Are we heading back to the office ma'am?” she asked.
“Let's call it a day. I think we deserve at least a simple celebration for the whole team. Please call the team to meet us on the same place exactly 8:00.” I instructed her.
My secretary immediately gave a phone call to my team still who were still working late in the studio. I also took my phone and informed the restaurant manager of the place we often visit with my team to reserve a place as well as prepare the food before 8:00pm.
“Everyone, I would like to propose a toss for a job well done today guys. Without your incredible skills and efforts, we can't close that deal. Thus, we deserve a celebration tonight.” I lift my glass of red wine and proposed a toss to my team.
For seven years now, I've been continually adding a person in my team. I started as a staff but the company seen my skills and passion for work thus they gave me an opportunity to lead a team on my own. Thus, every year I add one person to it. For now, I have 10 skillful and dedicated people working for me. I prefer to work with few people for me to personally know them and work out the skills needed to be enhanced. I never let them stagnant. Every 6 months, I send a person to travel abroad for a seminar and conferences. For me, they're my backbone and of course my assets in my team. I couldn't imagine working without these people. Their loyalty and dedication at work make the load lighter. I couldn't afford to lose them.
After our simple celebration, I grabbed a taxi to each of them to send them safe back to their respective places. I took for a short walk to breathe some fresh air.After all, I badly need this quality time after the long days of work. For me, it‟s a gift for myself.
I walk towards the amusement park and there I watch each family having their quality time. I missed my family so bad. I hope to have a good and long vacation next Christmas season. I want to take them somewhere in the Middle East when I got a break. I was captured by a perfect scene when suddenly a boy selling flowers approached me.
“Please buy my remaining long stem roses, ma'am. My mother and my siblings are waiting for me down town. Please”. As soon as I asked for the price, a man in between 30 interrupted us.
“How much is that?” he plainly asked the boy.
“It's seven hundred fifteen pesos sir”. The boy replied to him. He took his wallet and paid the boy the sum he needed. I just smiled at him and returned my sight back on the rides.
“These long stem roses deserve a beautiful lady like you. Would you mind if you would take these from me?” I was surprised of what he said. With a second thought, I reached out the roses in his hands.
“I'm expecting you‟ll smell it. It‟s the usual thing a lady does after receiving a flower, I guess”. He said to me.
I let out a deep sigh. Next thing I knew, I am already sneezing in front of him.
“I'm sorry.” I said. “No, it's okay. Please hand me that.” He said while immediately reaching out the flowers in my hand.
I handed back to him the flowers. It's good there's a lady who passed. Certainly, he gave the flowers to the lady. The lady just replied with a smile.
“I'm sorry. I've wasted your money. It's just that the flowers don‟t love hanging around with me because of my allergy. I'm really sorry. I can pay if you let me.” I said.
“Of course I won't let you do that. I'll sound insensitive and ungentle if I will let you pay. After all, it's not your fault. I insist the flowers without knowing you have an allergy with those.” He replied.
“Thank you”, I said.
“By the way, we already have a conversation but I haven't yet introduced my name. I'm Dilann. It's my pleasure to meet you.” He said as he reached out his hands to me.
“Oh, your name sounds familiar. I'm Dale. It's also my pleasure to bump at you.” I said as I offer a shake hand to him.
“Do you still have some time? Would you mind if I asked for a coffee with you at a nearby store?” he gently asked.
“Coffee…it sounds good. I still have time, I guess.” I simply replied. I didn't know but I feel at home with this stranger. I she really a stranger or someone I met once in a trip?
“Let's go?” he asked that startled me a bit from staring blankly in thin air.
We arrived at the nearby coffee shop and immediately we headed towards the counter where the barista serves the coffee. We ordered a cup of cappuccino and a chocolate cake.
“You know what, I find you unusual for a lady. Often, when I and my friends hangout in a coffee shop their girlfriends won't order even a bite of chocolate cake. They're very conscious of their body.” He said while wandering his eyes at the counter.
“Really? What's wrong with eating a chocolate cake? It's my stress food after my busy day at work.” I said.
“I hope every woman is just like you. I won't have any problem if that would be the case.” He simply replied.
I just smiled at him. We just spend half an hour at the coffee shop. After that, we decided to bid each other's goodbye.
“I hope to see you next time. Really…I hope to meet you again.” He said while intently looking at my hand.
“I hope as well. You can take my number if you want. It doesn‟t sound bad, I guess.” I replied.
“No, it's okay. I'll ask for it the next time we met. I have this feeling that we will meet again. Goodbye.” He finally said.
I drive my car home and immediately walk towards the bathroom for a half bath. Before I went to bed, I checked my phone for some text messages. It's all from my team expressing their gratitude for the successful proposal of the project. My heart leaps for a second after reading their messages.
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