*Andrea*
It was my first day at work, and I had woken up late.
My morning started with a scream that woke Alison, who was lying on the couch opposite mine. We had slept in the sitting room.
There were remnants of what we had eaten last night.
“What’s wrong?” Alison asked, her eyes still heavy, her hand brushing the hair out of her face.
I leaped up, “fuck, I’m late.” I said and rushed to my room, ignoring the headache I felt banging my head.
I brushed and bathed immediately. Alison was still in the sitting room by the time I rushed back. It was already 10 am and I was yet to get a cab.
I rushed into a cab that had been stopped by a young girl, yelling sorry behind me.
I tried to steady my breath to come up with an excuse, the perfect one but I couldn’t. My heart beat widely within my chest.
How did I end up in this mess? Lucy was not going to be pleased.
The cab came to a stop and I stepped out after paying. The golden sun shone from above. I walked into the office.
People sauntered around; the day had begun already for them. Some held a cup of coffee in one hand, and others just spoke.
I entered the elevator and went straight to my office. I knew I would not be let go with scolding.
What could be the worst that may happen? I would not lose the job, right?
The elevator ding woke me up from my reverie. I stepped out. I was thrown weird looks by some in the office.
I am yet to be introduced to them. I walked to my seat and sat. There were tables or should I say cubicles joined together, so I could easily speak to anyone around me.
At the left end of the office, there was an office with glass around it, so I could see a lady. She must be the head of this department. Her head was bent over her computer.
“You are new here.” The girl closer to me noted.
I turned and smiled, “Yes. I was hired just yesterday.” I said.
“Nice. I’m Harper.” She extended a hand, and I shook her. My desk was empty except for the laptop in the middle.
“I’m Andrea. Hope we get along.” I said. She smiled, “I hope so, too.” After we let go of each other’s hand, she said, “I think you should go report to her.” I nodded, fearing the time I would face her.
I peeked into her laptop as I stood. She was designing a necklace. “That’s beautiful, by the way, Harper,” I said.
“You think so?” I nodded, and she smiled, muttering thanks.
I started towards the door, fear settling in the bottom of my stomach. I knocked twice before opening the door.
And she lifted her head. It was silly of me to have expected Lucy. The lady seemed engrossed in her work and didn’t raise her head for a few seconds.
My eyes moved around the room, trying to distract myself from what I wanted to come. On her table was the name “Marian Gold.”
She finally lifted her head, holding my eyes with her green orbs.
Her black hair was in a bun style.
“Andrea…” she called, her eyes scanning a file on her table. “You were just hired yesterday.” It wasn’t a question but I still nodded regardless.
“And you came late.” She paused and slowly met my gaze. I know I shouldn’t give her an excuse to come up with something.
But no matter what I came up with, it was going to sound like a lie. So I just just hang my head in shame.
“I’m sorry ma, it won’t happen again,” I said
“You should know something that is called first impression.” She wasn’t going to let me off easily.
“I believe in first impressions, and from what I am seeing, ” she flicked her tongue, looking at me from head to toe. “I’m not impressed.” She said
I wanted to tell her to try a second impression if there was anything like that. I know that I am a good worker. When I was with Alejandro, I had never come late, not even once.
“I’m sorry. I am not usually like this.” I said.
“Take this.” She threw a file at me. “I want you to go through it and make a report.”
I caught the file and scanned through it with my eyes quickly. “You should be fired for coming late to work on your first day, but I’ll let you off the hook because I was asked to take special treatment of you by someone high above.”
I knew immediately that it was Dave. While I was glad he had my best interest at heart and was glad I wasn’t fired, I didn’t need any special treatment.
“Submit the report before the day gets over.” She said.
Oh wow.
I nodded and left. I don’t know how to make a report, not the one she was asking for. I was employed to design.
I went back to my cubicle and placed the files on the table.
I asked Harper for help. I felt guilty that I was disturbing her work, but she didn’t mind. “You can ask for help anytime. I was also like you once, and I asked for help,” she said.
I thanked her.
I had to first get some books from the library and go through them to draft the report.
I had no problem with that. I went ahead and got the books, and brought them back to my desk, “Andrea,” The door opened and Marian popped her hair out, “over here, now.”
Everyone turned to look at me for a brief moment.
“Take these files upstairs.” She ordered.
And so that was how my day went: I worked on a report while she kept interfering with messages.
At the end of the day, I couldn’t complete the report. “Keep it on my table when you are done, and also send the soft copy to my email,” Marian ordered before she left.
I wondered what it was like to be in her shoes to be the one who dished out orders and had other people obey.
I was the only one left. I couldn’t believe I was working overtime on my first day at work. I had only one sandwich all through the day.
Well, I had no one but myself to blame, how could I have stayed up so late, the night?
By the time I was done, it was already past 10 pm. I walked down lifelessly, hungry and angry.
As I tried to flag down a cab, a car stopped in front of me.
The windshield slowly went down, “Dave.” What was he doing here at this time, “hi.” I greeted. “Get in.” He said, “I’ll drive you home.”
“No, you don’t have to worry; I’ll take a cab,” I said.
“I’m going in your direction, let me give you a lift,” He said.
I smiled and thanked him. Rejecting him again would be awkward, so I joined him in the back seat.
“How was your first day at work?” He asked.
“Well, as you can see,” I said, and he broke into a laugh. It seems you didn’t quite enjoy it. Working overtime on your first day? Your hard work and dedication to the company are already seeping out everywhere,” he said, and I joined him in laughter.
“If I tell you I had no control of my day would you believe it?” I asked.
“Of course you didn’t. Not after you almost ruined your first day.”
“You know?” I asked, and he smiled without answering. Well, that was the answer enough.
“I get reports on everything and everyone.” He said.
“Oh. I keep forgetting you are the boss.” I said.
“By the time I got home, Alison had made dinner and she had served. “I am truly sorry for yesterday, I mean for today. For…” she took a deep breath, “I made you go late.” She said.
“I’m starving.” I flung my bag on the couch and walked to the dining table, ignoring what she just said.
“Andrea, are you that mad at me?” She asked. I dug into the food, “why should I ?” I said, in between mouth full of food.
“I made you go late. It must be why you worked overtime.” I wasn’t mad at her.
She had not forced me to stay up late; I had done that at my own accord. “It’s fine,” I said.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months.
It was my fifth month of working here already, and over time, I made a few friends.
The only problem I had was Marian. She didn’t seem to like me. I cared at first and tried to do everything in my power to make sure she accepted me, but she didn’t, so I stopped trying and just allowed her to be.
I wore a blue dress. My stomach was now huge. As I designed a necklace on my laptop, I allowed one of my hands to rest on my stomach.
I couldn’t wait for this baby to come to life.
We have moved to a new house. I was able to save money with Alison to make sure all we needed was in place. The pay was worth it.
I want to give my child the best life.
“Andrea!” It was Marian again, “in here.” I sighed.
Harper placed one hand on my shoulder as if to encourage me.
I walked into her office. “Take this to the marketing department.” She said.
The company was working on a big commercial project, and a few others and I made some designs that would be used.
Marian was asked to pick the best out of the designs.
I walked down the hallway that led to the legal department. I bumped into something hard, and the file I was holding fell.
I clenched my stomach immediately. “I’m so sorry.” A man with glasses apologized. He helped me pick up the files and apologized.
I smiled at him. “It’s fine. I am at fault here.” I said.
When he handed it to me, the file was opened. Just as I was about to close it and continue to the legal department, my eyes caught something.
Something familiar.
The design. A wave of happiness hit me, “this is my design. Why had Marian not told me that she was using my design?
I closed the file and walked ahead. She must have her reason.
The next day, we had a meeting, and I was asked to join. It wasn’t the first time. We usually hold such meetings each week and go over some accepted designs.
But it would be the first time my design would be used for a commercial. If a design is used for a commercial, there are high chances that it will make good sales, which would lead to more profit for the company and then to me getting a promotion.
I felt all giddy inside. I had spent a full week trying to come up with the perfect design and it seems that all my time and energy spent would soon yield good results.
The meeting commenced immediately.
I just couldn’t wait to be called out and applauded.
“The design chosen for the commercial is this: a design by Marian Gold.” A picture of the design was displayed on the projector.
Something was wrong. Why was my design on display, but she was taking the credit?
“I think there is a problem,” I said, and everyone turned to me.