The Territory

Chapter 1

                As I stand in front of the mirror evaluating my outfit, I suddenly feel a panic creep in. What if this is not the right outfit for this job? What if I walk in there and look like a fool all dolled up? Or! What if I am not dressed up enough? Maybe I need a blazer. Ugh! I need reinforcements. I snatch my phone off the bed and dial.

                “Hello?” the voice on the phone answers.

                “Liza, are you sure this is the best outfit to start the job? I didn’t even interview! I have no idea where I am going, what the company does, how they dress… I am in way over my head here!”

                She begins giggling on the other side of the line making my anxiety worse. “Emileen, Relax. I know you are a worrier, but I promise that you will be perfect for the job. Damian is an old family friend. He knows I wouldn’t have recommended you if you weren’t right for it. Trust me.”

                “Trust you!? You abandoned me! I take the job on your recommendation, move eight hours away from my fiancée to share this townhouse with you, and then you leave me for three weeks to go on a vacation around Europe. Trust you… HAH!”

                “Stop it. You aren’t the only one who just graduated. I need to have a little fun after all the work. I also offered to bring you along with me if you remember. Damian said the job would be waiting for you when you got back. But all you could think about was getting to work so you can gain experience for your dream job. I don’t understand what is so great about working for an architecture firm in New York anyway.”

                “DON’T KNOW WHAT SO GREAT!!!... are you being facetious? This must be a sick joke right?”

                “Listen, I am just saying. I think you might be happy at The Territory. Damian is amazing, it pays great, you get to use your architecture degree, you get to use your finance minor, you get to travel and you get to stay with me again. It is a win all the way around!”

                “Ugh. We got off topic. Are you sure the outfit we picked is the right one for my first day of work? Should I put on a blazer or something with it? Or is it too much? Should I put on shorter shoes?”

                “No, it is perfect. And you just want to change shoes because you hate heels, but the pumps make your ass look great and it is a more upscale business kind of place. Hey, just think of it as fashion training for when you leave me for New York.”

                “Relax, I am not leaving just yet. I need at least three years of experience to get hired anywhere. How they expect you to get experience when no one will hire you is another discussion.”

                “When is Patrick coming in?”

                “He doesn’t think he will be able to come for a few weeks. I get it, he just started his job and doesn’t want to request time off right away, but I am all alone in a new place… I could use someone since my roommate abandoned me!”

                “So dramatic. Calm down. Have you guys talked about setting a date for the wedding yet?”

                “No. We both agree we should wait until we both have our dream jobs. He still has two years of law school to finish anyway. If we don’t get married for three of four years that is fine. Neither of us is in a rush at all.”

                “Well, I think that is really smart. Hey Em, they are starting to call for our connecting flight. I have to go. Text me after your first day and let me know how it goes! And remember, use the directions I gave you. GPS will just get you lost; I promise. I know that area better than the GPS does. Love you! Bye! Phil, wait for me!” ::Click::

                Sigh. I guess this outfit will have to do. At Liza’s recommendation I am wearing a tight black high wasted pencil skirt, an emerald-green blouse with a shallow cut V neckline, and black pumps. To make myself feel a little more polished, I put in my diamond post earrings. I stroll downstairs to the kitchen. Even though the townhouse is three floors and looks very narrow, it is quite spacious inside. The kitchen is large with a tall and long bar top that allows you to look out the kitchen, through the dining room out to the back of the house. Right in back is a large circular grassy area with a fountain. It is like a common back yard that is only for the people who live around it. There are benches and swings, a large tree, and the fountain. I love watching the school kids stop and swing before walking to school. They are so carefree and happy… While I am in no hurry whatsoever to get married, I can’t wait to be a mom. I love children and have always dreamed of having a big family with five or so kids. Patrick thinks I am crazy. “One, maybe two,” is what he always says. But he isn’t the one having them, so I think I get final decision.

                I sit at the bar drinking my coffee, eating a bagel, and watching the kids. My anxiety dissipates as I watch the joy on their face. They swing, play tag, roll in the grass… Life is just laughs and sunshine. Eventually Mrs. McCreery comes out and shoos them all off to school, kissing her grandson’s head as he passes. That is my sign to get going. I put my dishes in the sink, grab Liza’s directions, and go downstairs to the carpark. She drives a manual, which I hate. I can do it, but not in heels. And it is so much work! I can not wait for Patrick to bring my car to me so I won’t have to worry about driving barefoot and shifting up and down hills. Though by the time he gets here my legs will be gigantic from all the exercise.

                Liza’s directions are strange… I hadn’t read them before leaving the house… They sound like code or directions to a hidden nuclear powerplant.

                - Leave the carpark and head west on Baker street. Continue until you see a dirt road on the right that goes between two trees.

                - Turn right there and continue on the dirt road.

                - The dirt road will enter a wooded area. Continue going.

                - The dirt road will eventually become pavement before entering a clearing.

                - At the fork in the road turn right.

                - At the roundabout take the third street.

                - You will see another wooded area come up on your right. Take the third available right.

                - After a few minutes you will pull up to a large metal gate and brick wall.

                - Press the button, give them your name and let them know you are there to see Damian.

                (Have your license ready because they will ask you to show it to the little camera)

                - Once inside the gate follow the main road through The Territory, it will dead end at a mansion with a roundabout in front of it. Take the second exit on the round about and park in the lot.

                - Use the door on the front of the house. No need to knock, just walk in and it will be the second door on the left past the stairs.

                While strange and confusing to read at first, they actually make perfect sense while driving. I find my way to the gate with no problem whatsoever. I press the button and wait. Nothing. I wait a few minutes and then press it again. I was early but if I don’t get in soon then I will end up being late. I am getting annoyed. I press it a third time and still nothing! I lean over to my bag on the seat to grab my phone, and when I sit up right there is a man at my window in a suit with an earpiece and a gun. “s**t!” I yell as he startles me.

                “What is your business here?” I look at him bewildered for a second, unable to speak.

                “Ma’am, what is your business here?”

                Finally, the words come to my brain. “My name is Emileen Hanson, I was just hired to be Damian’s assistant.” He narrows his eyes when I say Damian, almost like I have offended him. I mean, I would call Damian by his last name if Liza had ever bothered to tell me it. “Wait here.” He says, almost growling with anger at me. I don’t know I did, but I clearly messed up. Great job Em…

                He comes back a few seconds later. “Do you know where you are going?” His tone is not any friendlier. “Yes, I believe so. My friend, Liza Mountbatten gave me directions.” I grab the piece of paper to show him and he shoos me away with his hand. If everyone is as rude as this guy, then I don’t think Liza has any chance of convincing me of staying any longer than I have to… “Go on in,” he grunts as he taps a badge to a black box causing the gate to open slowly before me. I decide to be the more professional person and annoying him more. “Thank you so much, have a great day.” I Say, waving as I drive through the gate.

                I park and walk up to the big door, straightening my skit, fixing my blouse… really just fixing my nerve to go in. I take a deep breath and push the door open. A burst of noise comes from inside as there are people talking, strolling about, talking on the phone, bustling papers about. It is clearly a very busy company. I walk past the people to the second door like the instructions say. There is a plaque on the door that says “Damian Montague.” I guess this is the right place. I push the door open and enter the room, closing the door behind me. Once the door is close it is so silent that my ears feel like they are ringing somehow. There is a small seating area with no one in it, and a pair of frosted glass doors with large metal handles. This modern looking door is in stark contrast to the traditional wood and décor that I was meant with at the main door. I push the glass door open and step into an all-white, ultra chic room. It is very large with another seating area of black leather couches and a glass desk to the side of another set of double doors. They are black and look very heavy. I start to approach the black doors when I notice there are two other doors, single normal size doors, one on each side of the room next to wall I just came through… I am confused.

I don’t have a chance to try to figure out where to go as the black doors open and I am met with a massive and beautiful specimen of a man. He is easily over six foot five, even in my heels I have to look up at him. He has broad, strong looking shoulders and chest. His jaw is tight and sharp, I would be scared to run my hand along it as I might get sliced open. He is tan with dark hair that is slicked back, and deep chocolate brown eyes that seem kind. He is wearing a dark blue suit with a white button down and silver tie. I am frozen in front of him, unable to move.

                “Emileen! I am so glad to meet you. I am Damian.” His face lights up with warmth.

                “Oh. Mr. Montague, it is such a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

                “No. Don’t do that.” There is no humor in his tone.

                “I’m sorry sir. Don’t do what?” The concern and horror that I already messed up apparent in my voice.

                “Don’t call me Mr. Montague. Yuck. That makes me feel old and gross. You can call me Damian. Other people can’t call me that, but you… you can.” The humor and warmth are back in his face as he speaks. I can’t help but get pulled into his upbeat energy.

                “Oh, I am special? Why do I get to call you that and not others?”

                “Because you are my life saver! I didn’t know how I was going to get this all done. You are my life save and I have a feeling we will be getting very good friends.”

                His comment makes me smile; I don’t know why.

                “Liza and I go way back. Well, no, not Liza. I actually used to come here summers to visit my Uncle and I would hang out with Phillip.” I nod in response.

                He smiles, “Well I spent ever summer… pretty much my entire life, I would say, here hanging out with Phillip. Do you know her older brother?”

                I nod. “Liza and I were college roommate, so Phil would visit and crash on the floor sometimes.”

                “Yeah. He’s a giant ass hole.”

                I burst out laughing, “Yes, yes he is.” Damian joins me in laughing for a moment.

                “Okay, so this is my office,” he says stepping aside so that I can see in. I step in and see the walls lines with bookcases full of books, a massive desk in the middle of the room with a huge chair behind it and two small chairs in front, and a wall of glass windows looking out to the world. It is beautiful. He then leads me back into the other room. “This is your office and the main waiting room. In there,” he points to the first smaller waiting room, “is where people wait who I don’t like.” I can’t help but giggle at his comment. “Over here,” he points to one of the two mystery doors, “is the filing room. I don’t have the key to it, but I will get it for you. And over here,” he points to the second door which faces my desk, “is the hallway that connects you to the other offices.” He opens the door and we walk through. As we walk down the quiet hall Damian explains who the office belongs to and when or why I would need to go see them and who to not bother being nice too.

                At the end of the tour, I feel so comfortable with Damian. He has a warm and infectious personality that you just cannot help but love. At the end of the tour Damian tells me to take a seat at my desk, start of the computer and he will show me some of the things he needs done. He also tells me the company’s approve phone answering protocol. “A bunch of snooty, white collar bullshit if you ask me.” He says while going over the rules. Again, I can not help but giggle. He is so casual and relaxed that it is hard to believe he is like a millionaire with all this land and all these companies. I guess you can’t judge a book it’s cover. Damian gets me my log in for the computer and shows me their bookkeeping software. “So, if you could please start going through the hard copies and making sure that all the files are in there, all the money has receipts in the books, all the balances check out, there are no charges that are missing this and that, blah blah blah. Ugh. I am so glad you are here because doing that myself sounds like torture. I will call and have some books brought up to you. Do you want to start five years ago, or start now and work backwards?”

                “Five years ago would be best. Then I can work forward and makes sure future items are being catalogued correctly.” I say confidently.

                “Emileen, I told you… we are going to be good friends. You are already telling me what I want to hear! Moving forward I want to be tight tight tight. My uncle was very laxed and we are missing money all over the place, but that stops today because of you!” He winks at me. Normally that would make me very uncomfortable, but when he does it my heart just swells with warmth and belonging. Something about him is just so charismatic and welcoming. I pull up the documents I need to start with and wait patiently for the books to be delivered trying to look busy. Suddenly the door to the other offices opens and another massive herculean specimen of a man walks through carrying a stack of books. He sets the books on my desk and then stands up straight. If possible he is even taller than Damian. He is just as big and strong looking. Does this company only employ former models and if so what the hell am I doing here. Our eyes meet and his hazel-green eyes go dark. He scowls at me and clenches his fist, his knuckles going white. He slams his hand down on the desk, making me jump, before stomping over to Damian’s door and yanking it right open.

                I jump up and run over to the door, ready to apologize to Damian and explain that he didn’t give me a chance to call in, but when I get in the door and open my mouth to explain Damian holds his hand up and smiles at me. “It’s okay Em. This is Vice… He is impossible, so I guarantee he didn’t give you a chance to call in. Ignore his bad attitude. Did he bring you the files?” I nod, still too shocked to really speak. “Great. Go ahead and get started. I will email you my lunch order in a bit if you wouldn’t mind ordering it. You can get yourself whatever you want. The credit card is in the drawer of your desk.” I nod again and smile before leaving his office, closing the door behind me. When I sit in my chair, I take a deep breath and sigh in relief. I don’t know what that guy’s problem is, but hopefully our interactions will be limited, and at least Damian knew that the guy was an ass. I couldn’t stand it if I got fired on my first day.

                I open one of the books and begin working, checking the numbers, checking for the receipt, writing down any errors on my own personal log and if I corrected them or not. I am half a dozen pages in when Damian’s door swings open hard and Vice stomps out. He sneers at me, making his feelings for me known. I don’t know what I did to him in a former life, but he is not going to forget it any time soon. He goes to the side door and flings it so hard that it smacks the wall with a loud thud and the vibration can be felt through the floor… If looks could kill, I would be dead right now… So much for my great first day.