Mom was still in a critical condition when I stopped by at the hospital, although Doctor Michelle said her condition was a little bit more stable than before.
I flopped down on a sofa in the living room and allowed my gaze wander around the living room, it landed on the DVD player, the LCD Television, the center table, and different pictures of my family suspended from the wall.
There were pictures of my grandparents who I never got to see as they died before I was born, even Edana did not get to meet them.
Mom’s family wasn’t a large one, apart from her ‘cheating’ younger sister, she had a brother, Uncle Donald who resided in Japan with his family. Few of her cousins were scattered throughout America, but we never got to meet them.
Edana had left for work, and the house was really quiet, not a scary kind of quiet, it was just peaceful, and I loved it that way.
Before this incident happened, I know Edana would have called to find out how her baby sister is doing, and all that. But with everything that’s happened, she’s not herself anymore, it’s just like the real ‘her’ travelled to someplace and isn’t thinking of returning.
If she’s not calling me, I’m going to call her. I dialed her number on my phone and raised it to my ear.
“Hello, Flor,” her voice lacked its usual confidence, it was hoarse, like she just finished crying.
“Hey Sis, how you holding up?”
She sighed in response.
“I’m trying hard enough, but I’m not strong enough, I’m sorry.”
I twisted my lips in confusion.
“You don’t need to be sorry about anything, it’s not your fault, it’s not mine, it’s not mom’s…”
I could sense her nodding her head in her office, with her legs crossed and her slender fingers twirling around her hair. Don’t see it as weird stuff, but it’s just the strong connection between the two of us, we could sense what either of us is doing at a particular time, it’s just like we send telepathic messages to ourselves all the time, but we don’t, I’m certain about that.
“What’s going to happen to Amanda’s Empire?”
“I received a call, when I went over, Mr. Adam…is it? Told me I has to take charge of everything for now… I don’t know how to feel about it, I feel like hell…” I crossed my ankle over my knee and slouched in the sofa.
“You’re feeling like hell? How do you know what hell feels like… It’s hot, except you are.” She let out a low chuckle and I was grateful to have cheered her up.
“Of course I’m hot…” I suspected she meant something else, but I couldn’t lay my hands on on what it was.
“Ha!”
The real meaning of her words dropped into my head from a helicopter and I snickered.
“Glad to know that you’re finally back.”
“I’m not the bark of a tree.”
I rolled my eyes and smiled goofily to myself .
“Come on, you know what I mean.” I groaned and rubbed my forehead.
“If you’re mean, you’re average, where are your numbers?”
“Really now…stop it Tam.” I protested weakly and she laughed loudly at my weak protest, making me scoff.
“I’ll see you later, good bye sis.”
After hanging up on Edana, I headed to the kitchen and prepared a sumptuous vegetable salad which was consumed in a hurry, a glass of water of water accompanied the vegetables to my stomach. I rubbed my stomach in satisfaction as I returned to recline in the chair I was seated on.
I hurried into Delfina just in time for the ‘meeting’. The stakeholders were exchanging pleasantries with each other when I barged into the conference room trying to straighten my gown and hair. Instead of a pair of stilettos, I had on a pair of strap heels.
All eyes were focused on me, but I gracefully made my way to the head of the table. I recognized only Ariel, Mr. Adam, Mr. Schreeve, and Mr. Will, the last two were seated alongside Ariel in Mr. Adam’s office, the last time. They were seated at the far end of the long and wide white table. The room was properly lit and ventilated and I inhaled deeply glancing briefly at the lights above my head.
I gave everyone a bright smile and placed my phone on the table in front of me.
“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, we’re all aware of the impending doom of Amanda’s Empire . This meeting today will help salvage the situation.” Mr Adam spoke giving me a curt nod.
“I invited Miss Delfina over, therefore it’s my duty to get her acquainted with every one of you, as she’s in charge now.”
All eyes were fixed on me, but I ignored them, however there was a pair of eyes I couldn’t ignore. Philip’s.
I never knew that he had affiliations with mom, she never discussed that with me. Well, in life, one is bound to receive surprises, like it or not. I was too conscious of his eyes on me even while I spoke when given an opportunity to.
I spoke enthusiastically about my resolve ensure that Amanda’s Empire rises to her feet and reclaims her title as the greatest Fashion Empire in America and that got me a rousing applause from everyone.
I received information on the latest arrivals, the new set of fabrics that needed to be designed but haven’t, because of the present state of things. I met with the heads of the Designing Department and gave them and their subordinates, orders to begin the process of designing the fabrics. I glanced at the sketches for the different gowns; ballgowns, corporate gowns, simple gowns, and I nodded in approval.
With my hands firmly planted on my waist, I looked down at the hustle and bustle going on below me. The interior of Delfina was designed in such a way that one could oversee every single action of the workers by standing on a raised platform with rails planted at the edges to prevent anyone from falling off to embrace their death.
“Enjoying the view?” Philip’s deep voice rumbled from behind me and I turned sharply to him, my gaze fell upon his eyes, mesmerizing as always with his perfectly fitted suit and perfectly knotted turquoise blue tie.
“Yes, I am, Delfina’s beauty is unrivaled.” I fought to keep the conversation formal.
He studied my face for a while before nodding, like he discovered something else hidden in my face.
“Yeah, Delfina’s beauty is unmatched.”
I hinted from the way his eyes fixed on me that he wasn’t actually referring to the structure I was staring at, but me. I refrained from commenting on Delfina’s unmatched beauty.
“I think all of this will be too much for me to handle, I don’t think-”
“Delfina, it’s OK to have your inhibitions, but a successful businessman isn’t afraid of what’s ahead, he faces it.”
A smile played on my lips as some of the workers from beneath me waved at me. I waved back and blew an imaginary kiss to them, which caused them to cheer wildly.
“You see, they love you, I don’t know why you’re swimming in doubt and fear.”
You have no idea about how worried I am, not just about my handling the entire Empire, it’s about the threat that’s still hanging above my family’s head.
With my mom lying unconscious on a hospital bed, I didn’t know what to expect anymore, I feared the worst.
“Let go of your fears,” He pressed on, smiling softly and looked down at the workers.
Briefly shifting my gaze to him, I wondered where the egoistic man I’ve always known, travelled to.