Privacy Boundaries

Kaler Bryce's plan wants to stay in his condo for his planned leave but his desired peace for the first time in two years was disturbed by his mother's call at five in the morning.

He rubbed his eyes before he got the phone on his side table.

"What's up, ma? If its not an emergency, just let me sleep, okay?"

"Bryce, son, I had been compromised to get someone from the airport and I had an early meeting with the board of directors today. I can't contact my friend's number which is her mother to tell her that. Can you do me a favor and fetch her from the airport at eight this morning?"

"What? Eight? Ma! Its three and half hours from here before I can make it on the airport! You should call me earlier to say that! I couldn't make it even I go at this moment!"

"That's why I called you! I cannot face her mom if I didn't do anything right now! Come on, what is the use of you being a race car driver?"

Kaley Bryce suddenly got out of the bed. He didn't bother to wash his face or have a mouthwash first. He forcefully get his car keys from the door and the hook came out off its place but he didn't care.

He was a prodigal son, alright, but he cannot let her mother down.

He did some tricks since he knows the fastest route to the airport and because he's a race car driver but still because of traffic, he arrived at exactly three hours.

He's running out of time! It's still twenty to thirty minutes before he can go straight to the arrival area where he can see the person he needs to take home!

He stopped for a second from running towards the airport's entrance.

Wait, take home where? Her mom's place is five hours drive from his condo! And who will he wait in the arrival area? He didn't even know the person nor didn't have a picture or her name! The only thing he knew was she's a girl. Oh God, this sucks!

****

Nia's beautiful face was distorted. She's on the waiting area for five minutes already from the time that she arrived. She didn't have much patience to wait because she's sitting on the plane for twenty hours and forty-four minutes to be exact!

She didn't care about the flight but she's very sleepy since she cannot sleep on the plane. She always remember that plane accident that killed her father and everytime it happens, she got chills all over her body.

She shrugged to forget those nasty thoughts out of her head.

Her mother even got her the place to stay so why should she reject the vacation offer? It's also good to cure her trauma in a peacefully and new surroundings.

Her mother messaged her from WhatsApp about the address she'll gonna stay for the time of her vacation. She also give her extra cash though she had enough money even for a year stay!

Mom: Are you with my friend already?

She's very friendly and accommodating. Just let her know if you need anything.

Enjoy your vacation, sweetie! Don't think of your job that you left here in New York, I'll take care of it.

Take your time to come back home and don't forget to contact me even once a month! I love you!

Me: I got here safely, Mom. Don't worry, I can handle myself. Thank you!

She had decided to have a tour first since she's already near in some tourist spots based on the pamphlet that she got from the flight attendant. She dialed the number on the paper to start her tour in the foreign country.

****

As expected, Bryce didn't see anyone sitting near the arrival benches.

He panicked and called his mom but the phone's unattended.

Oh God, what should I do? Does she have the address on which place she should go?

He's exhausted from running back and forth from the arrival area to the terminal area for several times already in the past couple of hours.

Because of self frustration, exhaustion and being sleepy kicked in, he drove back to his condo without knowing how was her mother's guest.

He concluded that she has the address of her accommodation and that she will be there safely. She's a grown up, after all.

He got home at two in the afternoon and he was very hungry since he didn't even have breakfast and its past lunch already.

He ordered online from food panda for his lunch. He even eat three rice in total! It's so much for his lunch and he knew he need to work out later.

He cannot go back to sleep so he finishes a couple of articles and send it to his boss via email. He didn't even realized that it's evening already.

He got up from his desk, put on gym clothes and put some extra clothes in his bag before he left his condo.

****

Nia got lost on her way a few times before she's able to see the place. The condo unit looks secured and fancy from the outside. She wonder if it will be as spacious as her previous rented apartment.

It's a miracle that she didn't fall asleep in the museum's tour earlier. She even got herself a to-go packed dinner from a nearby restaurant with Filipino food. She didn't recognize what was that food but she still ordered it.

She got the keys from the secretary of her mother's friend before she got on the van for the tour. The lady secretary was resourceful. She didn't know how she had her number since she changed her number to have a philippine's sim card--thinking she might need to call someone later or she will got a call or text on someone later.

Her body aches all over and her legs are starting to getting numb. No time to choose which of the three rooms she need to lie down her body.

She just chose the first room on the right and didn't bother to unpack her things on the closet.

She eat the packed dinner with gusto---savoring the delicious spices used to cook the meal. She will definitely try again the same food tomorrow or until she got used to it.

Just like in their house, she found the luxurious bath tub with shower on the left connecting door on her room. She take her time relaxing on the bath tub with her rose oil essentials and scented candles before falling asleep on the soft mattress of her bed.

On the next morning, Nia got out off the bed at ten in the morning. She was sound asleep last night and didn't bother to check if she had a housemate.

At eighteen years old, she became independent by living on her own and having three part time jobs at Bronx, New York while studying in an open university for college.

She was an assistant chef in an Italian restaurant, a cashier until three in the afternoon and an online doctor since she is a Psychology Major. All in all, every week, she got a total salary of $4,550, enough for her to spend on foods, clothes and her college tuition.

Her mom often give her an allowance of $5,000 a week even if she refused it, it will be transferred to her bank account. She just got used to it and let the remaining money in her account.

Until recently, she withdraw half of her money for her vacation.

Maybe she can cook a meal for her housemate for a commemoration of her stay in the house.

With much excitement, she went to the bathroom and started to put some essential oil to the bath tub, took off her clothes and let the bubbles sink in to her skin.

****

Bryce is already awake but he didn't open his eyes until he heard the water dripping from the bathroom.

Did he leave it open after he shower? Or is there a burglar in his house?

But the security in his condo is tight. If there's any suspicious person seen from the Cctv's around the fifty floor building will automatically reported to the police.

He shouldn't feel threatened. His place also has security guards all over the place, even in the elevators.

He sigh. Maybe he's just frustrated that her Mom didn't call him after the favor he did yesterday. Not even a single thank you.

He wonder why there is no such information for that girl. Or the flight might be cancelled. Ah! I shouldn't think of that!

He got up from his bed, walk past his working desk and went to the kitchen to prepare his espresso coffee when he remember that he left his car keys on the bathroom after he took a shower.

He carefully put down the saucer on his desk before putting down the mug of coffee. It will better for him to start his day with it so that he will not be grumpy later when doing his work.

The water dripping on the bathroom stopped after he step inside. His brows furrow in one line and decided to remove his feathery slippers before continue going in.

There was a female voice humming a song near the shower.

He open the glass door to be shocked by the sight of a naked, beautiful woman facing the shower.

Her buttocks are rounded and her skin is milky, no signs of any blemish or scratch on her legs. He swallowed the saliva on his watery mouth and slap his face.

He shouldn't enjoy the view in front of him. He should ask first who the lady was and why she's on his condo! Is this burglar taking a shower and then will took some of his valuable things before she will leave? I don't think that's reasonable!

He quickly turn around and closed the door, making a loud noise.

That made the lady shout.

"Who'se there? Don't you dare open the shower door!"

Bryce chuckled loudly. "I already did. I didn't see something interesting, though so you don't need to worry. Get dressed and we'll talk afterwards."

He walk back to his seat and sat, facing his laptop desk and mindlessly sipped on his hot brewed coffee.

"Ouch!"

His tongue got numb with too much heat from the coffee and he spit it on his printed papers.

"Damn! I will need to reprint those papers because of that naked woman!"

He quickly put the papers in the laundry line located in his small balcony. He put on clothes pin to hold the wet papers.

He also went to his room and was about to call her mother when he saw her text.

Mom: Son, is Nia on your condo? My secretary gave her your door keys yesterday. I just want to check if she's comfortable on your place.

Me: Mom! Why do you always say things late?

He typed in and erased. Instead, he replied:

Me: She is. When will you get her here? Or do I need to bring her to your place?

Mom: She'll stay with you for the meantime while I'm arranging somethings for her. Be good, okay?

Me:You know that a stranger man and woman should not stay in one place.

Mom:She and you we're different. I trust you that you'll behave well, son. She's a daughter I'll never had.

Me:Isn't this a set up?

Mom: Haha! No, darling. She need to recover and you'll be a perfect match to help her.

Me: Why of all people, me?

Mom: Because you are my son. Now, be a good boy and behave. See you, soon!

Gritting his teeth, Bryce threw his phone in his soft pillow. He was very much pissed at the taught that a woman would live with him even it's temporary. He's not used to having a woman in his life after his ex-girlfriend killed herself in his old place.

How would he react on her presence? Does he need to talk to her all the time? Do they need to eat facing each other on the table everyday? Does he need to cook for the breakfast just to please her mother's visitor? Does he need to accompany her if she wants to tour around the city?

Oh, looks like my schedule has been fucked up!

He closed his eyes and the sight of the woman's round buttocks came to his sight.

Those milky-long legs will be in good use to hook down to his waist when they made love. Those slender hips will be perfect for his hands to handle when he will put her on top of the kitchen counter before he will wildly kiss her. And those silhouette of her breast will a beautiful scenery to behold.

He shook his head and open his eyes.

Why does he need to see that scenario in his mind?

Fucked! He will have endless sleepless nights from tonight!

Nia quickly put the towel around her body as she heard the man chuckled loudly. She imagined the man scanning her buttocks from behind and it made her cringed.

It's the first time that a man was not attracted to her slender body figure. In her previous work in an Italian Restaurant in New York, she was pretty popular that all the men drool over her even though she wears a chef's uniform. The women told her she has a body to die for like a model's figure.

Some magazines also called her to be their new face including the Vogue which is based in France, New York magazine, Harper's Bazaar and GQ so she was insulted by that man's respond when he saw her body silhouette from behind.

Is it only a silhouette? Or is she afraid that the man saw her round buttocks and will saw motive to seduce her? Ah! I don't know and I don't care! I only came here to have a peaceful vacation but it looks like she will not have one.

She had a habit of pleasing people with her cooking skills that her mom managed to pass on to her but this time, she's not confident to do so.

She ran towards her bedroom door to choose the right clothes to show off her curves all over her body.

She rummage her big suitcase and managed to let all her things out in her bed. Its a big mess considering that all her clothes were consisting of branded dresses, several suit and coats, sweat pants and shirt and her favorite spaghetti strap Sando and some baggy clothes.

Her make up kits were still intact since her other bag is not yet open.

After half an hour of not able to decide which clothes she should wear, she sigh deeply and sat down to the chair in front of the table with face mirrors.

Why am I doing this in the first place? I didn't do this for the past years of staying in my birth country! Am I attracted to that man? Well, I it will be a good start for me to think of him more often instead of thinking about the accident of my father in the plane crash that saved her life and at the same time, gave her a huge trauma!

Why did I even think of that?

Her hands began shaking in horror as the memory flood through her mind...

She was sleepy and the last thing she saw was her father's smile before she closed her eyes and felt that a blanket was placed to cover her shoulders up to her feet.

She always wear a headset since she loved listening to music when she's sleeping.

It was actually the first time that her father brought her to his business trip and they plan to visit the famous Eiffel Tower in France.

It was her dream to see the sight at night with either of her parents with her.

She was in a deep slumber until the music came to a stop and she heard a couple of women's voice screaming in terror!

When she removed her headset, she saw her father standing, getting their things above them. When her eyes landed on the seats in front of her, she saw the sign "fastened your seatbelts" and there is an announcement coming from the captain pilot that they will have an emergency landing since one of the engine motor had a problem.

Shocked, she slowly gaze back to her father who managed to put their things in her thighs before she heard a loud sound of crashing metals to the ground.

Her whole body is shaking from the tension just thinking that they will die from that plane crash and she will not see her mom anymore. Her father James saw all that emotion that crossed her face so what he did is to hugged her tightly.

They were in a three-seater economy class seats near the aisle so they can debark as quickly as possible after the arrival and it didn't happen.

She passed out after her father whispered to her ear.

"Always remember that I love you, sweetie. I will love you and your mom endlessly until I die. Please tell that to your mom and even if I die today, I won't regret it since I have you both in my life."

After her mother heard about the plane crash through her secretary, she had a nervous breakdown in front of a meeting presentation.

Her valuable mother's secretary didn't hesitate to use their money to locate her and her father but it was too late.

She was found after three days in an isolated island covered with her father's blood and shattered body. She didn't know what happened after she passed out until she woke up hearing her mother's sentiments while crying.

She was lucky that she survived and that the only part of the plane that landed on the ground was their seats with the stranged man near the window.

Her mother told her that the plane tear down in half and she is the only survivor in Economy Class seat thanks to her father's love and protection.

When she woke up, she cannot speak and no voice is coming out of her mouth even if she wants to said something.

She cried with her mother holding her left hand at that realization. After she was discharged in the hospital, the doctor scheduled a Physical therapy and a Psychology appointment for her. It takes two years for her to barely managed to get back with her previous life as she was a graduating college student.

Instead of receiving the highest honor in graduation ceremony as she planned for her father to witness, she had the lowest honor rank in The School of Health and Sciences at Touro College in Brooklyn New York in a virtual graduation.

She stayed in their house until recently that her mother urged her to go to Philippines. Her mother and her friend Andrea agreed that it's better for her to stay with Andrea for her full recovery.

****

Bryce impatiently taps her desk while waiting for Naya to come out of her room. It's been almost an hour from the time that he told her to get dressed and he's dead worried. He didn't know why but he started to feel uncomfortable while shifting in his seat.

After a few minutes of thinking, he decided to get the room's spare key just in case he needs to open the door if it's locked inside.

He temporary used the connecting door from his bedroom to the bathroom that is also connected to the woman's room. He sigh as the door was unlocked.

He run towards the connecting room and there he saw her sitting at the carpeted floor while facing the whole body mirror.

She look terrified in her reflection while facing the mirror. Her hands are continuously shaking, she cannot speak anything nor didn't bother to know that he was there.

He remembered his mom said that she needs to recover on something. He's not a doctor but he knew that a hug can calm her nerves after a few minutes so he did.

It's was the longest minutes of his life---hugging a stranger woman in his arms after three years.