CHAPTER 21
1457 Words
CHAPTER 21
"Hey! Are you okay, Aubree? You've been staring blankly at your desk for a while now." Lorna's question brought me back to reality.
I erased the bitter memories of yesterday, of love lost. Now, I will move on for my children.
"I'm fine, Lorna!"
"Are you sure? Let me see." I was about to turn away when she grabbed my face and placed her palm on my forehead, both front and back. "You're a bit warm. You should just go home early. You're probably done with filing the documents we'll submit to our next clients this weekend." She suggested.
"Is it okay? It's still 40 minutes before we clock out. But I think I need a little rest right now."
"Oh, it's totally fine, you're just probably thinking about who our next boss will be... omg... it's next week already! Gosh! I'm so excited."
"No, it's just that I have a lot on my mind, but not about the new boss," I replied.
"You know, I actually heard a rumor that our next CEO might already have a fiancée. Though it's not confirmed, it's just what I heard from other staff who have been working in this company for a long time." I just shook my head at Lorna.
At least she had a little bit of information about our next boss in this building. While me? I have no idea who it is. I just hope they're like our previous boss, someone who seems like they wouldn't break a plate when giving instructions to employees.
Carrying my black handbag, I went to the other department office to say goodbye to Annaliza and Lanie, letting them know I was leaving first. I had already texted them, but I also had some files to give Lanie, so I'd just drop them off.
I really felt like I was going to get sick. It rained yesterday, and I didn't even bring an umbrella, so I got soaked because I ran through the alleyway to get home.
"Hey, be careful, the weather's still not good," Annaliza reminded me.
"Thank you, Annaliza and Lanie. See you tomorrow if I feel better."
"If you're still not feeling well, don't force yourself. Remember, health comes first before work, or you might fall asleep here." She pointed to the office, so I smiled.
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind. You guys take care of our manager. Though I already dropped him a message, you guys still defend me."
"No problem, day, be careful, you just need a kiss and a hug, and then you'll be back to being strong, oh, you don't have a boyfriend, so you don't need that," Lanie said.
I do have a hug, the hug of my children, that's what I need to be strong, and nothing else, but because I felt like I was going to get sick, I couldn't be near them.
Sigh, why did it have to rain when I didn't have an umbrella? When I do have one, it's scorching hot.
As I stepped out of the building, my eyes narrowed, recognizing someone outside, sitting on his motorcycle. When he saw me, he waved, so I approached him.
"Caloy! You came here? Did you deliver something?" I asked him.
"Deliver? No, I came to pick someone up, yes, I did." He said. I looked behind me, wondering if someone was coming towards us, but there was no one.
"Is that so? Okay, I'll go ahead?" I was about to leave when he grabbed my arm.
"Where are you going?"
"Going home..." I shrugged.
"Oh!" He handed me a helmet.
"For what? Don't tell me you've been waiting for me here?"
"Who else would it be?" He said laughing.
"Oh! Why did you bother?"
"You don't want it? It's free."
"Oh well! It's a blessing, why would I refuse." I said.
"See, you know I'm not just a food delivery guy, Aubree, now you can also consider me a driver on the road."
"Eh! Why? Did I ask you to pick me up?"
"No, but I went somewhere near the building where you work, so, surprise..." He said, so I just laughed.
"True, it would save me on fare if you could pick me up every day, I'd be okay with that." I said, and he helped me put the helmet on.
"No way, you're getting lucky?" Because of what he said, I hit his shoulder.
"Oh okay, you've hit me eight times now, and when it reaches ten, I'll really charge you for my pick-up and drop-off service." He said, so I pouted. This Caloy is really a goofball.
I got on his motorcycle, "I think I'm going to get sick. I got caught in the rain yesterday, Caloy!" I complained to him.
I feel like Caloy is an older brother, so sometimes I call him "brother," but he doesn't like it, because he thinks I might fall for him, and it would be awkward if someone heard that I was dating my brother.
He's different.
But still, my priority right now is my children. If I ever open my heart to someone else, it will be a long time from now, because if I let someone new into my life, I'm afraid I'll be traumatized again, that the same thing will happen to me. Begging someone to be mine, only to find out that it was all planned from the start, just to hurt me.
"I heard you say you're not feeling well. Eat and take your medicine right away, Aubree. You know your two angels need you, and those kids' day isn't complete without your hug. I noticed that," I nodded at what Caloy said.
He parked his motorcycle, and we went inside the house together.
I was still outside, but I could already hear Freya's shout.
"Mama! Mama!" The kids were about to run towards me as soon as the door opened, but Caloy gestured to the twins that they couldn't hug me.
Freya put her hands on her hips and looked at Caloy with a frown.
"Uncle Caloy! She is my mama. So, I want to hug her. Why can't I?" Freya pouted.
"Freya, be nice to your Tito."
"Sorry mama, sorry uncle Caloy." Freya immediately apologized, so I smiled at that.
Caloy knelt down and faced Freya. "Because mama is sick right now, princess, so you can't be near mama yet."
"Mama! You're sick? Oh no..." Freya asked, placing her small hand on her cheek as if she was surprised.
Maynard was quiet in the living room, but I'm sure he's thinking about it.
"Are you sick, Aubree?" I heard mama asking, she just came out from the kitchen.
"Good afternoon, Tita." Caloy greeted my mom.
"Good afternoon to you, son."
"Maybe, mama, it's because of yesterday, I got caught in the rain."
"That's what I've been telling you, don't forget your umbrella." My mom said, so I nodded and smiled.
"Sorry, mama, I was in a hurry yesterday, so I left it at home, I forgot to put the folding umbrella in my bag."
"Because you're not feeling well, I just cooked beef bulalo."
"Yehey, bulalo... I want bulalo Lola mama! But mama sad si Freya because I can't hug you and kiss you," she said, so I smiled while she and her brother were in the living room, and I was still standing at the door.
I'll give them a flying kiss and a virtual hug. "I love you babies, mwahh mwahh mama will make it up to you when she gets better, okay?" I said to them softly.
"Yes, mama, get well soon, okay?. Eat dinner first, mama, before you rest, then take your medicine." Freya said politely, and Maynard nodded too. I know he wanted to say something too, but his sister always got to him first.
I said goodbye to Caloy, who was now busy helping my mom in the kitchen. My father was at the store and closed early so they could eat together. I went upstairs to change, I could really feel that I was getting a cold, and later the kids would sleep next to my mom because I wasn't feeling well.
"Here, mama! Here you go."
"Baby, mama has plenty of food." You see, all the vegetables and meat that were supposed to be for them were being given to me.
"So mama can get better, right, twins?" We just smiled at each other at the dining table, at how affectionate my children are.
Caloy said goodbye before eight in the evening, and I went to sleep, feeling sad because I wasn't with my kids side.
I need to get better so I can go back to my normal life.
- Writer
