CHAPTER 8 PARCEL DELIVERY

 "No Maya, please don't refuse to attend Dinner because of what just happened. It's a great time for everyone to bond. After the HR Manager's presentation, we realized this company hasn't really had staff times out so there was no bond among all of you. That's why we proposed lunch and dinner. We even have plans for some staff retreats latter to help everyone rejuvenate." He carefully said, looking at me.

        He was right about bonding times. The only person I have bonded with within my years of working here is Tracy. It's difficult to have time to talk to anyone about anything not related to work. We are always drowned in the pressure of meeting our monthly targets without any extra curricular activities. But I will not stay for long so what's the point in joining them?.

       'Tom, I have already resigned from this company and the only obligation I had was the presentation which is done with. Now, I have to put my handing over notes together by next week.'

      "You resigned? Why and when, he asked with a confused look".

       So I told him everything about my resignation and my new job. I felt so comfortable around him and it's like we could talk about almost everything.

         "Well, congrats. I am really proud of you but we are going to miss you here. Isn't there anything we can do to make you stay?"

        No, I just need a change, I said thoughtfully. But you are an investor. You are not involved in the day to day Administration so what difference does it make?

        "You have a point there but I just feel like I have known you for a long time." he concluded.

       The feeling is mutual, I retorted. Aside Sir Max and Jude, I have never felt this comfortable around any man but they have been fatherly figures in my life so....

        "Okay, if you will not go for the company, can you do it for me? Please? He asked with a pouted face interupting my thoughts."

       I will think about it....I said after careful thought.

         "Well, I will just send you something to help you decide, he said getting up to leave."

         Something to help me decide, what is you talking about? What...

        "Maya, we have to go now, was Tracy voice behind me." That's when I realized most people had left. Even Tom was nowhere in sight.

       Sure, let me get my handbag from the office..  "I already got it", she said shoving my handbag in my face.

        So I finally got home. The only place where I could comfortably cry my heart out. The pain of Mark's words kept ringing in my head like a church bell. I tried to think of possible ways I might have done something to him to warrant this behaviour from him but I got none. I hugged my pillow tight as I cried my heart out. I heard the phone ringing continuously but I was in no mood to answer any call so I completely ignored it.

          I must have dozed off because when I woke up, it was 4am in the morning and I couldn't sleep anymore. I had a painful headache so I decided to take a pain killer when I heard the phone ring again. I remembered how I had ignored my calls last night so I decided to answer it.

         "Maya, you don't deserve what happened yesterday but please try to make it to the Dinner. We really need you." Then the line went dead. It was  our CEO again. I wonder why he does that. Perhaps he doesn't want to give me a chance to even say no. I sat on the couch trying to read something to distract me but this headache wouldn't go away so I took a pain killer and drank a glass of milk.

         I went back to bed and tried to sleep when I heard a knock on the door. It's 5am and I hardly get any visitors so I was quite surprised. 'Who is it?' I yelled.

          "Why don't you open the door and see." Was Tracy's voice. What is she doing here at this time? I quickly opened the door before saying anything. 

         What happened to you....is your house on fire or something? I said opening the door.

         "I had to see you this early because we didn't get to talk about what happened yesterday. I didn't want to be insensitive which is why I just kept quiet as we left." She said sadly. 

         If it's because of that, you still could have come later in the morning, not at dawn. Tracy......I was looking straight into her eyes so she wouldn't lie.

        "Okay, okay, okay....but I didn't tell you okay? She said apolegtically. You were not picking Tom's calls and he was so worried. So he insisted I come and check you", she concluded.

         That's sooo sweet of him but also unthoughtful. How could he let you come here this early? Anything could have happened to you....

        "He didn't actually send me..., She said sheepishly. He came with me."

        'What'?

         I rushed to my window looking downstairs at the car park and there he was, standing in front of a white Mustang, waving at me. Just then, he bowed his head slightly and sat he his car, driving out of the car park.

        I couldn't believe it. When I turned around, Tracy was looking at me with an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry....she whispered.

      It's okay, it's not bad having someone  looking out for me.....I said genuinely. She came close and hugged me again, as she whispered, "thank you for understanding."

        "So, I also heard you weren't coming the the Dinner party"...she said releasing me from her tight hug. 

      Tom told you? I asked with mixed feelings. 

         "Yes but I also knew before then. I eavesdropped on a conversation between our CEO and Mark and I know you will like to hear it first." She ended excitedly  like a little child who just passed her first exams." 

         If Mark is involved, no, I don't want to hear it......I said sadly

        "I will still say it anyway. You can put cotton bud in your ears so you don't hear me...she said, making me laugh.

        I love you sooo much, Tracy, you are the sister I never had...I said looking at her. 

      "I love you too and you also have to know that, Mark insisted that you come to the dinner party. He told the CEO that be heard you telling Tom that you will not come to the party but he should make sure that you make it....she concluded with a sigh."

         Try as I do to forget this Jerk, it seems something always happens to keep me thinking about him.....'why will he want a low life girl like me to be in a Dinner party where he is present.....I said sarcastically. All the anger I felt was suddenly returning. Why does he think the world revolves around him?...I added furiously. So that's why our CEO called so early this morning.

         Well, I think he called you severally yesterday as well....she said thoughtfully, which made me to start looking for my phone. Yes there it was on the dressing table with seventy nine missed calls from our CEO, Mark, there was 5 missed calls from a strange number too and there were about fifty text messages. I deleted all of them without reading. I was trying to forget everything but it's just so difficult. Then again, a knock on the door. I looked suspiciously at Tracy. She shook her head signalling she doesn't know about it.

      ' Whose there', as yelled. 

       " Parcel delivery" was the voice from outside the door. I hurriedly opened it and saw a young guy of eighteen with a big box in his had, wrapped with the most beautiful paper wrappers I have ever seen. 

      "Good morning Ma'am, are you Maya.'

Yes, reolied.

"Your parcel, he said with a smile".

     'From who, I asked as Tracy hurriedly received the parcel from his hand.'

      "You will find the sender's name in the box, he said with a wink".

    " Wow.....you never told me you had a boyfriend she said, taking the parcel inside like it was addressed to her.

      I closed the door and followed her inside as we began unwrapping the box together because it was quite huge. After unwrapping the huge box, we saw smaller wrapped boxes and started opening them one by one.

      The first box had sandwich. The second box was a french toast. The third box had some other food I had never tasted. I didn't even know the name. The next box was lasagna...I was eagerly looking for the name of the sender. Then there was another box which had the most beautiful shoes I have ever seen. Another box had a very beautiful dinner dress. I was running out of patience. We opened another box and it was a Diamond necklace....Is it real? I heard Tracy ask with a look of admiration.

        The was another knock in the door. This time, Tracy run to get the door as I made no attempt to move. 

      "Sign here" I heard from outside the door. 

     "You bring them inside" I heard Tracy say excitedly which made me look in her direction. Was it, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven bouquet of flowers. Three of them were red and white roses. I hurriedly started checking the flowers attentively, looking for the small notes that usually come with bouquets and I found one. It read...

       " I hope this changes your mind about the Dinner party. I need you there." I felt goosebumps on my body as I read the note. Then I saw Tracy staring at me inquisitively.

         "Did you get the sender?" She asked curiosly. Yes, it's Tom, I said looking at her with a smile. 

        "No way,"she said, walking towards me as she snatched the note from my hand.

       "But there is no name so how do you know it's Tom"? She asked confusedly.

       He told me yesterday that he was going to send me something and he hoped it will help me decide on whether or not to go for the Dinner....