North End Love

Bzzz.... Bzzz.... Bzzz... Bzzzz. "Ugh, it's 5 am already?" I reached over to my phone to turn my Alarm clock off. I stretched out my back and arms and stood up. My husband Derrick was still sound asleep. He got home late last night from a business trip to LA. He's been trying to pitch a big movie to happen right here in Boston. I started to do my normal routine starting in the bathroom, then I brushed my long red hair and put it up into a high ponytail, I drank a large cup of hazelnut coffee and got dressed into my sports bra, with a loose tank top, Lulus and a pair of Nikes'. Every morning I go for a run from my spacious apartment here in the north end of Boston to the Gym in Back Bay. I did a quick round of stretching making sure I was ready for my run today. I placed my earbuds into my ears and turned on my Disturbed playlist. I reached the gym by 5:45. I scanned my card and went inside. It was mostly filled with businesspeople who work the nine to five and a few stragglers. Since I got my cardio in already, I went to lift some weights and tone my arms and legs. I didn't want to strain myself too much since I just found out last week that Derrick and I are expecting a baby. I planned a whole dinner for tonight with all baby themed foods. While I was using one of the machines, I kept seeing someone staring at me through the mirror. Every time I'd try to find them, they were gone. I shook my head and continued my workout. By 7 am I was ready to go home. As I was stretching someone tapped me on my shoulder. I pulled an earbud out and he was handsome. "Hey are you, Mary North?" "Uh, yea why?" "Hey, I think this is yours, it was left on one of the machines." "Thank you I'll need this to get into work later." Yeah No problem." This handsome stranger handed me my wallet, I don't remember taking it out of my pocket maybe it fell out or something. "Hey what's your name?" I called after him as he was walking away. "Liam, Liam Stone" "Nice to meet you Liam and thanks again." I started my run home, over thinking Liam. He was handsome with his black hair and icy blue eyes. He stood somewhere around 6 and a half feet tall. Compared to my 5 foot 3 he was a giant. Shaking my head again I need to get him off my mind. I unlocked the door to my apartment, walking in I placed my keys on the hook by the door, and kicked my shoes off under the table and headed towards the shower. I spotted Derrick sitting at the kitchen Island he was looking rough. I kissed him on the cheek. "Morning sweetie, how was your trip?" "Meh, it was alright, they liked the idea but want to film it out in Worcester or Springfield, if it ends up moving forward, I'll be able to spend some time at home more than other jobs. but i was really hoping to get to come home every night." "Everything will work out for the best, it always does. I've got to hop in the shower and get ready for work. Make sure you're home for dinner tonight, OK?" He just nodded as I kissed him on the lips and walked into the bathroom. By 9 am I was sitting at my desk in South Boston, flipping through the presentation I was about to give in 1 hour. All I had to wait for was the presentation board from downstairs. I sent my secretary Max down to get it. After twenty minutes he still wasn't back with it. I stood from my desk and straightened my navy-blue pencil skirt, slipped back on my navy-blue pumps and walked to the elevator. Exiting off at the drawing room floor I heard Max flirting with some intern down there. I rolled my eyes and kept walking. I would have fired him a long time ago except he's the CEO's nephew so I can't. "Hey Mike, do you have my presentation ready?" "What presentation?" "The one I sent down with Max three weeks ago." "Max hasn’t brought me anything for a few months now. I'm sorry Mary, I don't have anything for you." I was fuming mad. My face matched my hair with how red it got. "Mike, can you make me anything out of this flash drive by 10:15? I'll be down to get it by then." "I'll see what I can do for you Mary, I make no promises." " Thanks Mike, I owe you one." I stormed over to Max and pulled on his ear bringing him down to my level. He was around six feet tall and thinner than a twig. his ears always reminded me of dumbo, and he had a blonde mullet, but it wasn't a fashionable mullet it was dirty and uneven like he did the cut himself. "Max what have you done?" "I don't know what you're talking about Mary?" "What do you mean you don't know what I'm talking about I sent you down here three weeks ago with the folder that contained everything I needed for today’s presentation. You know the one that I have been making you stay late preparing every day for the last four months. What did you do?" "Well, I was bringing it down and then I started talking to Liz and well I must have put it down somewhere while we were talking and well you know one thing led to another and I must have left it somewhere." "You left the paperwork needed to get this company to sign on with us somewhere in this office because you decided to go and f*ck Liz? Are you f*cking kidding me?" I was so angry I pulled hard on Max's ear before letting him go. "You have 20 minutes to find that folder and make a presentation and it better be as good if not better quality than what Mike and his ten-man crew would have put together. I'll be speaking to your aunt in the meantime about your poor excuse of a performance." "I walked away with my heels clicking loudly on the tile floor. I pushed the button for Alexandra's floor. She had the entire top floor. I needed to speak to her about Max. I'd rather not have a secretary than deal with his dumb a*s. Clicking my walk across the floor once again, I stopped in front of Alexandra's door. I knocked on her door.... "Come in" "Good morning, Alexandra I hope I'm not interrupting?" "No, no you're fine come on in." I walked in and sat in the armchair in front of her mahogany desk. She had a huge window overlooking the ocean. A bar was lined up on a low bookcase and was surrounded by bookcases on the left side. The right wall had some pictures from her travels and shelves with awards and a door to her private bathroom. "What can I do for you Mary?" "Well, it's like this I need Max moved to someone else or even somewhere else. He has been screwing up left and right and today, well today is my last straw. He decided a hook up with Liz the intern was more important than giving the presentation that we need today for the Empire Corporation to the design team. He lost the folder and instead of telling me. We have the presentation at 10:30. I gave a flash drive to Mike with the information that was on the folder. He said he would try and get something to me by 10:15." "Well let's hope Mike can pull through. If all does go well for the Empire Corporation, I will move Max. I never should have given him a job with any responsibility, my brother begged and begged me to get him a job and said he could handle it but clearly, he can't. Give me a list of your grievances against him and I'll see what I can do alright?" "Thanks Alexandra I'll have that for you by this afternoon." I walked back into my office. I had a half hour before my big presentation. I looked back over my notes hoping that Mike would pull through for me. At 10:10 I made my way back down the drawing room floor. "Mike please, please tell me you were able to get me a presentation for the Empire Corporation out of that flash drive." "Well Mary let me show you what I got." I flipped through the slideshow, and it was perfect. I kissed Mike on the cheek with a hard kiss. "I owe you big time Mike!!!!" "Anytime Mary, anytime." I walked into the presentation room, and I handed the flash drive to Max. I need you to plug this into the computer and just click through while I give the presentation. Can you handle that. he nodded his head while I set up my papers on the conference table. a Caterer came in with fresh fruits and dips, pastries, orange juice, ice water and tiny finger sandwiches. One of the girls poured the water into the glass flutes and placed the Navy cloth napkins at every seat. We were to have a full house between our staff and the Empire Corporation, we wanted to make a huge impression. I straightened my white button blouse and put on my Navy-Blue suit jacket. I brushed myself off with my hands, doubled checked my hair and makeup in the mirror. I looked perfect. The door opened and in walked the CEO, the senior VP, the VP as well as members of the board for the Empire Corporation, and behind them was Alexandra our CEO, the Senior VP, The VP, and members of our board. I welcomed everyone with a huge smile. I invited them all to grab something to eat and drink before we began. After about 10 minutes everyone had a plate in front of them and we began. "Good morning, ladies and Gentlemen and welcome to The Boston Corp. If you could all open the binders in front of you and turn to page 10 you can see how we will be taking your company to a higher level. Max if you could start the slide show please. As you can see here ...... " A loud collected gasp sounded as I began talking. I turned my head to the screen where there were por*ography photos flipping through the screen. I clapped my hands over my mouth in shock. This was not the presentation I had seen from Mike just fifteen minutes ago. I looked at Max and he stood there smiling. The Empire Corporation missed his sh*t eating grin as they got up and left claiming I was wasting their time and how unprofessional I was. When Alexandra looked at him, he pretended to look just as shocked as everyone. "Mary, Can I see you in my office. Max you too." We followed Alexandra, I could feel her fuming mad as we walked into her office, it was like the flames of her anger were hitting me in the face. "Mary You first. Explain." "Alexandra, I went down and saw Mike, he showed me the presentation. It wasn’t perfect but it had the information, and it would have been ok for time I had given him to do it. I handed it to Max when I got to the conference room and asked him to run the computer. I'm just as shocked as you about this." "Max." "Aunt Alex I put in the flash drive she gave me. not my fault it was filled with se*ual photos. I was just doing what she asked of me." "Max you are demoted to the mail room, hopefully you will cause less screw ups there. Mary, I’m sorry but since this was your project you should have taken care of every aspect better. I'm sorry but you're fired. please back up your office and leave the premises."