[3]

A week has passed since Olive was asked to transfer to the CBD branch. Ever since she received her transfer letter, Olive hasn't been too calm. Several times, she tried to find information about the situation in Jakarta, but always came across one name.

Thomas Dimitry Adam.

"I heard he's the kind of branch manager who's rigid. Not much talk. Not fun, you know. Unlike Bu Sonia."

Olive feels even more nervous.

"But he's the only one who's annoying. The others are cool. Bu Marta, the Deputy Branch Manager, is nice too. Not annoying like him," Riana informed.

"Know-it-all, huh, Riana," Darius said as he took a bite of his lunch. His date invitation failed. Olive declined, citing the shock of receiving the sudden transfer letter. Darius tried to invite Olive to spend time together again, but it always ended in rejection. Sometimes Darius was confused about how far he should take the embarrassment of being rejected multiple times by Olive; he never took it to heart.

"Ugh!" Riana pouted. "I told you this from the most reliable source. Liam is dating Kiara. Kiara is a marketing admin in CBD."

"Oh yeah?" Darius asked, still sounding skeptical.

"If you don't believe it, whatever," Riana said curtly. Meanwhile, Olive, who overheard the debate, just shook her head silently. She was enjoying another serving of meatball soup with instant noodles and bean sprouts, her favorite. Although it was a bit spicy, this meatball soup behind her office would be her last lunch menu in Gajah Mada. She was sure she would bring a different atmosphere to her current office.

She sighed softly, sipping the remaining half of her sweet iced tea.

"Why are you so quiet, Liv? So laid-back?" Riana asked, sounding a bit surprised.

"What can I do?" Olive asked with a chuckle. Once again, she took a big bite of the meatballs and noodles that accompanied her. "I don't have to be sad, right? Besides, Bu Sonia said my probation period as a teller there is three months. Then a test for head teller. Mr. Matthew and Bu Sonia recommended me directly to Mr. Thomas. If he tries to block me, I'll just report him."

Riana nodded slowly. "The rumor is that Mr. Thomas is an old single guy who hasn't married yet. If he's not married, it might be tolerable, but he's never been close to a girl. It's worth questioning, right? Is he gay?"

"Hush!" Olive protested, not liking that. "We shouldn't speculate like that."

"Ew, I'm right, Liv. He's still not married to this day. What I heard, he's already in his forties. So late for marriage, right? But Kiara says Mr. Thomas is extremely handsome."

"Whether he's handsome or not, whether he's married or not, it's not our business, right?" Olive quickly retorted, which made Riana pout even more. But that didn't stop Riana from gossiping about Thomas, even if it was just hearsay.

"I'm sure you can do it, Liv," Darius encouraged while interjecting Riana's comments about Thomas. Darius's words were met with a mocking look from Riana. "Why do you look like that? Do you want me to flirt with you too?"

"Ew! No way. I won't let you flirt with me."

"Enough already. I've been hearing you guys argue the whole time. Just date already," Olive said casually. "You're a perfect match. The Tom and Jerry of Gajah Mada."

"Ew!!!" they both exclaimed in unison.

***

Seira woke up with a pounding headache. She staggered but tried to stand on her feet. Her vision was a bit blurry, which is why she needed something to hold onto.

"Why is Mommy awake?" Olive asked with a puzzled look. "It's still 5 o'clock, Mom."

"Mommy needs to go to the bathroom," she said softly.

"Is Mommy's stomach upset?"

Seira shook her head gently, but then she felt lightheaded because she had been using her hands as support. She pointed to her stomach. There was a very uncomfortable turmoil she felt now. Then... she vomited on the floor.

Olive quickly moved to support her mother to the bathroom. She left the floor that she usually used for her morning prayers dirty, even though she had to hurry to leave. It was her first day at the CBD branch, and she couldn't afford to be late. But her mother's condition needed her presence more.

Olive made sure her mother could clean herself up, although she initially offered help. She didn't want her mother to slip on the floor just because she was unsteady on her feet. The smell of alcohol mixed with nicotine filled the small bathroom, which wasn't very big.

"Mom, stay here for a moment. I'll clean the floor."

Seira could only close her eyes and nod weakly. Her body felt incredibly weak, as if all her strength had vanished into thin air. She could only lean against the wall near the bathroom of her one-bedroom rental. Occasionally, her eyes watched how diligently Olive cleaned the floor she had soiled. Her sense of guilt was beyond measure. If God were to show it all, it would be like foam on the surface of the world's oceans.

"Done, Mom," Olive said with a faint smile. "Come on, let's go back to the room. You should rest. You're off today, right?"

"Yes."

"I also bought breakfast for you. You rushed off last night, even though I had prepared dinner."

Seira grimaced. "Mom forgot there was a promise, honey."

Olive looked at her mother's sad eyes. The dark circles around her eyes made her look even more exhausted. "Next time, don't forget, Mom. You often remind me to eat, but you neglect yourself."

Seira smiled faintly and gently stroked her daughter's forehead. "My child has grown up. I always remember you as a little girl."

Hearing her mother's words, Olive laughed and then said something, as they rarely had the chance to meet. "Mom," Olive said while taking her mother's damp hand. "Pray for me to settle into the new place, okay?"

"Huh?" Seira looked surprised. "Are you resigning?"

"No, Mom, but I've been transferred to the CBD central branch."

At least Olive's recent statement made Seira feel relieved. "Why were you transferred? Did you do something wrong?"

"No, Mom." Olive shook her head firmly. "But I was asked to move there. The next three months will be a reference for me to be promoted to head teller."

Seira's smile, which had been absent, slowly began to appear, albeit faintly. "Promotion, huh?"

"More or less."

Seira hugged Olive tightly. "My prayers will always be with you, dear. You're a good child. I'm so lucky to have you."

"I'm also lucky to have you." Olive returned the hug just as tightly. No matter what others said about her mother, Seira was Olive's version of an incredible woman. With her hands and feet, Olive vowed to put an end to whatever her mother was doing out there.

"Alright, get ready then. Don't be late. Take care of your reputation, dear. The higher someone's position, the greater the responsibilities that come with it. Don't disappoint many people."

Olive nodded quickly.

"The pride of Seira's child must succeed. Don't be like Mom, okay, dear? Please don't."

Before she actually entered the SAVEFUND CBD branch building, Olive observed how different this branch, which would be her new office, was. Perhaps because the area was considered elite, or maybe it was the strategic location of the building, but this blue-tinted glass building looked quite impressive.

Her backpack jingled as she walked inside. She was already wearing her uniform. Her blonde hair was neatly tied up, and she had applied a light layer of makeup. For her first day, she had to meet the deputy branch manager first. There would likely be some advice and a brief introduction before she could start her usual activities.

"Good morning, sir," Olive greeted one of the security guards politely. "I'd like to meet Ms. Marta." She handed him her transfer letter as proof of access to meet the office executives. Not just anyone could meet them; even staff from other branches needed special verified permission beforehand.

Olive let the security guard check the letter she brought. She took a moment to observe the lobby, which was already bustling with customers. The greetings sounded familiar because they were part of the Standard Operating Procedure for customer service in serving clients, whether at the teller or customer service counters. She also noticed the currency counting machines that tellers used to double-check whether the deposited amount matched the manually counted total.

Her eyes occasionally met those of staff members wearing the same uniform as hers. There were wordless smiles welcoming Olive. The blonde-haired girl hoped that she would be well-received here.

"Come on, Miss Olive, let me escort you."

She smiled broadly. "Thank you, Mr. Anton." She briefly glanced at the name on the badge of the security guard's uniform.

"Coincidentally, Ms. Marta is on leave today, Miss. So, Miss Olive will meet with Mr. Thomas directly."

Olive hesitated for a moment as she climbed the stairs. She had doubts creeping in her mind. Was Thomas Adam really as stern as she had heard? Nevertheless, she couldn't turn back now, could she? She had accepted the transfer offer. She had to face what was in front of her. Complaining too much was not an option because the working world was different from her time in college, let alone school.

As they continued up the stairs - Anton had mentioned that Thomas's office was on the fourth floor - they engaged in random conversation, allowing Olive to respond naturally and ease any awkwardness. Finally, they arrived at a glass door with the words 'Branch Manager' displayed, similar to Sonia's office when Olive occasionally visited the branch manager's office there.

"Come in," came a firm and weighty command from inside.

"Well, Miss, please go in," Anton invited Olive to enter the now-open room.

"Good morning, sir," Olive greeted politely. Her eyes fell upon a figure wearing a light grey shirt with a black tie elegantly complementing it.

Olive thought that her new boss might have a few gray hairs on his head, or at least his face would show signs of aging. But Olive was mistaken. When the man in front of her raised his head from the papers he was studying, she was captivated, especially when he removed his square-framed glasses.

The rumors were true; Thomas Adam was indeed handsome, but...

"How long are you planning to stare at me? Don't waste my time. Sit down. Introduce yourself."