Sweet Surrender

 

Chapter 5: Surprises

 

 

          Mr. Pondee and Tik walked into the office building as each of the workers cheerfully replied, "Mr. Tik, you're back!" or "We miss you Mr. Tik!"

 

          Tik smiled broadly, happy to know that he is being missed.

 

          "Remember Son, we have a meeting in thirty minutes." Mr. Pondee replied as he left his son and walked away.

 

          "I know Dad." Tik surveyed his office as he walked in. Every thing still looks the same as the way he left it when he went on that business trip. The couch still look brand new, his desk look untouched, his pot of plant still look--wait. What happen to his beautiful green bonsai at the corner of his room, near the couch? It had been replaced with a small potted tree plant that resembled a orange tree, except it's smaller. He made a mental note to ask his secretary about it when she come in.

 

          He sighed as he fall gently into his armchair. He spins it around to face the huge glass window that overlooks the city.

 

          "Mr. Tik!" A female voice entered the room.

 

          He spins his chair again. "Areida, how's my cute secretary?" He smiled as his secretary's cheek turned a bit red.

 

          "Fine as always, but you know Mr. Tik, flattery won't get you anywhere." She smiled back.

 

          Tik chuckled. ‘It's like old times again.'

 

          "There will be a meeting--"

 

          "I know Areida, my father informed me already." He interrupted her. "By the way, where's my bonsai?"

 

          "Oh when you left, it kind of withered no matter how much sun it is receiving or how much water it’s getting. So Mr. Pondee told me to throw it away and replaced with another plant." Areida crossed her finger behind her, hoping her boss won't be furious at her.

 

          He only sighed. "Its okay, Areida. I guess I will buy another bonsai then."

 

          "I think your bonsai missed you so much that it withered."

 

          "I know, am I a good owner or what?" They both chuckled.

 

-*-*-

 

          Vicky stood in front of the building with her suitcase clutch in her hand tightly. 'This is it. My first day at work.' She let a sigh out. "Here goes nothing."

 

          She walked into the building and toward the main counter. A lady looks up and smiles at her. "May I help you?"

 

          "Um..." Vicky took out a piece of paper out and handed it to her. "Do you know which floor this is? I'm a new worker there."

 

          The lady examines the paper. "Oh it's on the fifty floor Miss." She handed the paper back to her.

 

          "Fifty floor?!" Vicky blurted it out.

 

          "Yes Miss." She kept on smiling.

 

          Vicky smiled back to hide her embarrassment. "Thank you." She walked quickly to the elevator hallway.

 

          "We have a new worker." The lady at the counter responded when another female worker sat next to her.

 

          "Really?" She handed her a mug filled with coffee.

 

          "Yeah. I look at her paper and her position is quite higher than us. Did I tell you that she is also young?"

 

          "Wow. She must come from a rich family."

 

          She nodded. "I like her. She sounds really nice."

 

 

          Vicky stepped into the elevator and pressed the fifty floor button. She was a bit at ease until a hand reach out to stop the elevator door from closing. "Wait, wait!"

 

          A young man, a bit older than she, walked in. He smiled at her as his finger reach out to press the fifty floor button, but stopped when he saw it already been pressed.

 

          "You are a new worker at that floor?" He asked, still smiling, when the elevator door closed.

 

          "Yeah." She smiled back.

 

          "I guess we will be seeing each other often then. I work at the fifteen floors too."

 

          Somehow, Vicky felt she could trust this guy. "I guess so too."

 

          He slapped himself gently on the forehead. "I'm sorry for being rude. My name is Ken." He stretched his arm out to shake her hand.

 

          "My name is Vicky. Nice to meet you." She shakes his hand in return.

 

          "Likewise. You will like working here."

 

          The light on top of the elevator passed the fifth floor.

 

          "Yeah, I hope so. I'm a bit nervous though." She replied.

 

          "Don't worry; your nervousness will vanish when you'll know everybody there. Beside, you know one of your co-workers already, who is standing right here, talking to you. It is a lot easier for you, right?"

 

          He's right. Her nervousness started to vanished when she's talking to him. "Thank you Mr. Ken."

 

          "Just call me Ken. I don't really like the 'Mr.' part. It makes me sounds old."

 

          They both chuckled.

 

          Finally the elevator door opens to the fifteen floors. They both stepped out at the same time.

 

          "Let me show where the boss's office is." He led the way to Mr. Pondee's room.

 

          Vicky gladly followed as she gazed at the surrounding. The place was nice, it seem welcoming.

 

          "Good morning, Bonnie." Ken replied as he reached Mr. Pondee's secretary.

 

          "Good morning, Mr. Ken." She smiled back at him.

 

          "This is Miss Vicky; she is the new co-worker that Mr. Pondee hired from America. Please make her feel welcome."

 

          'How does he know I'm from America? Of course, Mr. Pondee must have told his workers about me.'

 

          "Thank you Ken." Vicky responded.

 

          "Sure thing. See you in the meeting." He smiled again before he left her with Bonnie.

 

          "Hello, Miss Vicky. Right this way, please." She stood up and walked into Mr. Pondee's office as Vicky followed her in.

 

          As they both walked into Mr. Pondee's office, he was busily reading a bunch of paper on his desk that he didn't notice them walking in.        

 

          "Mr. Pondee?" Bonnie responded.

 

          He looks up. "What is it, Bonnie?" He answered.

 

          "This is Miss Vicky. The new worker that you hired from America."

 

          "Oh, Miss Vicky!" He stood up and walked up to her. "Nice to meet you!"

 

          Vicky shook his hands as Bonnie left. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, but please call me Vicky."

 

          "Okay, Vicky it is. I guarantee you will have fun working for us!"

 

-*-*-

 

          "Good morning, Areida!" Ken responded when he saw her left Tik's office.

 

          "Good morning, Mr. Ken." She smiled at him.

 

          He stopped halfway through the door. "Aww come on. How many times did I tell you to call me Ken?" He asked.

 

          She counted her fingers. "Umm, more than I can count." She answered.

 

          Ken only shook his head. "Areida, Areida..." He walked into Tik's office.

 

          Tik was busily reading a paper that was attached to a black binder.

 

          "Knock. Knock." Ken softly knocked on the side of the door.

 

          Tik didn't look up. "Don't tell me, I'm supposed to say 'who's there' right?"

 

          "Aww, now you spoiled the fun of it." Ken sat himself onto the couch. "I saw the new worker today."

 

          "How is she?" He's still glued onto the paper in front of him.

 

          "She's young and pretty..."

 

          Tik finally look at him.

 

          "Nice." He finished.

 

          "Nice, huh? Well, I hope that quality of hers will help make our business successful." He went back to reading the paper.

 

          Ken shook his head. "You’re the same as always." He stood up. "You need to lighten up a bit. If you don't, then you might miss the chance to be with a girl."

 

          Tik took a pen and wrote his signature on the bottom of the paper. "What about you, huh?"

 

          "Still looking for her." He left.

 

          "Miss a chance to love, huh?" Tik stopped halfway through writing his name. He shook the thought away. "Areida, can you get me a cup of coffee?" He pressed on the speaker.

 

          No one answered. "Areida?" He frowned. 'Where could that girl be?'

 

          Losing his patience, he got up and walked out from his office to see Areida's desk was empty.

 

          "Well, I might as well get my own coffee then." He walked toward to the snack/coffee section.

 

-*-*-

 

          "This is Mila, your secretary." Mr. Pondee introduced her to Vicky. "And this is Miss Vicky."

 

          "Hello, Miss Vicky." Mila replied, bowing.

 

          "Hello." Vicky replied back.

 

          "If you want anything, just ask Mila." Mr. Pondee smiled as he left Vicky and Mila alone in her office.

 

          Vicky examined her office. It was huge. There's a small couch on the side of the wall with a coffee table next to it. Her desk was set at the other side of the room in front of a huge window.

 

          'Maybe this job is going to be great after all. Nice Boss, good office space.' She thought.

 

          "Do you want anything Miss Vicky?" Mila's voice interrupted her thoughts.

 

          Vicky turned around and faces her. "No not really."

 

          "The meeting will start about fifteen minutes."

 

          She nodded as she watched her leave. She walked around her office, gazing into the paintings on the wall and outside her window to see the tiny people and cars moving on the street. They look like little ants moving about. She then got bored watching them, so she left her office. She only got fifteen more minutes left before the meeting, so she's going to used it wisely by exploring around.

 

          "Do you want anything Miss?" Mila stood up from her chair, swiftly.

 

          "No, I just want to look around before the meeting starts."

 

          "Do you want me to help you tour around?"

 

          Vicky shook her head. "That's okay, but thank you for asking though." She walked away from her office.

 

-*-*-

 

          Tik walked toward his office as he sips his cup of coffee. He spited the liquid out as soon as the hot liquid touched his tongue. "How does Areida do it?" Areida's coffee was bittersweet but this was bitter, too bitter. He shook his head. "I guess I forgot to put in sugar." He walked back toward the snack & coffee section.

 

-*-*-

 

          Meanwhile, Vicky reached the snack & coffee section at the corner. "So this must their coffee chatting place." She walked to the counter and sniffs the aroma of the coffee in the pot. "The smell of coffee in the morning..." She sighed. "I miss Starbuck."

 

          Tik walked in, not noticing her, as he reached the other counter opposite of Vicky's. Their backs were face to each other as Tik pour a small bag of sugar into his mug. He turned around, unfortunately Vicky turned around at the same time to walk toward the other counter. They both crash to each other as the hot liquid inside the cup spilled all over Tik's suit.

 

          "I'm so sorry!!" Vicky reached out a napkin and patted the wet spot on his suit, not noticing who he was.

 

          "That's okay, it was my fault." He replied as he wiped the spill on his shirt off, still not noticing her.

 

          Both of them were too distracted to the mess on Tik's shirt.

 

          "I'm such a klutz." Vicky replied.

 

          They both look up as their hands froze in midair. "You?!" They both shouted at the same time as they jump away from each others' distance.

 

          "What are you doing here?" Vicky shouted.

 

          "What I'm doing here? I worked here!" He shouted back. "What about you?"

 

          "I also work here!"

 

          "Wait. You're that new worker that my fath--"

 

          "Great. The person I don't want to see the most is the person that I see the most!" She interrupted him.

 

          Tik stood there, gazing at her, pensively. 'She doesn't know that her boss is my father, yet.' He smirked. 'This is going to be fun.'

 

          Vicky stared at him when she noticed his smirk on his face. "What?" She asked suspiciously.

 

          "Oh, nothing." He took a step closer with his classic bad boy smirk.

 

          "Hey, w-what are you doing?" She started to stuttered as she back up toward the counter behind her. "This is a workplace you know?"

 

          He stopped, still with that smirk across his face. "I know." He chuckled. "See you at the meeting!" With that, he walked away.

 

          Vicky stood there, bewildered as she watched him leave. "Now, when I thought this job was going to be perfect for me, he show up and ruined it."

 

 

          Tik hummed to himself as he walked toward his office, passing Ken's office along the way. Ken walked out and saw the jolly Tik, humming. Humming? Ken turned around and stared at his back. "Tik?"

 

          He turned around with that smirk still on his face. "Yes?"

 

          "Are you okay?" He noticed a brown stain across Tik's shirt. "Your shirt, what happen to it?" He pointed to it.

 

          "Oh, it's nothing. You know what I'm looking forward for that meeting already." He spun around and walked to his office. 'Oh I can't wait to see that look across her face when she knows I'm her boss's son. It's going to be priceless.'

 

          "Just a minute ago, you didn't even care about that meeting. What give?" Ken muttered as he watched his friend glide jolly to his office.

 

-*-*-

 

          Mr. Pondee greeted her again as soon as she walked into the meeting room. "Right on time! I like that in a worker!"

 

          Vicky smiled meekly.

 

          "What's wrong?" He looks at her closely, afraid she might be ill.

 

          "Oh, it's nothing."

 

          "Oh it must be your first day at work's jitters. That's okay. You will get over it soon."

 

          The other workers started walking in, along with Tik and Ken.  Tik smirked as Vicky gave him a dark look. He walked over to his seat and sat down.

 

          'Why is he seating the chair that is right of Mr. Pondee's?' Vicky thought as her eyes followed his movement.

 

          "Hello Miss Vicky!" A familiar male voice responded next to her.

 

          She turned sideway and smiled. "Hey Ken."

 

          "You know, I remember my first day at work here, I got lost trying to find the restroom." He whispered next to her.

 

          She chuckled. "Really? I, on the other hand, made it through the maze fine."

 

          Tik frowned as he watched Ken and Vicky whispering to each other. 'What on Earth are they laughing about? They only met awhile ago and now they are like best friend.'

 

          They both smiling at each other as Ken made a joke he didn't know of. 'Now they are smiling to each other!' Tik slapped him gently on the forehead. 'I sound like a jealous lover!'

 

          "What's wrong?" Ken asked as he sat next to him to his left. "You look so happy earlier."

 

          "It's nothing. So what's with you and the new girl?" Tik studied him.

 

          "Nothing. She's just a friend. Don't tell me you're jealous?"

 He leaned forward to examine his friend's face.

 

          Tik's eyes widen. "What?! No!" He took a small glance at her.

 

          She was standing next to his father.

 

          "Everyone, I would like to introduce to you a new worker here."  Mr. Pondee responded when the meeting room became quiet. "She studied hard and graduated in America with many achievements."

 

          Tik noticed she flushed at this comment.

 

          "Now, she is here in Bangkok, helping and working with us to succeed." He turned to Vicky as he smiled. "This is Miss Vicky. Please make her feel welcome here."

         

          Vicky glanced around the office. Her co-workers looks nice as she smiled back to them.

 

          "And I would like to introduce to you Miss Vicky, my son." Mr. Pondee shifted his gaze to his son. Vicky followed his gazed.

 

          'It can't be!' Her eyes widen when her eyes landed on him. The very man who irritated her in everyway was her boss' son! "You?!" She blurted out.

 

          "Nice to meet you, Miss Vicky." Tik smirked at her, noticing her nervousness. "And yes, it is me."

 

          Mr. Pondee seems to be confused. "You two know each other before?" He looked at both of them.

 

          Tik continued to smirk. "Well, actually we met awhile back."

 

          "Oh, that's great!" Mr. Pondee cheered.

 

          "Great is not what I described it." Vicky mumbled at the side.

 

          "Did you say something? You see, I can't hear when you are mumbling like that." Tik replied as he watched her. The other worker tried to hold their giggling.

 

          "Nothing." She answered back. 'Great, when I thought my day could get any better, he turned out to be my boss' son.'

 

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