Chapter 16. A Cool Widower
Some people have stood at the door of the rectangular cubicle that was used to transport humans to other floors. Bianca followed them. That time she did not go up the stairs like she always did. Now she was forced to use the elevator because the orchid was sent by someone who could not yet be identified.
"Good morning, Bianca," The voice of a man greeted Bianca's left side.
Bianca looked at the man and smiled at him. "Good morning, Mr. Fahar."
Fahar even returned a friendly smile. Overheard the name being called, the employees who were initially faced the elevator door looked at him and greeted that man.
Fahar was the CEO of the advertising company where Bianca made her job. Even though the man was only thirty years old, Fahar was able to build an Advanced Advertising firm as today, with growing in its esteem to the advertising environment. Hard work from zero made Fahar become a respected and dedicated businessman.
Fahar was a widower. His wife died late last year because of cancer. Now, he was a single father to a handsome five years old boy named Alex Hendri Abadi. Fahar's face had a sweet and charismatic look. Especially now that he was single, which had made him a talked man among socialite women.
Many women claimed to be interested in gaining Fahar's heart. However, there was a rumor going around that many retreated by themselves because they were not ready to be a stepmother to Fahar's only child. These women seemed more likely to date and play than to pursue serious relationships. Fahar was not the kind of guy who spent time just having fun.
"A ride on the elevator?" Fahar asked in amazement.
"I have to, Sir. It was quite heavy," Bianca answered and pointed to the pot in her hand with an eye cue.
Fahar nodded in recognition.
During her work at the office, no one knew that Bianca had severe trauma being in a confined room. Alone or lingering in that small cubicle could trigger the PTSD attack she had. So Bianca avoided using the elevator as much as possible. Over the years if anyone had asked why she preferred to use the stairs, Bianca would have replied, "I am the laziest of sports. So yeah, it's the only way to keep me fit."
Fahar stood on the outside of the crowd in the elevator. Bianca and her orchid were on the left of Fahar. "The flowers are beautiful," The man blurted out suddenly.
Honestly, Bianca was uncomfortable in that small room. "Yes, indeed. Thank you," Bianca replied.
"Ready for the master plan presentation this afternoon?" The man asked.
Ting!
The elevator stopped on the first floor. Some people were down there. Bianca and Fahar shifted to crossing them off the elevator. Then the conversation resumed.
"Sure. We've been working late for the past week. We hope Mr. Fahar is impressed with our concept," Bianca said.
It had been three months since Bianca got promoted as a vice chief of the planning division. As her first assignment after her tenure, Bianca took on a project developing the plans of a jewelry company for a one year contract.
"Good. We can't waste more time," Fahar praised.
Ting!
The elevator doors were back open. Bianca and the boss were left in the sealed room. After the elevator crashed a few days ago, she did not expect to have to go back to using the facility. Actually if any activity could distract her, Bianca would be able to use the elevator without a problem, busily talking. There are still two more floors.
'I'll have a chat with Mr. Fahar,' Bianca thought. 'But what should I discuss?' She was confused.
Seeing Bianca get a little nervous, Fahar chided him, "Do you have anything to say?"
"Well yeah, Sir. It's Alex. How is he?" Bianca did not know why she had to choose the topic of conversation about Fahar's only child.
"Alex?" Fahar smiled as Bianca suddenly asked him how his son was. "He was good. Thank you for asking," he replied.
"He's now five years old, isn't he?"
"Yes. How do you know?"
"I worked here for the first time when your wife was pregnant," Bianca said.
"Ah, is that so? So, you've been working here for five years. Time passed quickly, right," The man related.
"Yes. Has he started school, Sir?"
"Who? Ah, do you mean Alex? Nope. He will go to kindergarten instead. I now placed him in daycare," Fahar said.
Ting!
No one entered. With every time the small doors open, Bianca could breathe a sigh of relief. As the door closed again, she thought she should go back and distract herself from the subject. "Ah, I see. Alex hasn't been to the office in a while. I think this young man would be growing up and getting handsome looking," Bianca continued the conversation.
Fahar smiles. "Yes, but it seemed just like yesterday to pick him up for the first time. Do you know? Alex reads well now," he said.
"Wow, really? Take Alex here, Sir," Bianca asked.
"Sure. Some other time and you'll take care of Alex then," Fahar demanded.
"With my pleasure." Bianca added a smile to Fahar's reply.
Then the elevator clanked again and the door opened. Bianca excused herself to her supervisor. While Fahar went to the fifth floor, the top floor of the building. As she made her way into the planning room, Bianca crossed paths with Amelia, her co-worker. Before the elevator doors were completely closed, Amelia saw Fahar in there. She waved, "Morning, Sir!" she exclaimed.
Amelia ran alongside Bianca, "You got a jackpot, Bi. Once using the elevator, and voila, gather with Mr. Fahar," Amelia screamed.
"Hmm," Bianca's response was flat.
"Mr. Fahar is so cool." Amelia's pupil was always dilated when it came to the Advance Advertising boss. She admired that single father. "Uh huh, you drove in an elevator? Exhausted from the trip, Lady?" she asked.
"This thing is heavy," Bianca replied with a gaze pointing at the beautiful plant she carried.
"Well, why did you bring flowers? You wanna start gardening? Do we have projects associated with orchids?" Amelia engendered Bianca with an astonished question. Yet Bianca answered, Amelia saw the envelope of greeting tucked into the flower. "Wait, hold on!"
Bianca stopped.
Amelia took the envelope and asked Bianca, "Can I read?"
"Yes," Bianca answered and then continued her walk to the workbench. Then placed that orchid pot on the corner of her desk.
Amelia came closer, "Bianca … you got a secret admirer?" She was gawking in disbelief.
Bianca just had to snap her shoulders as a sign she could not answer for sure.
"Sent to the front desk of our office?" Amelia asked again.
Bianca only nodded, but her focus was focused on the activities turning the laptop on and staring at the illuminated rectangular screen.
"Bi, the sender has initial A. Is he an insider or an outsider?"
Bianca turned to her colleagues who were still busy speculating. "You have nothing to do, Lia?'' Bianca asked briefly.
"Sure, I have. Here, look, I'm trying to figure out your secret admirer," Amelia answered without hesitation.
The recipient of the orchid smiled and said, "I'm not that curious. But you are the one who did." Bianca said.
"I know it's useless to discuss romantic things with you, Bi. Your life only revolves around work and home. Enjoy your life for once, Dear. The one who sent this beautiful orchid might be your destiny," Amelia seduced.
Bianca's fingers stopped typing. "Lia, have all the files ready for this afternoon's meeting?" she asked.
"Yes, all was done. Well, Bi, it wasn't Mr. Fahar, was it? His name is Fahar Abadi. A, Abadi?" Amelia predicted.
"Since when do initials not use a first name?" asked Bianca back.
"Well, he was a secret admirer, Bi. It might be, you know, playing in a mysterious way," Amelia made a reason. "Okay, I'll stop," she said. "You are no fun. Besides, if Ms. Melly sees us gossiping early in the morning, she'll punish us." Then the woman went to her desk.
"Us? You are the one who started it," Bianca murmured. Given what Amelia said earlier, Bianca's had a second thought. Not to mention whether initial A was Fahar, but a may be an employee in that office or an outsider. Because Bianca believed A was not Fahar for sure, so she threw it away.