Fading Echoes

Treinta y tres (Part 1)

Irene

As I entered the meeting room, I spotted Cath already seated at the long table. Her vibrant smile greeted me, instantly making the room feel warmer.

"Hey, Irene! Glad to see you," she said, her eyes lighting up as I approached. "How have you been?"

"Hey, Cath! I've been good, just busy with the usual," I replied, sliding into the chair next to her. "How about you?"

"Same here! It's been non-stop with the project, but I'm excited about it." She leaned in closer, her tone conspiratorial. "I think we're going to make a great team."

I nodded, feeling a sense of camaraderie with her. I appreciated how she always brought a friendly energy to these meetings. Just as we settled in, Cath's phone buzzed loudly on the table, breaking the initial flow of conversation.

"Sorry, I need to take this," she said, glancing at the screen before stepping outside the room.

I turned my attention back to the meeting but found my mind wandering. I could hear snippets of her conversation through the door. "Yeah, I know it's been busy... No, I promise I'll make time. Just give me a little more..."

Something twisted in my stomach at the sound of her laughter, light and familiar. Who was she talking to? I shook my head, trying to push the feeling aside. Jealousy was an unnecessary complication I didn't need right now.

When she returned, there was a slight fluster in her demeanor, but she quickly composed herself. "Sorry about that! Just had to check in with my brother. Family stuff, you know?"

"Of course! Family is important," I replied, but I couldn't shake the curiosity about who was on the other end of the line.

"So, how's everything going with the project?" she asked, genuinely interested as she settled back into her seat.

"It's been challenging, but I think it has a lot of potential. I really hope our teams can align on the vision," I said, trying to keep the conversation focused on work.

"Absolutely. Collaboration is key," she agreed, her enthusiasm shining through. "And speaking of collaboration, how about we grab some coffee after this? I saw a café downstairs that's supposed to be amazing."

"That sounds perfect," I said, feeling a sense of relief at the idea of stepping away from the formal setting. "I could use a pick-me-up."

We made our way to the café, and the bustling atmosphere outside felt refreshing. As we waited for our coffee, I realized how nice it was to have someone like Cath in my corner.

"By the way," she said casually, "I hope you don't mind, but I overheard some buzz about the merger. Things are looking promising!"

"Oh, definitely! It's still early days, but I think we can bring a lot to the table together," I replied, appreciating her excitement.

"Good to hear! I really think we can pull off something special here," she said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

As we waited for our orders, I felt my earlier jealousy begin to fade. Conversations with Cath were easy, and it was nice to share this moment with someone who understood the challenges we faced in our roles.

We collected our coffee and found a cozy spot to sit, the warm aroma enveloping us. I glanced at her, and for a moment, everything felt just right.

Greggy

"Gago ka pare, buti hindi tinuloy ni Irene resignation niya?" Leon chuckled. It's also been a while since the last time we had a drink, kaya pinagbigyan ko siya. "Ayun na nga eh, sa totoo lang medyo kinabahan ako at siguradong mabubogbog ako ng tatay ko" I laughed and sipped on my glass of scotch.