Nickel feel relief after the said phone call. He wasn"t annoy nor mad that Michael called Zoey"s line instead he was glad that he can share his plans to his upcoming relocation. At least he said it personally.Nickel sat on his chair and once again pulled his telephone line and dialed Officer Liao"s.
"Is state room still available?" He asked.
"Yes Sir. We are planning to make it as the locker room or a lounge area for the workers. Why sir?"
"I change my mind. Clear the room and arrange it as Mr. Cortez" station. That will be his official station."
May was hesitated to object or intervene to her boss decision, but she remembered that the Orb representative isn"t an official employee of ASC. And they don"t cater special treatment in their company.
"Yes sir."
After the short conversation, Nickel returned to finish all his task for today. He is excited to see Zoey"s family after work.
--
Zoey relay the message to his dad about Nickel"s visitation tonight. The father of our poor girl was also excited to once again meet the lad he is eyeing for her daughter.
"That is very good news darling. I will go home now to supervise the preparation for our dinner. I will cook my specialty, Bicol Express, you like it??" Mr. Alcantara forgot to hide his motives to his daughter that he was planning to sell her to this lad.
But our Zoey didn"t notice this because she starts drooling for the dinner to be served. It is one of her favorite dish we are talking about.
"Of course dad! You don"t need to ask that from me!"
The simple dinner Nickel was expecting becomes a festival to the Alcantara Family.
During the early stage of the Alcantara family, Mr. Alcantara was responsible in preparing his family"s meals. From breakfast to lunch to dinner, if Mrs. Alcantara was lazy to cook for her kids. Don"t judge the mother of the household, she was off from work by five in the afternoon and arrives home at six due to the heavy traffic on the main roads. That is why Manang was a big help to the Alcantara couple in rising the two offspring.
Mr. Alcantara is a freelancer businessman, he holds his own time, a flexible time to take for his kids.
Zoey left her room and went to the entertainment room where Manang and her mom were busy watching the afternoon teleserye.
She walked straight behind the couch and hugged her mom from behind and said, "My boss is coming and dad going to cook for dinner tonight."
She sound so sweet in saying her news but because her mother was too engrossed to the show, she didn"t pay too much attention to her.
"MMM" a plain answer.
Zoey felt neglected after sounding sweet to her mom, so she slammed her back to the couch beside her mom and lay down next to Manang.
"What"s wrong Zoe?"
She doesn"t want to say it again, but she thought that Manang will probably listen to her.
"My boss is coming and dad said that he will cook for dinner." She express it in a monotone, no feelings, nothing.
Manang eyes got bigger after hearing those thirteen words. She didn"t expect to hear that Zander, Mr. Alcantara"s name, will volunteer to prepare the dinner. He haven"t step inside the kitchen for almost ten years.
On the other side of the couch, Fatima heard what her daughter said. Is it weird that she paid attention to others conversation than the time when Zoey said it to her directly?
Well, what can we say? Words have wings.
"What your boss will come here? Why?" Mrs. Alcantara intervene to Zoey and Manang"s talk.
"Because I lied to them that I"m sick to accompany you today. And he is claiming his free meal from dad for helping us to carry my things when I moved to my unit." She dead tone explained it to her mom.
"You mean your Director who lives across your unit? Oh! my G.o.d, I want to meet him, your dad never leave a single breath with mention his name that night"
"Mom please son"t mention my white lie okay? Just tell him that I"m sick this morning that is why I"m here."
"Okay! Okay! By the way is it because of your Director that"s why your dad volunteered to cook for tonight?"
"h.e.l.l yeah!"