DO YOU want to test it?
That question from Sierra's boss lingered in her mind until now. She's headed out to do her boss' errands, hoping that question would stop bothering her mind. Sierra's last task was buying flowers, and she was done for the day. Sierra searched for a nearby flower shop earlier, but her boss preferred a shop in one of his hotels.
"I can't believe Aidan is going on a blind date session his mom set up," Dickie said while driving towards B Hotel and Spa.
Even I can't believe it, Sierra said in her mind.
"I pitied the woman, Dickie." The older man just laughed and carefully turned the car left at B Hotel and Spa's corner. "I think we're just thinking the same thing. Maybe today's blind date session won't work out."
"You know, Sierra, if his cousin were here, he'd make a bet with you."
"Let's do it. You owe my son and me ice cream, right?"
Dickie nodded and continued driving until he reached the B Hotel and Spa. Sierra was the only one who came down and quickly entered the flower shop. Sierra took out her mini errand notebook, where she put all her boss' crazy and out-of-the-world requests. He was still thinking about the question of Mr. Fritzgibbons and his bet with Dickie.
Sierra has a strong hunch that her boss' blind date will not go through. She could think of two reasons that would support her prediction. First, Mr. Fritzgibbon's not really into dating. Second and most important, he has a lot of work to do based on his tomorrow shortlist, so he's not allowed to stay up late. Mr. Fritzgibbons requested his shortlist early in case he got bored on his blind date.
She didn't object anymore because his mood might suddenly change, and he would blame her for the postponed date. She doesn't want others to tag her as hindering her boss' happiness. If that's what Mr. Fritzgibbons called the series of blind dates he's going through today, Sierra will do everything to make it successful no matter what happens.
"Uhm, hi! I'm here to pick up flowers that Mr. Fritzgibbon's office ordered via call a while ago." The cashier smiled and told her everything would be checked in the records first. Sierra couldn't stop reliving the feeling she felt the last time she received a bouquet. This was a long time ago, and things have already changed. What she likes now is related to food. She waited until the woman came back, but with no flowers.
"We received a call from Mr. Fritzgibbons just a few minutes ago, and he canceled the order. We're processing now the refund straight to his credit card."
Sierra nodded, and the cashier said her goodbyes to entertain the incoming customer. She stepped aside so they could transact properly. She took a deep breath and straightened herself before leaving the flower shop.
He did it again.
Her boss tripped her a few times, and he did it again today. She wanted to get annoyed and scream, but she remembered being in a public place, so she concealed it. She got irritated by her situation, returned to the car, and got into the shotgun seat.
"I am right, Dickie," she said in her tired voice.
"I owe you some ice cream, so come on, and I'll take you home now."
***
IT'S SIERRA'S day off today, but since she woke up, she has been talking to Mr. Fritzgibbons. They are both working on a presentation for their Japanese investors on Monday. He told her that she didn't need to come to the office. But Sierra was required to open her phone all day to entertain his call, but she didn't sign for the whole day. She had no choice, so even though she cared for her son, she still talked to him.
Sierra glanced at her son, who was making noise on the side. She can't blame her son because they haven't been together for a week. They only have a weekend, but her demon boss even kidnapped her on the weekend. She seemed to regret it now that her boss had become part of her fantasy at night. If there were only medicine that could be taken, Sierra would buy it to stop her mind from thinking about Mr. Fritzgibbons.
Thinking about her boss in her dreams gave Sierra chills down her spine.
"Zeke, honey, can you open the door? I'll finish cleaning here, hm?" she ordered and begged her son to obey immediately. That was after Sierra heard the doorbell ring twice.
She had the opportunity to put down the cell phone because her boss himself ended the call. Sierra breathed a sigh of relief and was able to continue the unfinished housework.
"Mom! You have a visitor here. He said he's your friend," Zeke shouted sharply, making her stop cleaning.
She wasn't expecting any visitors today. Her mother is with her friends now and will be home later. Only she and her son, Zeke, were at home. She told Zeke not to open the door casually, especially if the person knocking was unknown.
"Zeke, I told you to ask first who it is before opening the door, right?" She did not scold her child. She was worried about him opening the door without first asking who the visitor was.
"But he said he's your friend," he reasoned with her.
She adjusted her gaze to her unknown visitor as per her son. Her jaw almost dropped when she saw who the unexpected visitor was.
"Eric?"
"You have a son? Is that... Uhm, are we -"
"No. He's not yours, Eric. Why are you here?"
Zeke pulled the hem of her dress to get her attention. She bent down to listen to what he was going to whisper to her. "Mom, he has our favorite." She looked at the donut boxes that Eric was holding.
"Oh? Do you like these? I bought these for your mom, and you can have as many as possible," Eric said to Sierra's son.
"Zeke, go inside. We will buy later after groceries," she said to her son.
"I can drive you both there, Sierra," Eric interjected. She shook her head as she was about to close the door, but Eric stopped it forcefully. "Come on, Sierra, I just want to talk."
"Go to hell, Eric. There's no way I will let someone like you inside my home." She closed the door after saying that and carried her son to the living room. She held both of Zeke's cheeks and then met their eyes. "He's not a friend, baby. He's evil and made mama cry before."
She looked at the cell phone that she heard ringing.
And speaking of the devil, she whispered in her mind. The devil is calling.
***
"I DON'T understand why Eric has to visit me at home and assume that he's the father of my Zeke."
She was with her friends, walking down the frozen goods aisle together. She had just got her first salary, and Sierra's first stop was the grocery store to fill their stock cabinet and fridge. From fantasizing about her boss, she now resents her ex-boyfriend. Sierra wants to know what sin she committed and why she is stuck with two men who only caused two kinds of feelings - a confused and angered heart.
The other one brings money to make her family stable, and the other, he's just chaos. A chaotic person Sierra wanted to avoid, but they ended up working together in one company.
"He thinks you will fall for his dirty tactics, Sierra," Dahlia said as she pushed the cart. Kirsten agreed and rolled her eyes. "You did the right thing earlier, and Zeke should know that Eric is not an ally he can trust."
"And what's the deal with your boss calling you on the weekend?" Kirsten curiously asked. She took a deep breath and shrugged. "If we're not accustomed to you, we will think he's into you. Why does he want to talk to you even on the weekend?"
"It's a work-related conversation, Kristen," she insisted. A reason that they didn't buy and the reason for them to tease her more. "Don't add up to the fuel, guys."
"Wait, are we missing something, Sierra?" Dahlia asked in a reasing tone.
She looked around, and when she saw they were the only ones in the aisle, she said what was on her mind. She told her friends about how she fantasized about her boss every night. There's no break; if Sierra wakes up and then falls asleep again, her dream will continue.
"He was supposed to be on a blind session yesterday but canceled it without telling me. I was about to pick up bunches of flowers, and he's a jerk for doing that to me."
"Maybe he's just not interested," Dahlia said,
"Or he's into you." Kirsten insisted that was the reason for their laughter. "I want to meet this boss of yours in person. I want to know why you dreamed about him."
Sierra doesn't want to ride her friends' teasing. She believed that her body might miss something. It's been six years since she had one nor dated anybody. She is always busy, but now it is unclear if she will have a chance to date because her boss is very demanding, like his son, who inherited that attitude.
"Mama, I want a donut. You said we will buy a lot, right?" Zeke shouted as he stood in front of the donut stand. When she made a promise to her son, she had to keep it. She approached Zeke and then ruffled his hair. "I want cinnamon and chocolate."
"All right, little boss, let's get you that donut now. Can I order bavarian flavors too?"
"Sure! Oh? Sir Martin!"
Sierra looked at who her son called, and she didn't know whether to smile or not because of that. Her son didn't stop waving while smiling widely. It was Sir Martin and Ms. Bernadette checking out on her son, who had just gotten out of the hospital. Zeke suddenly became fond of her other boss. It's as if his son didn't come from the hospital. Sierra thinks it's because of her boss' blood.
"They knew?" Dahlia and Kirsten said in chorus.