Her walking steps were majestic and graceful as her heels clicked against the marbled floor. Her aura was not the type that no one wouldn't dare notice, and her presence screamed authority.
The little boy who seemed to hold her left hand with his grip tightened around it beamed with smiles, the type that was reaching his eyes and doesn't seem like it will be leaving his face anytime soon.
He stared around, his gaze roaming the surrounding frantically. He seemed to be looking for someone or something, but soon enough, he was snapped out of his eye search at the sudden voice that came out of nowhere.
"Ma'am..."The soft but audible voice called out, and she stopped on her track, same as the little boy, before facing the source of the voice. "Good morning, ma'am."
Instead of a reply, she nodded her head to the greeting in response. "What's the news, Milan?" She requested sharply, her voice was laced with the authority she carried.
The lady, whose name turned out to be Milan, nodded curtly before speaking. "Just the normal old updates, ma'am." She cited simply, avoiding her boss's gaze. "It's about Mr. Dallas."
"It's the same old update, yeah?" She repeated Milan's reply, her voice was firm, but there was a trail of sarcasm in it. "So? What about him?"
"He asked for yet another proposal with you, promising to introduce more of his business partners to the company ifwe are ready to grant his request." Milan uttered. "He already submitted his request as at late yesterday's evening when you left the office."
"Where is the request, then?" She demanded from Milan authoritatively.
"I'll deliver it to you in the next few minutes, ma'am." Milan uttered in a quick tone.
"Sure. Report those files to my office immediately if you have them with you now." Her boss told her in a flat and plain tone. "And tell Prudence to submit the summary I asked her to prepare before noon."
"Yes, ma'am..."Milan responded positively, with a slight bow afterward. "I'll quickly gather other reports I have in addition as well."
"Don't keep me waiting, lady." Her voice was stern, reflecting on how much she wouldn't entertain wasting of time. And with that, she left Milan's sight for the elevator, the little boy following suit.
"Mom..."The little boy called out to her as soon as they exited the elevator, she did not reply as she patiently waited for him to finish his words. "Where is uncle Gerald, when is he coming?"
"Soon, son. Soon." That was her short yet quick reply as she beckoned on him to follow her. "Come with me, son. While you wait for uncle Gerald's arrival in my office, I'll ask them to bring you some snacks."
The little boy could only nod his head positively in reply, doing as requested of him. His facial expression wasn't as bright as it was a few minutes ago and whosoever the uncle Gerald might be, it's clear he's losing patience on his arrival, but the little boy did not complain.
She noticed her son's change in countenance. "Don'tworry, Herzl." She uttered slowly in a cajoling voice. "I'll give uncle Gerald a call as soon as we get to the office."
The little boy, whose name turned out to be Herzl, forcefully released his grip from his mother, and before she could realize it, he was already running through the empty corridor -stomping his foot hard on the floor as it echoed loudly.
"Herzl." She called out to him cautiously. "I told you a couple of times, stop running else you might trip on yourself and get injured. Do you ever listen to me?"
Instead of stopping on his track as cautioned or replying to his mom, he rushed towards the lone figure at the other end of the passage and hugged the figure's legs.
"Uncle Gerald..."Herzl uttered in a loud and squealing tone, his oval face was radiating in full smiles that were reaching his small eyes.
"Hey, little big guy." The so-called uncle Gerald flashed Herzl a small smile as he picked him up -even with his smile, his hard and stoic face was still reflecting. "How are you faring, eh?"
His mother heaved out a small sigh as she hastened her steps towards them, wearing a stern expression on her face.
"Herzl, do you ever listen to me -at all?" She demanded from the little boy. "Do you ever adhere to my warning when I say you should stop running?"
Herzl's countenance dropped to it least, wearing an apologetic expression on him. "I'm sorry, mom." He muttered in apology. "I just couldn't hold myselfwhen I saw uncle Gerald."
She shook her head slowly without a response, she knew her little boy too well -even with all her warnings and cautions, he will never stop running, and she could only hope he wouldn't hurt himself someday with it.
She placed her palms on the lock for identification and in the next few seconds, the office door next to it clicked as it was opened afterward.
"Come in, Gerald." She beckoned to him in a flat tone as she walked in and Gerald followed suit after a few head nod, the door closing behind and made a small clicking noise.
"When did you arrive?" She asked him as she walked towards the seat reserved for her and made herself comfortable on it. "I did not expect to see you standing before my office door so early in the morning."
"Yeah, I came in earlier than usual." He told her in reply, his voice was plain. "I remembered today is Saturday and Herzl will be coming to the office with you, so I have to resume early."
Gerald dropped Herzl down and made him a seat on the couch a few feet from his mother's desk and gave him a quick pat on his head, earning a soft chuckle from the little boy in response.
"He already promised he will take me out today and to resume early." Herzl chipped in, adding to Gerald's explanation. "It'll be improper if he did not keep to his promise."
His mother shook her head slowly. "I see the reason you were on my neck since today, asking after him continuously. So, you both concluded to take each other out without including me in your plans?" She asked, her gaze on her son.
Herzl shook his head negatively in reply. "It's not it, mom." He muttered in defense. "You wouldn't leave your work for any other thing, that's why. And besides, you were the one who was supposed to take me on an outing today -I'm only trying to be thoughtful, that was the reason I asked uncle Gerald in your place."
"..." She was speechless at her son's outburst, she barely expected him to sprout out those words.
But on second thought, she knew her son was right with his words, even without showing any facial emotion -she knew he was hurt, if not, disappointed. She barely had time since the past few weeks, always occupied with work.
She had occasionally promised herself to create time for him, but she was wrong, work wouldn't stop weighing her down.