Trish Mae knocked meekly on her boss’ door.
“Come in,” he replied in his usual cheerful tone. She slowly opened the door.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” She asked.
“Yes. Please come in and have a seat,” he replied while indicating the empty seat in front of his desk. Trish closed the door and took the seat. “Yes, Miss Trish. I am looking for a secretary from your department. Someone able. Someone competent.” As Mr. Reynolds spoke, Trish adjusted herself on her seat.
“I have called you here because I know you know your 15 members of staff individually, and who has the qualities I have just mentioned. Whom do you suggest?” He concluded thoughtfully, avoiding staring at her chest. She cleared her throat and sat up.
“Thank you, sir, for deeming it fit to seek my opinion on this delicate issue. Frankly, all my staff members are not up to the task, so I suggest myself, sir. I’m able, competent, and I’m definitely hardworking,” she replied with an assuring smile. Mr. Reynolds swallowed.
“Thank you, Miss Trish, for your recommendation. Please tell Ms. Roxanne to see me after lunch. That will be all,” he said briefly, then turned to his computer.
“Roxanne?” Trish replied, then stood up and walked towards her boss, getting his attention.
“Yes, Miss Roxanne. The plump, beautiful blonde who joined us yesterday,” he said, then pushed his chair back to create distance between them. Trish got on her knees and held her boss’ hand.
“I know who she is. Sir, she joined us yesterday, as you’ve rightfully said. I joined this company last year. I am experienced. Please choose me,” she said, with a beseeching tone.
“But you’re head of department,” Mr. Reynolds argued, then freed his hand.
“That’s not enough. I’ve been a dedicated employee all this while. The least you could do is grant me this honor,” she insisted. Her boss sighed uneasily.
“Miss Trish…” he started.
“Please, sir. I am willing to do anything for that post,” she pressed, then noted him eyeing her breasts. She moved closer to him. Their noses almost touched. “I know you want me, sir. I know you want to feel my boobs. No one has to know. I’ll help you out, you’ll help me out. Fair deal,” she whispered seductively, then her mouth opened and her tongue surfaced.
Mr. Reynolds remembered his wife, Antoinette Silver, and their five-year-old son, and got up hastily.
“That’s enough, Miss Trish. I shall let you off with a warning. Get up and leave, or you risk losing your job,” he hissed, then rubbed his eyes behind his spectacles and breathed out. Trish got up slowly.
“Just give me five minutes with you, sir. Five, and I swear I’ll cool the heat you have right now. My price is simple: I be your secretary,” she said.
“My wife satisfies me perfectly, Miss Trish. That will be all from you now. Go and call me Miss Roxanne,” Mr. Reynolds said, and looked away from her. Trish mechanically swayed out of the office on realizing that she was fighting a losing battle. A cateress walked in the same time she left, carrying a tray containing his lunch.
“May I come in, sir?” She inquired politely.
“Please,” he replied, after sinking into his seat and relaxing. The cateress set the tray on his desk and excused herself.
He nodded her leave, then heaved a sigh of relief imagining her catching him in the act with Trish. He looked up and thanked his lucky stars for helping him escape Trish’s trap. The damage it could do to his reputation. The guilt he would feel afterwards. The wreckage it could cause to his stable and happy family, he thought of all that and shook his head gratefully.
Though she was thoroughly disappointed, Trish carried herself with her usual exaggerated confidence. Everyone in her department was eating and chatting and having a good time. She swayed up to Roxanne’s desk and looked her straight in the eye.
“What?” Roxanne said curtly while looking back at her as Bree eyed Trish disdainfully.
“I don’t know what charms you’ve worked on the boss, but he wants to see you in his office,” she said plainly, then went to serve herself some food. Bree shook her head as she watched her go. Roxanne let out a mouthful of air.
“I wonder what he wants,” she said quietly to her friend, then finished up her food and excused herself.
“Happy thoughts,” Bree said to her with a smile and thumbs up. Roxanne turned to her, smiled, shook her head, and kept going.
Mr. Reynolds’ office was becoming a familiar place to Roxanne already. She knocked on his door and after hearing the usual “Come in” go-ahead, she walked in and closed the door.
“You called for me, sir?” She asked him.
“Yes. Have a seat, Miss Roxanne,” he replied. She sat on one of the seats before his desk. “The reason I have called you here is to appoint you my secretary on the ground floor. I have been following up your progress in the files I give to be sorted and found that you are able, since you beat the time I give, and you are competent as well,” he said with a smile.
Roxanne smiled broadly, not being able to control her joy and believe her luck.
“It will be my honor, sir. And let me just say that I will not disappoint you,” she said in a determined tone.
“I hope so. Keep up the good work. You officially begin on Monday. That will be all,” he concluded.
“Thank you, sir,” she replied, then got up and left his office with her heart leaping with joy.
Things were looking up for her. First, she got a good job. Second, she was appointed secretary on her second day. Who knows what next? She thought to herself with a smile as she walked back to her desk. Bree looked up to her from her food immediately in anticipation.
“Good news?” She asked expectantly.
“Great news! Reynolds has appointed me secretary on this floor!” Roxanne replied with the excitement of a 12-year-old girl, with eyes widened as she clapped. Bree got up with the same excitement and spontaneously wrapped her friend up in a hug.
“I’m so proud of you, Rox. Congratulations,” she said after the hug as they held hands and looked into each other’s eyes.
Roxanne beamed and mumbled a “Thank you.”
Bree finished her food and took hers and Roxanne’s plate to the rack of dirty dishes. The cateresses took the racks of dirty dishes and went to wash them. It was back to work for everyone.
Trish swayed by Bree’s desk and dumped files onto it.
“In 15,” she said, then went over to Roxanne’s desk. She put the files Roxanne was supposed to sort on it then sat on it. “In 10,” she said, then after a lengthy pause, added, “When are you beginning work as secretary?” Roxanne looked up from the file she was sorting.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business, Trish. Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got work to do,” she said briefly, then continued with her work. Trish got up heavily and strolled back to her desk angrily, shrugging off the rude reply.
Roxanne glanced at her friend. She was engrossed in her work.
“What, no critical remark?” Roxanne asked her. She shook her head.
“Nah, she isn’t worth my time,” she replied.
“Now you’re getting it,” Roxanne said with a proud smile at her. She smiled back.
After several minutes, Roxanne was through with her files and sighed contentedly. She got up with them and majestically walked to Mr. Reynolds’ office. Trish had been eyeing her all along. There was something about her that she didn’t like, but she just couldn’t put her finger on it.
When Roxanne went up the stairs, Trish’s eyes went back to Roxanne’s desk. She was surprised to see a tall, thin, young man with neck-length hair approaching her.
“Excuse me,” he started courteously and added, “I’m looking for Roxanne Simmons?” While looking around, and finally at Trish.
Roxanne came down the stairs from Mr. Reynolds’ office feeling proud of herself after being congratulated by her boss.
“I wonder who that guy chatting with Boobs is. Never seen him around before,” Bree commented to Roxanne while passing by her as she, Bree, took files to Mr. Reynolds’ office.
Roxanne’s gaze went to Trish’s desk. Sure enough, there was a young man there. She scrutinized him. He was clad in a checked shirt, jeans, and some fancy sneakers.
“Arnold?” She whispered in disbelief, then walked towards Trish’s desk.
“...how are you related to her?” Trish was asking Arnold.
“So that’s how you would be handling clients if you were secretary?” Roxanne intruded from behind Arnold, making him and Trish turn to her.