TRAVEL GOALS: My Bundle D'Amour

CHAPTER 15

Elle's POV

"Ms. Elle, talaga po bang okay lang kayo?"

"Oo naman."

"Mula kasi nung bumalik kayo, parang nawala na yung dating Ms.Elle."

I just smiled at Angel. My friend and very loyal assistant.

"Okay lang talaga ako Angel, marami lang talagang nangyari."

"Bilib rin nga po ako sa inyo, bumalik pa po kayo dito."

"Saan naman ako pupunta Angel?"

"Hindi ko rin po alam Ms. Elle, pero sa galing nyo po, hindi lang naman po ito ang tatanggap sa inyo."

I smiled at her. I was about to speak nung may kumatok. Angel opened the door, bigla namang pumasok.

"Ms. Elle, good afternoon po. Pinapatawag po kayo ni Madame at ni Ma'am Jaimie sa boardroom."

"Dahil?"

"Wala pong nabanggit."

"Okay, I'll follow."

Pagtayo ko sa swivel chair, bigla akong nahilo. Andami ko nga kasing stress kaya ako nagkakaganito. Hindi na talaga healthy ang lifestyle ko.

"Ms. Elle!!" Angel rescued me

Naalala ko, hindi nga pala ako nakapaglunch kanina dahil natulog ako. Sandali lang ako pumikit, nawala din naman ang hilo ko agad.

"Angel, paki-orderan mo naman ako ng food. Hindi pa nga pala ako nag lulunch."

"Ms. Elle! Almost 4:00pm na po."

"Kaya nga siguro ako nahilo. Kahit anong sea food na lang siguro Angel. Salamat."

Nung mejo umayos na ang pakiramdam ko, nagderecho na ako sa boardroom. Kahit na ba ayaw ko, wala naman akong magagawa dahil empleyado pa rin ako dito sa Velasco.

"Ayan na po pala sya Madame." rinig kong sabi ni Jaimie pagpasok ko sa boardroom.

Nakatingin lang ako sa kanila without any emotion on my face. Masyado na akong stress para dagdagan pa ng mga mukha nila.

"Have a seat Elle." sabi ni Madam

"What can I do for you?" tanong ko while I am still standing

"We'll have a new client. He is a very busy Frenchman. At dahil busy sya, we'll be the one to go to him to be able to prepare his event. His branch here in the Philippines will be celebrating 10 years so he wants to hear our plan." Jaimie

"And?"

"And you'll be teamed with me papuntang Paris." Jaimie said excitingly

"I am sorry, I won't accept the job." sabi ko

"But Elle, this is a big client. Plus you'll get to travel to Paris for free." Jaimie seemed excited while telling me this

"Jaimie, I just went to Paris. Hindi mo ba nabalitaan na more than a month ako dun? Wala ka na bang ibang pwedeng ipangconvince sa akin?"

"Elle, you are the only one here who can speak and understand French. Baka naman pwedeng samahan mo na si Jaimie Hija. This will be your first project under her."

Pagkarinig na pagkarinig ko ng me under Jaimie, nag-init na ang ulo ko. I tried counting 1-10 just to calm my nerves at baka pati si Madame ay masagot ko ng hindi maganda.

"I am sorry Madame, there are still on-going assignments on my desk. I think I need to finish those first."

"But you can convince our potential French client because you know how to speak their language. Don't worry about your projects, I'll ask someone else to do that." Madame insisted

"Madame, I've had bunches of Korean clients. And I got them, even I don't speak Korean. Remember Mr. Tsu? The Chinese national? I've got him into a 10 year contract but I don't speak Chinese. I think it's not about the language you speak Madame, it's your plan Jaimie, which our company is selling." I take a deep breath bago ako rumatrat ulit

"One more thing, you know very well Madame that I don't pass whatever project I have to someone else. Of all the people here, you know how I do my assignments keenly. And you offering me to give away my projects for a free Paris pass isn't appealing at all. Sorry to say this but it insults me Madame." sabi ko

They both are at awe. Hindi ata nila aakalain na makakapagsalita ako nang ganun. Oh well, people change. Just how I am now.

Madame didn't really like me. It was Mr. Travis Velasco, her spouse who hired me. It was him who believed in me. I respected Madame so much because her husband had been so much of a help to me. I genuinely cared for this company but sadly, my efforts weren't counted. 

"May I take my leave? Sorry, but actually I believe Jaimie can pull it off without me. She was better than I am right Madame?"

And from there I left the board room. Angel already has the food I asked her.Mukhang sya pa mismo ang bumili sa restaurant sa baba.

"Ms. Elle! Kumain na po kayo. Baka mahilo na naman po kayo."

"Salamat Angel ha? Ikaw pa ata ang bumaba para dito."

"Simpleng bagay lang po yan Ms. Elle, sige po kumain na po kayo. Baka magkasakit po kayo sa kakaganyan nyo."

Nang maisara ni Angel ang pintuan, sinimulan ko nang kumain. Haiii, hindi na talaga ako healthy living mula nang bumalik ako. Hindi na ako nakakapagjogging sa umaga, kung ano ano na kinakain ko, madalas pa sea food, palagi pa ako inaantok at late ako gumigising. Haii sobrang stress ko na nga siguro ako. Tapos araw-araw ko pa nakikita si Jaimie. Haii nakakakunsume.

I just finished my food nang biglang pumasok si Jaimie at binagsak ang pinto.

"No proper etiquette before coming to another person's office? I see." Sabi ko while mocking her

"Anong problema mo Elle?? Bakit mo tinurn down ang business trip to Paris?!"

"Kasi galing na ako dun?"

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo! I am your superior and this is insubordination!!!"

"Oh?! So you are firing me?! Okay then. Here's my resignation. Busy ka kaya hindi ko maiabot sa'yo, pakisign na lang para makapagpasa ako ng kopya sa HR."

She is now furiously looking at me.

"What now? You can't? C'mmon Jaimie, sign it para naman maging at peace ka na din."

"Bakit akala mo ba hindi ko kaya nang wala ka?? I am far better than you! I expect this to be immediate."

"Oh sure. Bilisan mo na jan at ipapasa ko na ngayon sa HR. Pakilagyan na din ng immediate ha?"

She angrily grab the paper and signed it furiously.

After Jaimie signed. I went to the HR and pass my resignation. Nagulat silang lahat kasi nga I am one of those staff who loved the company as if this was my own. Ayaw sana ng HR manager but as she said, "I won't tie your wings. You are great Elle. You can soar higher."

And just like that, I lost the thing that makes me alive.