Chapter 3 New boss

Then i hurry from the office, knowing he is still observing me. The walk from the office has never seemed longer on trembling legs. When I am finally on the other side of the closed door, I lean heavily against it and my body sags.

The shrill ringing of the phone on my desk startles me and I nearly jump out of my skin. My elbow hits into the door at my back and I move away as though burnt. Damn. Now they would know I had still been standing at the door after leaving. “Get a grip, Emmy,” I caution myself.

“James Thomson will be your new boss. Get over it already. What do you think is going to happen?” “Mr. Cather’s office, how may I assist?” I answer the phone and sat heavily onto my chair. Time to get back into work mode.

After hanging up, I power on my computer, giving it some time to warm up while I get the mails. I am waiting at the elevator when Mr. James and Mr. Cather walk out of the office.

“Oh crap,” I mutter and hit the button over and over again as though that would make the elevator appear faster. I would not ride the elevator with that man! Ding! Yes, now to get in and hit the button for the first floor before… “Emmy, hold the elevator for Mr. James, will you?”

For a second I contemplate acting as though I didn’t hear him but I make the mistake of looking up at them. No way out of this one. I press the hold button and watch both men shake hands.

Mr. James steps confidently towards the elevator and I shuffle to the back in one corner as far away from him as possible. My heart thump wildly in my chest and although I try to avoid looking at him, my eyes keep flickering to him, drawn to him by some inexplicable reason. It couldn’t be that I am attracted to the man. Men like him scare me. I always envision myself in the future with a gentle, kind man. Not someone who makes me feel intimidated as this man does.

Without warning, he presses the emergency stop button on the elevator. What the hell? Doesn’t he know that would alert emergency response? “What are you—?” my question ended in a gasp when his long strides bring him over to me and he is close. Way too close. I am running out of oxygen which causes my breathing to turn shallow.

Bup! Bup! Bup! Good God was that my heart beating? “I can’t wait to see if you’re the saint Cather makes you out to be,” he says gruffly, pressed my lower lip with his thumb.

I flinch at first believing he is about to strike me and then strokes my cheek with the back of his hand gently. “You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?” he asks softly but I know better than to ignore the steel in his tone.

“I- I’m not,” I croak out, hating myself for the way my voice trembles. The gentle caress of his hand turns rough as he grips my jaw. I want to say his grip hurt but it doesn’t at all. He holds me firmly enough for me to know I wouldn’t be getting out of his hold if he doesn’t wish it. Still, I could feel the power and strength in him.

“You should be afraid,” he cautions. “Be very afraid. I expect nothing but the best from you. Thanks to your boss who extolls your finer attributed greatly, I expect the same quality work and if you can’t deliver… well, you get my drift.” A voice comes over the intercom. “Is anyone there? We’ve a report the elevator isn’t moving.”

Mr. james lets go of my jaw and move over to the buttons to respond. “The elevator is fine,” he announces and release the button for the elevator to continue its short descent.

I breathe a sigh of relief when the doors open but huddle in my corner, waiting for him to step out first. I could still feel the impression of his hand on my cheek, my nostrils plugged with his natural musky scent mingled with his cologne. “I expect to see you at six tomorrow Emmy.”

“Six?” I echo. Work didn’t begin until seven. “Yes, at six.” He turns slightly to the left so he could look back at me. “One more thing, you’ll find I’m not so easily please as Cather obviously is.” He gives my body a once over and smirks before stepping out of the elevator.

Confused, I rush towards through the doors before the elevator could close with me inside. What is wrong with that man? Am I going to have to work with a lunatic? Why had he grabbed my chin like that? Doesn’t he know anything about personal space because he’d invaded mine and without my permission. Is this what I will have to deal with working for him? Because this isn’t what I’d signed up for when I decided to work at Cather.

“Are you okay?” Sandra asks in concern when I got to her desk. “Word has it you were stuck in the elevator.” “I- I’m fine,” I respond which is a complete lie.

“Only the most sought after bachelor in Michigan. Did I mention he is a billionaire? You should see the women he usually goes out with. If you open any society page, I’m telling you, there’s a photo of James Thomson.” The society pages? No wonder I don’t know him. I don’t usually read that trash. I want to pry and find out as much as I can about the mr James Thomson but I don’t dare to bring it up more and raise Sandra’s suspicion. Not that there is anything to be suspicious about.

“I wonder what he was doing here,” Sandra muses aloud. “Do you know?” Then she gasps. “He’s not taking over Cather’s, is he? Because he’s famous for that you know? Taking over small companies and ups caling it and its profits. They say he has the golden touch and I’m inclined to agree.”

The dreamy look on her face leaves little to the imagination as to what she means by Mr. James’s golden touch. Someone must be spreading rumors because his grip of my jaw in the elevator, that had been no golden touch. It was the very opposite.

“I’m sure Mr. Cather will announce if such a thing is happening,” I hedge. “Gotta run.” I start to head for the elevator then take a detour to the stairs, walking the three flights. After almost being assaulted by that man and for no reason at all, I am not ready to face the elevator so soon. After opening the mails, I bring them in a pile to Mr. Cather’s office for him to tend to them.

“I suppose this is the last time I’ll be getting my mails here,” he announces with a sad smile. “I’ll leave a forward address with you Emmy and if it’s not too much trouble, could you forward any personal mails to me?” “Sure will Mr. Cather.” I am almost at the door leaving when his voice stops me in my tracks…….. “Emmy,” he said almost hesitantly. “Yes sir?”

“You may find Mr. James to be different in his approach from me,” he states plainly. “He is a most unorthodox man but he has a record for turning profits. You’ll be working for a very big publishing house soon. If anyone can turn this place around, he can.” Hmm, why do I have a feeling there is much more he wants to say that he isn’t? “Okay.”

“And, he’s asked about you.” So that is it. “Me? Why?” He retreats looking almost regretful that he has said anything. “Ah it’s nothing I suppose. Just a man ensuring he knows his new staff.” “Mr. Cather,” I respond in concern. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” He shakes his head. “Everything is fine, Emmy. Mr. James will take care of everything.”

Including me? I shiver remembering how he invaded my space, remembering his breath hot on my cheek with him standing so close to me. For the rest of the day, I work quietly, my mind occupied with some serious thoughts. Thoughts of handing in my resignation. But should I allow the actions of one man to force me out of a job? But James Thomson isn’t your average man and I’d rather have peace of mind than being in a job and miserable. Mr. Cather calls a meeting at four and informs the staff it is his last day. I knew when he did there would be waterworks. He is an amazing boss, the type who remembers everyone’s birthday and buys them presents. After the meeting, everyone files out in a somber mood, kind of the way I feel.

At five, I give Mr. Cather a final goodbye and leave work, happy to go home but nervous about returning tomorrow. By the time I get home in my little Subaru, I had convinced myself that I am going to quit.

I am bad with controlling men and Mr. James showed me today he has no qualms with walking over people. I would find another job. she was so upset for her new boss she returned home with sad heart.

It was a cold winter’s evening. The sky was gray, with a light breeze blowing. Soon it would be spring. There was the smell of green in the air and the sound of a bird singing. I pulled on my coat, opened the front door of the house, and took off down the street. As I did so, I felt the stiff wind of my departure. My coat came off, the coat collar fell away, exposing my collarbone and the rough skin beneath.

In an instant, all I smelled were metal and leather, rust and dust. From that moment on, there was no warmth in my heart, no hope. My life had turned to ashes in that instant. Yet, as I crossed the street, my soul was as strong as ever. That’s how it felt. Now, when it mattered, nothing mattered. Not my future, not my past. No one in this world knew what I had done. No one had any idea. For the first time, I was a free person.

I stood alone, frozen and scared, unable to breathe, to speak, or to move, at first in utter silence. Then, gradually, slowly, quietly, like a sleepwalker, every sense of what was happening in front of me faded away. When it finally hit me, a man stood in its place. Just the man, nobody else.

Suddenly, everything became clear. he wasn’t a human; he wasn’t a man. Maybe he was not human at all. he was simply the one who walked up behind me in an alley. His clothes were elegant and yet, his face was so close that I could almost see his face, see the features of a man I once knew. Before I even knew it, he walked past me to stand right in my line of sight. There he stood, just as he had stood every day for all eternity, waiting for me outside the gates of jail.

I can still see his silhouette, my only friend, even as I knew that is not who he was. It was only my imagination that the person standing in the alley was not the man I knew. Who was he? Where did he come from? he was someone I’ve never met, someone I’m not supposed to know. The only difference is that now I am alive.

I now have a purpose. No one will ever torment me again, nor will they ever see me again. There is no one I want to see, no matter what happens to me.