From Mavis, With Hate

Chapter Three

NAHIMAS ni Rush ang magkabila niyang sintido. Pagkuwa'y frustrated na napabuga siya ng hangin. Mahigit isang linggo na siyang walang executive assistant. Pulos mga taga-HR ang ipinapadala sa kanya ni Daena. Akala niya ay mas capable ang mga ito na makipagtrabaho sa kanila dahil matagal na ang mga ito sa kompanya. But, no. They still can't keep up with him.

His previous executive assistants all can't keep up with him. And Rush wondered why because all they need to do is work. Six months max lang ang itinatagal sa kanya ng kanyang mga assistant. Kasama na roon ang dalawang buwang pagre-render ng resignation. Pero madalas ay nasesante niya sa trabaho ang karamihan dahil sa incompetency ng mga ito.

Okay sana ang assistant corporate secretary sa department ni David na si Roan dahil gamay na nito ang ugali niya at medyo nakakasabay ito sa topak niya. Pero kinailangan nilang ipadala si Roan sa subsidiary na hawak ng pinsan ni Rush na si Tyler. Kaya wala talaga siyang choice kundi ang mag-hire ng bagong EA.

Binuksan niya ang in-attach ni David na profile ng bago niyang executive assistant. This one's out of the norm. A previous call center agent. Huh. The desperation on Daena and David's part was too obvious. He regretted not being present during the interview process and wondered if this one would really be capable.

Mavis Policarpio graduated magna cum laude from St. Martin's University. Medyo nagustuhan iyon ni Rush dahil ang SMU ang isa sa pinakamagandang business schools sa bansa. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit doon nila pinag-aral ang kapatid niyang si Law. Rush wondered why Mavis Policarpio didn't apply on their company five years ago.

She's obviously the bread-winner of the family though. Based on the obvious fact that among the four Policarpio sisters, she's the only one with a job. The two younger sisters are still in school. One taking up business management and the other, law. May maliit na gasolinahan sa probinsya ang pamilya nito. It means they're not tight on money. Tinanong ni Rush ang sarili kung bakit hindi na lang kaya nag-focus si Mavis sa pagpapalago ng negosyo ng mga ito.

Apat na taon itong naging Team Manager sa dalawang account ng Avira.

Marami pa sana siyang tanong pero may notes na isinama sa background information ni Mavis Policarpio sina Daena at David. Ine-expect na daw ng bago niyang EA na walang magiging bakasyon at off-days ang trabaho nito. Hmm. Lahat naman ng aplikante ay ganoon ka-amicable pagdating sa schedule sa una. Keyword, sa una lang.

And according to David's notes, his new EA does not tolerate office romance and that she even brushed off David's advances. Why did she need to brush David off?

Napatawag siya bigla kay David. "Why did my new EA brush you off? What did you do?" agad na tanong niya sa kanyang chief legal counsel.

"Binabasa mo 'yong notes namin?" Natawa si David. "We just made sure that she won't take advantage of you. May ginawa kaming skit ni Daena kanina to test her and she passed. She almost left immediately after I asked her out on a date," paliwanag ni David.

Naiikot ni Rush ang kanyang mga mata sa sinabi nito. "I still can't believe na hindi n'yo pa siya pinapasok ngayon when you know for a fact na kailangang-kailangan ko na ng assistant. I don't care if she still has a month of rendering her resignation. She applied in this company which means, she should have been ready to start any time. Hindi ba 'urgent' ang nakalagay sa job posting natin?" seryosong sabi niya rito.

"Well, yes. But she still needs to make adjustments, Rush. Graveyard shift siya. Two days na lang naman at matatapos na siya sa Avira. We'll send an intern to accompany you to your meeting this afternoon," ani David.

"An intern? Are you fucking kidding with me right now, David? Should I remind you what the fuck happened five years ago when you sent me a damn intern for a friggin' simple task?" inis na sikmat niya rito.