I
Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Tanggerang, Indonesia.
Atty. Lulu hurried to catch her flight going to the Philippines. She only has one hour before her flight. As she boarded the plane, she was able to relax. She closed her eyes and felt the excitement she has, to see Wilgreg Monaro again.
After a while, the pilot already announced that their plane is about to take-off already. Atty. Lulu closed her eyes again as she wanted to sleep. She has had no proper sleep since yesterday when she saw the interview of Atty. Wilgreg. She did not notice the man beside her.
The man was smiling as he looked at Atty. Lulu. He is half-Polish, half-Indonesian. He looked at her again and then also closed his eyes and slept. He thought of talking to his seatmate later.
Atty. Lulu has been awakened when the pilot announced that they are already nearing the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines. She scrambled to her feet and opened her bag to get her blush on. She could feel however that someone was looking at her, so she turned her head to her right side and there her eyes met that smiling brown eyes of a man, she was familiar with.
Atty. Lulu’s eyes grew wide as she recognized the man beside her.
“Jairo, what a surprise!” she exclaimed. "Goodness, you were just beside me all throughout the flight, and yet I did not seem to notice you," she added smilingly.
“Hi Lulu, I was really on the verge of waking you up a while ago but I decided not to; you seemed to be in dire need of that sleep,” Jairo said smiling too.
Lulu laughed and nodded. “How are you? Long time no see.”
“Yeah, long time no see. I never thought that you already returned here in Indonesia. Since when?”
“Oh, almost a year ago; I need to help my parents with their hotel business here. How about you?”
“Been back in Indonesia two years ago, when my Mom decided to return in Indonesia after Dad died in Poland due to a car accident,” Jairo replied with sadness in his eyes when he mentioned about the death of his father.
“Oh, sorry to hear that Jairo. Condolence. Good that we see each other again. The last time we saw each other was during our graduation ceremony in High School. Ugh, that was years and years ago.” Atty. Lulu said while rolling her eyes.
Jairo laughed. “Yes, it has been that long but you still look so young and pretty just like before, that was why I readily recognized you.”
Atty. Lulu smiled widely upon hearing Jairo’s compliment. “Thanks for the compliment Jairo. You too, you just look wiser and taller than but still as handsome as before.”
“Haha, thanks for the compliment too Lulu. By the way, we are about to land now; here is my calling card and please give me yours too and let us meet in Manila or in Indonesia. I will be in Manila for five days only to attend to some business matters.” Jairo handed to Atty. Lulu has a small glossy card.
Atty. Lulu got the card and handed also to Jairo her calling card.
The car pick-up, she arranged from the Manila Hotel was there already when Atty. Lulu got out of the airport. Jairo was left at the airport waiting for his car pick-up too.
They waved each other goodbye before Atty. Ninia finally motioned to the car’s driver to move on.
Upon arrival at the hotel, the first thing that Atty. Ninia did was to request a food delivery inside her room. She is hungry but she felt lazy going out. She still needs more rest then she will start her moves to get Atty. Wilgreg Monaro from Atty. Ninia Salamera.
Atty. Lulu had a long sleep after eating some of the delivered foods inside her room.
The next day, Atty. Lulu went to a car rental company and rented a Honda Car that she can use while staying in Manila. From there, she went directly to the Lincuja Real Estate Corporation to give Atty. Wilgreg a surprise visit.
She was however the one being surprised when his Executive Assistant told her that Atty. Wilgreg was not around as he was busy with the other company of the Lincuja’s.
Somewhat frustrated, Atty. Lulu decided to check Wilgreg in his office at the Lincuja Shipping Corporation.
She was walking in the Lincuja I Building’s corridor when she bumped into the woman she despises most, Atty. Ninia Salamera.
“Hey, Atty. Lulu, hello, it’s really you!” Atty. Ninia exclaimed and even gave Atty. Lulu a cheek-to-cheek greeting.
Atty. Lulu forced a smile and greeted Atty. Ninia back. “Of all people, this woman is the last person I wanted to see here in Manila, goodness gracious,” she thought.
“Oh, hi Atty. Ninia, nice to see you again. I will be meeting Wilgreg in his other office. I just arrived this morning.” She partially lied to Atty. Ninia. The truth is, she even did not know if Atty. Wilgreg is in his office at the Lincuja Shipping Corporation. She does not want to call him. There will be no surprise if that happens.
Atty. Ninia nodded and smiled. “I see, alright. Have a nice stay in Manila Atty. Lulu.”
“Thanks, Ninia; see you around.” Then Atty. Lulu bade goodbye to Atty. Ninia and went ahead.
Atty. Ninia followed Atty. Lulu with her gaze. She was actually surprised to see the woman since Wilgreg never mentioned to her that Atty. Lulu will be arriving today. To think that according to the words of Atty. Lulu a while ago, Wilgreg and her have the understanding to meet in his office today.
“Oh well, I will just wait for Wilgreg to tell me about her arrival.” She then shrugged off her shoulders and headed towards her office.
At the Lincuja Shipping Corporation, Atty. Lulu was having some disagreements with the receptionist.
“Ma’am I’m sorry, Atty. Wilgreg’s Executive Assistant has an instruction to us that her boss will not be accepting visitors without prior appointments.”
“Just tell Atty. Wilgreg, that Atty. Lulu Soriano is looking for him and surely he will come out to meet me. That’s how important I am to him.” She even bragged just to convince the Receptionist.
Unfortunately, the Receptionist loves her job so well that she does not want to be dismissed for not following the CEO’s orders. She did not dare to easily give in to Atty. Lulu persistence. “Just a moment Ma’am, I will call his Executive Assistant first.”
After a minute the Receptionist put down her phone and looked at Atty. Lulu. “I’m sorry Ma’am but His Executive Assistant was also firm in following the CEO’s instruction.”
Atty. Lulu’s forehead is already furrowing. “If that is the case, then I will just sit on that couch and wait for Wilgreg to come out,” she said as she pointed her finger on the couch in the reception area.
The Receptionist merely nodded and then focused her attention thereafter on a newly arrived visitor in the office.
Deep inside her, Atty. Lulu has been cursing the Receptionist and Atty. Wilgreg's Executive Assistant.