Flower on the ash

" Who was it?" Alex asked me as I put my phone down.

" It was the receptionist. She said that a parcel was delivered in my name." I said.

" Who delivered it?" Alex asked and signaled me to give my phone to him.

" Penelope. Penelope Smith." I said and put the phone on his palm which was extended.

" Manager of finance department?" he asked and started to do something on my phone.

" Yes." I said. He gave me my phone back to me and I put it inside my handbag.

" You are coming to the party tomorrow?" I asked.

" Yep." he said.

" You?" he asked after a break and I nodded my head as yes. We sit there gazing out of the window. It took more time to reach the company back than it had taken to reach the museum. We both got off the car and was again emerged in work. I prepared evening cup of coffee for him in the middle. Soon it was 7o'clock and I had finished my work. I stretched my body on the chair and swirl it around. I was going to call Penelope when the call came from the other side.

" Hello, Anna. You free?" she asked.

" Yeah. I'm free. I'll come to the basement now." I said and started to sort out my things on the table.

" Ok. Come fast. I'm waiting for you." she said and I ended the call. I grabbed my bag when everything was sorted and exit my cabin.

" Sir. I'll be taking my leave now." I said and waited for him to say something.

" Let me drop you home." he said leaning back on his chair.

" No Sir, thank you but I have some other plans. I'm going out with Penelope." I said and he nodded his head.

" Okay then. Take care." he said and I waved him goodbye. I took the elevator to the basement. I saw Penelope standing near a car. She was wearing red pants with white shirt, looking as beautiful as I first met her. I walked up to her.

" Hii." I said and she turned towards me.

" Hello, Anna." Penelope said opened the car's door for me. She quickly seated herself on the driver's seat and started the engine.

" You sent me a parcel." I said after a while sitting there in the car.

" Yeah. A dress for the party as well as a thank you gift." she said with a smile.

" Thank you for what?" I asked confused.

" For coming with me today." she said and I smiled.

" Thank you." I said. " How long have you been working here?" I asked her.

" 3 years." she said.

" You must be really young at that time." I said surprised.

" No. I was at the same age as you. I'm 24 now." she said.

" Oh. I thought you were same age as mine." I said. She looks really young. I assumed by her looks that her maximum age will be 21 years old. She was same age as Alex.

" Let me tell you a funny story when I joined the company. People thought that I was really weak and fragile so they didn't want to be friends with me and made jokes behind my back. But one day I got into a big fight and beated a man and from that day no one wants to be friends with me as they think I am fierce." she said and laughed a little. I chuckled.

" But you aren't fierce." I said as a matter of fact.

" Huh. It doesn't matter to others what you are. They will only believe what they are told." she said and scoffed. " We reached our destination." she said and pulled over her car in the parking side. It was a famous hotel in the east of the city. We both got off and walked to the hotel's reception.

" Hello. We are here to see Mr.Xin from Star Corporation." Penelope said to the receptionist.

" Please wait in the lounge. Mr.Xin will be here in a moment." she said and we both sat on the couch in the lounge. Penelope took out the invitation card from her bag. After half a minute passed Penelope suddenly stood up.

" Anna, I need to use the restroom. Can you handle until I came back?" she said and pushed the invitation card in my hand.

" I-I don't kn~" I was saying when she quickly run away saying 'thank you' to me. I sighed to myself. After waiting for another two minutes a handsome man entered the room. I have seen him. He was Graham Xin, Alex's best friend.

" Miss Anna." Graham said a little surprised and extended his hands for a handshake.

" You're here alone?" he asked accepting the invitation card.

" No. I was here with my friend. She had an emergency." I said with a smile.

" Oh. I heard you are pregnant. Everything's fine?" he asked.

" Yeah. So far everything's fine." I said. I didn't know what else to say. Penelope wasn't back yet.

"Okay,then. It's getting late now. You should go home." he said and stood up. I also stood up and bid him farewell. He left the lounge first. I also grabbed my handbag and left the room.