Carl & Ashley

Chapter 4

Ashley

Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang nangyayari sa aking boss. I mean, ano bang problema sa skirt ko at gusto niyang palitan ko? At ayaw niya na naka skirt ako, bakit? Hindi ko maiwasang mapatingin sa legs ko dahil baka mamaya eh madumi pala. Alam ko kung gaano ka kinis ang aking binti kaya naman confident akong magsuot ng maigsi. Ang saya ko pa naman paggising ko at excited sa bago kong trabaho. Para na nga akong nakakarinig ng naglilirang anghel sa sobrang galak!

The guards and the reception greeted me with all smiles, so I was really in the mood. I even feel a lot beautiful only for him to ruin it. Maaga din si Ava at sinabayan talaga ako para ma-explain sa akin ang mga bagay tungkol sa aming boss, para daw ma-impress ko siya. Nilalagay ko ang mga folder na kakailanganin para sa meeting mamaya ng dumating siya. Siguro ay maaga itong pumasok para mahanapan ako ng mali at ang skirt ko ang napagdiskitahan niya.

Now, I am in front of his office door again and I wonder how I am going to get his coffee. Afraid of the coffee getting cold, I sighed deeply before I knocked and got in.

" Your coffee," sabi tapos ay inilapag ko na sa kanyang table. He just nodded and didn't bother looking at me. Well, I guess it's for the better. I might talk back to him if he would open his mouth since wala naman itong magandang sasabihin.

"Ash," I heard him call when I was about to open the door and I was a little stunned. There's nothing wrong with him calling me that. Many of my friends called me that way, especially whenever they wanted me to do something for them. But with his voice, why did it feel like he was sending chills to my body? I looked back and waited for him to say whatever he wanted to say. He was now looking at me, so I kept a stoic face. "Be ready for the meeting. I wanted everything to be well noted and a clear summary after," he said,

"Noted, Sir." I replied. I left his office and got ready. It was about the bidding that he wanted to join in. One thing I liked about my boss was the fact that he was very hardworking. He always finds possible clients and that is, according to Ava, that's why she warns me that I will be working beyond office hours and sometimes I have to give up my rest days and holidays. Well, I expected that already, so it was fine.

I admit that the last assistant was organized, everything is in place and it was such a shame that she chose to get fu** by Carl rather than just work. I can't blame her though, my boss is fu****g handsome and sexy in his suit. Even when he was just sitting behind his table, he still looked dashing. Awww, how come I am thinking this way? No, I should erase that in mind, erase! Erase! Erase!

Afternoon had come and everyone was in the presentation room. I heard earlier when I went to the restroom that Carl didn't want any unfinished or unthinkable presentation and they were in the company long enough to know what kind of work he wanted. Carl sat on his chair while I stood behind him,

"What are you doing there?" he asked, so I looked at him confused.

"Sir?" I asked,

"Why don't you sit?"

"Oh, I like it this way. I want to see everyone." I replied, which I know confused him. I don't know but I get to understand everything when I am standing and seeing everyone's faces. I didn't want to remain seated, so I looked around. When I am standing, I only need to look straight and I can see everyone.

"How are you going to take notes if you are going to stand there the whole time?" he asked,

"I think that's my own problem and you just need to be ready to yell at me later if I don't deliver the summary that you wanted." I replied, and everyone looked at each other.

"Is there a reason why you didn't want to sit beside me?" he asked again. Because I didn't want anymore arguments, sinabi ko na lang sa kanya,

"Yes, I might jump into your lap and get fired after." he looked at me and I saw in everyone's faces that they were trying to hold their laughter. Carl sighed and started the meeting, so I started my recorder as well while I listened to them carefully.

The meeting was dragging long because of some adjustment that Carl wanted to do. Sobrang dami niyang gustong mangyari at malamang ang mga kasama niya sa trabaho ay kailangan mag brainstorming ng bonggang bongga. Kung kailangan nilang i-drain ang laman ng utak nila ay gagawin nila para lang mafulfill ang mga bagay na gustong mangyari ng aming boss.

It was almost three hours and we were still stuck in the bidding project and we still had a meeting for the marketing of the first ever supermall that Carl started to venture in. He is really hard working.

"Let's have a recap." he said after, "Ashley," he called me,

"Sir?"

"Recap." Well, I was stunned, hindi ko naisip na ako pa talaga ang iparerecap nya. Siguro ay gusto lang niya akong ipahiya dahil nga hindi ako nag notes habang nagpepresent ang iba. Kung ganon ay,

"Alright, Sir." I replied and started repeating what everyone had said. Carl looked at me as though he had seen a ghost, as the others did the same. I even said my comments and suggestions and while doing that, I saw the respective presenters nodding their heads, meaning they welcomed my point of view.

"You really did take down notes," Carl said after.

"Yes Sir, and I wouldn't be able to do that if I jumped into your lap instead." I replied and, I'm sure that they are not going to believe it because of the way that I said it and the face I had when I said it.

"What if you missed something?" he asked,

"Then I am going to listen to this." I replied, showing him my recorder.

"You're recording our meeting?"

"Yes, just in case I forgot something. Although it has never happened before, I just want to make sure." I replied,

"Our meeting should be confidential."

"I know that, Sir. I didn't say that I was going to play and broadcast this to the world." I replied,

"But there's a risk in what you are doing. What if your recorder landed in the competitor's hand?"

"After I submit the summary, I am going to delete this as well." I replied,

"No recording next time, Ashley." he said.

"Noted, Sir." Then he looked at everyone again. Then I saw a man walking, on his way to the presentation room where we are. The room wall was made of glass so we could see everyone outside and they could see us inside too. He was looking at me, smiling, so I smiled at him too and that's when he winked at me. I laughed at the thought that this man was a playboy and, probably, Carl's friend. Birds who have the same feathers, really flocks together.

"Ashley,"

"Yes, Sir?" I replied, but my eyes were still on the man that had just come in and our eyes were still locked with each other.

"Why did you just come now, Mav?" Carl asked,

"Mav," I called his name.

"Yes, that's me," he replied,

"I'm Ashley," I said and offered him my hand and he took it. "You can call me Ash, Sweetheart, darling, sweetie, babe, even love. Whatever you wanted." I added, and that made him laugh. I could see everyone in my peripheral vision that they were all looking at us, even Carl.

"Your hand is soft," he said,

"Yeah, never done a hard job. I was pampered at home, I guess." I replied, and he smiled. "While yours was rough and had calluses," I added, which made his smile vanish. "Very manly." I continued and his smile was back. Then I sniffed him while my eyes were closed, trying to find out what it was that I smelled on him,

"You smell good. Perfume must be very expensive. There's a hint of sweat and a combination of wood and metal scent." I said, then opened my eyes and found myself really close to him. I smiled as I moved a little away from him. I didn't want to scare him. "You are forgiven," I said,

"What?" he said with a creased forehead,

"You are forgiven for being late." I said and gave him a smile and he smiled too, until we laughed together.

"What made you say that?" Carl interrupted us,

"Because he actually rushed here, he must be in the woodworks and metalworks and he was busy there, but remember that he had to be here so he's late."

"What if he actually came from fu****g a woman?" Carl asked again.

"That's impossible, whose man would want to fu** a woman with a scent of his job lingering on his body?" I replied, "Unless the woman was his wife, but looking at his finger, he doesn't wear a ring, so it means he's still single." I added,

"I like you," Mav told me,

"Oh, what a coincidence!" I exclaimed, "The feeling is mutual." I added and we laughed,

"Stop it you two." Carl said angrily, but Mav continued to laugh.

"Mav," Carl called him and then looked at me. "Sit down now, man." he said before he dismissed everyone and rescheduled the marketing meeting for the next day. Everyone was looking at me with a smile before they left, so I smiled at them too. Malamang ay headline na ako sa buong kumpanya maya maya lang.

"Are you still not going to sit, Ashley?" he asked me, and I wondered where the “Ash" was that he called me this morning. I decided to sit beside Mav but, "Don't sit there, you sit here on my left." I looked at him confused, "Why? You are not worried that you jump on his lap instead?" he asked, which made Mav look at me, confused.

"Yeah," I replied to him, "Because I know that he will catch me." I added and that's when Mav laughed really loudly.

"You must be his new assistant," Mav said, before he looked at Carl. I don't know why, but I had a feeling that he somehow knew me from somewhere.

"The one and the only," I replied.

"I see," he replied. Then Carl interrupted us again and discussed the furniture for the township's proposal. I was right after all. He was into carpentry and was the leading furniture supplier in Cali. Both men looked dignified as they talked about their business and I couldn't help but admire both of them.

Ava came in for our snack, which was supposed to be my job, but Carl hasn't let his assistant leave the meeting ever since. That's why it was Ava who did that. I was worried about the other employees we just had a meeting with and I told Ava to buy something for them as well. We are in a meeting for almost three hours, they must be really exhausted. If Carl does not pay for the snacks, then I am going to pay for them instead. Wow ang yaman ng lola… Kawawa lang naman kasi sobrang ganda ng kanilang presentation at para lang hindi matigil ang discussion ay naisantabi ang snack. Sisingilin ko na lang ang magaling kong boss na makakalimuting magpakain ng empleyado.