Parallel Hearts

Chapter 4- Strained Ties

The tension between me and Elias had reached its peak. Our rivalry had seeped into every aspect of our professional lives, and it was taking a toll on the company. Our company recently had an issue regarding a client that we are about to lose, losing a client is a big loss for the company and it can affect us in other ways.

I am currently interviewing applicants at habang nag iinterview ako ang daming pumapasok sa isipan ko, losing 10 applicants is really hard, kailangan ko ulit ma fullfill lahat ng mga taong nawala sa hr, even though firing employees is quite a good decision to help the whole human resources department, mahirap naman maghanap ng kapalit, it will not be easy for me to find employees that fits the job, these past few days has been stressful to me, actually wala namang araw na hindi ako nas-stress eh, mas mahirap nga lang ngayon na ang daming nawala, hindi ko alam kung kailan dadating yung araw na magiging ok din ang human resources, it's far from happening but I am praying na mangyari yon.

After an hour I interviewed a lot of applicants but only three of them are fit to my description, I lost 10 applicants, and I also need to gain competitive applicants to replace them all, firing those applicants was very hard decision for me but this is a company and personal feelings is required to set aside for us to do proper work.

I still have no assistant, I admit it did just take me a few hours to decide because it is indeed a hard decision to let go of those employees, especially Naomi who is the most challenged in life, but if you're professional enough you have to set aside the personal feelings and the personal lives, it's not just the employees that I terminated, but I have to do it for the good of HR, all of the positions that are left had to be replaced again, but needs to be better because HR is the most important department of all companies, and it is indeed affecting the whole company.

After interviewing several applicants, I decided to take a break since it's already lunch time, this time I have to go alone at a cafe, I had to adjust to the new environment because I don't have Naomi to go to lunch breaks together, this time I need to learn on how to be independent, all my life I grew up depending on my friends, when I was in my teenage years I cannot live without my friends, I'm always looking for fun and adventure and cannot endure loneliness, but now in the real world I have to be serious because this is already a responsibility.

While walking my way to the nearest cafe, I bumped with Jacob together with his office mates, they are laughing together while holding their coffees in their hands, it seems like they already had their lunch break.

"Hi Zoe! San ka papunta ngayon? Are you going on a lunch break? Where's Naomi?" He asked. "I fired her."

"I'm sorry what? Why did you fired her?" He asked. "It's for the sake of the HR, and dad ordered me to do so, at hindi talaga ako ang may gusto non, kayo ba babalik na ba kayo sa office?" Tanong ko.

"Yeah we're going back, but how about you are you going on a lunch break alone?" He asked. "Yes, I'll just have a sip of coffee and I'll immediately go back to the office.

"Just coffee? Don't forget to have a lunch sometimes, too much coffee without proper meals are bad, sige una na kami Zoe ha, bye." Pamamaalam ni Jacob.

"Bye Jacob, have a nice day." Me and Jacob parted our ways, I entered the coffee shop me and Naomi always go to every lunch times, adapting to a new change is a bit hard but if it's for the good, then you have nothing to worry about it.

I ordered the usual coffee I always order, I also ordered a meal and after that hindi muna ako bumalik ng office, hindi ko alam kung tama ba itong gagawin ko na magpalate muna sa trabaho ko at mag shopping muna sa mall pang patanggal ng stress na to, went back to the mall and preparing to max out my credit card, I went to all of the stores and bought multiple bags and clothes, wala akong kasama at wala si Naomi to assist me in carrying my bags, nag decide ako na wag masyadong bumili ng madami, I bought make ups sa department stores and bought shoes and new office clothes.

After the office hours, I immediately rushed to the nearest mall to buy Axel clothes and shoes dahil nakalimutan kong bumili kanina sa dami kong iniisip, today is his birthday and I'm planning to go to Naomi's house para kahit papano mabisita ko si Axel because he already knows me, it took me two shopping bags, one for the shoes and one for the clothes, I immediately went to Naomi's house, when I arrived, I saw that Axel's birthday party is not yet over, there's a lot of people and younger children, maybe Axel's friends in school.

Lumabas ako ng kotse habang hawak hawak ko ang shopping bags, I saw Naomi entertaining the guests, the birthday party invaded the small house, naglakad ako papalapit sa bahay ni Naomi and she's still not aware that I have arrive, until I decided to call her name and she immediately looked at my way, when she saw me in a blank expression immediately covers her face with a smile, she tried to act cool infront of the guest because she know she cannot just release all of her anger at me.

"Zoe anong ginagawa mo dito?" Tanong nya. "I just came to give the gift for Axel, ito na yung request mo, damit at sapatos." Sagot ko as I gave her the shopping bags and she accepted it.

"Zoe thank you ha, buti dumalaw ka pa, papatapos narin kasi ang party eh."

"I know Naomi, I know Axel is expecting me here, by the way kamusta na kayo?" Tanong ko and she avoided my eye contact.

"Okay naman kami, okay din si Axel, ikaw kamusta ka na?" Naiilang na tanong nya. "I-I'm fine, medyo stress lang sa work as usual, still hiring applicants and can't see good applicants na pasok sa standards ko."

"By the way kumain ka na ba? Kung gusto mo kumain ka muna dito bago ka umalis?" Tanong nya. "No need Naomi, I need to go home immediately after this, pero before I go home can I see Axel muna?" Tanong ko.

"S-sure, sigurado din ako na gusto ka din makita ni Axel." Sagot nya at pinapasok nya din ako sa bahay nya, I saw Axel laughing with his friends and he seems so busy talking and playing with them.

"Axel, here's your tita Zoe." Sambit ni Naomi at agad lumingon sakin si Axel, he seems so happy to see me kaya agad syang pumunta sakin at niyakap ako, I hugged him back, he's such a big boy now.

"Hi tita Zoe I missed you!" Pagbati nya. "I missed you too Axel, did you have fun today?" Tanong ko. "Yes tita I really did have a lot of fun but why did you get here late?" He asked.

"Tita Zoe is very busy, but be thankful because it's better late than never." Sagot ko. "Thank you tita Zoe!" Pagpapasalamat nya, after that humiwalay na sya sa yakap, nagkatinginan lang kami ni Naomi, she gave the gift to the kid and said thank you with the happiest eyes, after that I decided to go home, but Naomi confronted me.

"Zoe." Tawag nya, sasakay na sana ako ng kotse but then she called me. "Zoe hindi ko pa pinapaalam sa pamilya ko na nawalan ako ng trabaho, nagrason lang ako ng 2 week leave, tatlong araw na nung naterminate ako, ayokong malaman ng buong pamilya ko na wala na kong trabaho." Panimula nya, hinarap ko sya but her eyes told me the desperation.

"Zoe please parang awa mo na, kailangan ng pamilya ko ang pera, Zoe may pinagsamahan naman tayo diba?" Tanong nya.

"Naomi you're mature enough to know about setting aside personal life to work, I have to go." I said giving a blank expression, as I decided to get inside the car, she held my hand stopping me from getting inside.

"Zoe one more chance! Kahit isang chance nalang to hire me again as your assistant pangako kong pagbubutihan ko sa trabaho promise talaga! Gagawin ko ang lahat lahat, pagbubutihan ko yung performance ko at gagalingan ko pa, Zoe kaibigan mo din naman ak-"

"Save that for yourself Naomi, I am just doing my job, but to be honest you're being careless in your job and you're not doing better, the HR is suffering Naomi and I hope you understand that." I said and when she tried to say something I immediately get inside of my car and drove off, going home feeling guilty of the decision I made, but work is work and professionalism is the most important thing in the corporate world.