CHAPTER 5

I sincerely detested Mondays. Nothing was good about going to work on a Monday morning. The heat, the noise, and let's not talk about the traffic met on the road. It was infuriating.

As soon as I parked my car in front of my office building, I breathed a sigh of relief because I survived the hectic traffic.

I worked in PR which meant I was responsible for maintaining a positive public image for a company or even an individual. I managed social media accounts, responded to customer complaints and so much more. I was very good at my job. I enjoyed working as a PR consultant. It was an interesting kind of work, I got to meet different kinds of people every day.

I got down from the car and walked towards the reception. I smiled at the security guard, walked into the elevator, and pressed button 5 which was my office's floor. I had a cup of coffee in my right hand and my handbag in the other.

As soon as I stepped off the elevator, I felt a sense of calm wash over me as I looked at the office. I was always early to work and I was early today.

The office was small but cozy, with a few desks arranged in a U-shape. My desk was near the window, so I could see my car way down, I could see the trees outside swaying in the breeze, and I could also stare into space. A few potted plants sat on the windowsill, adding a touch of greenery to the space. The walls were painted a warm beige, and they were a few photographs hanging here and there.

This was my third home, after my home and the beach of course. I loved the homely atmosphere of the office, we knew all our names and took the time to catch up on each other's lives.

The thing is, I couldn't drink at work, so work always distracted me from thinking which was extremely helpful .

My boss and co-workers, especially Lisa and Frank, were like family. I loved every one of them to bits. When Brian died, they were there for me too, even when I didn't want them to. I got a lot of consolation gifts and visits from them when I was given a few months of leave.

One thing was for sure, I separated my personal life from work. They knew things but didn't know much.

I settled into my chair, took a sip of the coffee, and smiled because it was so nice. I heard a chime from the elevator which meant someone was coming out. Then I heard the sound of heels clicking. I turned around and saw a slim and fair lady - Lisa. I looked at her face, she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Hiiii!". She sang as she embraced me so tight I couldn't breathe.

Lisa was one of my best friends at work. We were employed on the same day so we bonded quickly. Lisa was a charismatic colleague who always had a smile on her face and a kind word for everyone. She had a natural grace and poise that drew people to her, and she had a way of making even the most mundane task seem fun and exciting. Whether she was presenting something at work or chatting with coworkers, she exuded confidence and positivity.

Despite her many talents and accomplishments, she was humble and approachable. She never talked down to others or acted superior. I admired her so much and felt so lucky to work alongside such an inspiring person.

"How are you doing? How have you been my love? How was your weekend?" She asked breathlessly as she sat in front of her desk beside mine.

"Take a breather Lisa, relax." I said in amusement. She laughed.

"I'm good though, my weekend was great as well". Liar.

"Well, mine was amazing. I went to this resort..." Lisa got interrupted by our boss, Mr. Alex and I hate to admit it but I was thankful that he did because I honestly didn't want to listen to how happy her weekend was while I spent mine crying my eyes out, embarrassing myself, completely losing my best friend, and drinking to stupor.

"Hey, ladies." He said as he walked towards us and I could not help but admire his height "How are we all doing today?" He asked with a smile.

Mr. Alex was one of the best bosses in my opinion. He was a great listener and a great conversationalist. He always acknowledged our contributions to every conversation and offered words of encouragement and support. He always reminded us of how we were a team working towards the same goal. In summary, he was a firm but fair boss.

"Doing pretty good, thanks for asking," Lisa said. I got a bit of flirty vibes from that answer but I waved that off.

"I'm fine too, thanks." I replied with a smile.

"That's great to hear. He said then turned to me, "Have you checked your emails today Jennifer?" He asked.

"Not yet boss, I was going to though. Did I miss anything important?"

"Not at all, come to my office in 5 okay?" He said and I nodded before he walked away.

"Has he asked you out yet?" Lisa said, wiggling her eyebrows at me. I gave her a confused look. Lisa believed that Alex had a crush on me but was shy to say it out. I saw that to be untrue.

"Lisa, you're assuming wrongly, you know that right?"

"We both know I'm not. He likes you. I see how he looks at you too." She said smiling sheepishly. I rolled my eyes.

"You are wrong."

"Nope, I know I am not. I'm never wrong about things like this." She sounded extremely confident. "I feel you should ask him if he likes you."

Huh?

"You can't be serious right now." I said in awe.

"I agree with Jenny." We turned towards the voice and saw Frank.

"You should stop eavesdropping, Frank." Lisa said rolling her eyes at him as he walked closer to us.

"Not my fault you're so loud." He said and I laughed then got up.

"What's up?" He asked.

"I'm going to the boss's office" I said. Frank and Lisa looked at each other, giving signals. I detected it immediately.

"You guys, stop." I pleaded as I walked towards Mr. Alex's office listening to them laughing.

***

I knocked twice and was asked to come in. Walking into his office made me feel so much at ease. The room felt warm and inviting, with soft lighting and comfortable furniture. The walls were adorned with artwork and motivational posters.

His desk was large and well-organized, with a few personal touches like a picture of him and a small plant. Mr. Alex was a plant fanatic, that was why we had plants almost at every part of the workplace.

The chair behind his desk was plush and comfortable, there were 2 chairs in from of his desk, and there was a cozy armchair in the corner of the room.

He had a small bookshelf beside his desk that had several books on business, leadership, and personal development, as well as a few novels and board games.

There was a small kitchenette in the corner of the room, complete with a coffee maker, tea kettle, and a few snacks. He often invited us to have a cup of coffee or tea during break or he joined us in our break room to have interesting conversations with us.

Overall, his office was homely and comfortable too, a reflection of his warm and welcoming personality.

"Have a seat." He said while organizing some files on his desk. I sat down. After a few seconds, he looked up.

"How are you doing?" He asked again smiling softly.

"I'm okay, I'm good." I replied.

"That's nice." He said.

There was this awkward pause before he continued.

"So, I have a new project for you". I adjusted to the seat, paying close attention.

"You remember the charity event we do every year right?" I nodded. How could I forget?

My company was over 7 years old in the business. One time, my boss attended a seminar regarding small businesses not being able to grow because they used the hand-to-mouth method and any profit they got went straight into their daily living. After that seminar, he decided to start a form of empowerment program every year in the company.

Firstly, we picked a small business be it a restaurant or a bar, then we asked them if they would be interested in collaborating with us. The collaboration only needed them, their business location, and their hard work while we did the rest which included, bringing sponsors, photographers, and journalists to promote their business to society. So far, it had been a huge success.

I had been working in Media Maven for 5 years and had never been in charge of something like this so it was an honor to do it. Every year, Mr. Alex picked one of his workers and pitched an idea to them. Last year, Lisa was in charge. She was told to organize an event regarding small kiosks that sell foodstuffs and it came out as a success. We were even able to create an online site for the business so orders can be smooth.

"Well, I want you to be in charge of this year's own." He said with a smile.

I felt butterflies in my bellies. I couldn't believe it. I had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

I got up, took his right hand, and shook it rigorously.

"Thank you so much!" I said with tears in my eyes. He let out a laugh as I sat down back.

"This year, I'm thinking of widening the circle. Do you know of any mini bar or restaurant that deserves a shot at our charity fair?" He asked.

I quickly thought of the bar at the beach. I didn't know why but I was moved to say yes so I did.

"Alright then. I trust your judgment. Get the necessary information from them and get back to me in three weeks so we would start preparing on time to avoid any issues okay?" He said.

"Definitely boss," I replied. I still couldn't believe it. This was huge. I was grinning from ear to ear.

"Any other thing?" I asked.

He looked at me and rubbed his neck shyly.

What?

"Well, yes. I would like to know if you're okay with going out for drinks with me sometime"

I tried so hard to hide my shock.

Lisa was right.

I hate when she is right.

I had to think fast.

"With the others right? Sure. I'll inform them when I leave." I replied, playing the dumb card.

"No, I mean with you. I'm referring to a date, Jennifer. I want to go on a date with you."

I gulped. Hard.

"I'm sorry but I can't." I said and noticed the disappointment on his face.

He laughed dryly, "That's fine, it was worth the try. "

He started organizing the files on his desk but I could tell that he was just trying to distract himself.

I saw that as my cue to leave so I did, still elated that I was given such a huge responsibility.