...continued from part-1, part-2, part-3 and part-4
There was going to be a real buzz at the office on this very Monday, thought James, as he went about his morning rituals before heading to work.
It was now a week after Brian’s successful proposal to his fiancé Stella. And it was the very Monday that Anna was to resume duties following her annual leave.
Meanwhile, the company had finally received a payment from the state administration, for the oil exploration job done fourteen months earlier on the state’s financed drilling rig.
The information regarding the payment had leaked to the general staff during the course of the just past weekend.
The staff and crew that were in the company’s employ and part of the very big project as at then, knew the ramifications of the great news.
But asides the excitement of the anticipated bonuses for staff of the company who were involved in the project – which James knew he won’t partake in, given the fact that he was still relatively new – there was still the buzz about Brian’s new relationship status which oozed – ‘engaged’.
Meanwhile, Anna had resumed that morning as expected too. And as can be imagined, James’ thoughts were saturated with her that morning.
Sitting at his desk around mid-day, James reflected on their morning encounter as they both arrived for work at almost the same time, that morning.
“Hello Jay”, Anna had called out. James who was heading into the building that very morning was already a foot past the entrance door of the building when he heard her voice.
On hearing her distinct pitch, he turned back towards Anna who was now approaching the building, via the walk-way. She was only seconds behind James, who had to park his car in the parking lot before walking into the builidng.
“Good morning Anna”, James had greeted as she smiled towards him. She responded with, “Good morning James.”
“Uhm! Hey, I hope it’s ok to call you ‘Jay’ at times? I know Brian calls you that sometimes. And I think it’s cool so I just hope it won’t be weird if I called you that too, sometimes?”
James with a cheeky smile said, “Of course not! You can call me Jay, if you like”
He then asked, “Meanwhile, how did you enjoy your leave? And how’s your boyfriend, Steven?”
James hadn’t thought long enough before spitting the question. But to his surprise, Anna simply laughed at the question; as they both climbed the brief staircase to the building’s elevator together.
Anna responded by saying, “Steven is not my boyfriend. I am sure he thought you and I have something together too, because he also asked me if you were now my secret boyfriend, when he dropped me off.”
Then it was James’ turn to laugh. “Your secret boy-friend? And what did you tell him, Anna?”
“I told him we weren’t dating of course”, Anna had replied with a serious look.
James then considered the moment to be a good enough opportunity to ask her who she was dating. And so he proceeded to ask.
“Well, that’s fair enough,” James had said.
“But are you really trying to say you aren’t dating anyone, Anna?”
“I mean, you can’t possibly be single and alone”, James added. It was more of a plea than a question.
Anna replied with, “Well, my personal life is private, Jay. I am not obligated to tell you or anyone anything about my relationship”
“You do realize that my personal relationship is my business, right?” Anna had said.
James responded with, “Of course, your relationship is your business, I get that.”
“But if I were to ask you out to dinner sometime, would that mean that I am stealing someone else’s girl?” James had persisted.
Anna had laughed at that point, and said “You don’t seem to get me, Jay. Not a lot of people do”.
“Perhaps we would continue this boring topic of yours later”, Anna winked at him, and she said “Later, Jay.”
By that time they had both reached the general staff office, and had to retire to their respective stations for the day's assignments.
James was left wondering though, if Anna’s response that morning meant that she would consider going out with him to dinner sometime.
And even though she didn’t say anything in that line, he felt he’d still push for a direct answer by asking her the question again before the close of work.
"And hopefully she’d open up to me, on the details about her ‘so-called’ private life, which she is so bent on hiding," he thought to himself.
....final part coming soon. Watch out.
Thank you for your time and for reading.
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