July 3, 9am.

A cool Monday morning preceded by a few drizzles.

A truck arrives at Mrs. Stella’s house to offload goods ordered two months ago.

Usually, Mrs. Stella would yell at a worker mal-handling her goods whenever she noticed one. But ever since she admitted she was in love with me, I noticed she’s softened.

She has become tolerant and hardly gets mad at the workers. I was surprised to see such transformation in her because she was notorious for her strong self-will and her reluctance to admit her faults.

These past few days, she’s begun to glow. She’s looking prettier than before. She’s blossoming in the fertile grounds of new found love.

As I stand beside Mrs. Stella, taking stock of the new arrivals, a young girl approaches us. She has a letter in hand.

“Good morning Ma!” She greeted Mrs. Stella, not seeming to notice me.

Mrs. Stella nodded her response, her face darkening in curiosity.

“Mrs. Ivy sent me.” She clarified.

“Oh! You are the girl…”

“Yes ma!” The new girl cuts in.

She takes the letter from the girl and asks her to wait in her office.

The new girl, eager to impress her new boss, offer to assist the men in offloading the goods. The men refuse, saying they are too heavy for a girl her age.

She stood there for a while, watching the men, before finally heading for the office.

A few minutes later, we hear someone sweeping the office.

“No flirting. No office romance at my workplace. Here, it is strictly business…” I overhear Mrs. Stella instructing the new girl later in her office. The new girl nods nervously and gives the impression of an obedient slave.

Mrs. Stella loves to employ these kind of people. The kind that aren’t nosy. The kind that poses no threat to her ego and self-esteem. The kind that takes insults and careless remarks in good faith. The enlightened and independent thinkers are too expensive to hire, she says. They are troublemakers and she is allergic to them.

She asks the new girl to call me. I move some steps away from the office window to feign surprise at seeing the girl walking towards me.

“Please, are you Mr. Capon?”

“Yes.”

“Mrs. Stella wants to see you.”

“Ok.”

“I am Brenda.”

“Brenda.” I repeat the name and start walking away, suddenly remembering I should have said, “Nice to meet you.”

“You asked of me.” I remind Mrs. Stella.

“Yes.” She said, brightening up with a smile.

She says nothing more, smiling while staring at me.

“What?” I ask, forced to smile back.

“Have you seen the new girl?”

“She will be working with us?” I act ignorant.

“Yes…Do you like her?…She’s beautiful.”

“Oh no! Thanks. I came here to hustle for money, not women.”

I noticed Mrs. Stella seemed pleased by the answer, though she kept teasing me with the new girl.

I knew my steps were being watched closely and I had to thread cautiously…