Chapter 18
Kendall
I entered the office and waited for Elijah to ask me to take a seat, he previously said I could just walk in and sit down, yet we were still in a work environment, and I had to show respect for his and my positions within the company. I also had to consider the way the other staff could think about our situation and read too much into it, and take it the wrong way.
The last thing I wanted was for them to think I had taken advantage of the situation. It was bad enough for myself to think that on occasions.
“I can’t believe we have been communicating for nearly a week,” Elijah said as he gestured for me to sit.
“Communicating is that how you see it,” I said with a frowned expression on my face.
“I’m just being professional, I don’t want the staff to get the wrong idea,” he said with a laugh.
“Have you been reading my mind?” I replied with a puzzled look on my face.
“Kendall, I have just observed how concerned you are about what others think of you here, hell, you won’t even take a seat without being told to. And no matter how many times I say it’s okay, you still concede,” he replied now more sternly.
“So, now the good Sir is mocking me,” I said with a giggle.
“I would never mock you, Kendall. I have just enjoyed this week immensely. I might even be tempted to carve your name on the bottom of my pencil case,” he said and laughed.
“Wow, the good Sir... wealthy he’s, he can afford a pencil case made from real wood,” I replied as I laughed hard, with tears formed in my eyes.
“So, getting back to work wench, what news doth thee bring for me,” he replied in a very bad Shakespearean tone.
“Being serious, the party is all organized, and everyone will be here to set up during the day, we have no need for the conference hall, and they can use the rear entrance, so as not to give anything away, to you or to the staff,” I explained.
“A surprise eh? Hmm, the girl is very smart,” he replied as he winked.
“Not just that, all of the staff are coming, not one has said no, so it’s good we chose the conference hall to host it and not the board room,” I replied.
“From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank you for doing this, it means a lot, I need to regain the confidence of the staff, and this could be a great start,” Elijah said now more serious again.
“I was pleased to help, even before we started communicating, as you so kindly put it. I would have helped. It was fun to do.” I was happy to help my beautiful boss.
I sat and thought to myself. It’s still strange to hear him say thank you. It was the last thing that would have ever left his mouth before. I wasn’t one to complain though. It was nice to hear, even though it confused me somewhat.
“Well now that it’s sorted, what do you have planned for this evening? “Elijah asked.
“I have a fun filled evening planned, I’m off to visit my best friend Mandy for a while and then I have to get home, and I promised I would call Mom and keep her abreast of the news,” I replied.
“Off you go. It’s quiet here, and we have wrapped up the most important things for today,” Elijah said.
“Okay boss, I’ll see you tomorrow, get some good rest, you have worked hard yourself."
“Goodnight and thanks again,” Elijah said as I exited the office. He wanted me. I could feel it all over me.
***
I arrived at Mandy's house and was welcomed with open arms as always. She hugged me and ushered me inside and urged me to give her all the latest gossip from the world of Kendall, straight from the horse’s mouth as she always said jokingly.
“So, what’s new with you then girl?” she said as she fixed us a pitcher of her homemade lemonade.
“Well, Elijah is a totally different person, we have got on like a house on fire this week,” I explained as I sipped my glass of cool lemonade.
“I’m still not convinced, no matter how much you say he has changed, I still have doubts about him being totally genuine.” She looked at me with a raised brow.
“I know, it’s hard for you to fathom, but I have been with him quite a lot, and there is no sign it’s fake or false. He really does seem like a changed man,” I answered.
“Well, you should just be careful and keep an eye on him, you never know if he will start remembering, and he may just play on the fact and go for sympathy,” she said with a disgruntled look on her face.
“I have my wits about me. You have no need to worry about that. Plus, I have the advantage of knowing the signs of what he was like before. He has no idea, so if he slips, I should spot it immediately,” I said as I topped up my glass. The heat was stifling today.
“So, how has he been with the staff, are they convinced he’s different?” she asked.
“Some are, yet a few still have doubts, they think he will burst into one of his tantrums, and it leaves them feeling confused when it doesn’t happen,” I replied.
“I have been organizing a party for them for most of the week, he wants to show them he’s a changed man and not the tyrant he once was,” I said as she did the dishes.
“Fuck, it would take more than a party to convince me to forgive and forget,” Mandy replied.
“Elijah isn’t asking for forgiveness and for them to forget, he just wants them to accept who he’s now, and build on that. The past has gone for the time being, and he wants no part of it coming back into his life, either,” I explained.
“Well, either way, just look out for number one, I don’t care for him, I just care what happens to my bestest friend ever,” Mandy said as she placed her glass on the table.
“Give me a big hug before you go,” Mandy said as she threw her arms around me. “And say hi to your mom, I know you will be calling her.”
“Goddammit, am I that transparent?”
“Hell yes!” We stood up, and I headed toward the door.
I returned home to Bo who had perched himself just inside the front door. He sat there as he wagged his tail and barked as he wanted to go out.
“Hey boy, how have you been?” I asked him.
He jumped to his feet and headed for the kitchen door and sat as he waited for me to reach him. I opened the door and let him into the garden for a run. I returned to the living room and perched myself on the couch. My legs curled up under me, and a large cushion wedged firmly under my arm.
“Hi Mom, it’s me Kendall, and yes I’m calling so no need to say it makes a change,” I said with a giggle.
“How are you doing sweetie?” she asked.
“Not bad, just got home from Mandy’s and she said 'hi.'”
“So, to what do I owe this pleasure of a phone call during the week?” Mom asked me in her over-excited tone.
“I just fancied a chat, no real reason, and just to let you know how the week has been." I pulled the cushion closer to me.
“I’m actually glad you called, I was going to call you. I have a friend who can get you a job, a very good job with a nice company,” she said. “That is if you are still looking for another job.”
I was silent for a moment before I answered, I knew she would guess I had changed my mind, she could read me better than Mandy could read me even when she was on the phone.
“Well, that was what I was going to mention, things are completely different now, this kind man has emerged, and he’s still in a frail state of mind, and I’m the only person he can relate to apart from Peter. But he does not know the business well enough to assist that much,” I explained.
“Well dear, I have said before you have to make your own choices and stand by your decisions, if that is the way you want to go, I know there is no way I’ll be able to change your mind. You have a touch of your father’s stubbornness, and we know how I wasn’t able to win against him,” she replied.
“So, this job, should you decide you still want it, is with Jessica. I’m not sure if you know her, she owns a large corporate lawyer's place downtown. And they are looking for a personal assistant,” she said.
Mom had this habit of still trying to convince me of something, even when she had said she accepted my decision to go in another direction. I never had the heart to tell her, so I always let her continue.
“So, tell me more about this job,” I asked just to humor her.
“Well, Jessica is a big powerful woman and always takes on associates from college, and they basically do on the job training and normally get hired to join the company once they have finished their term,” she explained.
“So where do you know this Jessica from?” I asked with a curious tone in my voice.
"From downtown."
“I haven’t been to law school, Mom."
“That’s fine. She’s looking for a personal assistant for some guy who works there, he’s a little fruity but a decent guy. I mentioned you, and she said to send your resume if you were interested,” she replied.
“It sounds good, but as I said, for the time being, I’m going to remain with Elijah, I think if I left him now he would just fall apart and I couldn’t do that,” I said.
“She did say she could hold the position for a month or so, as another PA who works for the smooth guy is helping him. She said it was complicated and it sounded a bit too much like a TV show the way she described it, so if you change your mind just give me a shout and I’ll get in touch with her,” Mom explained at length, as always.
I pulled the cushion toward me and in my mind, it was Elijah I was holding, he had shown a deeply compassionate side to himself, and it was one I found myself not wanting to leave.
“I’ll keep my options open. Like I said to Mandy earlier. I have some knowledge of what Elijah was like before so if there are any signs I’ll see them as they start to appear,” I explained.
“Well I have no more to report," Mom said. "I just hope you are doing the right thing... just don’t leave any decisions you make too late or else you will have no options and at the moment, you have one very good option.”
“Okay, Mom. I get your point. You’ll be the first to know, whatever happens,” I said as loud as possible. “I gotta go. Bo is in the garden, and I need to feed him.”
“Okay, dear. Speak to you soon."