CAITLIN
"Late ka nanaman." Reg looked up at me as I entered the relaxation room. "Dalawang oras na akong naghihintay sa'yo."
"Sorry." I untied my robe and took a seat on the edge of the mineral bath. "Nakalimutan ko yung lunch meeting na i-hohost ko bukas and I needed to make sure I had the right files."
She shook her head. "Kailangan mong sabihan ang boss mo that you deserve a bonus and an additional raise for everything you do."
"Ako na ang highest paid EA in the city."
"Hindi parin sapat," she said, pulling her hair into a bun. "Sigurado ka bang okay lang sa kanya with us running up a ten thousand dollar spa tab today?"
"Naman." I placed my phone onto a towel and leaned back against the warm stones. "I'm sure she'll be utterly thrilled about it once she gets the bill."
"So, I take it that you're still trying to get fired?"
"Oo." I laughed. "Pero I think narealize ko na hindi n'ya ako papakawalan until tapos na yung kontrata ko."
"It could be worse." She shrugged. "Pwede kang maging ako working to find yourself. At least ikaw established na."
I gave her a blank stare. My sister was living the ultimate 'girl comes to the city and takes over the world' fantasy life. As a renowned musician, her days were spent composing songs for Broadway plays and international recording artists, critiquing sunset symphonies, and earning tons of money anytime she decided to pick up her cello and perform a private show. Then again, her nights were spent picking up sexy strangers in elite bars who kept me up all night with their moaning.
"Stop looking at me like that." She splashed me, laughing. "Ipagpapalit ko yung musical talents ko for your lawyer brain any day, especially if it meant I got the chance to work under Bea de Leon every day."
"Alam mong s'ya ang pinaka demanding na babae sa buong mundo," I said. "It's not what it seems at all."
"So? Hindi ibig sabihin na hindi ko gugustuhing makasama s'ya lagi. Maybe you should try and sleep with her. Maybe that will get you out of your contract."
I rolled my eyes. Despite the thick, palpable tension that existed between Bea and me since my first day, I highly doubted either of us would ever cross that line. Sure, there'd been rare moments when I thought she looked at me a certain way, moments when I was happy that she was staying late to work by my side, but outside of a sarcastic innuendo here or there, we were strictly platonic.
"Pass ako sa idea na 'yan."
"Figures. Well, if hindi mo s'ya boss – like kung friends lang kayo tas mag attempt s'ya to make a move on you, hahayaan mo ba?"
In a heartbeat... "Never."
"Interesting." She held her hands under one of the fountains. "Anyway, in next month's edition of 'I love my identical twin,' kailangan kita to stand in for me sa meet and greet at Gershwin Theater. Kailangan mo lang magpakita for twenty minutes, introduce yourself as me tas konting pictures."
"I'll do it, if pupunta ka as me sa employee renewal session ulit at the end of the year. Hate ko talaga that it takes over two hours para lang making sa pointless speeches at makuha ang bagong name badge."
"Deal." She smiled. "By the way, most likely mag-uuwi ako ng lalaki tonight, so you may want to wear headphones. And bago ka magtanong, oo, kilala ko s'ya. He's a hedge fund manager."
"Hedge fund managers are the scum of Wall Street. Anong name n'ya?"
"Sabihan ko s'ya na i-remind akong tanungin s'ya when he comes over."
I shook my head and tossed a loofah at her. Before I could tell her that I was slightly jealous of her newfound sex life, my phone sounded with the special ring tone I had for Ms. de Leon.
Ugh... I picked it up and hit ignore.
I hit ignore once more and sent her a text message.
ME: I'm busy running up a 10K spa tab right now. I can't answer.
I turned off my phone and slid it across the tile. Then I slipped further into the hot tub's foam, shutting my eyes as I leaned against the underwater bench.
I was beginning to doze off when I felt someone tapping my shoulder.
"Yes?" I opened my eyes to see a spa attendant looking at me. "Is something wrong?"
"Not at all, Miss Viray." She held out a phone. "Ms. de Leon called and asked to speak to you."
What the... I took the phone from her hand and held it up to my ear. "Yes, Ms. de Leon?"
"Ang sabi mo you were only going to run up a ten thousand dollar tab," she said. "The manager says you're on track to hit eleven."
"Plano kong magstay hanggang sa mag close sila so I can get it up to twenty."
She let out a low laugh. "I need you to meet me at my penthouse suite at six tomorrow morning," she said. "It's extremely important."
I sat up a bit. Any time she asked me to meet her at her penthouse at an ungodly hour meant that an employee was betraying or stealing from her. And she'd been utterly ruthless in her plans to even the score.
"Is this about someone going behind your back again?" I asked. "I can start the termination paperwork tonight."
"It's about you."
What? "I've never stolen anything from you."
"Nothing except my patience." Her voice was firm. "Susunduin ka ni Jet at five thirty. 'Wag mo s'yang pag-antayin. And pick-up the Rosenberg files from Syntec on your way here, along with my coffee and bagel. Try not to drink half of it like you usually do, or at least be more discreet about it."
I hated the sound of her voice – even in moments when she was being a demanding ass, was a turn on.
"With all due respect, this call could've waited until after I left the spa."
"With all due respect, you know I'm not the waiting type." She hung up.
