Chapter 19
“CAROLINE!” Hyacinth rushed towards her when she saw her getting out of the car. “Where have you been? I’ve been calling you for hours!”
Caroline frowned at Hyacinth’s exaggerated reactions. “Don’t shout. I can see your palate already,” she hissed and rolled her eyes heavenwards. “What’s with the fuss?”
Hyacinth propped her one hand in the waist. “One of our clients is asking for you. He’s interested in buying a property near the Metropolitan—”
“OMG. Which of the properties?” Caroline stopped marching towards the building’s entrance to face her friend. “Is it the commercial properties?”
Hyacinth nodded. “And, he doesn’t want to talk with anyone in the office but you. This is a big project Caroline, that’s why I’m calling you, but you’re not answering your phone!”
Hyacinth’s shrill voice echoed in Caroline’s eardrums. “You don’t have to shout in my ears—”
“I have to!” Hyacinth continued. “If this is the only way that could wake you up in that dream of yours, I’ll keep on doing this to you.”
Caroline waved her hand to dismiss her friend. “So, where’s the important client?”
“He left his contact number for you to call him when you get your ass back here,” Hyacinth folded her arms. “Where did you go?” She narrowed her eyes to her. “Did you visit your latest victim today?”
“Oh, shut up.” Caroline proceeded on her steps. All the female agents having their break at the lobby’s lounges were gawking at her. “Look at those pathetic faces of bitches. I pity them, there’s no cure for insecurities.”
Hyacinth snorted. “It’s because the client that was looking for you a while ago was an American businessman. Where did you get that client?”
Caroline’s eyebrows furrowed. “American businessman? Oh, maybe that is the client that Lucas was talking about—”
“Wait, you speak with Lucas? When? And why you didn’t tell me?” Hyacinth questioned. She pressed the floor number of their office in the elevator.
“We’re together just an hour ago—”
“For real?!” Hyacinth blurted out, her eyes widened in surprise. “I thought we agreed that I’ll be the one to talk to him?”
The other employees inside the elevator were frowning at them. But her exaggerated friend seemed to not care. Caroline shook her head.
“He just showed up at Benjamin’s coffee shop, you know. I didn’t call him to meet me there—”
“What?!” Hyacinth caught her forehead. “Caroline—”
“Excuse me, Miss. Could you please lower down your voice?” A slender woman in black and white striped kinky dress interrupted Hyacinth.
As Caroline expected, Hyacinth turned around to face the woman. With flaring pupils, she looked down at the woman who just a foot shorter than her.
“And why would I do that? I’m on the brink of my emotions explosion because this bitch friend of mine betrayed me again. Tell me, how am I going to calm in that news, huh?”
The woman blinked twice. She looked away at Hyacinth’s flaring eyes and stepped backward. Her cakey cheap makeup brands did nothing to help hide the paleness of her face.
“Hyacinth, stop it. Look at her, the color left her face,” Caroline simpered. “She might pass out at any moment if you’ll keep on threatening her.”
Hyacinth gave the woman a scrutinizing look. “Next time, don’t meddle with other people’s business, d’you understand?”
The woman didn’t answer but kept her head low. The elevator opened, and they both stride off to their office entrance. Mr. Lee was standing in front of Caroline’s desk, talking earnestly with somebody in their cordless phone receiver. His apologetic expression suddenly brightened up when he saw them approaching.
“Thank God, you’re here, Caroline!” he rejoiced while covering the phone’s mouthpiece. “Mr. Inglebright wanted to settle the papers with you.”
Caroline knotted her forehead. “Papers for what?”
“For the commercial property that he wanted to purchase,” he replied in a whisper and gave the phone to her. “Here. Slay that American account, Valdez.”
When Mr. Lee left her desk, Caroline looked at her friend Hyacinth who was mumbling words on her table. She called her, but the snob duckling ignored her.
“Maybe it’s one of her sugar daddies again,” one of their co-agent commented loud enough to reach her ears.
Caroline turned in their direction, and a group of employees was looking at her in a demeaning way. She lifted an eyebrow to them and held their stare as she pressed the speak button on the receiver. A rasp and throaty voice of an old man aired from the other line.
“Hi, Caroline Valdez speaking,” she said with confidence.
“I wish I didn’t disturb you, Miss Valdez. I just want to make sure that you’re the agent that will assist me in buying the property,” Mr. Inglebright explained. “Lucas recommended you to me.”
“Yeah. We talked about that a while ago,” Caroline said, smiling. “I’m sorry if I kept you waiting, Mr. Inglebright.”
“Call me, Uncle Ted,” the old man said, laughing. “I’m Tim’s uncle.”
Caroline’s jaw dropped. She didn’t expect that. “When is your convenient time for the meeting, Uncle Ted?”
A series of gasps filled their small office. Hyacinth dashed on her side and pressed her ear to the receiver, while her co-agents lurked around her cubicle.
After a minute of chatting, Caroline put down the receiver. “Considered it a closed deal,” she said, beaming.
“Oh, my God, Caroline! The property worth a hundred thousand dollars!” Hyacinth exclaimed and threw her arms on her. “I’m really so proud of you.”
“Nah. It’s because of Tim,” she said. “And I’ll give it to you. You need that commission, I know.”
Hyacinth’s mouth fell open. “What? Wait—” She stopped and turned to look at the group of gossipers gathering around the corner. “Hey, insecure people! Yeah, all of you! You may start packing your things now, this company doesn’t need toxic and untalented agents like you!”
“Fuck off, Hyacinth!” the one with a bleached hair shouted.
“Fuck your face, moron!” Hyacinth shouted back. “Haters go to hell. No wonder why your accounts remained zero, your attitude sucks! What you only knew is bashing and hating, pathetic morons!”
“Hey, Hyacinth, stop that. Don’t mind them, they will get tired of living like a fungus soon,” Caroline said and laughed. “Let’s just talk about our presentation to Uncle Ted tomorrow.”
“Wait, why are you giving it to me?” Hyacinth wondered, her eyebrows drew together in suspicion.
“I hate getting that look from you,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“And what are you doing at Café Demitasse?!” Hyacinth’s voice suddenly raised as she remembered her quote-and-quote betrayal to her. “Caroline—”
“Hyacinth, please? Nobody lives in my house, anyway. And, don’t you feel pity for the kids?” she pleaded.
Hyacinth heaved a sigh. “I do. That’s why I’m against on your plans to help them,” she clasped her hands. “Caroline, have you forgotten about your…?”
She pulled her hand from Hyacinth and looked away. She was so occupied about helping Benjamin and his kids that she forgot about her emotional issues. But isn’t it good news?
She faced Hyacinth again. “It’s been four months, right? And I’m still fine. I sleep well at night, and my emotions are stable,” she began. “Hyacinth, what if Benjamin is the cure for—”
“Over-thinking, check. Impulsiveness, check.” Hyacinth brushed her hand through her shoulder-length wavy auburn hair. “Those were two signs, Caroline. And, you still have two months to get the rest.”
Caroline fell silent. Anxiety was starting to lurk its way inside her. This is bad… but she doesn’t care.
***
