Exhausted. That was Sierra's feeling after she cleaned Mr. Fritzgibbons' penthouse. She even took care of cooking his dinner so that he could say anything and then emailed the boss that she had done everything he ordered. Sierra's boss made her pick up his laundry, brought his cufflinks to the cleaner, and cleaned the entire penthouse two hours before her shift ended. It's not part of her job, but her boss is testing her repeatedly.
Sierra had no idea what had come into his mind to order that. She thought over and over what she had done to him. Aside from being chatty when she relayed about their project to his mom, she didn't remember anything more.
"What are you thinking?" Dickie asked, which aroused her.
She smiled and then looked at the driver. "I'm just wondering why our boss has a lot of extra errands for me." Dickie laughed, and she couldn't help but laugh too. "He made me suffer today because I talked to his mom about our project to launch."
"Aidan's mom was on a different level regarding meddling, so he didn't talk about work with her." She nodded after hearing Dickie's explanation. Sierra doesn't know the lady and has no idea what kind of relationship the two have. "You deserve to eat ice cream. Let's stop to eat first."
She shook her head in response. "My son is waiting for me. I barely see him awake since I started working. I just went home early, so I'm excited."
"I'll treat you some other day, then,"
"Do you have children, Dickie?"
"It's Aidan." Her eyes widened when she found out. "I raised him because I was his family's driver before he was even born. I started with his late father."
"And their relationship?"
"Typical."
The reason why she's asking about it is Sierra wants to know how he was raised and what kind of family he has. In that way, she'll know how he will treat their son. If her boss grew up in the hands of cruel parents, he might end up like them too. But Sierra doesn't give up hope that maybe he's different and she's wrong. When the time is right, and Zeke can understand everything, Sierra will reveal everything to Aidan Fritzgibbons.
How?
She didn't know the answer to that question yet.
"Does your child have a father, Sierra?" Dickie asked her. Sierra's chest trembled when she heard that question from him. "Don't answer if you don't want to. I was curious because I only see your mother when I drive you home."
"He has no father," she replied. Dickie couldn't ask again because they had already reached their house. "Thank you for driving me home, Dickie."
"No worries, and can I ask a favor?" She nodded in response to his plea to her. "Don't give up on Aidan. I have a strong feeling that you will soften Aidan's heart. Even if that one is too cunning, a little heart is still left somehow."
"He is a hard worker, Dickie."
"You two are just the same," Dickie said and bid his goodbye. He ruffled Sierra's son's hair, who immediately greeted her after getting out of the car and hugged her tightly. Sierra missed her son, and she couldn't help to touch Zeke's cheeks.
"Shall we go inside?" When her son nodded, and she picked him up, they both entered the house.
***
The next day, Sierra's routine was still the same, but around noon it changed because of the text she received from Dahlia. Her son was in the hospital due to an unexplained ailment yet. She didn't understand what Dahlia said when she called her, except that her son needed blood. The worst part was Zeke, and Sierra didn't have the same blood type. Who knows, maybe it was her boss' blood compatible with Zeke's.
"I'll contact some of my relatives. Maybe one of them carries the same blood type as Zeke." Sierra said to Dahlia on the phone.
She was on his way to the hospital, and fortunately, her boss allowed her to go home for her son. She texted Ms. Bernadette, telling her about her problem with blood. She then received a text message from her boss' cousin, saying he'll donate blood for her son. Sierra was relieved and did not question Sir Martin's volunteering.
"We have blood now, Dahlia. Wait for me, and I'm almost there."
Sierra started to cry, but she stopped herself. It's good that she still has some money saved because she still has to wait for her salary at her job. If she had used that, her son probably wouldn't have been given medical attention.
She almost beat the taxi when it stopped in front of the hospital. She waited for Sir Martin, but Sierra didn't meet him. The nurse said they had blood and would start the medical procedures. Sierra's son has anemia that needs blood transfusion therapy aside from medicine. She knew that the blood being transfused into her son now came from Sir Martin.
That's when she received a call from her son's lifesaver. He asked her to meet him at the hospital garden. She immediately obeyed and approached the boss's cousin when she saw him outside.
"I owe you one, sir," she said to Sir Martin.
"Oh, maybe, but it's not my blood. I brought another source that I know. You already know who it was." Sierra's hands and feet got cold because of what she heard. "Chill. I didn't tell him. Your secret is safe with Bernadette and me."
"How did you -"
"Resemblance doesn't lie, Ms. Jimenez." She caught her breath because of what she heard. "I can't lie to my wife, so I include her in this. There, you know my secret too. So, we're even now?"
Sir Martin tells her that no one can know about their secret. And she will never let his cousin know about her son. Sir Martin won't steal the chance from her to tell him about the son she hid from her boss. When the time is right, she'll tell her boss everything.
When the time and opportunity are right.
***
"How was your son, Ms. Jimenez?"
She immediately looked at her boss when she heard. She was busy making coffee for her boss inside his penthouse. They both work from home now because the air conditioner in their office is being cleaned. Sierra's boss has a sensitive nose. Just yesterday, he was sneezing so much that he called a cleaner. Now that it is scheduled and their janitor supervises the cleaning personnel.
"He's getting better day by day." That's the truth, and that's why she got in yesterday and today. Sierra thought she hadn't been paid yet but was already absent. Her boss is also good in the mood and has nothing to say against it. "I'm sorry if my family is always sick."
"It's not your fault. It's inevitable." He stood up and took the coffee she had just poured into the glass. "Martin was acting weird when you were absent two days ago. He asked me to donate blood twice."
She winced when she heard her boss's complaint. He was also out of the office for two days because he was resting after donating blood for her son.
"That's good, and it cleans your body. Aside from having time to rest, you have helped those in need."
"Stop being sassy there, Ms. Jimenez." She nodded and arranged everything for him to sign the papers taken from the office. "Host another online meeting with the board after lunch. I want updates with every department's whereabouts and their financial reports."
Sierra highlighted those topics that her boss wanted to hear from the board in their online meeting. Her boss is getting used to online discussions that he didn't do before. Dickie told her that if she hadn't thought that way, his boss would be tired from the trip. Stress at work, as well as traffic. The hassles she mentioned are time-consuming with Mr. Fritzgibbons, who is always on the go.
"And I want you to buy me flowers, red roses in particular. Canceled my evening schedule and squeezed in there my blind date session." A blind date? This one is human, she said in her mind. "Why are you looking at me like that, Ms. Jimenez?"
"Um, nothing. It's just that, um..."
"Tell me what's on your mind instead of stuttering there,"
"Do you know how to date?"
Sierra knew something was wrong with her question but compared to Sir Martin, that one knew more about what women wanted. Even if he's a total playboy and Ms. Bernadette's headache, he still has a way of capturing any woman's attention. Her boss is too severe, and her soul is on fire with his gaze.
Mr. Fritzgibbons approached him instead of answering her question. His scent was abusing Sierra's nose. And her heart started to beat wildly as if it wanted to come out of her chest. His head lowered to her ear, causing her to catch her breath. Sierra couldn't help but remember what had happened to them before that the young man couldn't remember.
"I know a lot of things about women. I'm discreetly talented in that matter, Ms. Jimenez. Do you want to test it?"