What Clifford wants, Clifford gets

"Clifford Dien Samonte, Chief executive officer."

I whispered while I was holding wooden desk name plates. I put it back at the table and roam around the black and white painted room which serves as my office, the CEO office. I can see from here the buildings and structures. Natural light and these stunning large windows bring this office to life.

Aemee keeps her distance from me, she's really good at hiding. I massaged my forehead and thought of ways on how I could talk to her.

I just learned that she’s one of our flight Attendants, and I thought that it’ll be a good start for me getting close to her but I’m wrong! She’s still hiding from me as if it can help her that way, tss.

Today is the start of her two days off, of course I know! I asked my secretary to give me the schedule of our flight attendants for me to be able to know her schedule, damn, this is so not me. That woman made me like this.

I sighed out of frustration everytime I remembered our first encounter here in the airlines, I tried to approach her and I just got nothing but embarrassment when she told me that she doesn’t know me at all, that I’m just mistaken. How could she treat me that way, I’m her boss, psh.

-------- 

A big smile drew on my face when I saw Axel playing with Darlene, they’re sitting on the bench placed before the entrance of the playground inside the mall, I just went to the restroom so I left them there for a bit.

It’s my day off today, so Axel took us out for a date, it’s been awhile since we went out so we took this chance to do it again.

“Hey” he said while holding Darlene’s hands to support her and to prevent her from falling.

We can see excitement from Darlene’s eyes as we enter the mini playground. We decided to go here first before we ate because this little one was throwing a tantrum while on our way here. Good thing we ate breakfast before we left home.

Her tito Axel volunteered to look after her while she’s playing, so I just left her at the chair waiting for Darlene to get tired and ask for food, so we could eat already, lol.

I can hear Darlene’s laughing from here, she’s enjoying the moment. 

While I was sitting there, I could hear murmurs from the table near me, there were 3 women sitting there, maybe they’re also waiting for their kids. I noticed that they keep on talking while looking at Darlene and Axel, particularly to Axel, oh god, this man really has a charm. He’s just wearing a brown shirt with white shorts paired by simple slippers.

Minutes after, Axel walks towards me, and I can hear a dismaying murmuring from the other table I’m talking about a while ago.

“Where’s Darlene, love?” 

Axel smiled when I said that, I handed him the bottled water we bought before going here.

He’s sweating but he smells fresh, ugh! Shut up Aemee.

“Darlene is sweating give me her towel, love,” 

I got the towel inside my bag and handed it to him. He thanked me and went back to the playground. I thought, we are going to eat already, lol. I’m hungry.

I gave it a try, I gave my yes to Axel on Darlene’s first birthday. Axel is a nice man, he deserves the world, I must say that, he’s not just boyfriend material but a husband material.

Sometimes I feel guilty that I don’t deserve this, I always think that I’m not good enough for him, that he deserves someone better, but he made me realize that everyone deserves this kind of love, no matter what or how you’ve been in your past. I’m a single mother, and Axel embraced everything about me, even the fact that I got pregnant by someone, by a total stranger.

Axel doesn’t know who Darlene's father is, he never asked me, or maybe he’s just waiting for me to tell him. How can I tell him that Darlene's father is also working in my workplace, how can I tell him that Darlene’s father is my new boss….

I’m having deep thought when someone sits beside me, it’s Axel… wiping Darlene’s sweat.

“Baby come here”

Darlene is sitting on the chair beside Axel. I asked Axel to let Darlene sit on his lap so that I could fix her hair.

“Where do you want to eat?”

Axel asked while I was fixing Darlene’s hair. He’s just looking at me and waiting for me to answer his question.

“Darlene is with us, so… Let’s go to Mcdo, love.”

He just laughed when I said that, after I fixed Darlene’s hair, I wiped Axel's forehead because there’s still sweat on it..

“This kid is already satisfied, let’s now satisfy our tummy, then?”

Axel says while pinching Darlene’s right cheek. Cute.

THE NEXT DAY

Klare’s eyes widened when she heard what I said.

“You should tell him what’s going on, Axel might get the wrong idea if he’ll find it on his own, If I were you I’ll tell him this day.”

It’s a warning from Klare, she’s right, Axel might get the wrong idea if he’ll find out on his own, and I know it will just cause trouble.

I sighed heavily, I rubbed my forehead to think the best way on how I could tell him.

We’re at the Club Caffeine, at Klare’s coffee shop.

“He’s been giving me a hard time since he arrives, he keeps on pestering me, and the worst is that he’s my boss, he messed up the hell out of me,”

I groaned. He kept pestering me, it disturbed my whole system. Knowing that he’s in the Philippines is disturbing for me and knowing that he’s my boss is another thing, I don’t have any choice but to see everytime I go to work.

I know I am being harsh on him, but I just want a peaceful life for me and for him. I also know that he has every right to know Darlene, but cannot give him that cause Axel is now in the pictures, I don’t want to hurt him. And as for Clifford, I doubt that he has no girlfriend or wife, it’s been 2 years since we did that thing, it has become complicated now, and I don’t think it's a good idea to introduce Darlene to him. I don’t want to give Darlene a hard time, she’s too young for that.

“Why not talk to him, and ask him what he wants, you go tell him that you’re already taken and your boyfriend might get a wrong idea if he learned what he’s doing.”

This is really stressing me out.

I looked around inside the coffee shop to relax my eyes a bit. You can see green and white painted walls and different kinds of plants everywhere and on the top of every table, on the right side of the entrance there are mini fountains, and on the left side there are sofas and mini libraries. 

This coffee shop was personally designed by Klare. And I must say that she really did a good job.

----------------

“Sweetheart! How are you?” 

I distanced my phone from my ear, mom is so nosy as always. 

“I’m fine mom, you take care there okay?” 

I said, I can hear loud music coming from the other line, she’s treating our house like a disco again.

“Bring them home, sweetheart, I cannot wait to see them!”

I just smiled when she said that. I will mom, I will.

We just talked for a couple of minutes, she kept on saying that I should bring them home. 

“Alright, mom, I should get going, I have something important to do, i love you,”

I said and hang up the phone.

I checked my wrist watch, it’s already 9 in the morning and I want to see Aemee, but it’s her second day of her day off.

My conversation with Klare was interrupted by a sudden call of our HR, asking us to report to the office for an urgent meeting. So I don’t have any choice but to go there.

It’s frustrating how this man compromises someone scheduled just to get what he wants

“You asked for a meeting just for this, sir? Are you out of your mind? Some of us has our own errands.”

Clifford gave me a half smile when I whispered those, enough for him to hear it, he’s standing beside me because he requested to take a picture of him with us. I can’t with this man!

“1… 2… 3… smile!”

“I’m sorry for the sudden call, ladies, Sir Clifford just want to have a bonding with you all,”

“It’s okay, sir,” 

It’s Betty, of course it’s okay with you, you have a huge crush on Clifford that’s why! Ugh.

“I’m sorry, sir, but, next time if you are planning to do things like this, it’s good to announce it early so that we can include it to our schedule, honesty I have some errands today, and it compromised because of this sudden meeting,”

I can feel Betty and other attendant glaring at me, I don’t care. While Anna cough, maybe because he’s surprised.

“I see, miss Santiago, I’m so sorry, you can go to my office to tell your concerns,”

He said while smiling, this man is really making me sick! Ugh.

I rolled my eyes and never answered him.

“So, make yourself comfortable, let’s eat.” 

Anna grabbed me to the table wherein the food was placed, I just got some slices of cake and planned to leave after I ate it.

I gasped when I found Clifford beside me, maybe he’s going to get a slice of cake, too.

“Are you mad?”

I didn’t answer him, and left him standing there.

I was busy eating the cake when Anna called Clifford to sit beside me, god! Anna, how insensitive of you!

“Hey.” 

I just glared at him and he just laughed.

“Are you on your period or what?”

He’s really really teasing me, aren’t ?

“Can you just leave me alone sir,”

I whispered. I’m afraid Betty and other attendants might get the wrong idea.

I didn’t hear him talk again, good boy.