Andy's Plan

Chapter 10

Back when I was still in the university, I deliberately prepared for my scheduled presentation for the class. I researched diligently for my topic and made my best slideshows. I was so confident with it for I still had a week left to polish my report when something unexpected happened. The girl who was supposedly going to present before me caught some flu and was absent and since I was next in line, I had to do the reporting ahead of what was purportedly my schedule. I panicked of course. I was not prepared for that day and so I crammed with the short amount of time given for me to prepare and although I made it out alive, I swore that day that I will be prepared and armed before every battle.

I should have heeded to that sworn.

I thought to myself dryly as I sat on my swivelling chair in my small office as I made myself as inconspicuous as I could while my stomach was braiding itself and I was anxious whenever I glanced at the clock on the wall for I could not decide if I wanted it to go faster so that I could go home or stop the time for that dreading moment to not come.

There was a rumour circulating around the office...no, the whole building and it was confirmed to be true when afternoon came.

I opened the door of my office and glanced down the hallway to be sure that the coast was clear from someone I was specifically avoiding and I didn’t even know why I was doing what I was doing. I closed the door carefully without any scraping noise aside from the clicking sound of the lock and I strode down the hallway while glancing over my shoulder once in a while.  I subtly did a ninja prance and composed myself whenever I passed by my co-workers. I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the pantry. I particularly chose that time, the holy hour, 3 o’clock in the afternoon, to idle in the pantry and stuff my stomach. I was hoping that the place was not crowded and I was right, there were just six people in there and I was glad. I flashed them as bright a smile I could manage and just hoped that it didn’t come out as a grimace and maybe it didn’t for they greeted me back as enthusiastic as they could as I placed my bottled fresh juice and a pack of wheat crackers on the vacant table. I started to have some slight queasy stomach earlier this week but not to the point of retching, so I was very careful of what I eat to prevent myself from being nauseous and vomit. There were only three people who knew my pregnancy, aside from my doctor, and I was keeping it like that until my baby bump shows. I strained my ears to hear any gossips circulating around the work place since this morning.

You might wonder why I was acting strange this day, well, let’s just say that I took Creative Writing and English Literature for a reason because Mathematics and I didn’t agree and today that just proved it.

I mean, when Alden said that he’s coming next month, I consoled myself that a month was enough to recollect myself, not that it was shattered, but I had to collect a lot of courage to tell him the after effect of that jaunt we shared. But what I forgot to factor was the fact that Alden told me about it with only a week to spare before the month changes. Imagine my shock when he came to my office as he excitedly announced: “Callum came back! He’s planning to swing by the office later today to talk about him being featured in Hombre.”

I almost got nauseous and was very thankful I didn’t vomit.

I chased that thought away from my mind as I was nibbling on my crackers; seriously, eating crackers while thinking about puking was not a good combination. I so don’t want it. So far I didn’t have those disrupting, gut-wrenching, energy-sapping, morning-spoiler pregnancy sickness and I was not looking forward to it.

I was still befuddled as to why he would come to the office just to talk about his featured appearance and interview when he could have it in the expense and comfort of one of his hotels or restaurants. I spoke it out loud to Alden and he just said that the CEO of our publishing house invited him over. They’re maybe good friends, I supposed. Good thing he wasn’t featured in The Cradle Society where I was an editor. The Cradle Publishing House was producing several kinds and types of magazines catering to different genre of readers. Once, we: Alden, Mia and I worked together in the same department, here in the third floor where all issues concerning the society were being peeled down, chopped to parts and undergone Socratic questioning before being judge worthy of getting published. Alden was the first to change department and decided he wanted to press ‘4’ in the elevator buttons, so up and he went to the one catering to the gents. “Nothing like going to work while feasting my eyes with the fine, yummy species,” his words not mine. Mia decided to go down to the second floor, the department dealing with novels as that’s where her skills were truly needed.