Wednesday 21st January 2009

by Tina

Favors

It has been a weird week. Her conversation with Julie about the Tom thing had been a relief to her, and at last she finally had someone to talk to about the things she’s been seeing. Having someone to talk to gave Carla a chance to release whatever pent up emotions she felt, and to dissect if whatever happened or is happening is something worthwhile or circumstantial.

It also gave Carla a thrill to have someone to update whenever something happens. She missed the feeling of excitement and the fun feeling of being teased to someone. All in good fun, she thought. It wasn’t like she was expecting anything.

But for now, she was swamped with work, and she needed to focus.

And then came the message from Tom.

Carla, I need a favor.

The message was short, no smileys. It wasn’t that Tom is a smiley person. This message just seemed strange and sudden.

What is it?

Promise you won’t tell anyone? This is really important.

Now that was even stranger. Carla caught Julie’s eye over her workstation divider, who cocked her head at her questioningly. She nodded at her head slightly at Julie and then looked back at her computer.

Yeah, I won’t tell. What’s up, Tom?

The window’s status bar showed Tom typing for so long that Carla was getting agitated. What was Tom’s problem? What was so serious about it? She started clicking randomly on the screen just to distract herself from the messenger window.

A quick realization dawned unto her, something so huge that she actually felt afraid. What if he’s going to confess?

Through a messenger? Now?

Can we talk in person?

If Carla’s heart wasn’t pounding earlier, it sure is now.

* * *

“I just don’t understand Tom. Why can’t you do this on your own?”

Carla was frustrated. She met Tom outside shortly after he asked to talk to her, and now they sat in a booth in Starbucks. She hoped her boss wouldn’t look for her anytime soon.

“I…just can’t. I can’t talk about it right now.” Tom’s face was distraught.

Carla leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to think of how to do what Tom asked her to do while trying to keep other thoughts at bay. Tom asked her if she could talk to someone in their project team to get the accounting documents from the past party fixed. He was in charge of most of the finances and accounting and such, which she was more than glad to have him do because she had absolutely no idea how to do them. Now he was asking her to collect the documents from people in their team and compile them so he can fix it. It wasn’t that it was hard. It was just too time consuming for her with all the things she has to finish.

“Why? Are you mad at Anna or something? Or at Chesca?”

Tom looked away, which confirmed Carla’s statement.

“You are mad at them?” Carla asked. “Why? What did they do to you?”

“No. I just have some…issues with them. Not with them exactly, but with the way they work. And I trust you more than anyone I know.”

Carla took another deep breath. She had been mentally scolding herself for being disappointed at what she found out. So he wasn’t going to confess, fine. Tom did say that he trusted her. That should be something.

“Please, Carla?”

“Why?”

“I’m really sorry I can’t tell you about it,” Tom said. He sighed before adding, “I promise I will. Just not now. But can you please just do me this favor?”

Carla sighed. “Okay. Fine. I’ll try to do it today, and I’ll get back at you.”

“Thank you so much Carla. I owe you.”

Carla forced a smile, but inside she was mentally re-arranging her schedule for the day. Looks like she wouldn’t be going home early today.

[657 words]

Tags: , , ,

· · · ◊ ◊ ◊ · · ·

One Response to “Migraine, Chapter 4”

  1. raichu says:

    gaaaaaak… akala ko na kung ano… haaaaay can’t believe i fell for that….

· · · ◊ ◊ ◊ · · ·

Leave a Reply to raichu