untouchable

35

Jillian is staring at the newly added event on her work calendar for January next year. There's no other details to it, and could be easily missed, but it's the only oddity on her calendar that she noticed it right away. All it says is "TBD". She tried refreshing, ruling that it must be some glitch while she was away. But it's still there, just there.

She steals Danica's attention with gentle taps on her arm. "Dani, ano 'tong TBD sa January calendar?"

Danica looks at Jill's computer screen, and realizes right away. "Ay! Ano 'yan, company event 'yan bestie! Pero baka next month pa paguusapan sa gen meeting? Hindi ko rin sure, to be honest. Waiting lang din ako gaya mo."

Jill hums with a nod and proceeds to catch up on her backlogs. She's contemplating doing overtime, but she has a family dinner tonight.

Her morning is calm and tranquil despite the amount of workload that welcomed her. Bakit parang ang tahimik ng araw ko? It's like something's missing... "Ay, nasa'n si Ethan?" Jill wondered out loud.

"Nasa work trip, bes. Won't be back until next week. Sana forever na lang para wala na talagang epal dito, chos." Dani answered. "Uy, may paghanap?" She asked with raised brows, not really malicious but not innocent either.

"Hindi. Parang ang tahimik lang kasi. Walang papansin." Jill nonchalantly replied, which made Dani chuckle throatily. She smiled but then added, "Echos lang do'n sa papansin."

Dani waved her hand in dismissal. "Naku, hindi rin naman talaga echos 'yon! Totoo namang papansin si pangit." The woman then rolls her chair away from her desk as she gazes at Jill with a questioning look on her face. "I'm surprised hindi niya nabanggit sa'yo? Kasi parang lagi kang ginugulo n'on, e. I doubt na tinatanong mo siya, pero eager pa rin mag-update 'yun sa'yo."

"Well..." Jill trailed off in thought. Maybe he did, but she didn't care to check while she's away. Her hands were full back in Boston. Jill finally did check Ethan's chat log. She internally cringed when she saw there were several unread messages from him. She probably forgot to unmute her friend. "Oof," was her only response.

Replying now after almost a week of not even reading his texts would be too impolite. Jill would just make it up to him when he's back from his work trip, maybe.

"Hayaan mo na 'yon. Make the most out of this peace and quiet na lang muna." Dani said with a wink.

Jill giggles as she shakes her head at that. Dani's consistent bullying to the man has rubbed off on Jill, too. "Sabay tayo lunch today?" She asked her colleague.

"Bet! Yayain din natin sina Kuya Chad at Ate Ces. Ay tsaka si mamsir! Oks lang?"

"Sureness." Jill answered.

And she spent the rest of her morning focused on her job.

Dani already invited you and the others in passing and you all accepted. You three were the first ones to arrive at the cafeteria, holding the line for the two youngest.

"Hey, vebz!" Ces welcomed Jill with a hug. The two women then caught up with each other while waiting on the queue.

You're only idly listening on the side, patient for your turn to order and to converse with Jillian. The younger woman was quite the celebrity since she returned this morning, and you were too busy with your own workload that you didn't had the opportunity to talk to her.

Jill finally nudged you with her elbow since you're standing behind her. She has a teasing smirk on her face as she looks up at you. Your face involuntarily lit up from her attention. "Musta, boss?"

You tutted and held your hips. "Ays lang naman. Ikaw? Na-enjoy mo naman ba sick leave mo?"

She dramatically sighed. "Hmm, oo. Medyo malala nga sakit ko, e. Muntik ko na ipa-extend."