Working Girls Series# 1: Beautiful Nightmare

Chapter 30

They stayed in the library after lunch. He was supposed to carry her back to her room but Mia is so adamant on staying downstairs. Nabo-bored na daw ito kakahiga sa taas. She's now sitting comfortably on the sofa across his desk while sketching something on her drawing book.

Max is occupied by the reports sent by his accountant as well as the actual costs incurred by all the departments and the variances againts what was forecasted. They're now nearing the end of the third quarter thus the start for their annual budgeting and planning. He usually stays at his condo near his company by this time of the year but city life is not so enticing to him right now.

Naputol lang ang pag-iisip niya ng mag-ring ang kanyang phone.

"Yes, Minerva?"

Agad nabaling sa kanya ang tingin ni Mia pagkabanggit niya sa pangalan ng nasa kabilang linya. Kinindatan niya ito na isang matamis na ngiti naman ang ganti mula dito. He could get used to this.

"Max, the board is asking when are you coming here? The kick off meeting for the annual budgeting will be next week, Wednesday."

He can sense from her tone how stressed and pressured she is. He felt guilty somehow. Halos ito na ang gumagawa sa trabaho niya since hindi na siya regular na pumupunta sa opisina.

"I'm sorry, Minerva."

Natigilan naman ito sandali sa sinabi niya. Afterall, it's not everyday that a certain Mr. Maximus Black says sorry to anyone.

"What for?"

"For not being a good boss to you. You should rest, hayaan mo muna ang trabaho ngayon."

Mahina itong natawa, parang hindi makapaniwala sa sinasabi niya.

"I don't know if I have dialled the right phone number. Is this Max?"

"Minerva, I'm not kidding. You sound so tired."

"I know, but you know me. I am restless if I don't work. Kaya nga ako nagtagal sa'yo hindi ba kasi pareho tayong workaholic."

He just sighed, alam naman nilang dalawa na hindi ang pagiging workaholic ang dahilan ng pagtagal nito sa serbisyo.

"Well, okay. Basta if you need rest, go have a vacation. But as for the meeting, we have to move it to other days, I can't make it on Wednesday."

Nasabi na sa kanya ni Mia ang schedule nito sa trabaho kaya hindi pwede ang Wednesday dahil hindi ito makakasama sa kanya. He won't be able to focus on work knowing that she's all alone in here.

"Why? Magtataka ang board kung bakit hindi ka makakarating samantalang dati pa 'to naka-schedule. Saka anong date naman imo-move ang meeting?"

"I'll explain when I get there. I'm still not sure when, but I'll call you later for the final schedule."

He heard her sigh on the other line, mukhang dinagdagan niya pa ang alalahanin nito.

"Okay. I'll wait for your call."

Max ended the call then slowly went to the sofa. Umupo siya sa tabi ni Mia saka umakbay dito. She's still busy sketching what seems like a garden.

"What's that for?"

Tumigil ito sa ginagawa saka nakangiting lumingon sa kanya.

"Para sa garden mo. Sabi kasi ng katrabaho ko sa Lawod marami daw silang bulaklak sa kanila. Plano ko sanang manghingi para itanim dito. Ang lungkot kasi tingnan ng lawn mo, wala ni isang bulaklak, puro damo lang."

He nodded slowly and then started playing with her hair.

"Ayaw mo ba?", untag nito sa kanya. He looked at her worried face and smiled tenderly.