A Walk With Caileen (Chapter 8)

Chapter 8: The Caveman and the Angel

“You are going to leave again” Caileen said and she pouted as she walked slowly. “Yes that’s true but I will come back, look I came back as promised” Anthony said as they were strolling around the city. “How long are you going to be gone this time?” she asked and looked at him. “I don’t know yet, but hey I am yours for two days, I will be leaving on Monday so you have my full attention for the weekend” he told her. “So where do you want to go?” Anthony asked and Caileen shrugged her shoulders, “Let’s just walk for now” she said. “You are going to parade the caveman around the city?” he asked her and she laughed. “No, I thought we stopped that caveman issue already, you are not a caveman okay?” she said. “If I am not a caveman then you are not an angel?” he said and she smiled. “I am an angel?” she asked and Anthony nodded.

“Wait lets ask this old lady if you don’t believe me” he said and they waited for the old lady to approach them. “Excuse me madam, could you please take a look with my companion here, she doesn’t believe me when I say she is an angel” Anthony said and Caileen was embarrassed. The old lady looked at Caileen and she smiled, “Well yes indeed she is an angel” she said. “You see, now do you believe me?” he told Caileen and she blushed. “Madam one more thing, if she is an angel I am a caveman right?” Anthony said and the old lady looked at him from head to foot. “Caveman? I don’t think so, you look like a perverted old man” she said and Caileen laughed. “Witch! Be gone you witch!” Anthony shouted and the old lady slammed her bag at him. Caileen was laughing out loud as Anthony was being scolded by the old lady.

“That didn’t go well” Anthony said as they walked away. Caileen was still giggling and laughing and holding her stomach. “I can’t believe you, you picked a fight with an old lady and you lost” she said. Anthony scratched his head and started to laugh, “I don’t know what she has inside her bag but I tell you it sure is damn heavy. Why couldn’t she just ride her broom and fly instead?” he said and the old lady walked towards them. “I heard that! You really want to get hurt do you?” she said. Anthony and Caileen ran away from her and along the way Anthony would look back and call the old lady a witch. Once they were far enough they stopped and Caileen leaned on a wall and she still could not stop laughing. “You are so mean, but you were really funny” she told him. “Nah, don’t worry about Mrs. Parton, she could take it, but I can’t believe it she still has that power though. She was my teacher when I was in elementary, with all this hair she could not recognize me” he said and Caileen was surprised.

As they were catching their breath an Asian man approached them and looked at Anthony. “Oh God what now?” he softly said and Caileen laughed louder. “Konichiwa…you…yes you are…” the man was about to say but Anthony shook his head. “Japanese?” he asked and the man nodded. “Okay, do you know me?” Anthony said in Japanese which surprised Caileen. “Hai! You are the author of the book, the one who got lost” the man replied and Caileen could not understand what they were saying. “With all these hair you still recognize me?” Anthony asked and the man nodded. “I own a small book store around the corner, will you please come and sign my book. Please, it would make my wife and daughter happy” the man said and Anthony nodded. “Okay lead the way and we will follow” he replied and looked at Caileen. “You know how to speak Japanese?” she asked. Anthony scratched his head as they followed the man, “It’s a long story and you would not believe it anyway” he said. As they reached the bookstore the man rushed inside, Anthony asked Caileen to wait outside as he followed the man.

A few minutes later Anthony came out with the man and they were laughing. “Oh don’t tell anyone you met me, and I have a feeling this lady with me will be asking you about me so I would appreciate it if you don’t tell her who I really am okay? It’s not that I am tricking her but I want it to be a surprise someday” Anthony said and the man nodded and he shook his hand. They walked away but Caileen was glancing at Anthony and he noticed it. “What is it?” he asked and she just shook her head.

“So where do you want to go?” Anthony asked and Caileen stood still and took a deep breath. “Since I only have two days with you, I was thinking about just spending time with you at your cave” she said and she chuckled. “Oh the angel is willing to come down to earth and get herself dirty?” he commented and she laughed. “Yeah, and while you were gone I actually did some studying and I want to cook for you” she said. “You learned to cook for me?” he asked and she smiled at him. “I’m not really that good but I learned two dishes, I am not sure if it will turn out right but I just want to try” she said. Anthony smiled at her and nodded, “An angel will cook for me, I wonder what heavenly food tastes like, better than raw meat for sure” he quipped and Caileen laughed.

Back at Anthony’s home all the ingredients were set on the dining table, Caileen wore an apron as she stood looking hesitant. Anthony sat down and watched as she could not decide where to begin. “Whats wrong Caileen?” he asked her. “I am feeling nervous, I don’t know if this will turn out right” she said. “Why are you nervous I thought you practiced while I was away?” Anthony said and Caileen took a deep breath. “I want it to be perfect but I feel shy when you are around. So can you go to the living room and come back when its done?” she asked and Anthony laughed. “Nope, I want to watch you cook. Just imagine I am not here okay?” he told her. “But you are here and you are watching me” she said. “Come on Caileen, I want to watch you cook, please” he said and she looked at him and she smiled.

After thirty minutes all ingredients were mixed and Caileen sat down across Anthony and she smiled. “Well all we have to do now is wait for it to be cooked” she said and she laid her hands on the table and she bowed her head. She was exhausted and as she took a deep breath she saw Anthony hold her hand. “Are these hands tired, let me massage them” he said and she slowly looked at him. It was the first time they held hands and as he massaged her hands her heart began beating faster. “Well does it feel good?” he asked her and she did not know what to say, for a long time now she dreamed of holding his hands and at this moment she got her wish. “You have soft hands” was all she could say and Anthony laughed at her. “So do you, were you expecting rough and stone-like caveman hands?” he asked her and Caileen smiled. “What you said last night…when you were away, did you really think of me every day?” she shyly asked and Anthony nodded. “But you said that I remind you of her, why did you think of me every day?” she again asked. “You are not her, you are Caileen” he said.

“Yes I am Caileen but tell me why” she said and Anthony released her hands and sat back and looked at her. “Do I need a reason for me to remember you every day?” he asked her and she likewise sat back and slightly bowed her head. “Well yes of course, you don’t just miss someone for no reason. You remember them because you miss them. I did miss you a lot, so tell me the reason why you missed me too” she explained. “You missed me a lot?” he asked and Caileen looked away and said “Yes I did” and Anthony laughed. “Why did you miss me?” he asked and Caileen looked at him feeling the tides have turned. “Unfair! I asked you first, so tell me why did you miss me?” she reiterated and Anthony took a deep breath and stared at her. “Fair enough, the reason…I missed you because…should it be really smoking that way?” he said as he pointed at the stove. Caileen turned around and quickly turned the stove off and she laughed. “I forgot I was cooking, silly me” she said.

Caileen managed to save the meal and she prepared early dinner for them. Anthony was raring to taste what she cooked and Caileen watched him as he took a spoonful. He watched him slowly chew and waited for him to clear his throat. “Well?” she asked and Anthony looked at her for a long time, she felt nervous and sad when his face became serious. “You’re beautiful” he softly said and she was confused. “What did you say?” she asked as she felt her face get hotter and her heartbeat faster. “I said you are beautiful” he repeated and her eyes gazed upon his, she felt shy and looked away. Caileen smiled and bowed her head a bit, “I was asking about the food” she said and Anthony laughed loudly. “Oh this? Well its delicious and I am being honest, and I would never lie to you” he told her. Caileen was full of smiles as she watched him gulp another spoonful.

After dinner they both sat by the living room, Anthony was so full and Caileen was sleepy. She leaned her head on his shoulder but he slowly guided her head until it was lying on his lap. “Anthony do you…” she was about to say but she stopped. Anthony looked at her and pinched her cheek gently, “Do I what?” he asked her. “Nothing” she said and he smiled at her. “If you are looking for answers you better ask the right questions, so tell me what were you about to ask me?” he said. “I…I love” she said but he covered her mouth so she was not able to complete her sentence. “You love to cook? Yes I can see that, you made a delicious meal today” he told her and he removed his hand. “No, I wanted to say that I love” she said but again he covered her mouth. “Caileen you don’t know me yet, you just think you do but you actually don’t. Im not saying that I have been lying to you, there are just some things you still don’t know about me. Look at me, I am a caveman, and you are an angel. You are young, beautiful, smart and jolly while I am old, boring, grumpy and miserable” he said. Caileen got up and knelt on the sofa and put her arms around his head. “You are old but age is just numbers, you were grumpy but I understand why, you are not boring, you are fun to be with, you are mysterious and you keep on surprising me. I don’t care if you look that way I still like you, no I think I am in love with you” she told him.

Silence engulfed the room as Anthony could not respond to her. Caileen was waiting for his response but Anthony just sighed and looked away. “I am sorry but that’s how I feel and I cannot help myself tell you. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same but just don’t say no yet. I know I am childish but I will change for you, I will be more mature. I don’t expect a response from you now, but I know you will learn to love me, I can wait, I will wait. You are leaving again right? I will wait for you, I won’t get mad at you this time even if you are gone, but don’t get mad at me if I will miss you so much and keep calling you every day. Just don’t say no please” she said as tears started to gather on her eyes. Anthony was silent and he did not look at her, tears started to fall down Caileen’s cheeks but still she waited.

“I am your angel and you are my caveman” she said as she sobbed and embraced him tightly. “Caileen, cavemen cannot fall in love with angels” he whispered. Caileen looked at him and she saw him still looking away. “It can happen, I did fall in love with you. I am in love with you, you are my caveman” she said but still he would not look at her. Caileen felt so much pain in her heart, she stood up and ran home. Anthony didn’t move nor ran after her, he just sat still as tears started falling down his face.

The next morning Caileen got up early, her eyes were still sore from crying all night. She did not feel like going for a jog but she walked to her window and opened it to get some fresh air. She looked towards Anthony’s home and she saw a limousine parked in front. She thought she was imagining things so she wiped her eyes and looked closer. She saw Anthony coming out of his gate carrying a bag, a tall blond haired lady came out of the car and met him. She felt something stab her heart as she saw Anthony and the woman kiss. Her body was trembling with anger and she kept shaking her head, she blinked several times faster but she was fully awake and she was not dreaming. The lady got in the car and Anthony looked her way and she immediately shut her window.

Her caveman fell for another woman.