Revenge – served cold

After sitting in the Orange, discussing all the nuances of future work, I was fifteen minutes late for lunch. I had to run back. All the way I prayed that Andrew had not yet returned. I was lucky, instead of the boss in the waiting room I found a girl unknown to me. A blonde with bright scarlet lips, false eyelashes, in a perfectly fitting beige dress-flats and open light coat, frowned unhappily and swayed on stilettos.

" Good afternoon," I greeted her cautiously.

The blonde gave me an attentive look, and it was clear that we didn't like each other. Nevertheless, I smiled as friendly as I could. First of all, I didn't know who she was, and secondly, I was really late.

" Where is Andrew ? " she asked coldly.

She looked as if she was overpowering herself by talking to me. As if I am dirty, ragged and on the porch, not a secretary in the reception.

" Andrew is at a business lunch, will be later, " I kindly replied.

" Later! " snorted the blonde. " Call him and tell him that I'm waiting for him!"

" I'm sorry, Andrew told me not to disturb him. Negotiations are very important.

In fact, I didn't even know where my boss was going. And I couldn't call him, I don't have his cell phone number."

" You want to work here?! Tell him Camille's here right now!"

" Tea, coffee? " I smiled.

" You're fired! " The girl shouted and ran out of the reception area.

I sank exhaustedly into a chair, trying hard to suppress the urge to burst into tears. They say there are people who are energy vampires. This Camille was clearly one of them. We'd only talked for a couple minutes, and it was like all the energy had been drained out of me. Like air out of a balloon.

After I managed to blink and not ruin my makeup, I stood up, deciding to get my own coffee. Honestly, I didn't know what to do. The documents were taken away, there were no calls, and I was promised to be given assignments later. The only thing I could occupy myself with was familiarizing myself with office equipment. In fact, there wasn't much of it: a computer, a selector, a printer and a scanner. Well, also a coffee maker, which was hardly the most important of all the previous.

After making coffee, I turned around and almost ran into my boss. He flew into the reception area like a hurricane. I squirmed inwardly, waiting for the blonde to complain.

" Coffee, that's not a bad idea! Come to my office!"

The boss disappeared into the office, I had to follow him, remembering what kind of coffee he likes, and whether I brewed it correctly.

Andrew , carelessly threw his coat on his shoulders, sent his jacket there, and sat down at the table, rolling up the long sleeves of his shirt. I put a cup of coffee in front of him and froze half a meter away from the table. All the TV shows said that a secretary should keep that distance. But I didn't know how it really was " I didn't have any experience.

" Sit down," the boss said.

I sat down on the edge of the chair and looked at him fearfully. Andrew was looking for something on the table and did not pay attention to me. Finally, he pulled out a whole pile of stickers glued together and some notebooks.

" Look through these and make a schedule."

I scooped up the post-it notes and quickly glanced through them to make sure I could make out his handwriting.

" Excuse me, you have a meeting at three on Ramensky Boulevard, and half an hour later on Preobrazhensky Boulevard? How are you going to make it in time? These are different parts of Moscow!"

" Yes?!"

Andrew jumped up and looked over my shoulder. I froze, not knowing how to react to his behavior. This morning he seemed to me even too cold.

" Indeed. So, review and in such controversial moments, call back and reschedule the meeting. Or no, highlight them and show them. I'll tell you which is more important."

" Okay," I nodded.

The addition to the instruction appealed to me. I didn't know anyone yet and could inadvertently offend an important person.

" Andrew , while you were away, you had a visitor …"

It was pointless to hide this event from him. I'm sure the blonde just couldn't get through or wanted to cry from resentment at a personal meeting.

" Who?"

The boss returned to his chair and sipped his coffee. With a satisfied nod, he looked at me, waiting for an answer.

" Camille," I explained. " She wanted me to call and summon you …"

" And you didn't?"

I nodded dejectedly, belatedly feeling guilty. Maybe I should have gone through my notebooks and found the supervisor's phone number. There are records of all the employees!

" I just… didn't know your phone number… or the staff's…" I started to justify myself

" What are you mumbling about?"

I stammered and squeezed inwardly.

" Remember, I can't be distracted in negotiations. No matter who comes and no matter what they demand. Unless it's not OBOP in half with the tax came to gut our documents. Then you can let me know."

At the end of that sentence, he got a little funny. I realized it was a joke. Although with such things and structures, jokes are bad. He's probably sure that his company's documents and law are in order and he won't be visited.

" Encrypted? " I asked in a tone of voice.

" That would be very kind of you."

I allowed myself a smile, managing not to laugh. The boss's sense of humor was on the level. More importantly, he managed to lighten the mood.

" Can I go now?"

" Go ahead," I was told.

As I stepped out into the reception area, I managed to dodge in some unimaginable way. Camille was back, ready to tear me down and walk across the carpet of the secretary's body. I belatedly jerked back to follow and tried to stop her.

" I have to report to you!"

I was ignored. I had to run after her back to the office.

" Andrew , I…!"

" Honey! Fire her!"