Before The Next Teardrops Fall

BTNTF Two

"MS. MAELEE, what are you doing here?!" The girl behind the counter asked. She hushed her.

"Ssshhhh... Tone it down." She said in an almost whispering voice.

"Okaayyy... But what are you doing here?" The girl asked again. She didn't see her here the first time she was interviewed.

"You. What are you doing here? I thought you are still working under my brother." She asked quietly. The girl just smiled at her. "Why are we whispering?" Dugtong niya. Natatawang napailing ang babaeng kausap. Kilala siya nito na mabiro at maloko.

"I resigned from there, Ms. Lee. I need a little less hectic schedule. Sir Aldrin won't let go of me at first but since I told him my reasons, he finally said yes. Para na rin akong nag-propose sa kanya." She raised her eyebrow. The girl giggled. "Ms Lee, I am getting married and my house is closer here and my fiance's work is close here, too. Sir Aldrin recommended me here, I think he know the owner." Maelee's eye bulge out when she heard the last part of what the girl said.

"Liza, did you just say that my brother's friends with the owner?!" Medyo napalakas pa ang pagkakasabi niya. She is not going to have this. She wants to start somewhere without her last name being involved, and mostly, not her overprotective brother. Tapos malalaman niya na kaibigan pa pala ng Kuya niya ang may-ari?

"I'm not sure kung kaibigan o magkakilala lang sila but you can asked Ma'am Erica." Liza said smiling. "Why are you here anyway?" She then asked. Curiosity is playing a good part here right now. Nagtatakang nakaalis ang babae na hindi nakasunod ang dating boss sa kapatid.

"I'm scheduled for my second interview in an hour." She blurted out like it was nothing. Mas mabilis, mas madali, tapos agad.

"Interview? Here? Why?" Liza asked out of curiosity.

She knew that this girl in front of her, who also used to be her boss, don't have to apply at any company dahil pag-aari ng pamilya nito ang pinakamalaking kompanya ng car parts sa buong Pilipinas, distributor nga sila na may mga branches sa iba't-ibang panig ng bansa and her Mom owns a few chains of coffee shops, By The Bench. What is she doing trying to get a job here? Naisip ni Lisa.

"Because I wanted to do it on my own, Liz. I wanted to be just Maelee and not Ms. Richards." She finally said in a low tone.

She felt that she could tell Liza everything right now. She was her brother's secretary for a while at minsan ding naging kanya.

Tumango naman si Liza. Naiintindihan nito ang dalaga, at naaawa din ito kasi masyado ngang sheltered si Maelee ng kapatid at ama. Liza witnessed how her former boss gets worried about Maelee with the tiniest details.

"Don't worry, Ms Lee, akong bahala sa iyo, your secret is safe with me." Liza patted Maelee's hand. She smiled and nodded. They smiled at each other. "Well, for a start, what can I do for you?" She asked, smiling. Maelee took a deep breath and relaxed.

"Thank you, Liz." The tension was gone now. "I have an interview with Mrs. Villasis." She continued.

"It's at ten, you said?" Liza asked without looking at her as she's too focused on the computer monitor in front of her. "Do you want to do it now? You still have half an hour before ten." Liza looked at her. The years that she had worked at FGC, she knew her already. They are just a few years apart, maybe three or four, but she's comfortable with Liza.

"I don't want to sound so eager and excited, although I am, but what do you think?" She asked, Liza laughed.

"It would be okay. Half an hour is fine. Let me call Madam Erica that her ten o'clock is here." She tapped a few buttons on the dashboard and in a few moments, she started talking. "Ma'am, Ms. Richards, your ten is here. Yes, Ma'am. Right away, Ma'am." Liza hangs up the phone and gets back with her. She handed her a visitor pass.