His Nineteenth Secretary [✔]

Forty-one

She was sitting on Brian's seat now after he left to receive a phone call.

"No wonder the dancing steps seemed so familiar, such a crazy dance."

"But you laughed as you always have. Here," She dipped her hand into her pocket to bring out a black medium-sized rectangular box that which she placed on the table before me. "Your birthday gift."

"Chocolate?" I asked. Though it looked like it would be holding earrings or a necklace but Alicia can't be trusted. Over the years, I've known her to always present me with silly gifts. Last year, it was a toothbrush, which she packaged in a way to look like a pretty hairpin. Once, it was a pencil, once it was orange juice and urgh! Not to talk of the others.

"No." She shook her head.

"Bobby pins?"

"No."

"Candies?"

"No, just check it. Trust me this time."

"You say that every year."

"Check it, at least." She gestured at me to take it. I picked up the box and opened it while eying her with suspicion.

I averted my eyes to look at the opened box, and it turned out it wasn't any of the silly stuff I thought it would be. Instead, the box contained two pretty ruby earrings.

"Whoa... Alicia!"

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah, what came over you this time?"

"I don't really know." She laughed.

"Aw... these are so pretty. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." She muttered. My attention was diverted to the other person in the Dora costume, who had been coughing awkwardly in an attempt to draw our attention.

"And who's the other person in costume?" I asked Alicia.

"Oh, that's Dennis." She said in between munching on some of the chips she took off the top of the chocolate cake with crumbs flying dangerously out of her mouth as she spoke, making me squeeze my face in mock irritation. Such a weirdo, but it was just so nice to have her here.

"Really?" My eyes widened with surprise.

Dennis was Alicia's younger brother. The individual took off its Dora mascot head to reveal the face of a handsome teenage boy who was once a little adorable boy with spunky hair. Even his spunky hair was gone and now replaced with a low cut. It had been long since I last saw him and he had really changed a lot. I rose up from my seat to hug him.

His cheeks were a dark shade of pink by the time I withdrew from him.

"Thank you so much, Dennis, for the display."

"It's nothing. I'll do anything for you, Ruby."

"He was the one who picked out the earrings." Alicia informed.

"No way! Also, no wonder." I made a face at Alicia. "You have such a good taste, Dennis."

"Thank you."

"You should join us." I said to him.

Brian returned back, and we cracked jokes as we ate the cake and sipped our glass of wine.

It was just one of my best birthdays ever.

*

The days following after my birthday at the company weren't the best ones and concerning the pizza I ate at work containing soybeans which wasn't supposed to be, I was still yet to figure out who was behind it. Whoever did it must have known what I was allergic to which none of my department member was aware of, and so making it hard for me to suspect Juliana or any of them to be the one behind it.