Another day is about to begin. This means I have to prepare for the site visit. It's going to be in the evening since I will also be doing Focus Group Discussions with all employees to know my potential market more. Aside from that, I will be working hand in hand with Joseph. Am I really ready for this? Am I really ready to work with him despite the fact that we were once lovers who became complete strangers? Well, I should be. I signed up for this project with Hans and Rita. There is no turning back.
After how many hours of talking with random employees from the Call Center, I felt so exhausted. It has been a while ever since I talked in front of a lot of people. But I had fun with the Focus Group Discussions. I also got a lot of ideas from them on how we can market our Coffee Shop to the company since we are talking about partnership here. We just did it inside the production area.
While I was standing near one of the workstations here in the production area, memories from my previous Call Center company came inside my mind. From the time I applied for the job, the time I joined the training class up to the time I was deployed to take calls, flash back of those memories came into my mind. Then, I was reminded of the time I was struggling on the floor while taking calls during my first few weeks with the company. I had a customer who really had a bad temper. In fact, I am the fifth representative who took his call. Initially, I thought of him as a helpless customer due to his frustration towards the services our account was offering him. Then, as the call went on, he will not stop cursing. So it's like that majority of the call. He does the talking full of ill words. This was also the same feedback I got from the previous representatives who handled his call. The worst thing is this customer happens to be drunk. Well, he does sounds drunk during the call. Good thing that my Supervisor came to the rescue. I almost cried because the customer just won't stop cursing me. I was taught not to let my emotions get to me. But I felt that I was the cause of his frustration because of how bad he treated me during the call. Since that was already the fifth call with the same customer, my Supervisor took over the call and talked to the customer. The next thing I knew, the customer dropped the call for undisclosed reasons. After the call ended, my Supervisor asked how I was doing. Of course, with all honesty, I told my Supervisor how terrified I was because I have never ever encountered someone as rude as that customer in my entire life. That was the first time I encountered a difficult customer. Then, she gave me tips on how I can handle rude customers. One of which is teaching me how to become a strong woman because based on her observations, I seem to be a...well...not really a weak person. But she sees me as a vulnerable woman. Yes. My Supervisor that time is a girl. In fact, she is the only Supervisor I had before I became promoted to trainer. That Supervisor is no other than Candy. I really miss her. How I wish I can see her again. I never got the chance to say goodbye to her before I left for abroad 2 years ago. Before I became emotional inside the production area, I decided to leave. However, while I was walking on my way to the elevator, I saw a very familiar face. Oh my god! It's Candy!
"CANDY!" I shouted. Then, she looked at me and walked her way to me. Maybe she wants to make sure if it is really me she is seeing in the flesh. Then, I approached her and gave her a smile. When she realized that it's me, her former subordinate, she gave me a warm hug.
"Oh my god. Sefi! It's so nice to see you again!" she said excitedly. Then, she released me from her hug. "How long has it been? Two years? But why didn't you tell me about your trip abroad?" Then, he gave me a soft punch on my right shoulder. "Don't I have the right to resent you?" She chuckled.
"Well, you do." I laughed lightly. Then, there was a moment of akward silence. She's right. She can resent me because first of all, she did a lot of good things to me to help me during those times when I was still her subordinate. Now, I felt guilty for not telling her especially that she also helped me out in processing my application for the Trainer post. Then, I took a deep breath and started talking. "I'm sorry for not telling you things. My decision wayback was really abrupt. I was in a now-or-never situation that time."
"Really?" Candy said with a sarcastic tone.
"Yeah." I answered.
"And you expect me to believe that?" She asked again.
"Well, that's the truth." I said.
"I know what happened to you and...to that...whoever that guy is." She said. "I gave him a nasty stare everytime we see each other wayback in our previous company because you do not deserve to be cheated and he doesn't have the right to do that to someone like you." This time, there is an intense emotion coming from her. "But how come you didn't see the signs?"
"Wait." Now I'm confused. "What signs?"
"You didn't know?" She asked.
"Wait. What do you mean?" Now I am curious.
"Well,..." Candy continued. "When you guys were still together, I notice him always talking with someone over the phone during his lunch break. I even thought that it was you whom he is speaking with. Then, I remembered that you were on shift that time which means it is so impossible for you guys to talk while you are facilitating a training class."
"Wait. How did you know? I mean...How sure are you that even before he was already cheating on me?" God. I can't explain how I am feeling right now.
"It's weird but I can hear him calling someone 'honey'. I'm pretty sure it was not you because you guys call each other 'babe'." she answered.
"Wait. When was this, Candy?"
"This happened a month before you guys broke up." After Candy said those words, the pain that I felt two years ago came back. But how come I felt this again? Two years have already passed and I was doing fine. I am sure of it. Is it because I never got the chance to ask him why he had to cheat on me? Is it because I never gave him a chance to speak up since I was full of anger that time? Why does it have to happen now? How come I did not know anything about it? I am confident that I have already moved on. But with how I am feeling right now, have I really moved on? I don’t like this. I don’t like this feeling at all.
“Sefi? Are you okay?” When I heard Candy’s voice, I’m finally back to my senses.
“I think so.” I said wearily. Then, a few seconds later, Joseph approached me bring two cups of coffee. When Candy saw him, she gave him a nasty stare.
“Did I interrupt something?” He asked. When Joseph finally noticed Candy’s Nasty stare, his face became pale. To break the ice, he asked Candy a question. “Wait. Aren’t you one of the Supervisors from our previous company?”
“Yeah.” Candy said with an unfriendly tone. “And I assume that the other cup of coffee is for Sefi.”
“Well,…-”
“Sefi, did you guys got back together? Because if it’s a yes, I’d be very disappointed at you.”
“No. Not at all.” I said. “We are just business partners. We met through a common friend.”
“Yeah. That’s right. Here’s your coffee. “ Joseph handed me a coffee cup with a label “Caramel Machiatto”. Then, I took it.
“Thank you. You don’t need to do this.” I said.
“Yeah. You don’t need to show to her that you still care.”
"CANDY!" I shouted. Then, she looked at me and walked her way to me. Maybe she wants to make sure if it is really me she is seeing in the flesh. Then, I approached her and gave her a smile. When she realized that it's me, her former subordinate, she gave me a warm hug.
"Oh my god. Sefi! It's so nice to see you again!" she said excitedly. Then, she released me from her hug. "How long has it been? Two years? But why didn't you tell me about your trip abroad?" Then, he gave me a soft punch on my right shoulder. "Don't I have the right to resent you?" She chuckled.
"Well, you do." I laughed lightly. Then, there was a moment of awkward silence. She's right. She can resent me because first of all, she did a lot of good things to me to help me during those times when I was still her subordinate. Now, I felt guilty for not telling her especially that she also helped me out in processing my application for the Trainer post. Then, I took a deep breath and started talking. "I'm sorry for not telling you things. My decision way back was really abrupt. I was in a now-or-never situation that time."
"Really?" Candy said with a sarcastic tone.
"Yeah." I answered.
"And you expect me to believe that?" She asked again.
"Well, that's the truth." I said.
"I know what happened to you and...to that...whoever that guy is." She said. "I gave him a nasty stare every time we see each other way back in our previous company because you do not deserve to be cheated and he doesn't have the right to do that to someone like you." This time, there is an intense emotion coming from her. "But how come you didn't see the signs?"
"Wait." Now I'm confused. "What signs?"
"You didn't know?" She asked.
"Wait. What do you mean?" Now I am curious.
"Well,..." Candy continued. "When you guys were still together, I notice him always talking with someone over the phone during his lunch break. I even thought that it was you whom he is speaking with. Then, I remembered that you were on shift tha time which means it is so impossible for you guys to talk while you are facilitating a training class."
"Wait. How did you know? I mean...How sure are you that even before he was already cheating on me?" God. I can't explain how I am feeling right now.
"It's weird but I can hear him calling someone 'honey'. I'm pretty sure it was not you because you guys call each other 'babe'." she answered.
"Wait. When was this, Candy?"
"This happened a month before you guys broke up." After Candy said those words, the pain that I felt two years ago came back. But how come I felt this again? Two years have already passed and I was doing fine. I am sure of it. A few seconds after, Joseph appeared out of the blue bringing two cups of coffee. When Candy saw him, she gave him a nasty stare.
"So I assume that the other cup labeled as 'Caramel Machiatto' is for Sefi. Right?" Candy said with sarcasm.
"Uhm. Yeah." Joseph seemed confused.
"And why bother buy her a cup of coffee? Unless you still care for her. But did you really care for my friend at all? I doubt it because of what you did to her." Now Candy seemed mad. I'm worried because I know what she is capable of especially if one of her friends were hurt by someone who has no right at all to hurt them. That includes me. "And don't tell me that you guys got back together?" Candy turned to me. "Young lady, I'd be very disappointed if I will find out that you guys got back together."
To lessen the awkwardness of Joseph, I decided to get my coffee from him. Then, turned to Candy.
"We're just business partners." I said.
"Really?" She asked. "Business partners?"
"Yeah." Joseph said. "I actually didn't know that she was one of the people who managed the Coffee Shop our company wants to partner with not until I saw her again."
"Same here." I said.
"Destiny perhaps?" Candy said.
"Not really. But so far, we are cool." I added.
"Good." Candy sighed. "Sefi, let's talk next time. I don't think I can talk right now without giving a nasty stare." Then, she gave me another warm hug. "You take care. Alright?"
"I will." Then, Candy got inside the elevator.
I just stared at the elevator door after Candy left. On the other hand, Joseph is so silent. What I can only hear from him is when he takes a sip of his coffee. Not sure if it's also Machiatto but he sips louder than usual. Then, I saw a couch near the elevator. I sat there and took a sip of my coffee. The next thing I knew, Joseph sat on the same couch I am sitting on while holding his cup of coffee. This silence is so deafening. I need to break the ice. But how?
After a few minutes of thinking through, finally, I decided to talk.
"Joseph," He turned to me as I started talking. "Why did you cheated on me?"