Routines
2073 Words
Laurel
Swiping my badge across the elevator sensor I worry a moment it will deny my access. I’m very early today but Henry offered to help me get set up and show me a bit more about the building and how things work.
The sensor turns green to my relief, and I ride to the eighteenth floor again. To my surprise, Henry is already here. He smiles. “Don’t look surprised. I am always early. Now I need to figure out what to call you…you have a nickname?”
I laugh. “You don’t like Laurel?”
“I’m extra. Everyone has a nickname from me.”
“Relly is what my nephew calls me.” I tell him softly.
“Cinderelly, cinderelly! Ooh I like it. You’re going to be Relly or Cinderelly sometimes. My niece’s favorite movie. I’ve seen it four hundred times I swear.” He playfully rolls his eyes. “Alright let me show you some things.”
He takes me down to the storage rooms where it seems they keep a lifetime supply of everything. We stop to get my laptop from the IT offices also. He gives me a few other pointers before we decide to set up my office.
My office is to the side of Ellis’s but the key Henry has doesn’t work. He’d frowned heavily when it didn’t. “I can call security but Ellis has the master I think. He’ll be here in five minutes. Want to just wait for him?”
“Sounds good to me.”
We sit and Henry grins when three minutes later, footsteps come around the corner. I look up and meet my boss’s interested gaze. “Are you two waiting to ambush me?”
Henry considers it for a minute. “If you weren’t so damned large, yeah. We can’t get into Laurel’s office. Key does not work. On either door. I know you have the master so we thought we’d wait.”
“The key I gave you yesterday?” He sighs not waiting for an answer. I watch him look at the handle.
“It’s been changed out. It’s not the same as all the other hardware. Let’s go through the connecting door in my office.” He gestures and we follow him. Henry whisper yells “The last assistant did not leave on good terms.”
Ellis turns with a raised eyebrow. “Security was supposed to watch her pack up and leave.” He uses the master key and it does work on this one. I frown figuring that was probably on purpose on her part.
As he swings the door open, I know it was. Henry snorts with disgust.
Paint has been thrown on the walls and floor, hot pink paint no less. Everything has been smashed and the desk even has a huge crack in it. A message written in paint on the huge window wall. “Impotent Bastard.”
I say nothing. Ellis turns, his eyes blazing, and I get the first glimpse of the shark everyone is afraid of crossing. “Find out which security guard stayed with her or didn’t. He’s fired immediately. Also make sure she’s unemployable, Henry.”
He turns to me “Miss Evans, I am sorry about your office. I should have checked it but I was out of town when she left two days ago. I’ll get them to have it ready and in working order ASAP. You can work in my office with me until then. My desk is more than large enough for two people.”
Henry scurries off with his parting shot. “Nothing like scorching the earth under an ignorant gold digger this early in the morning.”
I can’t stop the quick snort of laughter at him and I look up to see a half smile on Ellis’s face. “I will explain. She falsified her resume with her twin’s accomplishments. As they were identical, I had no idea we didn’t hire the one who matched up. She tried to seduce me one night when I mentioned that her work was not up to par. I turned her down since I don’t believe in crossing those lines with your employees. I fired her and she was….pretty angry.” He looks pissed but I laugh causing him to stare at me with surprise.
“Pretty angry huh? She appears to have been the type to cut off body parts or set fire to all your belongings.”
He chuckles a little now surprising me. “I was trying to phrase it professionally.”
“Sorry I ruined that.”
“I think you and I are going to get along great Miss Evans or can I call you Laurel?” He moves things around so I have room on the other side of his desk.
“You can call me Laurel.” He nods before saying quietly. “Call me Ellis then.”
Henry steps back in. “He’s fired. Apparently, she uh promised him something in return when they left so he didn’t watch anything she did here. Also, I found her new employer. I’m not sure she’ll be in the unemployment line but I can try.”
Ellis raises one eyebrow as he sits down. “Who is it?”
“Stanley Harris.” I close my eyes at his name and make sure to keep my expression blank.
Ellis rolls his eyes. “Leave it then. It will work itself out.”
“Yeah in about three months.” I mutter sarcastically and then clamp my hand over my mouth. My dad used to tell me my outbursts would be the death of me.
Both men stare at me. Henry with undisguised amusement and Ellis with curiosity.
“Now what makes you say that?” Henry asks.
“Everyone in this world knows that Stanley Harris cycles his young secretaries in and out every three or four months depending on their….talents. Young and blonde? Or young and redheaded?” I ask quietly.
“Blonde.” Ellis says quickly. “You are well versed in the business world rumors.”
“I worked for Belinda remember.” She gossiped about Stanley freely not just because of my father but because she hates the guy.
“True.” Ellis says watching me thoughtfully.
“Are you sure you want me to work here? I could go to another empty office.” I offer not wanting to irritate my new boss and lose my job on the first or second official day.
“Only empty office near here is three floors down. Too many stairs and the elevator stays busy. Old knees don’t need that kind of beating.” Ellis informs me.
“Are you concerned for me? I can walk that if needed.”
“For me. I’m an old hockey player and my joints are not what they used to be.” He jokes and I laugh. “Besides it will allow us to learn how to work together faster.” Agreeing, I sit down and start working across from him. He gives me my first two assignments and I dive in. Thirty minutes later, I am surprised when he says “I’m going to make a cup of coffee. Would you like one? How do you drink yours?”
“Two sugars and enough cream to make it look like chocolate milk.” He chuckles and walks over to a coffee machine before returning with two large mugs. I had watched him make his. One sugar and quite a bit of cream too along with a dash of cinnamon. Interesting I think.
I will return the favor tomorrow.
We work together in comfortable silence. At lunch, he orders and asks if I will join him and Henry. “You can meet my president and best friend, Klein. Henry is his assistant. We all went to school together.”
I agree and give him my order. Henry races in at lunchtime and starts passing out the food he brought in. A tall guy in a black suit steps in behind him. He reminds me of a famous actor, Shemar Moore except he wears glasses. He’s almost as huge as Ellis and I am pretty sure he played hockey too. I’ll search later.
“Laurel Evans, this is Klein Fielding.” I shake his hand as he gives me a big smile.
“Heard you had quite the first day welcome.” He points toward my office.
“Just glad I didn’t meet the previous occupant still in it.” I make a mock scared face. He laughs and sits down. “Glad he got an assistant with a sense of humor.”
At the end of the day, I hand Ellis the completion of the first assignment he gave me. He stares at me. “You already finished one?”
“Yes, it should all be there. Let me know if it’s not up to par.”
“I will. Edward says your office will be functional again in three days. I’ll see you here tomorrow.” I nod happily and leave. I’m going to enjoy this job. He’s easy to work for and with.
I make it home and Kyle greets me as the door shuts. “How was the first day?”
I set my stuff down. “Great. He’s going to be easy to work for.” I tell him about the office issue and then about the day. Kyle raises an eyebrow surprised. “He’s not some brooding cold ass that you need a shield to survive his scathing words? A typical broody billionaire with women fawning over him?”
“No he wasn’t. And guess where his previous assistant now works? Young, blonde…”
His eyes roll dramatically. “Stanley.”
I nod pursing my lips. “That reminds me Relly, let me turn it back on. They are going to rehash the story.” He sighs and switches the news on.
A few minutes later, I watch as the familiar building shows up causing a pang in my heart as the anchorman begins “Today it was announced that Harris Inc. will fully incorporate Evans Enterprises under its corporate umbrella. The name will be dropped once the merger is complete. Harris Inc. already owns a controlling number of shares but upcoming acquisitions will allow them to have total control. Stanley Harris made the announcement today at his shareholders meeting. From our sources we hear the merger will take place in one year. Many long-term employees for Evans Enterprises that were hired by its original founder, Corley Evans are purported to be leaving once the merger begins.”
I mute it not wanting to hear the rest. Kyle comes back from putting Kevin to bed and sits down next to me taking my hand. “You ok?”
“No, but does it matter?”
He turns me to face him. “It does matter.”
“It’s all my fault Kyle. I have no one else to blame and he would blame me too.” I look at the screen still showing the black sleek building. Sorry Dad. I think with a heavy heart. I killed your business, your legacy with my stupidity.
“Wrong, Stanley ruined you and stole it. Your dad would be furious but he would never blame you. Bastard should never have an ounce of success if karma was real.” I give him a quick smile. My big brother always trying to make me feel better.
“You think Ellis will flip if he finds out I am Corley Evans’s daughter?” I ask worriedly.
“No. But I think good old Grantham would.” He says darkly and I nod. Ellis’s grandfather. Once upon a time, this city had three kings of the business world.
Stanley Harris, Kyle’s dad.
Corley Evans, my dad.
Grantham Beaumont, Ellis’s grandfather.
They were all vicious rivals. Each were successful in their own way though. Then my dad died when I was fifteen and there were only two left standing. If I hadn’t been an i***t, I could have taken over as Dad’s successor at twenty-one. But things happened and I lost the company. I shake those thoughts away.
“Yeah, I plan to avoid that old curmudgeon like the plague. Hopefully he never comes to visit his grandson.”
- Writer
