FIRED

VERNON

"Hindi mo ba kayang gawin?" I smiled at this girl in front of me.

Ang babaeng nasa harap ko ay ang secretary na kakahire ko pa lang noong nakaraang linggo matapos kong sibakin yung isa.

"I can do it, s-sir. I just need the time to--"

"Time to what?" I asked.

With that question, nangilid na agad ang luha niya.

I closed my eyes. I'm trying to control myself ."I am asking you for what?" I asked again.

I can hear her teeth chattering. It irritates the shit out of me. "F-for me to f-fully understand what you're asking me, sir..."

Napapikit na naman ako. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at itinapon sa sahig ang kapeng binili niya. "I specifically asked you to bring me coffee. STRICTLY with no sugar." Pagdiin ko.

"Yet, you brought me a coffee that could bring me to a diabetes coma. Do you know how bad that is?" I irritably said. "I expected very high from you and now what did you do? You disappointed me." Napahilot ako sa ulo ko.

"I-i'm sorry, sir." Yumuko ito at pinulot ang baso sa sahig. "I'll bring you a new one, sir."

I shook my pointing finger at her. "Nu-uh. No need. You're fired."

Her eyes got wide and her eyebrows furrowed. "S-sir?"

"Are you dumb or deaf? I said you're fired!" I shouted.

From being teary eyed, her eyes became a faucet of tears. It doesn't even affect me one bit. She walked out of my office after seeing that I'm serious with what I said.

I sighed. For the 28th time, wala nanaman akong secretary.

Biglang kumatok si Jane sa pinto ko. Ang aking receptionist.

"Shall I start calling from applications again?" Her eyebrows are raised and it is obvious that she's insulting me from her looks.

"No, no. I'll handle everything without a secretary." I said.

I hear Jane sigh. We both know that I can't handle this without a secretary. Jane welcomed herself inside the office and sat herself down on the chair in front of me.

"Why are you like that?" She asked.

I pretended that I'm busy. I can't handle her right now. Papagalitan nanaman niya ako at susubukang tuwirin ang prinsipyo ko sa buhay.

"Don't play pretend with me, Vernon. Alam mong matagal na tayong magkasama sa industriyang to. Simula noong nagsisimula ka pa lang ako na ang receptionist mo. Lahat na lang ng secretary mo, iniinis at sinisibak mo."

I sighed. Bakit ba lagi na lang niya akong pinapagalitan? Hindi naman nagkakaiba ang edad namin. Is she my mother?

"I guess it started when I was robbed by a secretary that I hired." I reminded her.

Baka nakakalimutan na niya ang nangyari noon at kung bakit ako nawalan na lang ng tiwala sa mga secretary.

When my 1st secretary left to go abroad, I hired a new one. She's young, beautiful, smart, and probably one of the wisest person that I have ever met in my life.

From having a professional relationship in the office, we became personal friends. We went to solo trips, private dinners, and invited each other in our houses.

Eventually, something developed between us. The next thing I know, I was planning a family get together for her to meet my family. I was ready to be an all out for her.

Akala ko nga masaya na noon. Akala ko, finally, I have something serious going on with a girl. But then, I noticed something sketchy with my fund report. I read the report over and over again and I know something doesn't make sense but I don't know what it is.

At noong kinausap ko si Jane, she had the report analyze by a professional. We did the investigation under the table. Then eventually, Jane told me that the report was sketchy because my 'secretary lover' has been conning and robbing me from the very start.

Nang kinompronta ko siya tungkol sa nangyari, hindi man lang niya ako sinagot sa mga tanong ko nor nilinaw ang naging sitwasyon namin. She just walked out of my office and walked out of my life.

"I know that what Anja did was unacceptable. But you have to move past that. Hindi naman lahat ng mga tao sa buhay mo eh lolokohin ka. Kailangan mo lang magtiwala ulit." Jane said.

"Well, the problem is, Jane, I don't know who to trust." Matipid kong sagot.

Jane just shrugged her shoulders. Para bang suko na ito sa akin. "Well, bahala ka riyan mahirapan. Sisimulan ko na lang ulit mag tawag sa application. I'll tell you kung may bago na akong nakitang okay para maging secretary mo." At tsaka siya tumayo at lumabas ng office ko.

Is it my fault that I lost my trust to people? I'm not like this before, pero ngayon, I'm really trying to protect what I built. Mahirap nang mag tiwala tapos maloko lang ulit. I have to be really careful.

I decided that this is enough for today. Wala naman akong pending papers at meetings dahil natapos ko na lahat kahapon.

"Dude, papunta na ko. Kumpleto na ba dyan?" I asked Casper.

"Yo. Oo andito na kami lahat. Nakalatag na rin mga alak at pulutan, ikaw na lang ang kulang." Casper replied.

Naririnig ko rin ang music sa background pati na ang tunog ng billiards. Malakas na rin ang tawanan nila.

"Sige, sige. Fifteen minutes and I'll be there."

When the call dropped and I saw that the highway's free, I sped up. Rinig na rinig din kung gaano kaganda at kalakas ang makina ng sasakyan ko kaya madalas may napapalingon na mga tao.

Inaayon ko rin naman ang pagpapatakbo ko sa kalsada. Maingat ako at all times knowing that someone is waiting for me at home.

"Vernon, finally!" Casper greeted me with a hug. Sinabayan niya rin akong abutan ng shot. Hindi man lang muna ako pinaupo ng loko.

"Hey, dude. Tagay na tas 1v1 na tayo sa billiard." aya naman ni Kyle.

"Sandali lang. Hiramin ko muna si Vernon." At agad akong hinila ni Casper papuntang balcony.

"What's up?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

Sumandal din ako sa railings at tinanaw ang city lights sa baba. Tanaw na tanaw mula rito sa taas kung gaano kasigla ang Maynila sa gabi.

Natatawa tawa ito bago tunggain ang alak na nasa shot glass. "I heard you fired your Secretary again."

I rolled my eyes. "Kay Jane mo nanaman nalaman, ano?"

Paano ba naman, laging nilalandi ni Casper si Jane. Type rin naman ni Jane si Casper kaya hindi na malabo na naikkwento niya ang mga nangyayari sa opisina.

"Oo, syempre. Kanino pa ba?" Pabiro niya akong siniko bago abutan ng shot. "Alam mo dude, may sinalihan yung mga tropa ko na event."

I rolled my eyes on him again. "You know that I don't like events."

"Ahh, you'll like this one. Promise, dito, magkakaroon ka ng matinong secretary."

I got interested with what Casper is saying. I mean, I do really need a proper secretary.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

Sumandal na si Casper sa railings. May kinuha siya sa bulsa niya at iniabot ito sa akin. Isang kulay pulang card.

"Miss Night?" Iniangat ko ang tingin ko sa kanya. I'm really curious why he had to pull me out of the party just to tell me about this. "What is this about?"

"Kilala mo si Skyler, diba?" He asked. I nodded. "He got married years ago. That is because of Miss Night. Si Landon, kilala mo?" He asked again, so, I nodded.

Nakasama ko na ang mga ibang kaibigan ni Casper noon pag birthday niya kaya natatandaan ko si Skyler at Landon.

"Well, he's going to join Miss Night to marry someone."

I scoff. "What is this Miss Night thing? A match maker of some kind?"

"Kind of. Bali ang mangyayari riyan, magpapasa ka ng application and then once approved, you will have the opportunity to purchase someone to be your wife."

There was a silent post between our conversation before I uncontrolablly laughed.

"Fuck you, dude. Pinagtitripan mo nanaman ako." Inagaw ko sa kanya ang bote ng alak pati na ang shot glass para salinan ang sarili ko.

"Tanga, maniwala ka. Totoo nga sinasabi ko."

Iniangat at hinarap ko sa kanya ang red card na iniabot niya sa akin. "How can this be true? Eh walang website something o kahit number man lang. Tsaka come on man, ang hinahanap ko secretary, hindi asawa."

"Edi bumili ka ng babae riyan para maging secretary mo."

Siniko ko rin siya. "Well, if this is what you say it is, then I'll look into it."

Casper smiled. It's like he is happy that he convinced me. "Sure yan, bro, ah? Pag isipan mo na kasi mahirap daw makapasok diyan. Pero I'll talk to Skyler naman para madali kang makapasok. Siya rin kasi ang nag asikaso kay Landon."

"Oo, sige. Kausapin mo na si Skyler. I need a secretary anyways. Malapit na nanamang maging busy sa opisina."

I'm about to close a large construction deal. Kailangan ko ng matinong secretary and I'm hoping this time, I won't have to fire her.

"Nice choice, dude. I'll call Skyler now. Balik ka na sa loob." Then he pulled his phone out of his pocket to make the said call.

Bumalik na rin ako sa loob at nakipag kulitan. Ilang buwan din kaming hindi nakapag kita ng mga kaibigan ko lalo na at busy na pare parehas. Yung iba may anak na, yung iba naman sa ibang bansa na nakatira. We just decided that we needed to see each other and take a peak at the life we had before.

My day ended with me having to call my personal driver to drive me home. Delikado na kung magmaneho ako ng nakainom. Baka sa di inaasahang pagkakataon ay maka disgrasya pa ako.

I have a whole company to look after.

My house is located at one of the prestigious village in Manila. It took me billions to have my property built in here.

I just love living here kasi walang pakielamanan. You're free to do what you want as long as you're not getting into other people's nerves. Busy rin naman ang mga tao rito at wala nang time pakielaman ang buhay ng iba.

Also, I chose to live her because it is safe.

"Hi, my baby." In high pitch voice, I greeted the white furred cat that greeted me when I entered the door. "Aba very good ang baby ko ah." I said when I saw that he emptied her food at tumae siya mismo sa litter.

When I said that I drive carefully because someone is waiting at me at home, I was referring to my cat. She's kind of the boss here. I work hard so I can give her the best life that she could have.

Sinalinan ko ulit ng cat food ang kainan ni Missy, agad naman niya itong inatake.

I felt a lot better when I took an ice cold shower. Para bang nabuhayan ang sistema ko.

When I was about to sleep. I got woken up with a call.

"Hello, Vernon speaking here." I said.

"Hello, Vernon." A lady with a classy voice spoke.

Nagising na lang ang sistema ko sa boses niya. "Who is this unknown number and how did you get my phone number?"

"Well, Mr. Han asked me to call you. He said that you are interested to be a part of my program--"

Ah, she's referring to Skyler Han.

"Ah, is this about the Miss Night thing?" I cut her off.

"Yes, Vernon. I am just verifying if you really are interested? We only have a few spots left."

"Ah, yeah, yeah. I am interested to join." I said.

I do really need a secretary so bad. Also, a close friend referred me, so, why not?

The lady cleared her throat. "Okay then, we'll see you tomorrow at your house. I'll be explaining to you about the process of your application. Have a good night, Vernon."

The lady dropped the call. Hindi ko man lang natanong ang pangalan niya. Hindi ko man lang din nasabi na wala ako sa bahay bukas at nasa opisina ako.

Suddenly, I started to develop a doubt about this Miss Night thing. I should've done a research first before saying yes to it.

I'm just tired of firing people from their jobs.