7. Accidentally yours

"Hi my lady. We meet again." Patricio said to Edith. 

"How? I have been looking for you for a month now." Edith was puzzled. He was standing in front of her. She was sitting in one of the trees in the plaza reading a book. For almost a month now she has been coming to the town plaza everyday. She is hoping to see him. 

"My lady, would you like me to join you? I want to talk to you." Pat was trying his hard to be a gentlemam. He did not want to ruin his chance of getting closer to his destiny. 

"Si señor. I hope you don't mind sitting in the grass?" She replies with a smile. She was happy to finally talk to him again. The last few days was excruciating to say the least. All she could think was Pat. How he looks and his smell. She was always day dreaming to the point that Trish has continuesly defeated her in sparring sessions. 

"May I know why you are reading under the tree?" Pat snaps her from her thoughts. 

"Oh, this I have read this already. I am fond of reading and I am just passing my time here under the shade of this tree." She wasn't prepared to answer him. She wanted to tell him that she was waiting for him here. But in the end she opted not to tell him. She wants to be seen as a Maria Clara. Someone who is reserved and well mannered lady. 

"What is the book about? Would you like to have some snacks?" Pat asks her again. 

She blushed at his question. She was reading about a love story about two lovers who were forbidden to love each other. 

"This is about a love story of two young people. I would be glad tell you more if you are up for it. Are you?" Edith manage to ask him this time. 

"Go back, did I hear it right? You are asking me to talk with you about this book?" Pat asks while pointing to the book. 

Edith's heart rate increased as Pat's hands brush lightly with her hand. She managed to feel a spark from his touch. 

'Mine!' There it is again her wolf made a claim to her mate. 

"I will take your offer for some snacks if you will allow me to discuss this book? Deal?" Edith asks. 

"As you wish my lady. And then later I will accompany you to your house. If you would permit me." Pat smiles with her request. It feels like she is one step closer to him already. 

Pat stood first and like any other gentleman, offered his hand to help Edith. 

"My lady, would you care for me to help you?" He again asks for her approval. She was astonished. He seems to be much older than he looks when he speaks. 

"Si señor." Edith agrees. 

They walked from the center of the town plaza to one of the shops Edith came to love. It serves chinese soup with noodles in it. It was the perfect snack she thought. As they need to let it cool before eating it. That way they have more time to talk. 

"Señora, buenas dias. What will you order today?" A young man asks her from the counter. 

"Two orders of my usual soup please." She spoke. Pat was surprised to see she has ordered for the two of them. He did not mind her boldness. She was perfect in every way. 

"Would you like anything else? I ordered you my favorite soup so you could try. I hope you don't mind." Edith apologized as she began to contemplate on her actions. She did not want to give him wrong ideas about her. 

"My lady, I won't mind at all. If you please, I will take that white bread as well. And please let me take care of the bill. This is my treat." Pat offered. 

"Thank you señor. You are very kind." Edith was falling for him. He was such a prince charming. She thought those were just myths from the old stories. 

"Anything for you my lady. Shall we?" Pat then helped her seat into the table assigned to them. 

"Can we add these siopao please?" Edith asks the young man from the counter the white bread with a pink dot on the middle to be added to their order. The young man nodded and took out two of those. He then brought it in the table where Edith sat. 

"How come I don't see you here often?" Pat asked her first. 

"How long have you been here in this town?" Edith asks with curiosity. 

"Long enough to know most of the residents here and their shops. But this is the second time I have seen you. Where did you came from?" Pat asks her. He was intrugued by her features. It can be observed that she was a little pale compared to most of the residenta of the island. She has also a thick spanish accent compared to the mestizos and mestizas living there. 

"I grew up in this island. This has been my home. Why do you ask?" Edith replies. 

"You seem to be different in a good way. You look beautiful in that dress and may I add. Your hair is fascinating. I haven't seen such brownish hair complement the eyes. You are a beauty that takes my breath away." Pat smoothly laid it to her thick. He wants her to fall for him. She is her destiny but he still needs to woe her. 

'In essence, we are couples. But I must ask her Papa's blessing to court her. I still have plenty of time before I need to go back home.' He thought to himself. He promised his Mama to bring her back when he returns. 

"Oh my señor, thank you for those sweet words. I never had those kinds of compliments." Edith blushes at his words. 

"My lady, I don't tell this to anyone but to you I will gladly repeat it every minute if you like." Pat smiles again. 

"Excuse me señor, señora. Here is your orders. Señora this is on the house. The owner insists as you are such a blessing today. After you came in a lot of customers came as well." The young man told them. He placed the soup in front of us and he placed the siopao in the middle of the table. Edith smiles at him then looks at the owner who was sitting in the cash box. 

"My lady. You didn't tell me you are a goodluck charm." Pat quips. Although he knew, he was the reason for such good fortune. He is the prince of kama-kama, a friendly creature who likes to help people. Since he was in a good mood, he thought of giving some good luck towards the shop. 

"What? Oh no, this is just coincidence." Edith refuses his remarks. She thought it was quite odd. Never in her visits did the owner gave her a free snack or that she brought customers. She knew the owner was stingy when it comes to free food. She was baffled to say the least. 

"My lady, shall we eat?" Pat asks her to start eating. The smell of the soup gave her as sense of warmth and comfort. 

Edith nods and took a spoonful of the soup. Blowing it before sipping the soup. She smiled as she tastes the heavenly liquid. It was salty and flavorful. You can taste the shrimp, pork and herbs in the soup itself. 

"This is so good." Edith said to no one in oarticular. 

"You are right my lady. This is the best soup I ever tasted. I should come here often." Pat agreed with her. He never knew human food was this flavorful. He was used to eating fruits and vegetables as those were abundant in the woods. 

"May I ask where do you live Pat? It seems you speak from the early 1800s." Edith suddenly asks him. He was unprepared for this.