The morning came, and Sarah arrived at the company. A week prior, every designer had to create a design for the annual Holland show, and the competition was fierce. This morning, Sarah's design was chosen by her manager, Kate, to represent the company. She had created several designs and given them to Kate, who was thrilled. Kate took these designs to the CEO, Garth, and he approved them. He later sent them to Damien and got an approval from him, too.
"These are perfect," Garth said. "I would choose these two. What do you think, Damien?"
"As you wish," Damien replied. "I don't know much about design except that these two are high-quality work."
"I haven't seen you in the company for a while," Garth commented.
"I'm busy."
"Aha," Damien hummed, his mind elsewhere. Garth sent the two designs to James Holland, and within the hour, James replied, saying he'd come to the Sterling Designs for a meeting. He loved the designs she created and he was excited to meet this talented young designer.
Damien was worried about his relationship with Sarah. How would he apologize to her for making her wait and not picking her up yesterday? What would she say when she saw him? Would she forgive him for forgetting? He called his assistant, Jones, into his office and told him to send Sarah flowers and a basket of chocolates.
Jones asked, "Should we also send a note?"
"Yes, write: 'I'm sorry, I can explain," Damien said. He then realized he couldn't explain. What would he say? "I was dress shopping with my fiancée, but I love you"?
"No, wait. Just write: 'I'm sorry.'" He then instructed Jones, "And you go to the company to see her reaction when she receives it and then hurry back to report."
Twenty minutes later, assistant Jones arrived at the company. He wore a subtle wig and nerdy glasses so people wouldn't recognize him and sat down behind a large green plant, hiding behind a computer. He took his phone out to film the whole thing. Then, someone spoke. "Delivery for Sarah Walker."
The delivery guy brought flowers and a basket full of chocolates. Sarah signed for them and received the delivery. She took the note from inside the bouquet and opened it. The words "I'm sorry" were written on it. She thought, "I'm sorry?" Do you know what exactly you're sorry for, Damien Sterling? Sorry for making me wait for you, or sorry for lying to me shamelessly this entire time?
Her colleagues saw the flowers and chocolates and started asking questions. One colleague asked, "Is that from your boyfriend? Wow, you're so lucky."
Another one asked, "What does the note say?" Curious eyes around her kept prying.
Sarah said, "No, these are from my aunt. She forgot my birthday, so she sent these to apologize. But you can have them all, because I don't want them anymore." And she gave it all to her colleagues. They distributed the chocolates throughout the office, and one colleague took the flowers, asking, "Are you sure you want to give me these?"
Sarah said, "Yes, I'm allergic to pollen."
The colleague then said, "What kind of aunt doesn't know her niece is allergic to pollen? Is she trying to kill you?"
"Just the one that doesn't care." Sarah replied indifferently and sat down in her chair, continuing her work.
Jones wasn't sure how to report this, but he hurried back to the headquarters. He knocked on Damien's door and entered. "Tell me, was she happy?" Damien asked. He then looked up at Jones in a wig and nerdy glasses, raising an eyebrow at him. Jones stood like a statue, he wasn't sure what to say, so he just bit his lip and handed him the phone. Damien saw it all and returned the phone.
"You can go now," Damien said.
When Jones left, Damien clenched his fist and exhaled. Aunt? Birthday? Then he thought, Well, what else was she going to say? That I sent it? He growled. Is she really allergic to pollen, or did she just not want my flowers? He remembered Sarah's words "I don't want them anymore..." Is it the chocolates she doesn't want anymore or is it him that she no longer wants?
He then decided to go to Sterling Designs to attend that meeting with James Holland.