13 CH13: Talks make me hungry (1/2)

”Good food ends with good talk”

- Geoffrey Neighor

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Delilah was munching on a choco stick, while working on her report. The choco stick was dangling from her lips as she scrolled down lines of words, reading them quietly.

The September morning breeze felt cool with a light rain drizzling outside the office. Delilah had wore a light wool jacket over her pastel pink peter pan blouse, trying to keep warm in this air conditioned office.

As she scrolled down the page, there was a commotion at the entrance to the office. Despite the frantic murmurs around the office, Delilah was oblivious to it, her eyes on her computer screen.

A couple of minutes later, she heard something behind her. Delilah turned around in her seat and saw Matt, who had just placed a potted plant on the corner of her cubicle table. It looked like any normal plant, except it has a braided trunk. It was quite small, but a perfect size for a table decoration.

Delilah narrowed her eyes at the plant then looked up at Matt, who was grinning from ear to ear.

”What's this, sir?” she asked slowly, pointing at the plant as she hurriedly stood up. She placed her wool jacket over the back of her chair.

Matt rested his hands on his waist and began to laugh heartily. ”This is a money tree plant!” he answered. He then patted Delilah on the shoulder and continued, ”And I'm leaving this baby in your hands.”

Delilah's eyes widened in disbelief. ”W--what?” she stuttered. She then pointed a finger to herself and then to the plant. ”You want me to take care of that plant?”

Matt nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest. ”I'm counting on you.”

”B--but... I don't know how to take care of the plant, sir! All plants will either die or don't even grow!” she exclaimed with disbelief.

Matt waved away her concern with a hand and a loud laugh. ”Hahaha! You're a funny young lady, Delilah. I'm sure she will be in good hands. Taking care of it is quite easy. It doesn't need a lot of caring. Just some water and sunlight and you're good to go.”

He then looked at his watch and said, ”Oh right. I'd better get going. Take care of the little one.” He then waved goodbye at Delilah and left the office, leaving her looking after him, mouth agape in shock.

A few minutes later, Delilah was still standing still, with her mouth opened. Aubree and Firah had just walked into the office. They had just came up from the ground floor, after buying some drinks from the vending machine.

Firah frowned, her brows furrowed in concern as she saw Delilah just standing outside her cubicle. She waved a hand in front of the dazed Delilah and said, ”Yoohooo! Anyone there?”

Delilah blinked her eyes, going back to reality and turned to find Firah and Aubree looking at her in concern.

Delilah then grabbed both of Aubree's arms and began shaking her. ”Aubreeeeee! You got to help meeee!”

Aubree got dizzy from the shaking and grabbed both of Delilah's wrists to stop her. ”Wait, stop. You're making me dizzy. What happened?” She asked, putting her hand on her temple, trying to steadied herself.

Delilah dragged Aubree to her cubicle and pointed at the potted plant on her table, as if it would jumped up on her. ”That... that... Just look at that! See that thing??” she asked loudly.

Aubree squinted her eyes and said, ”Uhh... That's a plant.”

”Exactly!” Delilah exclaimed. She hold up both of her hands and said, ”And look at this! See this??”

Aubree stared at Delilah's hands and became even more confused. ”Umm... OK? What's wrong with your hands?” she asked, looking confused.

Delilah waved her hands in front of Aubree and said, ”This is not a green hand! This is a death hand! I do not have a green hand!”

Firah, who was standing beside Aubree, suddenly burst out in laughter, pointing at Delilah's hand. ”Don't you mean green thumb?”

Delilah glared at Firah and said, ”Close enough!” She turned back around to Aubree and said, ”I can't take care of the plant!”

She grabbed the potted plant and tried to push it to Aubree.

Aubree immediately backed away, holding up both of her hands, indicating that she does not want to touch them. ”No. Matt told you to take care of it and so, you should do it.”

”B-b-but...” Delilah stammered.

Aubree patted Delilah on the shoulder and said, ”Him giving you this plant to take care of it means he trust you with this.”

”You can Google on how to take care of it,” Firah piped in. ”It should be okay.”

Delilah sighed in defeat. ”Ah... Alright,” she said sadly, her shoulders dropped in a slump.