Chapter 3 The Report
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Closing the report, I attentively topped off Mr. Hall’s coffee. “I was just thinking that you truly have a sharp eye, Mr. Hall.”
Seemingly a little embarrassed by the sudden compliment, he snorted and went back to his room.
1/2
In no time, a few more days passed.
Mr. Hall had recently taken a liking to peering over my shoulder while I reviewed reports and giving a few suggestions. He would wait for me to flatter him with a few elegantly veiled compliments before leaving, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
In just a few short days, my work and flattery skills had both improved dramatically.
That day, when the medical staff came to check on us, they informed us that the community would soon be released from quarantine.
Overjoyed, I rushed to pack my things.
Leaning against the doorframe of his room with a displeased expression, Mr. Hall asked, “Why are you in such a rush? It’s not like the lockdown ends today.”
“I just want to be prepared to leave at any moment,” I explained respectfully. “Once the lockdown ends, I’ll definitely leave as soon as I can. I wouldn’t want to trouble you any longer than I already have.”
With a click of his tongue, Mr. Hall went back into his room, slamming his door with a loud bang.
I scratched my head, sighing. Why was he always throwing tantrums like some moody teenager? Truly, Mr. Hall and petty people were the hardest to deal with.
The end of the lockdown came sooner than expected.
Early the next morning, loudspeakers in the neighborhood blared repeatedly. “The lockdown has ended. Residents can now freely enter and exit the area.”
Dragging along the Hermès suitcase I had borrowed from Mr. Hall, I cheerfully bade him goodbye.
Mr. Hall looked even grumpier than yesterday. Standing at his door, he watched me struggle with the suitcase for a while before uttering, “…I’ll give you a ride.”
Flustered by his sudden care, I replied, “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly trouble you. A single minute of yours is worth tens of thousands of dollars. I wouldn’t dare waste
it.”
Mr. Hall gave me a look of disdain. “You should seriously cut back on reading those romance novels. I don’t earn money by selling my time. I’d still be making the same amount even if I were sleeping.”
Three minutes later, I silently got into Mr. Hall’s Aston Martin.
After placing the suitcase in the car, he got in and glanced at me through the rear–view mirror. “Why are you sitting in the back? Do I look like your Uber driver?”
I chuckled awkwardly. Of course, he didn’t. If an Uber driver had his attitude, I’d report him in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, this was my boss. As such, I could only smile sheepishly and move to the front seat.
On the way to my place, Mr. Hall seemed to have something to say. I waited nervously, worried that my recent performance had made him consider firing me.
But even as we neared my apartment complex, he hadn’t said a single word.
Then, just as we were approaching the entrance of my apartment complex, he abruptly hit the brakes, pulling the car over to the curb. He turned to me. “Do you really not have anything to say to me?”
Stunned, I looked at him before turning to look at the entrance of my apartment complex, which was not far off. A sudden realization hit me.
“Mr. Hall, you must’ve stopped here because you don’t want to drive into the complex, right?”
A vein visibly throbbed on Mr. Hall’s forehead. “Is that it?”
I scratched my head. “Uh… The way you parallel park is really cool?”
Mr. Hall stared at me wordlessly. He clenched his jaw, looking like he was ready to yell at me. “Are you that dense? What I mean is… Why do you have to go…”
Right as I was listening to him intently, a loud, blaring sound came from outside the car.
“Attention to all residents, a suspected infection case has been reported in Unit 27 of Building 9 of our complex. All residents are required to stay indoors and self- quarantine immediately. I repeat, a suspected infection case has been reported…”
Mr. Hall immediately stopped talking.
I caught myself thinking, absurd as it was, that the speakers in Mr. Hall’s neighborhood sounded way better than the ones here. There really were differences between upscale neighborhoods and regular ones.
I was only after that silly thought passed that I processed what the announcement was saying.
As I couldn’t be bothered to hear the rest of what Mr. Hall was saying, I flung the car door open and dashed toward the entrance of my apartment complex, burping right into a healthcare worker setting up quarantine tape.
Sir! Sir, could you just let me through?” With a sincere look, I pleaded, “Let me go back to my own place to self–quarantine!”
The healthcare worker shook his head. “I’m afraid we can’t do that. If you had come two minutes earlier, we could’ve let you in, but not anymore.”
I felt like I was struck by lightning.
Mr. Hall had caught up to me by now. “April, what are you running for?”
With my head hanging low, I said weakly, “It’s all over…”
Chapter 3 The Report
“What’s over?”
I looked up at him, my eyes unfocused. “My paid time off… It’s gone…”
Mr. Hall pinched the bridge of his nose before bringing me back to his car. “Stop embarrassing yourself out there. I’ll just give you a raise next month.”
My eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” he said as he pushed me back into the car. “Stop looking at me like I haven’t been paying you a salary.”
Pleased, I sat in the passenger seat, watching as Mr. Hall started the engine and made a smooth U–turn. Only then did it occur to me to ask, “Mr. Hall, where are we going?”
“Where else? Home.”
“What? Whose home?”
“Since you can’t go back to yours, we’re obviously going back to mine.”
“But…”
“But what?” Turning his head to glance at me, he raised an eyebrow. “You got somewhere else to go?”
I racked my brain. “What if… I do?”
“Oh, is it closer to the office than my place?”
I fell silent.
Upon noticing that I was tongue–tied, he said in a leisurely tone, “Then, it’s settled. You’re coming back to my place. It’s near the company and makes commuting
easier.”
When he put it like that, I couldn’t argue against it. I stared blankly out the window for a moment, then suddenly recalled the conversation he never finished earlier. “Mr. Hall, what were you trying to say before?”
He said nothing in response, so I pressed, “Mr. Hall?”
“It’s nothing.”
“But you did say something. You said I was dense and something about why I have to go somewhere. So, what was that about?”
“Oh… Nothing.”
“Huh?”
“Ask again and I’ll dock your pay.”
“Understood, Mr. Hall. Sorry, Mr. Hall.”
www
Mr. Hall was not only petty, but he was also unreasonable. But considering the promised raise next month, I decided not to hold it against him.
Now that the lockdown had ended in his neighborhood, that meant both he and I had to return to our regular work routine.
There was a difference between our schedules, though, since I had to be at the company by 9:00 am whereas Mr. Hall could show up whenever he felt like it. Yet he got up as early as me and even made breakfast.
“It’s your first day back at the office, so you have to pull yourself together.” Sipping his coffee, Mr. Hall added, “You’re not just representing yourself now; you’re also representing my reputation.”
Thinking over what he said, I assumed he was still hung up on that rumor about us being g a couple. “Don’t you worry, Mr. Hall. Once we get to the office, I’ll be sure to stay far away from you. I won’t give anyone a reason to question your taste!”
Mr. Hall reached over to remove the piece of lettuce stuck on the corner of my mouth. He said kindly, “Relax. With the way you are right now, it’ll be hard for anyone to think there’s anything between us.‘
