Begin Again

Chapter 2

                 

Day One

Leah woke up extra early for her first day as Executive Creative Director at Art Mart. She was nervous but she was more excited for the new challenge, plus being back at Art Mart Manila felt like coming home. Dubai and San Francisco were great learning experiences but deep inside Leah knew that Manila was home. She turned over to the other side of the bed only to find that it was empty.

"Ano 'to, hindi natutulog?" She muttered to herself. It was only five in the morning after all.

Clark wasn't in the bathroom and when she stepped out of the bedroom he wasn't in the apartment at all. Leah decided to just go about her morning routine as usual and worry about Clark later.

She found him downstairs in the shop when she was on her way out.

"O, kanina pa kita hinahanap. Ang aga mo nagising."

"Couldn't sleep," he said without looking up from his work.

"Nag-breakfast ka ba? Nagluto ako ng itlog sa taas, may tinapay doon at kape."

Clark just nodded and Leah looked around at the empty and silent workshop.

"Ikaw lang ba dito? Nasaan sina Axel at Kiko?"

"They don't come in until later. Around 9."

"Ahh. Pero ikaw ang aga mo magsimula ng trabaho."

Clark didn't respond and Leah fidgeted with the ribbon of the silky blouse she had picked out for this occasion. "Um, first day ko ngayon sa Art Mart as...Executive Creative Director."

That made Clark look up. "ECD? Wow. Congrats. Good for you."

"Thank you."

She stood there for a minute more thinking he might say something else.

"Shouldn't you go?" He asked. "You don't want to be late on your first day."

"Oo, paalis na," she muttered. Leah walked to the door, her heart feeling heavy.

"Leah," Clark called and she turned back to look at him. "Good luck. I'm sure you'll do great."

She smiled, feeling her spirits lifting up at the sincerity in Clark's voice. "Thank you."

Day Two

It was only the end of her second day but the week felt long and unending. It turns out that the last ECD had been headhunted by another company and he had left a disorganized mess in his last weeks at Art Mart. Leah was now busy cleaning up after him and at the same time trying to establish her foothold as ECD to her team. She was dismayed to see that about half of the staff that she had worked with two years ago had left Art Mart, mostly due to the last ECD's negligence and horrible working environment. But she was happy to find that Betsy and Fifi were still there. Two familiar and friendly faces was exactly what she needed.

Leah walked into the workshop, her arms full of binders and folders. She did her best to come home from the office as early as she could but she knew she was still in for a long night of work. Axel looked up from his work bench and saw her struggling with all of the things she was carrying.

"Ms. Leah!" He ran over. "Tulungan na kita."

"Thank you, Axel." Leah smiled and passed him the binders and paper bag she was holding. "Si Clark?"

"Nasa office niya po. May kausap na client sa phone."

"Ahh...ganoon ba? Kumain na ba kayo? Medyo late na."