Chapter 4 - The Meeting

"I shall only tell you if you can tell me all about her since I am planning to wooe her for our child." The man revealed his plan.

"Yeah!" Everybody clapped joyfully although until now they were still ignorant of Ms. Peace's motherhood.

"Uhm.. I am planning to wait for her. She might come after lunch for a half day."

"We are sorry to disappoint you but she filed her leave of absence for a week." They lied to him as they were planning to harass Ms. Peace the moment she reported to the office the following day. After all, they had not known anything to induce some bits of information to confirm what her daughter's father had told them.

"Can I give you my contact number? If Ms. Peace is present, kindly inform me by texting."

"Brother Mor, please register his number in your phone by writing Mr. Britton, Ms Peace's only Man."

So Britton left joyfully hoping that soon he would be meeting the mother of his child. He was so excited that he almost tripped to a fruit vendor along the side walk. He could not believe that after three long years he was able to trace his child's mother. He would like a custody of her daughter.

He was already in front of an astrodome when he felt the urge of his hesitance and skepticism.

"What if she would reject me? Base on her colleagues' statement, she did not want to have a man in her life. She did not even divulge to them that she had undergone IVF for her pregnancy. Oh, boy! It seems that I would have difficulty in meeting her. I might be passing through a needle's hole once I meet her." These were all in his thought as another passerby bumped onto him, that alerted him fully as he was almost under the post with the traffic signs.

At the office, most of them browsed the search tab of Mr. Google.com. They tried to get some informations about IVF. There and then, they were fully informed about it. They were ashamed of themselves and their guilt pricked them on their prejudice about her not only as a mother but most of all as a person like them who had the right not to be misjudged.

The analytical conversation about Ms. Pearl Ace May Solid had begun.

"I remembered that she gave birth to her child through ceasarian process." An instigator office mate opened up the topic.

And.... According to Mr. Britton, they had never met even once before the pregnancy, during the pregnancy and even after giving birth and until this time." Another intriguer added.

"Therefore, our Ms Peace has never been kissed, never been touched nor damaged!" An office mate very closed to Ms. Peace analyzed.

"So, our Ms Peace was really like Virgin Mary only that her pregnancy was not because of the Holy Spirit of God." The gossip mongerers burst in chorus.

Then they added, "She is our Ms Virgin Peace!"

"You mean to say this Mr. Britton is a very fortunate man who is similar to a lotto jackpot winner if he would be able to sway our very own Ms. Virgin Peace?" Brother Mor of the office asked them.

"A trillion times... Yes!" The leader of the band of gossipers excitedly replied.

Let us snoop the whereabout of Splash while behind her back she was roasted by her work mates.

As she skipped her educational teaching-learning fun with her daughter yesterday, she decided to go back home as soon as she was done complaining from Doctor Stevenson. But because a book store was a walking distance from the unit she was residing, she decided to buy some school supplies that they can use in tutoring her baby. She did not also forget to buy some fruits for her daughter and her mother.

Her mother opened the door for her when she knocked at it. Her baby was overjoyed.

"Mama, why are you very early today?" Her baby asked.

"Mama did not go to work because I went to a hospital to consult my head ache to a physician." She said in half truth and half lie.

"Did he give you medecine for it?" She inquisitively asked again.

"He did but he told me that my baby should always be obedient and kind so I won't be stressed." She lied once more.

"I am your baby. It means I should be obedient and kind so you wouldn't have a head ache."

"That's my baby girl. Thanks for your sharp comprehension."

She changed her clothes for her house dress, ate her lunch with her mother and her baby and washed the dishes while the two went to their bedroom for their siesta.

The instructional materials she would be using for that afternoon session were ready when her beloved daughter woke up. After a follow-up of the lesson on "missing objects" Splash decided to have counting lesson. Again, it was in a form of a game. Whoever has the greatest in number of peebles put inside a disposable bottle would be the winner. Granny Reyna was responsible in watching the allocated time for both of them. When the time is up, time for them to count the peebles. Splash saw to it that her baby should be the winner to compliment her, (of course) as a sort of motivation. The deal was, whoever the loser, would be the one to give the number written in the card being flashed. To test the memory of her baby, she intentionally gave wrong answers to boost the ego of the little teacher to her adult pupil. Writing was another session during that afternoon. She guided her to trace some lines while naming them. It was really a nice session for they were unable to track the time that it was time for their evening meal. The meal was a pork porridge with carrots and bitter gourd tendrils in it. Since it was one of the favorite foods for her meal, she was full that she refused to drink her milk before sleeping.

She was so adorable to look at while snoring softly in her tight sleep. Her sleep gave her grandmother and her a chance to share what transpired during her confrontation with the doctor who implanted the IVF in her womb.

The sharing was so serious that they could even feel each others' vexation to that man who claimed to be her baby's father. They were holding hands praying to God bent on their knees to protect them from any harm that Britton would have possibly brought to them before going to sleep.

Morning came the day after she was absent from her work. Just like the other days that passed, they had the same routine. Her child would be left to her mother's care while she reported to their department to work.

Upon her arrival, she wondered why they were all very quiet. So she decided to break the silence by switching on her cell phone's music application as her accompaniment in singing that she intentionally sang out of tune.

"You're the goofiest among us here. Can't you sing it properly?" her closest work mate whined.

"I can but I can't since I have to concentrate in my work today. I was absent yesterday, you know that, right?" She tried to persuade her soothingly that was why she used her politest voice talking with her as she was the youngest among them.

Just like what she said she was focused working when the instigator asked her.

"Ms. Peace Solis, have you ever heard what an In Vitro Fertilization means?"

"It's Greek to me! So sorry to disappoint you" She told her in an irritant voice.

Disappointed of her answer, she went to her table and sat down. Then she said in a loud voice, making sure that everybody in that room can listen to her.

"Ms. Peace, we are trying to protect you. If we didn't, we could have not lied to a certain Mr. Britton yesterday who came back informing us all that he's the father of your baby."

Splash was speechless and was in dazed.

"Ms. Peace he also revealed to us that you have not met each other even once. Is it true?"

"We told him that you filed a week leave of absence that's why we don't expect him to come back this week." Bro Mor informed her while looking at her quizzically. Then he tried to convince her. "However, if you remain silent I could text him today to inform him that you are here."

"Okay. I admit that my pregnancy was through an IVF." She was forced to tell the truth.

"And why did you not oppose to our accusations against you?" The instigator said looking guilty.

"Why should I? After all, your accusations were all wrong!" She explained.

"Well.... you have a point there. And Bhe (an endearing nickname given to her by them) we discovered that you are a Virgin mother since you had ceasarian in giving birth to your Baby girl."

"Are you all sure of your discovery? Only God knows if I have been fooling around or not. So, better shut your mouth up."

"Actually, it is no longer our business. For all we care. What we are making our business with you is... Are you willing to meet him?"

"Why? Are you willing to help me hide from him? Do you have any idea?"

Silence..... Until it was broken by Splash.

"You can't, can you?"

Another silent moment that only the sound of those who were encoding could be heard.

As no one could give her an assurance to help her avoid meeting him, a dispersal of four office mates around her desk went to their own table.

They were once again had become the intent employees of the secretariat department until off time. Because Splash was in a hurry, she was one of those who pressed the biometric machine to get off from her work. She was waiting for the elevator when Bro Mor called her. As she turned her back to see him, she saw him pointing his arms toward her to a man beside him. Her intuition was so fast that she was like a mouse scampering toward the stair. In her mind, she should avoid him by running away. So, instead of riding in a jeepney, she was lucky to stop a cab with a driver who immediately drove going to the address she gave.

Going back to Bro Mor and the man with him whom he was talking with.

"Mr. Britton, can you see that lady waiting for the elevator?"

"I do. Is she Ms. Pearl Ace May Solis?" He asked.

Bro Mor called her. "Bhe" He was able to call her attention as she turned her back to look at him but... like a wind... she was nowhere to be seen, just in a flash.

Although his reply was delayed, still he told him. "Just ask her about Miss Peace. Okay?"

"How could I when she isn't there anymore." He complained.

"Maybe she's at the ground floor now." Bro Mor predicted.

"If I wouldn't find her there, I shall come back tomorrow." Britton informed him of his plan.

When he left, Bro Mor went inside and like a child he'd jumped and said gladly, "Yes! They have met already... Just now."

"Really? Have they talked?"

"No, our Ms. Peace was able to escape."