To redeem herself, Zoey disagreed with him for saying the ownership pronoun 'our'.
"What are saying? 'Our'? Happy is mine and mine alone." With Zoey reclaiming words, Happy on the other hand, gladly barked and wiggled her tail towards Zoey.
"How come? Did I think that we already establish this parenting since day one? Don't you forget whom you sometimes leave her with?"
Oh! Yes! Zoey sometimes asks Nickel's help to babysit Happy when she is doing overtime at the office. Due to her failure to come home after her normal office hours. She sometimes gives Nickel a call and asks him to feel Happy.
Wondering if Nickel has access to her unit? Yes, he has. That is why it is easy for him to babysit Happy when she is not around.
"One day I will fight for Happy's custody." And then he left.
There are times when Zoey want to ask Nickel's deal with life. Come one she is not that stupid not to notice all his hints and unnecessary concern for her. He is giving her mixed signals for Pete's sake.
Zoey went inside and indulged herself with her free dinner. Still thinking of Nickel's mixed signals, Zoey plans to meet one of her friends, anyway it has been a long time since they've seen one another.
--
It's already been the fifth day since the unfortunate housekeeper's termination when Zoey hear about it. Ate Marie is one of her favorite housekeeper in ASC because she is with her pleasant smiles and warm greeting whenever they have a chance to see each other. She won't know about her termination if she hasn't noticed that Ate Marie isn't the housekeeper who entered their room for three consecutive days.
"Hi, may I ask why I haven't seen Ate Marie these past few days?" Zoey inquired the new housekeeper assigned to clean their room.
"Ma'am Zoey, Marie has been terminated for disobeying company orders. She was immediately fired after being caught." The housekeeper said.
Surprised by the unknown happenings around her she asked again why company order did Ate Marie done.
"Marie has been attending the orders of the Orb representative which Director Fuentes strictly emphasized not to deal with but I didn't know what kind of orders did Director Fuentes found that day."
Pondering about what possible task was given to her and the connection of Nickel with it. Of course, Nickel will be involved. He is the one implementing every company orders here.
After a few minutes of thinking and the urge to find out the company order she violated. Zoey decided to give Nickel a call to inquire and to cure her gossiping sense.
"Nickel, can you spare me a minute?"
Nickel was driving that time when Zoey called him. "Sure what is it?"
"Well… I have heard that Ate Marie was terminated not a week ago. May I know what company order did she violated?"
Nickel didn't expect her to ask that from all the possible reason for her call. He suddenly coughed from his surprise.
"Remember all the flowers and chocolates you received every day?" "Yes!"
"Do the math Zoey."
Nickel wasn't impressed by her question that leads his irritation to come back. "I'm actually driving right now. I'll give you a call later." And then he hung up.
'Do the math?' What math is he saying? This is what she actually hated. The riddles that Nickel shared with her. Why won't he just say the exact reason instead of giving her puzzles to solve?
It took her a moment to connect the dots from the information she had and Nickel's confirmation.
"Aha!" Her eureka moment suddenly changed into annoyance and anger when she figured out the real reason.
"Ate Marie is attending the order of Michael. The order was to secretly put all the flowers and chocolates into her desk every day. Ate Marie has access to enter their room for cleaning. So, of course, it will be easier for her."
Zoey became close with Ate Marie because they always stayed up late in the office. Zoey always on overtime and Ate Marie usually clean the room late at night or early in the morning.
Whenever they are in the room at the same time, they somehow shared family stories and experiences. With those time they are together, Zoey found out that her son has a congenital heart disease since birth and needs to undergo into operation for a heart transplant to live longer. Ate Marie has two more jobs to support her home and son's treatment.
Everybody knows treating an ailment is too costly to an average family what more for those less fortunate ones.
Zoey was so mad when she found out the root cause of everything. Of course, she cannot rebut or say anything against Nickel because those orders came room the head office. It was actually for police response why headquarter approved an Orb representative inside the ASC building.