C5 Alone But Never Lonely

~Krizza~

After my unexpected but fruitful meeting with Alex, I returned to our office at once and work on the formal proposal and ready a contract as well. It’s around seven pm, and almost everyone else went home already. There are only a few of us left here, still working.

While I’m busy working on my computer, a knock on the door distracted my focus. I glance in the door’s direction and see Aimee, one of our Admin assistants, and she has already opened the door for herself.

“Hi, Aimee. Come in!” I told her although there’s no need to because she’s already on her way to my desk.

“Aren’t you going home yet?” She asks.

“Nope. Not yet. I have to finish this one first. Why? Are you guys off to go already?” I ask her and spare a glance at the piled-up people before my office door. Aimee looks in the same direction as well.

“Yes. But we’re not going home yet. We’ll be having a little celebration at the pub not far from here. It’s Robby’s birthday today. He’ll be treating us.” She told me, a smile evident on her face. Robby is from the Supply Chain Operations department.

“Really? Wow! Where’s Rob?” I asked Aimee.

“He’s outside. Wait—Rob?” she answered and calls Robby. Robby pops his head on the open door and gradually shows his whole figure.

“Hi, Robby, Happy Birthday!” I greeted Rob upon seeing him at the open door.

“Thank you, Kriz. Would you like to come with us? My treat.” He said while slowly making his way inside my office, and stop beside Aimee.

“I’m so sorry. I’ll have to pass for now. I have to finish this one, need this first thing tomorrow. Sorry.” I muttered to him, pointing a finger at the documents Alex handed me this afternoon. I gave him and Aimee the sorry look.

“Come on Kriz. Why do you always have to drown yourself with too much work? Come with us, please. Let’s loosen up a bit.” Aimee said, almost pleading.

“I’m not drowning myself in work. I really need to finish this one. I swear.” I told her. Why wouldn’t she believe me already?

“Krizza please.” Aimee is so persistent.

“Aimee. I can’t. Sorry. Ok, Let’s just make a deal, just go already enjoy the night and have fun, leave me alone to finish this one and if tomorrow this deal closes, I’ll take you guys out, eat and drink all you want, my treat. Okay?” I told Aimee loud enough for everyone else to hear. Upon hearing my bargain, the rest of them outside agreed and cheered. And from a pleading look, Aimee’s face turned into a beaming one. Her smile stretch from one ear to another. She seems satisfied with my bargain.

“Fair enough. Okay, we’ll leave you be for now. Let’s go guys. Bye Kriz.” Aimee exclaimed and bid her goodbye, and the rest of them leave in a flash. Now I’m alone. I continue my work from where I left a moment ago.

I observe my surroundings. My office door remained open. Loud chatting and laughing, gone. No figures of people are visible outside, not even a shadow formed. Then there’s silence.

The silence brought by my solitude is deafening, that it is almost unbearable.

I saw from the glass wall of my office that it’s already dark outside. Different lights shine the night, stranger bumped into another stranger, piled up vehicles on the road due to heavy traffic. Everyone seems in a hurry to be home. The hustle and bustle of the city life defines the scenario before my eyes.

Good thing I’m not in a hurry to be home. I can take my time working on this proposal because I have to make this one suitable for my client’s needs.

Not an hour later, my work is done. I fix my stuff and put the proposal plus the contract in an envelope. Then left my office quickly.

As I hit the ground floor, there are still few people left gathered before the exit door. I walk past them and out of the building. Walking my way to the open parking area straight to where my car is. When I reach my car, I instantly open the back passenger door, and put my stuff down, then closed the door. Before I could reach the driver’s door, someone called me. I look around to see who might be it and found Charlie, my Boss approaching me. I wonder where did he come from because I didn’t notice him a while ago.

“Charlie, you’re going home late too?” I asked him.

Charlie Lozada is a hottie Bachelor. He’s in his early thirties. A very handsome man, tall and masculine, quite cocky, but is very pleasant to be with, considering his position and status in life. He is everything a woman could ever ask for a man except for one thing—he is a Casanova; he is rumored to be having an affair with his Assistant Lily while being in a relationship with two different women all at once.

He takes over their company, the L&J Freight, and Global Logistics three years ago because his father, the former CEO, has a heart condition and is not advisable to do work like he used to before.

“Yeah, I was about to ask you the same. Working late again?” He asked me then smiles, showing off his bright white perfect teeth.

“I just finished a proposal for a new client.—oh wait, are you in a hurry? Can I have a word with you?” I asked.

“Sure. What about?” He agrees.

“Come, let’s get inside my car. I’m gonna show you something,” I told him.

“Whoa. Krizza I don’t do sex inside the car, it’s too uncomfortable,” He jested.

“Nah, we’re not doing that. I don’t like it either. Besides, if I’m gonna lose it, I’ll probably look for another man beside you,” I told him, pointing a finger to my core down there. Then giggles.

“Ouch, that hurts. Why not lose that with me? I’m good at making women lose their minds in bed, trust me. You’ll end up wanting for more,” He said, then winks at me.

I get inside the car, and he followed me.

“This is what I’m going to show you,” I said while handing him the envelope.

“Please check this out,” I asked him. And turn on my car’s map light.

“What’s this?” He asks, opens the envelope, and takes the papers out. He’s reading it already.

“That is a proposal for a client. I met them this afternoon, my contact is their COO. They manufacture textiles, and from that, they produce a wide variety of Fabrics that they export in some parts of Europe and the USA. They want us to take their European account because they encountered a problem with their previous logistics partner. But I didn’t ask further questions regarding that, I just accept the deal. What do you think?” I explained to him.

“This is quite a deal, Krizza. I never thought that the fabric industry could be this big. How did you know them?” Charlie asked me.

“The COO, Mr. Jimenez, and I met almost a year ago at a Business Summit at the World Trade Center, and there we got acquainted and exchanged calling cards. And just this afternoon I got a call from him. We meet at a coffee shop, and poof, a deal was concluded,” I explained to Charlie, and gesture my hand into an explosion motion.

“So you mean, this is for signing already?” He asked, surprised.

“Yup.” I simply replied.

“Cool. When are you having a contract signing with them? I would love to come with you and meet the people behind this company,” He happily muttered.

“Yeah, that would be great. We’ll be having a meeting again tomorrow, around three in the afternoon,” I quickly respond.

“Nah. That’s so sudden. I have appointments tomorrow. Anyway, perhaps some other time. If this goes smooth tomorrow, and you close the deal, please schedule us a meeting with them.” He said and was about to return the papers inside the envelope when I stopped him.

“Wait—Sure. I’ll do that. But, uhm, you approve the proposal, right Charlie? If you don’t mind, can you please sign the contract? Albert went home already before I could finish this up. Just so it is already good to go. Please.” I muttered, almost pleading. Albert is our Sales Director, my immediate superior.

“Yeah sure.” He said, then put out his very expensive pen and sign the contracts. Then keep his pen, return the papers inside the envelope, and handed them back to me.

“Thank You, Charlie.” I thanked him.

“Just ask anything from me, Krizza, and everything will be granted in a heartbeat,” Charlie remarked, and winks at me again. And that took me by surprise. But I didn’t let him noticed that.

He said his farewell and got out of my car. Walked and stopped just after my car. Not a minute wasted a luxury SUV stop before him. The driver got out of the car to open the back passenger door for him, hopped in and the driver closes the door. I was looking in my side-view mirror. He opens his window and waves goodbye to me. Then they took off. I just waited around ten minutes before I hit the road as well.

As I’m on the road, I thank the heavens for not getting caught in so much traffic. I arrived at the Condo where I live in less than an hour.

My unit is on the twelfth floor.

I immediately go inside. Put down my bag on the console table behind the sofa, which is less than a meter away from the door. I remove my plump shoes, then rehydrate myself in the kitchen.

Then, I go inside my bedroom, take off my clothes one by one until nothing’s left to cover me, saunter my way to the bathroom, then shower immediately. The warm water coming from the shower soothes and relaxes my tired body.

Sakura flower-infused body soap and the strawberry-scented shampoo washes away the dirt off my body from head to toe. I finish bathing in over half an hour and dressed in my very comfy pajama.

And after cleaning myself, comes eating.

In my small but workable kitchen of mine, I open the refrigerator and take out one of the food in a microwavable container that I prepared last Sunday. Reheat it in the microwave, wait for a moment. And viola! Dinner’s ready.

I prepare a drink and transfer the food to a plate then devoured it. Living alone truly has its perks and everything about it screams freedom. Yes, the freedom to do anything and everything whenever and however I like it, in other words, to live my life on my own terms.

After I’m done with my dinner, I cleaned myself again then go to bed. It is almost midnight and I don’t feel like sleeping at all. This is one of the rarest moments that I miss my parents and my sister Eleanor. I’m wondering what could they be doing now in States. I hope they’re doing fine and missing me too.

My sister Eleanor is a fashion designer in New York. When she got her PR, she petitioned our parents to join and live with her there.

My parents, on the other hand, sold our property in the province to answer Eleanor’s call on living with her in New York.

Before they left for good, my Mom and dad bought me this condo unit not as a gift but for their peace of mind, that they didn’t leave their youngest daughter homeless.

It is my choice to be left and live alone.

Alone, but never lonely.

And so far, I have zero regrets at all. I like my life the way it is right now.

My train of thought was derailed by my ringing phone. So I got up in my bed and checked who might be calling me at this hour.

It was Alexander Jimenez. So I answer the call at once.

“Hello?” I said in a questioning tone.

“Hello, Kriz I’m sorry did I wake you up?” He said on the other line.

“No. Not at all. Actually, I’m having a hard time sleeping tonight. Why did you call? Is there something wrong?” I asked, quite confused. And silently wishing that he didn’t call to cancel the deal.

“I just want to inform you about the sudden changes for tomorrow’s meeting. Are you okay with formalizing the contract at our office instead of coffee Loki’s tomorrow?” He said, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Thank God, they’re not canceling the contract, I thought to myself.

“Yeah sure. I’m okay with that. Just send me your company’s address and when is the best time to go and I’ll be there.” I answered him.

“Great, okay. I’ll send the address after this call and the best time would be between ten in the morning until before lunch.” He told me.

“Okay. Got it. Thank you for letting me know beforehand.” I told him.

“You always thank someone for causing you a slight trouble. Anyway, that’s all. Bye and good night!” He said on the other line and I chuckled a little.

“Oh. Am I? Yeah, okay, Goodnight too!” I told him and we ended the call already.

He immediately texted me their office address. And I replied, noted.

Out of the blue, I thanked Charlie for signing the contract already. Now I don’t need to go to the office tomorrow just to have it signed by Albert and waste time in doing so.

Lesson learned, trust your guts.

I forced myself to sleep already because the last thing I wanted to do is to drive feeling so sleepy.