“Let’s not push it, Charlie,” Roxanne replied, totally ignoring Bree. Again, Bree cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry, would you like some water?” Charlie asked her.
“Me? No, thanks. I’m fine,” she replied, then glared at Roxanne. “Oh, and I’m Bree Javen, Roxanne’s best friend,” she added quickly.
“Pleasure. I’m Charlie Wright. Now I see why they said birds of the same feather flock together. You two beautiful ladies find pleasure in each other’s company. I’ll just leave you to your work, Roxanne, and please consider that coffee,” he said, then left.
“I will,” Roxanne replied as she watched him go.
“I swear, Rox, if I wasn’t taken, I would accept him. He’s quite a charmer,” Bree said, then continued with her work.
“A wordsmith indeed. Anyway, too bad he doesn’t tickle my fancy,” Roxanne breathed, then put on her headphones and retrieved the movie, right where she had left off.
After a while, two files were heavily stacked on her desk. She almost lost it but controlled herself and calmly paused the movie, took off her headphones, and looked up at her disturber. Wasn’t there any moment that she would have peace? She then remembered that she was at work and wasn’t supposed to have any peace.
“Yes?” She said calmly.
“The boss wants these files sorted out in 20, so if I were you I would get off the computer and on to some more constructive work like sorting them,” the disturber said. Roxanne watched her as she spoke. “You must be Roxanne. I’m Trish Mae, the head of this department,” the disturber added.
She was curvaceous and had on plenty of makeup, a blouse, a tight skirt with a slit at the back, and a head of well pushed back red hair. She wasn’t much of a beauty, but her large breasts and shapely legs that looked good in a skirt made up for it.
“Right. I’ll get to it immediately,” Roxanne said as she looked at the files.
“You better,” Trish said and glared at her, then swayed away.
When she was out of earshot, Bree said, “The booby bitch thinks she’s got it but damn! She would even lose to my grandmother in a beauty contest,” then shook her head and stood up with the files she was sorting. “Excuse me,” she added, then left.
Roxanne went to a music site on her computer and listened to music as she sorted the files. They contained information about the company’s shares on the stock market, the salaries of the employees, and the commodities manufactured in the factories on the first floor and their values. If she had time, she would go through them.
Within no time, she was through with the sorting and happily breathed in and out. She checked the time and realized there were five minutes left. She paused the music, took off her headphones, and stood up with the files.
“That was fast,” Bree commented as she looked at her.
“Yep. Excusez-moi,” she replied proudly, and swaggered her way to Mr. Reynolds’ office.
From a far, she could see Trish eyeing her wickedly while poking her chin with the end of a biro. Roxanne ignored her glare. It was no secret that Trish disliked her and wanted her head on a plate. The floors were awfully quiet, with only a few murmurs being audible.
“Hi,” an employee on the second floor greeted her as she passed by.
“Hi,” she returned, and went up the stairs to her boss’ floor.
The only sound audible there was that of her stilettos as they clanked on the polished marble floor as she walked. She breathed in and out then knocked on his huge door with the huge tag MR. ANDREW REYNOLDS on it.
“Come in!” Came the hoarse reply.
The door slowly opened and in came Roxanne. Mr. Reynolds was from the washroom when she had entered.
“Good afternoon, sir. Here are the files you needed,” Roxanne said in a relaxed manner while gently placing the files on his huge, wide desk that had countless files, a calculator, a computer, a telephone, and other office equipment.
Mr. Reynolds wiped his hands and took his seat. He was a bespectacled middle-aged man with wrinkles on his forehead, probably from all the reading he did, Roxanne guessed as she looked at him, and an intimidating deep voice.
“Thank you, Miss Roxanne,” he said jovially.
“Is there anything else, sir?” Roxanne asked politely.
“No, thank you. That will be all for now,” he replied, with his eyes glued to the files. “You may leave,” he added, while taking one of them.
“Thank you, sir,” Roxanne said, and turned to go. She noticed a noticeboard filled with memos and reminders on his side wall as she left. He had a large office, and the neatness contributed greatly to his peace of mind and ability to work.
Some of the employees were already leaving and when Roxanne arrived at her floor, Bree was waiting for her.
“Ready to go?” She asked her.
“Yeah, let’s,” Roxanne replied happily. That was what she was waiting for. She grabbed her purse, turned off the computer, and arranged her desk.
“Here comes Miss Boobs,” Bree whispered to her while glancing at Trish, who slowly swayed towards them, attracting some few guys’ attention in the process.
“I hope you’re not planning to go,” Trish said to Roxanne.
“And if I am?” Roxanne replied calmly as she came face to face with her. Bree looked at them in turns. She knew that somebody was going to get slapped and it definitely wasn’t Roxanne.
“Well, not yet. There’s an errand I want you to run for me,” Trish said firmly, then made a face at Bree who said ‘What?’ to herself. Roxanne pursed her lips and looked at Trish, then sideways.
“Excuse me, I would hate to barge in, but Trish, run your own errand. Does she look like a slave to you?” Bree intervened.
“And who asked you? You don’t talk to the head of department like that! And it’s Madam Trish to you,” Trish responded. Bree laughed sardonically.
“I got this, Bree. Trish, you wouldn’t want to mess with me. Trust me. Let’s go, Bree,” Roxanne said. Trish stood aside for her to pass.
“Oh, and er, Trish, office hours are over, so cut the ‘madam’ crap. Mess with a bee and you will get stung,” Bree said to her, then joined Roxanne.
They could hear her yelling to people, “What are you looking at? Look on if you want to lose your jobs,” and scoffed.
“The bitch. Her nerve. How could she tell me, Roxanne, to run an errand for her?” Roxanne growled as they walked out of the company.
“You should have slapped her boobs off, Rox. Then she’ll know who you are,” Bree said, disappointed that the squabble didn’t result in an uncensored, heated catfight.
“It’s alright. I’m sure the warning I gave is enough. See you tomorrow, Bree. I have some groceries to grab before heading home,” Roxanne said to her friend.
“Alright, Rox. Keith is supposed to pick me up anyway,” Bree replied, then the two friends hugged. “Take care,” Bree told her after the hug.
“You too,” Roxanne replied, then left for the grocery store. She bought some bananas, apples, peas, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggs, and took a cab home. As she traveled, events of that day—her first day—played in her mind.