Yeah, you need a break, especially since we don't have much to do here at the company," Elodie responded.

"By the way, someone sent you an envelope," Donald mentioned.

"From whom?" she asked.
"I didn't read the message, but the sender is from Mahusay Elementary School in San Pablo," Donald responded.

"Where is it? The location is unfamiliar to me," Elodie asked,
"Of course in the province," she says.

I opened the envelope and read the letter inside.

"They invite me to participate in a plan to house the students, provide food and supplies, and conduct a feeding program," she says.

"That's fine; take me with you," Donald suggests.

"What do I know about this? I'm not a teacher," Elodie said.

"Of course, you donate things and food for the children so you won't be embarrassed to go there, so you know what to do," Donald explained.



"That's fine."
Zander was about to walk out the door when he noticed a man standing there.

"What do you need? You might have gone to the wrong condo," he says.

"The owner of this condo is Miss Elodie if I'm not mistaken, and she gave you this paper bag," the man explained.

"I appreciate it."

He took the paper bag and entered the condo. He opened it, revealing a polo shirt,  pants, and a pack of underwear. Zander put it on and went outside. He intends to take his car and drive back to the province.