The Bridge Between You & Me

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Madame, you have a board meeting to attend, you should get ready."

"Remind me to strangle Asher when he comes home," nanggigigil na bulong ko.

Today is supposed to be my rest day with A3, but thanks to Asher, I have to attend a meeting as his replacement. Ang sarap ibalik sa sinapupunan ng nanay niya!

I took several deep breaths to prepare for a mini-battle with my daughter. My A3 doesn't back down easily, she clearly takes after someone stubborn. 

"Honey, Mommy needs to leave na. Let's continue to play when I get back, ok?" nakangiting paalam ko.

Agad namang tumulis ang nguso niya at nagpapa-awang humarap sa'kin. "But it's our rest day."

She mastered that act in perfection that whenever her shoulders drop down like that everyone around her backs down. At this rate, it's so obvious that she has everyone completely wrapped around her fingers. She knows how to use her charms to her advantage, this kid.

I took her to my lap then gently brushed her hair using my fingers. "Tell that to your Papa," may gigil pa ring sagot ko.

Asher has been giving me a lot of headaches these days, hintayin niya lang talagang magsalubong ang landas namin at masasakal ko siya.

"Can I come with you po?" Mahigpit ang kapit sa damit ko na tanong niya. 

I teasingly tapped her nose before speaking, "You can't, babies are not allowed in the office."

"But I'm not a baby..." she said, whining.

Natatawang kinurot ko ang pisngi niya. "Yes you are, look at you pouting like that."

Mas humaba pa ang pagkakanguso niya at hinigpitan ang pagkakakapit sa damit ko.

"Don't worry, dear. I'll be back soon. Saka I'll be leaving you with Tita-Mama, I heard Elliea 's waiting for you," I said, slowly laying down the trap.

"Really?! Then you should get ready na po, I'll call Remi muna po so she could join us!" maligalig na tili niya at nagtatakbo papasok ng bahay.

"Yvette, call MM and make sure that I won't be attending anything else but this meeting."

***

"Madame, they are all waiting inside."

Tumango ako at kaagad tumayo. I just hope today's agenda will pass by like the wind because I badly want to go home.

Yvette already briefed me on what today's meeting is for, and thankfully, I'm just here to facilitate and sit around because Asher is still the one to sign the contracts when he gets back. That's a given, Asher is still the CEO, though I also hold a position here, I'm still just standing in as Asher's replacement.

"It's nice seeing you again, Madame COO."

Goodness gracious, there they go again with that awkward and sarcastic 'Madame COO'.

I wore a smile to greet them back as a respect for their not-so-warm welcome. These old men here are still prejudiced about me joining the board so they attack me time by time but it's not a big deal. What could these rotten old men possibly do to me other than to throw unsolicited advice and opinions?

"You may all sit. Presenters, you may start when you're ready."

As expected, everything was well taken care of despite of the CEO being always missing in action. Kung hindi ko lang talaga alam kung anong pinaggagagawa niya ay baka noon ko pa siya itinali sa bahay.

There are a total of seven presenters today with the goal of explaining the future projects proposed by some organizations and companies. With that being said, the meeting stretched out until almost lunchtime leaving me bored and hungry in my seat.