C6 THE MEETING TURNED TO DATING

I

Seigfred excitedly turned on the ignition of his red jaguar. On his sent message to Atty. Yhera, he said he is already on his way. This is his chance and he would not want the woman to wait nor even think of retracting her favourable response a while ago.

Atty. Yhera is in the verge of laughing out loud when she received Seigfred Yee’s message, which states, “Hurray, I’m on my way Atty. Yhera, don’t ever think of changing your answer.”

This man indeed is very persistent. Atty. Yhera, shakes her head in disbelief.

Just after around forty-five minutes, Seigfred is already at the office of Atty. Yhera. With him following are delivery boys of flowers and chocolates and Big Guys Pizza.

Atty. Yhera’s secretary and other staff of the law firm including other lawyers are so happy with Seigfred. They even joked the man that he is welcome to visit the office everyday.

Seigfred confidently entered the room of Atty. Yhera following Mila, her loyal secretary.

“Uhmm, Helloo Atty. Yhera, thank you for letting me in,” he said teasingly. Atty. Yhera almost laughed upon hearing the man. He did not even ask to come in rather he just entered the room following Mila.

“Hmm, Mr. Yee, have a seat there.” Yhera motioned to Seigfred the round table with three chairs rounding it. The man followed after saying thank you.

“Sir Yee, would you like coffee, tea or water?" Mila asked with a smile.

“Black Coffee will do Mila, Thanks.” Seigfred replied while looking at the table calendar on the table.

Atty. Yhera stood up and transferred sitting on the chair fronting Seigfred.

“Mr. Yee, what is your legal problem?” with arc eyebrows, Atty. Yhera inquired.

“Ahheemm, it’s lunchtime Atty. Yhera, would you mind if we talk about it over lunch? I know a good resto nearby.” Seigfred’s invitation seemed a planned intention.

“Alright, you are a client, so I must obey if your terms are still reasonable.” Atty, Yhera replied seriously.

Seigfred’s smile has been plastered on his face until they went out of the Law Firm of Atty. Yhera.

They just walked as the restaurant Seigfred talked about is just steps away from the office of Atty. Yhera.

After finishing their hearty meal, Atty. Yhera asked Seigfred again of his reason for asking a meeting.

“Actually, it is a personal civil case. Someone owed me ten million pesos, two years ago. He said he will use it to expand his Hotel in Manila; however, starting six months ago, all of his checks bounced back already and he is not accepting all the calls of my Executive Assistant. So, what will I do Atty.?” after the long narration of facts Seigfred looked at the lady lawyer sitting across the table.

“Have you sent a notice of his bounced check and a demand to make it good within a certain period of time?" Atty. Yhera asked.

“Nope, not yet.”

“Alright, then that is the first thing that we are going to do. Please ask your executive assistant to give me the details of the respondent,”Atty. Yhera’s final instruction to Seigfred.

“Alright then, thanks.”Seigfred smiled.

“Can we go now Mr. Yee?"

“Nope, I cannot end a meal without a cup of brewed coffee. How about you my Atty.?" Seigfred mischievously asked with obvious intention to delay the meeting, which seemed being turned already to a lunch date.

Atty. Yhera took a deep breath to avoid being irritated. This man is really annoying sometimes, “Caffuccino will do.”

II

Atty. Yhera received some teasing from her co-lawyers when Seigfred finally left the office. The man insisted to still accompany her all the way to her office despite her insistence not to. She just laughed at her co-lawyers’ teasing.

Mila was smiling too, when she handed to her some documents for her signature.

Atty. Yhera just shrugged her shoulders and decided to continue the pleading she was preparing when Seigfred arrived in her office a while ago.

All of a sudden, she received a message in her messenger. It was Seigfred, asking for her contract proposal in handling the case. Atty. Yhera suddenly realized that she was not able to discuss it with the man during their lunch meeting.

As it turned out, Atty. Yhera handled the civil case referred to by Mr. Seigfred Yee. Also Seigfred contracted their law firm as their Company’s additional retained law firm. The Senior Lawyers of Atty. Yhera’s Firm were so glad and started to tease Atty. Yhera too about Mr. Seigfred Yee. If Seigfred would run for President, all of them will vote for him.

On her way home after leaving the office, Atty. Yhera decided to pass-by in a well known cakes and pastries establishment. She will buy her sister’s favourite Yema cake. Yhesa reminded her about it just a while ago through FB messenger.

About to park her Montero just in front of the bakeshop, a Dark Blue Toyota Corolla also maneuvered to park beside her Montero.

Atty. Yhera’s feet has been frozen when she saw who got out of the said old car. Jethross! On the other side of the car, a woman also got out. Atty. Yhera scan through the features of the woman. She is probably the wife of Jethross. The woman who is around forty years old, of dark skin color, chubby checks and body, is wearing a bandana scarf on her head. She seemed pale and weak.

Atty. Yhera waited for the two to enter the bake shop first and she followed. She acted as if she did not notice them but Jethross noticed her.

“Yhera,” Jethross’ voice was so low upon calling her. It was like a whisper.

Yhera without any recourse looked at the man, whose eyes seemed so tired yet twinkling upon seeing her. The woman beside her looked at Yhera with envy in her eyes. In her mind, Jethross wife is saying with envy, how beautiful and elegant Yhera could be. Atty. Yhera is wearing a little above-knee yellow dress with an elegant light gray blazer on top; paired with a little dark gray Dolce Gabbana high heel shoes.

“Who is she Hon?" the woman asked Jethross. By such endearment, Yhera can conclude now that this is the woman Jethross have chosen over her.

“Atty. Yhera,” Jethross answered softly.

Outright, upon hearing the name mentioned by her husband, the woman’s eyes grew bigger and looked at her husband and exclaimed with disbelief, “Yhera, Yhera Oh my, She is Yhera, your … your …”

Without waiting for the woman to finish her words, Jethross cut in, “Atty. Yhera, this is Rose, my, my … wife,” Jethross then said. Yhera noticed that it seemed like, it was too difficult for Jethross to introduce her wife to her.

Jethross could see that the woman she left behind years ago seems very successful now. Yhera is beautiful even before, but it seems like she never gets old. She even became more beautiful and elegant.

Atty. Yhera extended her hand to Jethross’ wife, “Nice meeting you Rose,” she smiled and lightly hold the trembling hand of the woman. Thereafter, Atty. Yhera courteously excused herself to buy her sister’s favorite cake.

All throughout, Jethross’ wife kept on watching every graceful and elegant moves of Yhera until she got out of the bakeshop and opened her Montero.

Jethross’ eyes also followed her with so much sadness now in his face.