Craved Affection

7. You Again

"Mom, you're heavy!"

I wake up with a start when I hear Luigi's deafening voice. I groan and bury myself more on the pillows I'm hugging. It's relatively small for me but I think I'm just not used to sleeping in my bed again. The bed in the office only had one pillow. But I don't remember having a pillow that moves.

"Mom!"

I open my eyes and see my son struggling to get out of my embrace. That is when I realize that I sleep beside him last night because I miss him so much. I fell asleep in the middle of the game we are playing.

"Good morning, honeybunch."

Luigi hates it whenever I call him with endearments. He even hates it when I shower him with kisses. But nothing is going to stop me from giving my love to him this morning.

"Please! No! That tickle!"

Hearing Luigi's laugh was music to my ear. I do miss waking up with him in the morning. What greeted me every morning for the last few weeks are stacks of paper and workload. It's nice spending my morning with my son again.

"Isn't this nice? This is what you have missed during the last few weeks."

I look at the door to see Anna leaning on the door frame with a spatula in hand. She's raising her eyebrows at me while telling me things that will make me feel guilty for not going home. I almost roll my eyes at her. Almost.

Just as I'm about to have a nice morning.

"Good morning, Anna."

Luigi gets up from the bed, jumps down, and runs toward Anna. He kisses her on the cheeks before proceeding down to the kitchen, probably. I also sit up on the bed. Anna finally look at me with a smile on her face. Finally!

"Breakfast is ready."

I nods at her and stood up. I follow her down to the kitchen. Luigi is already stuffing himself with pancakes. I sit down beside him and pour milk into his glass.

"Slow down, honey. No one will steal your food."

He just nod but didn't do as he was told. He's still shoving pancakes into his mouth one at a time. I look at the clock and finally realize why is he in a rush to eat his breakfast. His class would start at eight and he wants to be at school at seven-thirty and it's now already seven.

"Mommy, you should finish quick, okay? It will be your fault if I get late for school," he said when he paused for a moment.

"That's not a nice way of talking to your mother," I said firmly.

Luigi looks like a deer in the headlights when he realizes what he just said. He's so cute! But I school my expression to prove that he is in the wrong and he shouldn't talk to his elders like that.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

But how can I stay mad at him when he's being lovely? I'm just a mother after all.

"Okay. but don't do that again. Go and take your shower, I will drive you to school," I said to him.

He kisses me on my cheeks and jumps down from his chair. He runs up to his room to get ready for school. Anna places a plate of pancakes in front of me and a cup of coffee on my side. I give her my thanks with a smile.

"You should go home more frequently. It's been quiet here with just me after Luigi would go to school," Anna said as she took a bite of her pancake.

"I will try, Anna. The project had just been approved, so we might get busier. But I will try." Anna put the utensils down.

"You know that we are not your responsibility, right?"

I looked at her. Anna wouldn't be Anna if she wouldn't worry about the smallest things. She looked like she was about to cry. I smiled at her.

"Don't worry. I know. But this was the least I can do for the both of you."

She looked like she had more to say but I cut her off. I told her that we should finish our breakfast since Luigi hates it when he gets late. Surprisingly, it went well.

I drive Luigi to school and sent him a kiss. Then I go back home to prepare for the office. I will be going directly to Genesis today with Waterson. The man was adamant that he wouldn't come but I kind of threatened him if he would stick to his decisions.

"I'm going directly to their office, Jackie. Get Waterson to drive you there just to be sure," I directed Jackie on the phone.

"About the meeting, Miss." A pause. She's hesitating and that is slowly getting on my nerves.

"Just say it. I don't have much time right now. I'm driving." I try not to voice out the irritation in my voice.

"I sent the email to them after you had instructed me but..." another pause.

"Jackie," I call her name firmly. I'm getting frustrated with all this pausing and hesitating.

"They haven't responded to it yet."

"What?"

I'm lucky that it's red light because I accidentally press the brakes.

"I'm so sorry, Miss. I didn't get to tell you because we were busy and it slipped my mind." Jackie's voice trembles.

I'm getting pissed with the reasoning Jackie's giving me. I have so many things to say that will retaliate but I keep my mouth shut because there's no point in wasting my energy just getting angry at her. It's not going to make the problem disappear.

"You were doing a good job, Jackie. Why did you have to mess this up? I'm almost at their office and you just tell me that they haven't responded to your request. Are you trying to make me lose face?"

"I didn't mean it, Miss. It just slipped my mind and I just remembered it this morning."

"There's a reason for that sticky note on your desk and computer, Jackie. There is also a calendar and a journal. You should have jot it down if you have trouble remembering things."

I can only hear silence on the other side. I am now two blocks away from Genesis' office. I turn the corner and find the entrance to their parking lot.

"Get in here faster."

I park my car and grab my phone and purse. I got out but someone was speeding and almost hit me. That only adds to my irritation. I woke up with a smile earlier. My day is now starting to get shitty and it was less than half of the day.

What a day!

I hear some giggling behind me and it's probably the one who speeds up. I turn around and see the coffee shop guy, Philip was it, getting out of his car. A woman links her hands around his arms and presses her whole body to his. They didn't see me standing there and watching them from a distance.

"Why didn't we stay there? I was hoping that we could go somewhere. Just the two of us." The woman giggles again as if she is being tickled even though she isn't.

"I have work to do, Lauren. Our business meeting is over. You should call for your ride," Philip said without sparing her a glance.

Business meeting? Ha! He is trying to act rude right now but I bet they both enjoy their business meeting.

I shouldn't feel irritated with it but I am. Maybe because I'm already irritated, to begin with. And I don't like seeing a man like him. Acting like he owns the world right after getting what he wants. I couldn't understand why women fall for that.

"Miss!"

I hear Jackie's voice. I turn to see her getting out of Waterson's car. She runs up to me, Waterson trailing behind her.

"I don't think this necessary, Catherine." Waterson's voice is grumpy.

"I don't care if you have a hangover right now, Waterson. But I need you in your behavior on this meeting," I said to him before turning to Jackie. "I'll deal with you later."

Jackie looks down at the ground. Her shoulders are hunched and if my assumption is right, she wants the ground to swallow her up. Too bad, the ground is not going to open soon. I've been there and I know the feeling.

"We have been seeing each other lately." I turn to Philip when I hear his voice. "And I still don't know your name."

The girl is now following behind him. She's eyeing me from head to toe. I'm not one to back down, so I return the gaze. Scrutinizing her from her dress to her face.

Is this his type of girl? Short dresses, thick lipstick, dark eyeshadow, and slutty behavior.

I scowl. I didn't know he was this low. What a waste of his appearance.