Take My Breath Away

Watching her leave, Carlos wondered, 'I said I was sorry and I would like to make amends for my past mistakes. Why is she still mad?'

Dissatisfied with how things went, Carlos quickened his pace and caught up with Debbie in the hallway. He startled her when he held her by the hand all of a sudden. Forcefully, she tried to wrench her hand free, but he tightly held on, until they were in the elevator. "You haven't done your part yet. Now, I'll hang around to give you company while you do it," he declared.

"Part? What part?" She was confused.

But Carlos didn't answer, as he quietly led her to the ground floor of Dubhe Building. When they came to a shop for men's fancy underwear, Debbie understood what he had meant by her part. She had passed by that shop without going in that morning. Now with Carlos at her side, she didn't have a choice but to enter.

Some shop assistants trotted over to them when they noticed Carlos. "Good afternoon, Mr. Huo," they greeted in unison.

"Welcome, Mr. Huo," added one of them, a lady, apparently in charge of her colleagues.

Carlos nodded at them before he took Debbie further inside. "Go find me something you like. I'll wait here," he urged. Then he turned around, found the nearest empty chair and sat down to wait for Debbie. Almost immediately, a shop assistant beaming a smile served him a cup of tea. Between sips, he kept himself busy, reading a catalog of products.

Lost in a sea of expensive men's underwear, Debbie smiled awkwardly at the shop assistants who were guiding her around. To put herself at ease, she wandered around briefly, pretending to be at home.

A pair of red briefs caught her eyes. The embarrassment on her face was gone. She snickered and went to Carlos. "Will you wear anything I buy?" she inquired.

Carlos raised his head from the catalog. Although Debbie tried to look calm, her eyes betrayed her. To the mischievous look in her eyes, he sighed. "Yes, I will," he agreed.

His affirmative reply almost made her jump with cheer. It took a bit of effort to restrain her emotions as she turned. But before she could take two steps, Carlos added, "Anything but briefs. Also, I hate red."

Bummer. His response was like a wet blanket. It was the red briefs that she was considering buying him. With her plan ruined, Debbie pouted sullenly. "OK, I got it," she said.

Then she went back and wandered from section to section until she saw a pair of black boxers. Briefly, she picked it up and looked at Carlos who was quietly seated on the sofa. 'Not good enough for him.' She pursed her lips and put it down.

Next, she picked up a gray pair, looked at the man, and shook her head again. 'Not good enough either.'

On careful observation of how Carlos and Debbie communicated, the shop assistants all wondered who the girl was. One of them was so curio

e took eight hundred and fifty from her purse and handed it to the brat. "Here, you have it. Keep the change."

The young man felt embarrassed, but took the money all the same.

He grabbed his girlfriend's hand and was ready to leave.

"Not so fast!" Debbie said calmly as she closed her purse.

The young couple looked back, puzzled.

Debbie pointed at the man's shoes and said, "I paid the price. Shouldn't the shoes you're wearing be mine now? You may go, but leave the shoes."

The young man's face turned livid, but he couldn't figure out a line to retort, because what she had said was right. The onlookers started whispering and exchanging surprised glances at the unfolding drama. Left with no choice, the man took his shoes off and tossed them on the floor.

The sight of the worn shoes sickened Debbie. She held one shoe by the laces between her thumb and index finger, and threw it in the air. Lifting her right leg, she kicked the stinky shoe into the green bin at the cleaning lady's side.

After she had done the same with the other, the crowd clapped at her uprightness and cool moves.

After the couple fled the scene with embarrassment, the cleaning lady thanked Debbie in tears. Since the matter was settled, Debbie turned around and left. Behind her the cleaning lady's emotional words and the crowd's clapping filled the air.

Debbie had thought Carlos had left, but there he was, waiting for her not far from the crowd, in sunglasses, with hands in his trouser pockets.

Apologetically, she trotted to him. "I thought you had left," she said, feeling like a young girl again. A very different feeling from the forceful woman she had been while confronting the little brat.

Carlos opened his arms and received her with an embrace. "I wouldn't have been able to see my wife's heroic acts if I had left. That would be a pity. I feel so honored to have you in my life."