Chapter 17
Elijah
I woke up early and hit the gym. I set the running machine for a simple five-mile run. I found myself pounding the mat and all the while hoping I had not ruined anything last night with Kendall.
Things got a little heated and could quite easily have been taken out of context. I just didn’t want her to think I was the person I was before because now I’m a different person who wants to put things right in their life and to make it work no matter what the cost. I had devised a plan, and I had to get back into my work ethic mode. I definitely knew that many people were not keen on me from the way I was and this was the first place I had to focus my attention.
I jumped in the car and headed off to work after a hot shower. I had decided to speak to as many people as I could and hopefully make amends for my previous attitude and despicable behavior.
When I arrived, I exited the elevator and headed toward the office. I could see that Kendall was busy behind her desk and I tried to sneak up on her and surprise her.
“Good morning Kendall, how are we today?” I asked in a light manner.
“Good morning Mr. Hanson, I’m quite fine, thank you,” she replied with a quaint smile.
“I hope you had a good time last night, I thoroughly enjoyed it,” I said as I beamed my positive feeling to her.
“It was very nice, and I would love to do it again, but you may not have noticed, we are at work,” she chuckled and winked.
“Oh, yes. I was totally in the moment. Thanks for reminding me,” I said as I headed into my office.
I entered my office and waited for Kendall to bring me my coffee, I would then begin to put my plan into action.
“Here is your coffee good Sir,” Kendall said as she placed the cup on the desk. Her curves looked amazing in her pin-striped dress.
“Thanks, and can you send in the staff from the shipping department one by one? I wish to talk to them,” I replied as my dick grew thick and hard for her.
Yes, no problem, any order, or just how they come?” she asked as she walked toward her desk.
“No, order. Just send Jefferson in first,” I said. I’d hoped my erection would correct itself when she left.
I glanced over the reports from the previous day, everything was ticking along just fine, but there was no reason to become complacent in business, because that is when it all falls apart, so Dad always told me in my memories.
I just realized I had a thought of what Dad said to me without consciously thinking about him, was this a sign my memory was being unlocked? Today could be the start of a new chapter in my life, maybe. I hoped so.
“You want to see me, Sir?” Jefferson said as he stood in the doorway.
“Hi Jefferson, come in and have a seat, it’s nothing, I just want to see how things are going and how you have finally settled in?” I asked.
“Things are good. The work is fine and, yeah it’s all good,” Jefferson said, looking quite genuine.
I looked at him and thought he was probably shit scared, and I noticed that he looked like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car.
“You were informed that you were close to achieving your bonus quota this month,” I said.
“Er, yes, Kendall informed me I was on target,” he responded nervously.
I tried to talk to him a little more, but he wasn’t being loose, he was just responding to what I was saying, I hoped I hadn’t totally ruined the chance to have a workforce which was effective, and an environment was a happy one. I let him leave and moved to look at Kendall.
“Who’s next, Kendall?” I shouted through the door.
“Hayley. She’s just come back from her break, so she’s free at the moment,” Kendall informed me as she smiled.
“Good. Send her in,” I said.
Hayley entered within two minutes of being called.
“Hi, Hayley. I hear you’re a star in the making,” I said with a smile. “Please sit down, please.”
“I don’t think of it like that, Sir. I’m not a star, I just have a job to do and to move forward in my career, I have to do it the best I can,” she informed me.
Hayley informed me that she had managed to sort child care out for her child, so she was able to work full time; a very smart woman I thought, and that was the sort of attitude any boss would welcome. I could see it in her eyes though, that she was really apprehensive about me speaking to her like this.
Kendall sent a few more employees in, and it appeared to me there was a trend, many were happy with the work and everything, yet they all had one problem in common. Unfortunately, that problem was me. I could tell they were all a little scared of me for whatever reason.
“Kendall, can you come here please,” I shouted.
“Two minutes, just uploading something,” she replied as she hurried her mouse on her computer and bit her lip.
“Yes, what do you want?” she said politely.
“Sit with me for a few minutes because I need to ask you something, just close the door and the blinds.”
Kendall pulled the blinds and shut the door before taking a seat. I urged her to come and sit next to me, the desk was too business like for my liking.
“I have a couple of things I want to ask, but business first,” I said. “How are things with you and your job going?”
“It’s great. I have plenty of variety, and the job is not the same old routine. Um, and the perks are pretty good, yourself not included,” she said with a smile.
“You see, that is what I wanted to hear from them, you have opened up a little, even though you didn’t include any bad points about the job,” I replied. “What do you think I could do to make them happy and more relaxed toward me? I know I was probably not the best boss in the world, but that was before, I want to make it right.” I said as I offered my smile.
“Let me think about it for a while. I’ll come up with a couple of ideas before the end of the day.”
“Great, I appreciate it,” I was grateful to have her on my team. Here and personally.
“What was the other thing you wanted to ask?” Kendall asked as she waited to hear.
“How well do you know Peter?” I asked as I leaned into her.
“I have not really had much to do with him, to be honest, he did use to come here quite frequently before and now I don’t see him as often,” she said quietly.
“What did he come for?” I asked quizzically, “I would have thought once or twice a week would have been enough.”
“What I thought was strange was that he used to come just before the day shift finished but didn’t stay long,” she said with a puzzled look on her face.
“In future, if he comes, keep a note on the day and time, but for God’s sake don’t let him find out, he has been a diamond of a brother since I had my accident, but I just feel something is not quite right,” I said.
“No problem, mom's the word,” she said raising her finger to her mouth to mock a silence gesture.
“Thanks, Kendall, I don’t know what I would do without you,” I said as I grabbed her soft hand over my large desk.
“I just remembered, before your accident you should have had a meeting with your lawyer which you canceled. He’s called a couple of times while you were out. Do you want me to contact him?” she asked.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll call him later. For the life of me, I don’t know what I wanted him for,” I replied. “It’s probably nothing now anyway."
Kendall squeezed my hand. "I better get going and come up with these ideas for the staff,” Kendall said as she got up and left my office.
I picked up my cell and called the guy.
“Hello, Mr. Roddenberry’s office. How may I help you?” the voice asked in an overly happy tone.
“Hi, is Joe available please?" I asked.
“Who’s calling please?” the woman answered.
“Just tell him it’s Elijah. I believe he wishes to speak to me,” I said, wanting to know why.
Joe’s voice filled up the line. “Elijah, how are you feeling? It’s good to hear from you, man.”
“I’ve just been informed you were trying to contact me. You have to forgive me. My memory is a bit blank. I have no idea what I wanted you for,” I said in the hopes of finding out.
“I understand, but we should meet, the phone is not the best place to discuss the matter,” he replied.
“Matter? What matter?” I asked.
“I’ll give details later, but it was about both Peter and your Dad,” he added.
I was perplexed. “Okay, I’ll give you a call later when we can meet, I have a few things to fix at work first."
“Ok, Elijah, be careful,” he added as he hung up the call.
I was intrigued by his words before my mind moved back to work.
“Kendall, you have any ideas yet?” I called.
“Yes, I’ll be with you in a moment,” she called back. “You want a drink?”
“Do you have juice? I am a bit thirsty.”
I waited for Kendall to enter the office, as my head started to swim. I started to feel faint.
“Here you go,” she said as she passed me the juice. “Hey. Are you okay? You look a bit pale.”
“To be honest, I feel a bit woozy,” I replied.
“Come and sit on the couch and put your feet up for a while,” she said
“Maybe you have done too much today."
Kendall steadied me as I stood. My legs were weak as I made my way to the couch.
“I don’t think it’s work. I think it’s something else,” I said to her feeling slightly worried.
“We can do these ideas later. You should rest,” she said as she got me a damp cloth.
“It’s okay. This is important for the business. Fill me in on where you are,” I pressed on.
“First, a simple party, an appreciation party. Who doesn’t like a good party?” She smiled. “Secondly, a bowling night with a meal could be good. That would help build teamwork."
“I like that one. We could even turn it into a regular thing, intercompany teams and all that,” I replied.
“The third one is a camping trip or something like that, but some have families and may be difficult, Hayley, for example, has a kid,” she replied.
“I think the bowling one would be the best idea, totally informal and everyone has a chance to bond, do you have an idea what we need to do to set it up?”
“It’s okay, I’ll sort it all out, I’ll check on a good night, and what we need to do to create a company league, etc., etc., etc.,” she said as she scribbled on her pad.
“And a trophy. We would need a trophy for the winning teams, and a prize, not cash because that looks like I’m trying to buy them off or something. But something useful though, maybe a gift card to a restaurant. That’s as good as cash,” I said.
“I’ll ask around and see what everyone thinks is a good prize,” Kendall answered.
“Thanks. Can you turn the light off for a while? I’m going to rest,” I said as I covered my eyes.
Kendall turned off the light, and I laid in the darkness. My head was heavy and flashes shot from nowhere. Images of my dad in his office. He was screaming on the phone and cursing a lot. I was sitting on the couch watching him lose his shit.
Other images, images of me flashed before me. I saw myself with Kendall and a conversation about her dog. I could see I was a fucking asshole, and her dog had since died. Images of Peter came, where we were arguing, I was calling him something, but I couldn't quite grasp it all.
I had the feeling, I was remembering, and these were not just images that came and went, lights flashed behind my eyes, and I started to sweat.
“Kendall!” I screamed out.
Kendall entered the office and hurried to me, she turned on the light and came and sat next to me on the couch.
“What is it, Elijah?” she asked.
“I’ve remembered a few things. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Forgive me. Please forgive me, Kendall,” I begged.
She held my head in her lap and comforted me.