Clair got to her workplace by eight thirty and packed her car in the space allocated for staffs. Office hours wouldn’t be starting till around nine, but most of her colleagues arrive hours before the time to finish up whatever they were working on. The building stood before her with the name THE QUOTIDIAN NEWS plastered boldly on it. She smiled at she looked up at it like it was her first day at work. She couldn’t wait to tell her Boss the news.
It was a monstrously huge modern skyscraper with Seventy eight floors. Every inch of the ediface was covered in glossy glass and metal. The entire building was own by the news company. Not only were they into newspaper and magazine publication, they also had a radio and TV station.
Clair walked the short distance from the revolving front door to the receptionist desk.
“Ms. Fisher, good morning. Hope you had a nice night?” The woman behind the receptionist desk asked nicely.
“Thank you Grace. I slept like a baby.” Clair replied with a matching smile. She walked to the desk to sign in and collect her locker keys.
“It tells. You’re practically glowing. Mind sharing your secret because it can’t all be on beauty sleep,” Grace jested with quirky brows.
If only she knew…
“Darling, that’s all it is believe it or not. I just woke up like this.” She winked at the receptionist’s direction to which Grace reacted with a happy laugh. When Clair was done signing in, she collected her keys and headed to her office.
“Have a nice day Ms Fisher. By the way, I love your shoes.” Grace called after her.
Clair gave her a wave to acknowledge the compliments. Her office was on the seventh floor. She entered the elevator and pressed her destination.
Her workplace was a burst of activities. Everybody seemed to be in a hurry. All the flurry of movement did not surprise Clair because she knew what the fuss was about. The company was having a big conference coming up in two days time and every body had projects they needed to complete before then. Since Clair stayed up late to complete hers, she quietly went to her mini office to prepare for the day.
“Good morning Clair, looking lovely as usual.” Said a young man that looked to be in his late twenties. He was walking briskly, carrying a pile of files on his hand .
“Why, thank you John.”
“How you manage to stay calm in this intense chaos amazes me.” A lady spoke this time. The lady that spoke had blonde hair trimmed to shoulder length with a little bang at her temples. She had the lightest blue eyes and a very charming smile. She was about the same height as Clair.
“Because, my dear Stephanie, I actually sacrifice some dose of sleep for the sake of peace and quiet while working. I can’t say the same for you lots. Perhaps the noise helps you work better.” Clair said with a smirk.
“Forgive me Ms. I-can’t-work-with-noise. Stephanie said with emphasies on the Miss i-can’t-work-with-noise. “I’m only realizing how wrong I was to assume that you would stoop so low to work with us noise-loving peasant. Forgive me thou high and mighty queen of the dead silence kingdom.” Stephanie did a mock bow to accompany her speech.
“Silly.” Clair gave her a dismissive wave. ” Don’t you have work to do?”
“Damn! Clair you’re a bad distraction. Catch you later.” Stephanie jogged off in the direction of her desk. Clair waved at her with a small smile and then continued to the small space that was her office.
No sooner had she sat down on her office chair than her telephone rang. She checked the caller ID, it was her boss.
What now. I just got here. She put the phone on loudspeaker.
“Hello Sir,” she was massaging her temples, hoping he didn’t need anything tasking.
“Good morning Clair, please can you come to my office? Now. It’s quite urgent.” The line went dead before she could give an answer.
“At least give me the opportunity to refuse.” She spoke softly to no one in particular still massaging her temples.
This can’t be good. What could he possibly want this early morning. Doesn’t he have bigger projects to occupy himself with.
“Hi Clair”. Her thoughts were interrupted. She knew that voice. That annoyingly persuasive but not so persuasive voice. Arghh!
“You still haven’t accepted my proposal? I have dinner reservations for us at one of the best restaurants for any day of your choice.”
“Jake? Not gonna work.”
“That’s what you always say, just one night…” He rambled on.
She sighed and got off her seat. She held him by the arm as she walked him out of her office and headed to her boss’s own. When she got to her Boss’s office, she didn’t bother knocking. She just opened the door and entered.
“Clair” The man standing beside the office window said brightly. “I see you’re still having issues learning how to knock.”
“Not really Ben. I just don’t feel like it. But should I tell you what I’m feeling though?”
“I’d love to hear it.” Ben said trying and failing to hide his curiosity.
” Your wristwatch. Damn, that’s one deadly beast you’ve got there. Bet it’s worth a fortune. You didn’t buy it with all of your last month’s salary, did you?” Clair asked with lifted brows.
“That’s a hilarious suggestion. No, I didn’t buy it with my salary. My wife gifted it to me last week. She said it made me look dashing”.
Clair scoffed. Benjamin Scaffold wasn’t too hard on the eye but he was definitely far from dashing. He was about five feet nine and lean. He had a dirty brown hair and dull brown eyes. He has been sporting a goatee since Clair knew him and brags about how extremely tasking it was to groom one. ‘Well, you can always shave it Ben and release yourself from its demanding hold’, she would always say. But of course, he always refused each time she said that, insisting that it made him look like a bad boy. This part always amuses Clair because Benjamin was the most pliable person she knew. She found him incapable of original thoughts. He was so easy to convince and he always wants to be on the good side of those funding his wallet. But with all his flaws, it never changed the fact that he was still very smart enough to call the right and best shots for the company. And Clair still preferred him to the person that was before him. He was still by far a better option.
“Back to business. Is there something I can do for you Ben? I’m sure you didn’t call me here to boast about how magazine worthy you are.” Clair asked, wanting to get back to her office.
“No, I didn’t. Please have a seat.” He moved around the desk to his seat and sat too.
“How’s your project coming up? I hope you’re ready for the conference. You know you’ll be reporting for the ‘what’s new’ show airing this afternoon?”
“Yes, Patrick from the media department called to inform me about that. For my project, I’m ready with it as we speak. Can’t be caught unprepared.”
“That’s very good Clair. Uhmm, Stephen Mang called me about thirty minutes ago.”
I can’t believe to this.
“Please don’t tell me you dragged me all the way to this office because of that disrespectful narcissistic asshole” Clair was starting to get pissed.
“Clair calm down and watch your mouth. That ‘asshole’ is the reason why this establishment still function and you can thank him for the salaries you use to pay your bills.” Ben was taken aback by her vulgarity, not that it was a new thing with Clair but it never fails to shock him each time.
“Ben, I don’t fucking care if he sponsors this company or if he owns it. If this place closes down tomorrow or I decid to leave, I’ll find another place where I probably won’t be reminded to kiss some entitled dingbat’s ass for peanuts.”
Ben sighed. ” He said he called you to offer you a beneficial proposal and before he could even finish what he was saying, you insulted him and hung up on him. He even complained that…”
“That…?” Clair asked raising a brow
“That you called me an ass kisser, for Christ sakes Clair.”
At that moment, Clair couldn’t help but to let out a throaty laugh. She noticed the serious look on Ben’s face and the laughter ceased. “Sorry.” She cleared her throat and shook her head. “That narrative dear Ben is very far from what really happened. Not like you are an ass kisser but you just really want to impress everybody no matter how condescending it is.”
“So, what ensued between you two? Ben asked leaning back in his chair.
“Mang called me early this morning by some minutes past seven. Before then he’s already left me six missed calls and two text messages that more or less read ‘ pick up my calls or you will be sorry you didn’t’. When I eventually picked, he first of all scolded me for not picking, I explained why I didn’t.”
“So why didn’t you pick?” Ben interrupted.
“Just what I was about to tell you… You see, I wasn’t with my phone. Then he went on to suggest that I be his personal escort for a trip he planned to take next week. He said he wanted me to help clear his name from the mud of the recent viral murder event. He promised me that he would tend to all my personal needs during the travel. I told him plainly that what he was asking was unprofessional and I will not do it. He then reminded me of all the benefits I would be getting if I agreed to it. The money, the connection and at the end he did add that I do not want to be his enemy plus I have everything to gain if I was on his side. That was when I stopped him and told him point blank to go fuck himself. The end.” Clair flashed her sweetest smile in Ben’s direction.
“Clair, do you have any idea how exhausting you are?” Ben asked leaning forward and placing his hand on his desk.
“And here I was thinking I’m the easiest person anyone can ever deal with. Bluntest? Definitely but also easy going and sweet” Her smile was still plastered boldly on her face.
Ben sighed. “Clair, I know Mang can be demanding and overbearing at times…”
“That is putting it lightly.” Clair interrupted
Ben glared at her. “But I would appreciate it if you treat him nicely. Talk to him kindly. You might not care, but think of the numerous number of people that would loose their jobs if Mang pulls out. Just write him the story Clair, it wouldn’t take much from you to do it. You know how people respect your articles because they assume it’s the undiluted truth. It will really go a long way in clearing the lies that has been circulating about him.”
“That’s exactly the problem Ben. People value my writings because I say it as it is. I don’t want to give them a reason to start doubting it. I cannot write on what I’m not certain about and until I have investigated this Mang’s case and find him truly innocent, I am not writing a single word about it.” She was disappointed at Ben for even suggesting that to her.
“Ok. Whatever you say Clair. Just be careful not to piss Mang off while you’re at it investigating. It wouldn’t do to have something happen to you.” Ben said.
“When you talk like that it makes me wonder if there’s something you know that I don’t.”
“The only thing I am sure of Clair is that some stones are better left unturned. Don’t go looking for trouble that could easily be avoided.”
“Thanks Boss, I appreciate your concern. I’ll keep that piece of advice in a very secured place for when I need it because it looks like I would.” She faked a smile and stood from the seat.
“Yes Clair, that reminds me. I recall you said you were sending siltek pharmaceuticals a mail to request their permission to do an exposé on their products. How’s that going so far.” Ben asked.
“Great. Absolutely great. The ceo wrote to me personally and asked me to come to their research compound in Alaska. I’ll be spending four days there. I intend to leave a day after the conference.”
“Wow Clair, just wow. So if I hadn’t ask, when exactly were you planning on informing me about this little travel? So much for respect.” He glared at her shaking his head.
Clair shrugged. “I’m sorry Ben. I would have eventually. Probably tomorrow or next. Talking about Stephen Mang doesn’t exactly put one in the mood to share happy news. No offense intended Ben. You know I respect you. Very much.”
“Well, not that it would make much difference to you but you have my permission to take the four days off. I assume you’re all packed and set for the trip. It’s not everyday you get opportunities like this. And please be nice.” Ben said, genuinely happy she got the interview.
“I know right. Although I haven’t had time to pack considering that I just got the message this morning, some minutes after Mang called. Can you imagine the joy I felt after seeing the message. It cleared all the lingering gloom I felt from speaking to Mang.” Clair replied.
Ben indulged her with a smile. “I can imagine. Now get your troublesome self out of my office.” Ben waved her out of the office.
“You’re the one who made me come here. I’d rather be over at my desk, sipping coffee and doing some really productive work.” Clair countered.
“Off with you already.”
“Awwn, am I wearing you out? And here I was thinking we were enjoying each other’s company. Don’t worry I’ll take my overbearing self out of your glorious office so you wouldn’t faint.” She flashed him another bright smile and left. He smiled in return. Clair has always made him proud since he became her boss. He knew that and she never hesitated to live up to her words and commitments.
When she got back to her desk, she booted her computer and logged into her mail account. She proceeded to fill the Medical form and every other document sent to her by Rick Silver that she needed to fill. Clair saved them in one folder and focused on the articles that needed her urgent attention.