Their Days of Nights

57 : Always

March 2013

Kimberly

Randy glances at the paper. "What's this?"

"My resignation letter," I say.

He drops it on top of a pile of stat reports. He sighs and tells me to sit down on the chair opposite his desk. Then he asks, "why?"

"I'm leaving," I casually answer.

He's wearier tonight than the previous days. He kept his usual pep talk earlier to a single sentence. I sensed something must be bothering him.

Seeing the mess of paperwork in front of him supports my hunch. I'm also interrupting a bit of time from his lunch break, so I want to make this chat quick.

He leans forward. "What do you need?" he whispers.

"What do you mean? I don't need anything." I shrug. "I'm resigning. This is my one-month notice," I point at the letter I just handed him.

He reads it. Then he nods. "I always knew this isn't enough for you." He sits back and swivels his chair. "I'm both glad and sad for you," he adds. "I'm just about to print a letter recommending you for consideration to replace me as Team Leader."

"Really?"

"Uh-hmm."

"Why? Where are you going?"

"To that room over there." He points at the closed bubble to the end corner of the floor. He's stepping up as an Operations Manager.

"Oh. Nice. Congratulations."

"And you? Where are you going?"

"My boyf—I mean, fiancé got this major software thing project. He has to do the whole ordeal in Singapore, so we're moving there in June."

"Oh. I didn't even know you're engaged."

That's because I didn't announce it for the whole world to know. Only my close friends and those who noticed my fingers know about it.

"It's kind of discreet," I say to Randy. "I'll send you maybe through e-mail the invite to our simple wedding party after we settled everything."

"So, what's next? Where will you work there?"

"I guess I'll try to freelance for a while, just to stay on my feet or something. Or maybe I won't have to work. I still haven't figured that out. Maybe I'll know when I know. Oh, um, thanks for thinking of making me a Team Leader. And I'm sorry the timing is, well..."

"It's okay, Kim."

"I know it's not my place, but have you considered Ian for that role?"

Goofy may be quiet and a little under the radar, but he's efficient with his work. He almost always outperforms everyone in the team. If there's anyone else who deserves a promotion, it should be him. But if I were in Randy's shoes, I'd also take in the fact that Goofy doesn't strike as a people-person, so he might have to work a bit on that.

"I'll consider it," Randy says.

***

"How did Goofy take it?" Aya asks.

"You know him, he acted cool, like it's no big deal, and just nodded. Then, of course, he went ecstatic when he talked to me after."

"Ah, classic Goofy. I can't believe he's a Team Leader now. Our boy is growing up."

Aya collects her phone charger and stuffs it inside the drawer on our shared bedside table. "And I still can't believe you're leaving," she says with her back to me.