Trust Issues

The next day, Tigress sat down at her desk, dusting the new deep scarlet blazer Mei Mei got for her. The panda really liked blazers. Tigress sighed and relaxed in her chair after taking a few deep breaths. She glanced at her phone. Lee had told her he was fine with her busyness. He'd regularly text and chat for a few minutes before getting back to work.

Tigress smiled a bit at the thought. Lee was a tad geeky but really loved his anatomy.

Maybe he was good with female anatomy.

Tigress fiercely shook her head but she laughed. "It's been a while since I've had a thought like that."

She stopped for a moment. It had been a while since she thought of stuff like that. She shrugged, guessing the stress was more than she anticipated. Something she was beginning to learn more and more about.

The tiger's smile couldn't last for long. She glanced at the clock and frowned. 11:25 am. On cue, the doors opened and the panda of the hour came, though her frown was a change in their usual routine.

"Here you go, Ms. Tigress."

"Thank you, Du Ai." There was a moment of silence. "Is there anything else that you-"

"I... just wanted to say that I'm sorry for my... behavior yesterday. It was rude and stupid of me to... do that."

Tigress stared for a moment and nodded. "I forgive you. Though your curiosity about Po's personal life doesn't seem... too professional."

"It's... not just that," Du Ai sighed, swallowing loudly. "I... have... trust issues."

Tigress rose her eyebrow. "And these... trust issues are great enough to disturb work?"

Du Ai's eyelids lowered as her lips flattened. "Not everything is about work. And we don't live on professionalism. It differs from person to person."

"If you say so," Tigress replied coldly.

"In one way or another, I have this... constant feeling that people are against me. Before they give me proof. It's not because of trauma, but... anything your parents tell you, you start to believe."

"You're blaming your parents?"

"I'm... telling you what happened. I don't trust people. I've been told not to trust people over and over until I realized I couldn't even trust my parents. I was... given mixed messages," Du Ai shook her head as if she had come out of her daze. "I'm sure Mei Mei has already told you this."

"Mei Mei hasn't told me anything about that." Du Ai's eyes widened. "It wasn't until you told me that she got you the job that I talked with her. She didn't offer much info other than your need for the job." Tigress sighed and folded her hands. "Maybe you should look into some kind of therapy. Trust issues in the workplace can be detrimental to your career... especially when they blind you to people of good character."

Du Ai narrowed her eyes and heard the tiger's change of tone. "Are you saying that... from experience?"

"... yes," Tigress sighed. Her first interaction with Po came to her mind. "Maybe that's why you and I haven't seen eye to eye recently. We both have... some trust issues."

"You aren't making enemies out of friends."

Tigress glanced at Po's door. "I nearly did."

"How is Po... as CEO?"

Tigress sighed again, giving the panda an even gaze. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just... Po had some confidence issues when we were dating. I was very surprised that he became CEO."

"Were these... confidence issues innate or learned?" Tigress asked with an air of venom.

Du Ai narrowed her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"A lot of people seemed to enjoy his company before he took this job. In fact, that's part of the reason why he got this position now. Our... previous executive thought he was the right person for the job. So far, he has proven himself... more than worthy."

Du Ai nodded slowly, "That's... a lot of praise for your boss."

"Du Ai-"

"I'm not suggesting anything."

"Don't make enemies out of possible allies," Tigress grumbled.

Du Ai pursed her lips. "I'm trying. I'm really really trying."

Just then, Tigress and Du Ai saw two birds rushing out of the elevator and to the hall. "Mr. Shen, Zeng, what did you need?"

"Is Po in?" Shen asked, a little out of breath.

"Uh... yes, he's in. Is something wrong?"

"Have you spoken with him recently?"

Tigress narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"Zeng noticed a change in our financial affairs that isn't... encouraging," Shen replied. The tiger's eyes shifted to the goose who wore a brighter yellow shirt than before; it was almost Neon now. Zeng's bill quivered and Tigress could actually hear his bones clacking.

"If my hunch is correct, Po might have more information about what happened than we do," Zeng shivered.

"Why were you with the financial office, Mr. Shen?" Du Ai asked. The peacock looked like he was ready to answer, but he stopped short when he realized the panda was there.

"I could ask you the same question. What are you doing here? You're the receptionist."

"She was promoted... to mail duty," Tigress smiled loudly with a hint of rage in her eyes. The peacock saw it and gulped.

"I see. Such exciting times we're in," Shen gritted through his smiling beak.

"My schedule says that Po's in a phone meeting right now, but what's wrong?"

"Kai might have... done something that might get Po... a little upset," Shen cryptically said. "And we're trying to tell him before he gets a call from the BBB. We're having a meeting with Kai soon and I want to prep Po before things get... hostile. I don't need a raging panda screaming bloody murder." Du Ai and Tigress exchanged looks and laughed. The two birds looked at each other, confused. "Am I missing something?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shen," Du Ai chortled. "I've... known Po for a while and I don't think he's capable of that."

"And I've seen him highly stressed and worried," Tigress smirked. "I don't think Po can get that upset."

Just then, "HE DID WHAT?!"

"Wanna bet," Zeng muttered after hearing the shout from the CEO's office. Po slammed his door open, growling and glaring at anyone in his line of vision. His gritted teeth looked like they would crack. He had flung the door open so fast that the window on the side was in danger of breaking; there was already a small crack in it. He clung to his black suit jacket in his left hand while his eyes found a fixation point on Shen's nervously grinning face. Zeng hid behind the peacock to avoid any possible harm.

"I'm... guessing you got the call from Peng," Shen stammered.

"Where. Is. Kai?" Po growled.

"We're having an impromptu meeting right now."

Po grumbled and threw his jacket on with a crispness that shook the dust and lint right off. "Tigress, cancel my appointments and handle the Low-budget Project for me for the next two hours. Zeng, get in contact with Peng and ask him how we can lower the risk of this... problem getting out of hand. Shen, after we talk with Kai, I need you to talk with the... new company that we have. Make sure they have their lawyers come to me and you and not to Kai. I'm not letting that yak get the best of me. Du Ai!"

"Y-Yes Sir?" Du Ai gulped, snapping upright after the panda's authoritative call.

"Stop trying to get gossip about me from Tigress and do your job. I've already gotten complaints from your supervisor that you spend too much time here." He looked at Shen. "Let's go." With that, Po left with the peacock in an aura of rage, vengeance, and authority.

Tigress and Du Ai blink in awe.

"I don't think the confidence issues are... a problem for Po anymore," Tigress replied. Du Ai nodded in agreement.

Continued...