"Should we go to the management office?" I asked Aya. She was speechless. I can see that I got on her nerves this time. She looks like a teenage girl trying to sneak out at night, the one who got caught by her parents. 

12 Hours Ago

"Where have you been, Ciddy? I didn't know you are into packed meals, huh?!" 

Rick asked me, looking at the two packed meals I was holding. I just came back from the garden and the employees' parking. I've searched everywhere.

Where did you go, My Aya? 

30 Minutes Ago

"Rick, please do this for me, asking no questions, okay? I promise to obey whatever you ask me to do here in W." 

"Okay! Let me check the work schedule." Rick agreed and checked on the computer in the office he is occupying here in W supermarket. Then he presses the intercom. 

"HR? Yes, this is Rick Will... Waldon. Good morning. I can't find the list of the cashiers scheduled to work today. How many are they? Okay. So the rest is off today. Where is she right now? Thank you."

"Ciddy is on her way to the garden right now."

"Thanks, man!" I gave him a big hug as I rushed out to the garden. I left Rick frozen in his chair; eyes popped out in disbelief.

***

I was about to enter the garden, but I saw Aya silently taking the flowers she arranged last night from the table. The same cashier who replaced her previous night gave her a wink. They were talking in signs, and Aya signaled her way to the garden exit. I immediately run to the exit. I was planning to greet her good morning, but a plan came to me. As she walked out of the garden looking inside her bag, I stood in front of her. 

"Oops! What do we have in your hand, My Aya?"

I surprised her like hell. She paused and couldn't speak, opposite the Aya cursing me last night. I can see from her face that she knows she is in trouble.

"I ah, bought flowers." She sounded unsure. 

"Really, huh? Where is your receipt then? They assigned me to check the ins and outs from the garden today." I said in a soft, teasing tone.

Her lower lip trembled. I was sure as hell she got nervous. Her face looked confused, but fear covered her face immediately.

I got you! The victory caused my whole body to shiver. Therefore, I declare Cid Waldon the winner of this round!

"So no receipt, huh? Your face is telling me now that this has been an ongoing practice. Who else does it, My Aya? Let me guess, or should we go to the management office?" 

She was speechless. I cornered her, and she had nowhere to go. Then Rick came marching with the HR officer beside him. I'm freaking loving this scenario right now! 

There's no denying the guy deserved my praise this time. He came at the right time in the right place. I wanted to hug and kiss him!

"Mr. Williams, Miss Smith, good morning to you two." Rick and I were talking with our eyes. A skill we mastered when we were young boys. Whenever I do something that surely deserves my father's scolding, Rick is the trusted witness that my father never doubts. And, as always, Rick never throws me under the bus. 

"Miss Smith and Mr. Williams, I am sorry, but we need to talk in my office." The HR officer was giving Aya a sad face. And we all went to the HR office. We were all quiet on our way as Rick, and the HR officer guided us. I can see Aya's chest-pounding and her hands shaking. 

Silently, I took the flower arrangement from her hand. She looked at me, confused. I signaled for her to be quiet. I told her in hand gestures that I would take care of everything. Inside the office, the HR officer did the talking.

"We want to hear your side of the story, Miss Smith. While Mr. Waldon was checking our CCTV room, he witnessed this on the camera."

 The video showed Aya getting the flower arrangement from the table and talking in signs with the garden cashier. The footage showed the scenes when I stopped Aya from the garden exit. 

Aya was about to say something, but I held her hand to stop her. Then I gave the explanation that made Aya drop her jaw.

"I'm sorry, Mr. HR. It is not what you are thinking. I asked Miss Smith to take the flower from the garden and to give it to me. Knowing that she made it from the discarded flowers from last night, it is of no use to W anymore. She insisted to me I shouldn't be taking it. But I stopped her and begged that she give it to me. You should blame and punish me, not anyone else." My declaration was with conviction.

"Well, since this is the first time and these were discarded flowers anyway, we can consider giving a warning to both of you." said the HR officer. I smiled and nodded. Expecting that everything was going as I planned it at the last moment, Joy filled my body. However, out of the blue, Rick butted in.

"No! Mr. Williams is a trainee, and I should teach him a lesson. Mr. Williams, you are fired!" shouted Rick. 

I want to smack him in the face. I wanted him to look at me and tell me he was taking it too far. But Rick's face was so enjoying the scenario. He was like acting on the scene of his life. Like he is in the run for the Oscars. Before I could say anything, my favorite person reacted.

"Oh, please, Mr. Waldon, no. If you are going to fire Mr. Williams here, you should also fire me. Please give him another chance!" Aya was begging Rick. My Aya was begging Rick for me!

"Give me a reason I should keep him, Miss Smith. What is my assurance that he won't do the same thing again?" Rick's voice was powerful.

"He is just new, and probably no one has explained rules around here yet. I promise to watch over him, Mr. Waldon. I can check on him every day. Please don't fire him!" Aya was insistent. 

"I will think about it. But, for now, both of you go. I don't want to see your faces here today." yelled Rick. He was looking at me, telling me with his eyes that I owe him big time. 

"Thank you, Rick. I mean Mr. Waldon, and thank you, Mr. HR." I was giving Rick a secret smile. And before we left the office, I took the flowers in the vase. 

Aya waited for me outside the HR office. Her eyebrows waggled, surprised that I still had the flowers.

"What? They won't sell this anyway, and keeping it as a consolation to what we experienced today is better." I told Aya, my face grinning.

"Why did you do that? It would be best if you hadn't taken the blame. I was wrong. I should have just bought flowers." 

"Don't worry about it. You were the one who arranged this, so you should keep it." I said.

"How did you know I arranged this?" her eyes scrutinizing me.

"Um, I just guessed. By the way, for whom are the flowers?" I tried changing the subject of our conversation.

"I am visiting someone today, and the flowers are for him," she replied.

"Boyfriend? Husband?" face frowned, I asked.

Aya just looked at me. Like she was trying to search for something on my face. Then, finally, she sighed and asked an unexpected question.

"Do you want to go with me? I feel so guilty that they kicked you out from W today because of me."

I giggled. "Are you sure? Do you want me to come with you?"

"Yes, let us go!" she said. 

***