A Statue

 I turned to Linda as soon as he left, "can you tell me for what purpose you required earplugs??"

    "This country is free and everyone has right to use earplugs, so am I" Linda replied without looking at me,

    "Next time if you need any such thing, please feel free to ask me first, if I can help"

    I said throwing a pen at her.

    "Sorry, But I already have made list of people I would required to help me" still looking at Monitor she replied,

    "Bitch, who is the second on your list then" I replied turning back to work,

    "Actually second was Stephen, as Austin is on leave for few days, so I would have to make some changes in my list, I will let you know" she winked at me and turned immediately,

    "Don't even try, if you try to settle me with anyone, I swear I won't be part of this game anymore." I turned back to her.

    "Chill, I am not trying either, but I did was for me, I asked help, he came, he talked to you, I did nothing, because I  knew only him or Austin will come to our desk, otherwise you know others"

    "Still you want me to be their friend" I put my headphones on my head.

    "You will get used to it, you don't always get good people." 

    "Great, I don't even want good, I want best" I dialed my first call of the day. 

    It was 5:30 in the evening, my fantasy about my own new curled hairstyle was already lowered. I was done with my daily target, or more of that, I looked at Linda, she was still busy in her work. I got up, stretched myself, picked my bag and went to restroom, I saw myself in mirror, while washing hand,  my hairs were intact as I set it in morning, but now I was bored of it, maybe the work done made me think like that, I opened my bag to take out a clutcher, My mobile screen was unlocked, I saw notification of text,

    "See you at 6:30, Darkling Cafe" It was Lucas's.

    ":)" I replied. 

    I had forgotten about meeting him, I put my phone back to the bag immediately, and took out my makeup kit.

    I came back to my desk, Linda was still working. She is damn serious about her work, more than CEO of ADC.

    "I am leaving by taxi, have to meet Lucas" I whispered in her ear, and turned to leave without waiting for her reply.

    "Listen" she got up from chair

    "yes" I turned back to her,

    "Wait,  Red Lipstick, are you guys dating or what?" She said keeping her stuff in bag.

    "I am sure, this is not what you want me to listen'' I smiled sarcastically.

    "I am leaving too, give me 2 minute" She said, packing her bag in a hurry.

    "Take your time" I replied and took the phone out of my bag. My screen was showing text from Lucas. It was "May I pick you from ADC?" Before I could reply, Linda was ready to leave, I locked my phone and put it in the right pocket of my jeans.

     We stepped in the elevator, "I was waiting for the answer" Linda said pressing the button of the elevator.

    "If you are jealous, Yes" I replied, winking at her.

    "Why would I be? You guys make a great couple" she replied, making a face on me. It reminds me of my own words for Linda and Lucas.

    I did not reply. We stepped out, I had to ask her for a suggestion for taking a small gift for Lucas but her reaction made me remain silent.

                                                                                        ***

     My phone rang, It was Lucas, "Have you seen my Text"

    "Yes" I replied, trying to remember what exactly it was.

    "So may I come?" he continued.

    "No, No, I am already on my way" I replied. Me and Linda shared a bye gesture and she showed me thumb up, winking at the same time. I gave her a wide sarcastic smile and we turned our way.

    Even in the Taxi I kept checking myself, in the mirror, on the mobile screen, window glass everywhere. It was not because we are dating, but it was because it was my first meeting any boy which was not formal or for any specific purpose. 

    I stopped Taxi near the gift shop, asked the driver to wait for a while.

    "Welcome dear, how can I help you?" an old lady with curled golden white hair came near me,

    "Can you please suggest me a card for a friend saying best of luck for future." I asked with a smile on my face.

    "Of Course, sweet heart, follow me." a lady took me to the corner pointing at the greeting card stand kept there. And she returned to the counter.

    After checking out a few greeting cards I finally chose one. Why such cards are too emotional, I don't really mean this much by being emotional for him leaving. But also, giving only a card for wishing him luck wasn't that good idea. Of course he asked for 'at least goodbye card' but I also had thought somewhere he deserves more. Also I remember the last talk I had with him yesterday when he mentioned "gift". 

    "Anything else my child?" Lady came to help me again, maybe because I was taking more time. 

    "A small gift." I replied. 

    "Sure, Lovely choice" looking at the card in my hand she said.

    "Thank you" I followed her again to the counter. 

    "Have you thought of any particular thing giving him, wrist watch or anything??" unboxing and keeping some of the small statues she asked. 

    What shall I tell her, that I didn't even have thought of giving him anything except a card. Never mind.     "Anything is the best of what you suggest," I replied with a smile.

    "That's very kind of you" she moved some boxes of the statues she opened towards me. I was figuring out the cheapest thing I could buy for him. I picked a statue of bunny holding a 'Memories brings smile' written banner in my hand. 

    "Would you like to give him this" handing me over a miniature kissing couple statue, an old lady said.

    I took the statue in my hand, "this is beautiful" holding the statue in my hand I said. The sculpture had some unique attraction, the man was in a sailor's uniform and the girl wore white nurse costume. Man was kissing her, and holding her with one hand and another folded around her, and the girl was slightly crossed.     This was the best sculpture I had ever seen. 

    "This is called Symbol of Love in the US, May I wrap this?" lady asked.

    "Ohh I see, No" I looked at her and continued, "I actually the person whom I have to give something to, is just a good friend of mine, and nothing else, I just don't want to give him the wrong sign." I smiled at her. I was still holding the statue in my right hand. I handed her over the bunny I held in my left hand and asked her to wrap it.

    My eyes were still on the small kissing figure I held.

    "Do you like it.?" wrapping the bunny, she asked

    "Yes, this really touched my heart." I replied, keeping it on the counter.

    "What name should I write on the card?" she asked me with a pen in her hand and opened the card on another.

    "Lucas, from Helena" I replied and gave her a 100 dollar bill in her hand.

    She packed my stuff in a blue flowered paper bag and moved the kissing sculpture towards me, "Keep it".

    "No, its nice but I don't need it, I am happily single" I laughed and moved the sculpture back to her.

    "This is a small scale replica of Unconditional Surrender Statue, I am sure one day you will fall in love with a best man, and will definitely surrender yourself to him unconditionally, and when you realise who that man is, give this to him as a gift." the lady kept the small sculpture in my hand and covered it with my other hand. I felt her hand so warm and soft.

    "That's really sweet of you, how much for this I need to pay." opening my wallet I asked.

    "No, No you don't have to pay for this. This is a sign of love, you remind me of my daughter. I lost her a few years ago when she was your age. I would give it to her to give to her husband if she was alive. Keep it as a gift from me and give it to your partner as love from you. And Let me know when you find your true love, It will make me feel happy."

    "Sure. Thank you so much, you are the sweetest lady I have ever met." I hugged her the best way I could, as we were on different sides of the counter.  I kept my stuff and her shop card in a bag and stepped in Taxi waiting for me outside.

                                                                                            ***

    "Hello" I stepped inside the Cafe Darkling cafe, stepping towards the table, Lucas seated on. Lucas wore     Black Skin Fit Shirt, with blue denim, it remind me of the beard guy replacing him in office. 

    "Hello Beautiful" Lucas half hugged me. I noticed the Violet flowers kept on table.

    Lucas pulled a chair for me. "Thank you" I whispered' I and Lucas never behaved in such way for each other, of course we rarely mate outside though, and without any computer stuff, it was our first meeting, I was    clear in my mind it is not date at all, because Lucas was never more than friend for me. So I just wanted to be sure that Lucas had the same mind for me. 

    "You look stunning, curls suit you."

    "Thank You" I said flaunting my curls again./

    "Ohh I am so dumb" he exclaimed.

    "Nothing new" I laughed, "But for what it was?"

    "I forgot to give you a flower before seating" he picked flowers  "Can we start it again"

    "Ohh please don't be so formal, give it to me." I took flowers from his hand and continued "Act naturally, all these stuff doesn't suit you anyway."

    "Is it so, I knew it" he said and laughed.

    "Then why did you even try?" I laughed back.

    "It wasn't my idea, it was my boss's, he trained me yesterday for this dinner." he kept his mobile on the table and continued, "Thank you so much for the surprise, I really loved it, your words really meant alot to me" He said tapping on my hand.

    "What are you talking about" I asked in a confused tone.

    "The card you made for me, Don't play with me now please" he said taking out card from his laptop bag kept beside the table and started reading the thoughts I wrote for him and then continued "Even my boss loved it, he said he would have keep it for himself, if you would have not asked him to give it to me."    

    I was just trying to figure out how he got that card, until he said his last sentence, it made me clear that his boss may have seen his name on card on my desk, and may have thought not to create a scene and done all this. "Your boss is a really nice person," I said.

    "I told you!" He passed Menu card to me.

    "But I really hated your replacement, why is he so snooty?" I asked, turning the menu sheet.

    "Is it so? What did he do?"

    "Nothing, but I don't feel like seeing his face again, is he selected?"

    "Not yet maybe, but he has chance to get, because he has my reference for this job, so my boss would definitely consider him first among others"

    I ordered Veg Lasagna with spinach and white sauce and asked "Are you guys friends?"

    "Not friends actually but we are good acquaintances from the same academy, did he do something? Or you had one sight crush on him or what?" Lucas winked at me.

    "In your dream" I replied and smiled sarcastically.

    "Never mind, he is not your type anyway, but may fall in love with my boss, he is kind your type" 

    "Really, that's really helpful information you gave, a rich guy and my type, this is what I wanted." we both laughed.