Where is Ming Ming?

I expected he totally forgot me after the Count’s case. What does he need?

~~~

“Good Morning, Your Grace. What fine weather do we have, so am I.

“Have you felt good?” 

“I’m an optimistic person.

“Optimistic, you say?” 

“I have a visitor today, so I am afraid that I might not fully entertain Your Highness.” 

Let’s not waste our time over nonsense people. 

“What’s your favorite color?

“It’s green.

~~~

He thanked me before we ended the conversation. Why would he ask for my favorite color? 

“Beth, should I tell them to slow down?” 

“We should reach the place before lunchtime, so that’s a big no.” 

She explained I occasionally shook my head, so I assured if something was wrong with me, I’ll tell her myself.

After an hour, we reached our first stop at Madam Giselle’s Boutique---a shop where Miuerella bought her dress in the novel.

The chimes clanked when we opened the door then greeted by the store manager whose pupils dilated maybe because we were the Buena manos for today.

Author’s Note: Buena mano is a word which meant “good hands” in Spanish. However, when you go to the Philippines, it is the first customer of the day who brings in good luck for the business until the closing time.

“Beth, I like the ambiance of the store you chose, a secluded one.” 

Of course, you’ll like this because even if I was absent, you’ll find this store even though the location was in the middle of jewelry stores since the plot said so.

Even Mingming ran around in circles while her owner read the store’s sign.

And besides from that, going to the famous and crowded stores was a big no! Their hands were full on making other nobles’ attire.

Yes, the end product must surely be exquisite, one with a hefty price tag. For all I knew, they put a teardrop of a fairy into it. The last sentence was a joke, don’t take it to heart.

My point was, I want someone who would listen to our ideas and needs… not oppose to it. A cupid must ensure that she would be the prettiest woman on the night of the banquet.

Entrusting your love life to your dress and appearance was not the core message here. Even if people would not admit, we admire a person’s physical qualities. 

The color, texture and length of someone’s hair, quality of voice, what it felt like when you shook hands with him/her, perfume he/she wore—our senses noticed these factors first upon meeting new people.

Yes, having a good heart was important and on the other side, I won’t date a person who stank like a sewer. How would they take care of me if the person neglected himself?

5 minutes had passed, and we met Madam Giselle, a young fashion designer whose philosophy was to wear who you are. 

Her nose bled when she recognized her new clientele.

She gave us a curtsy and said, “It was my pleasure to meet you, Lady Bethany and Lady Miuerella, I’m Giselle, the owner of this humble boutique,” 

After the small introduction, I discussed my proposal to her and asked Miuerella’s preferences so Madam Giselle would incorporate it with her designs. We scheduled the meetings and fittings sessions since we had limited time to prepare. 

“How about you, Lady Bethany?” 

“I’ll just take whatever pre-made dresses would fit me.

Ella stomped her feet, crossed her arms, and stated her objection with my idea while I tried to explain my side, but she became deaf.

She held Madam’s hand and said, “I would make my best friend shine the brightest Madam Giselle! I would pay double for making my friend a stunning woman!” 

Madam Giselle chuckled and told us a story when she was a young helper in her mother’s boutique. 

She narrated how our fathers quarrelled about the same topic when they were teenagers. 

That’s when I remembered the Marchioness had high expectations too.

Lunch time. We enjoyed the savory chicken cordon bleu prepared by my own chefs at the restaurant Duke Klein gifted me. 

I like the crunchiness of the bread crumbs and the creaminess of the cheese.

I was on the verge of having a good day when Miuerella wailed when I had a meeting with my manager.

Mingming was missing. I handed a handkerchief to my friend and affirmed to her that everything would be alright as long as we started the search. 

We split so the search would be easier. I asked merchants, people in every aisle, and even kids if they saw a black cat with a pink satin ribbon on its neck. They answered no. 

When I lost hope, there was an old woman holding a bouquet of camellia who told me about a vendor in a flower shop right before Bloomfield Avenue picked up a cat with the same description. 

I hurried to the said location, and the old woman was right. A blonde man wearing a brown long sleeve shirt and a blue apron stroked our Mingming and gave her a bowl of milk.

“Good Afternoon My Lady, how may I help you?” he greeted with a beaming smile on his face. 

“Mister, I’m here because my best friend was looking for the black cat.

For sure, Ella cried buckets of tears now. I was ready to grab Mingming yet; it was a mere expectation. He didn’t believe my claim, so I narrated all the things which led my foot to his shop. I was in the middle of my explanation when he offered a chair to me.

“I understood Lady Bethany. Would you like some flowers for you and your best friend before you leave?

“Sure, give me anything and I’ll pay for it.” 

He got bunches of different varieties of roses and jasmine. He picked up his scissors, trimmed the thorns and stems of it. 

“But I don’t need your money, my adorable lady.

“Then, tell me so we could settle this faster.

“I need your time.

Oh God, why do I keep on encountering these types of trashy men?

Next chapter