You Can't Have It All

Chapter 23

            I stared at Florence in horror as she looked at me guiltily. I looked at Victoria who was looking at me expectantly for a nod of confirmation.

            “Who told you that?” I demanded as Florence winced back slightly at my tone.

            “Err…,” she said, exchanging looks with Victoria, “We don’t know.”

            “How could you not know?” I asked her, “Surely a person would’ve told you that, not the wind carrying gossips!”

            “I mean I don’t know who started the rumor,” Florence corrected herself; sneaking glances at Victoria, “I just heard the story when I was in the toilet. I didn’t come out until the person left. She said she heard the rumor from another person who heard from another person, so I don’t know who the source is.”

            I kept quiet, looking at each of them, as they fidgeted slightly under my gaze. I can’t confirm the gossip as I myself don’t know about the status of my marriage.

            “You should know that the rumor is false,” I said, looking at Florence, “If either of you know who started the rumor, please do let me know.”

            I turned and left, knowing that Florence, being the gossip-monger that she is, will somehow find a way to get to the root of the gossip. I went to Mr. Sean’s office, realizing that I should tell him what I heard so that he can make the next move.

            “Mr. Sean,” I said, poking my head through his door. Lisa, his secretary had taken an emergency leave for the day, “Can I talk to you for a while?”

            “Sure, have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair in front of him. I sat down tentatively looking at him as he raised his eyebrows at me, “Is everything okay?”

            “I don’t know,” I said, as he placed his pen on the table, and focused all his attention on me.

            “Is it about the EASY program?” he asked me, “You know, if you don’t want to go, you can let the management know so that we can find an exchange.”

            What – not go? I can’t possibly do that with the uncertain future that I have with Mr. Sean.

            “No, I want to go to Korea,” I said, “I was really looking forward to it, and I am really thankful that I got it.”

            “Oh,” Mr. Sean said, “I thought so.”

            Why does he look sad?

            “I actually wanted to talk to you about another matter,” I said as he looked at me, “There were some people who…”

            Before I could continue, his phone rang as he answered it, talking seriously to the other person. I excused myself as I know it was business matter and he couldn’t be bothered by a small matter that I have to say. I talked a bit with Lisa, as he phone rang.

            “Mandy, it’s for you,” Lisa said as I reached the door to leave.

            “Me?” I asked, wondering who could be looking for me, taking the phone from Lisa’s hand.

            “Mandy, it’s me,” Florence said in to the phone, just as Mr. Sean came out of the office. He looked at me.           

            “Yeah Florence, what is it?” I asked as he left the office. I can tell him another time then, I sighed.

            “Actually I didn’t hear the gossip in the toilet,” she said, “I couldn’t tell it in front of Victoria as she might rattle off to Stella and Mariana. Actually, Stella heard you talking to Mr. Daniel near the training room and that is why she came and told us. So it is true then?”