The little office Joe Simmons led me to was a tiny enclosure, in one corner of the large office space. It was separated from the other people in the room because it was a tiny cubicle with solid walls.
I looked about curiously at the other people working in the large room, which had computers on desks, monitors and enormous screens on walls and wires trailing everywhere. A few faces watched me curiously and I smiled back hesitantly. A bespectacled, young man , with a mop of ginger hair, grinned back. He was closer in age to me, I figured, maybe in his early twenties. Another couple of women, also around the same age, nodded at me. The rest of the people in the room were mostly older and they flicked glances at me disinterestedly before getting back to their work. I noticed a couple of the women watching St Just as he strode out of the room, without glancing my way.
*
I sighed as I looked around the tiny space I had been provided. A whole lot of files were on the floor, on a table by the wall and on almost every available space.
It looked like someone had just dumped them there in a huge hurry.
Sneezing, I looked at the files in alarm.
“Is this backed up on the computer?” I asked hopefully, looking at Simmons and a plump woman who had followed us in.
*
The woman spoke in a heavily accented voice but she was smiling as she studied me. She must be in her forties, I surmised, with lovely black eyes and tending to be plump. She smiled at me and answered,
“Not all of them, but I clear some files for you, those that are backed up, yes?”
I smiled back at her shyly and said,
“Hi, I’m Bianca Cruz.” She smiled back cheerfully and said,” Malaika Naidoo. I’m from South Africa, at least, my parents were!”
And she chuckled, a hearty sound that caused her large stomach to wobble.
I took an instant liking to her.
Simmons snapped,
“Get to work, fill in the girl about what she needs to know, Naidoo.”
The other woman did not look upset. She beamed and said,
“Come, I will show you.”
Clearing space on the small table that had been pushed to the wall, she got two folding chairs and I sat down to begin my work, as she ran me through the process.
*
Every accountant has his or her own way of working. My Dad’s numbers and sheets were in a mess when I first started to help him out. But I had put together a system that I could work with and by the time Dean Nelson came on the scene, things were going perfectly.
This one was also a bit complicated, with some deliberate omissions and gaps but once I got the hang of it, with some help from Naidoo, I was able to settle down and enjoy myself.
“Call me Mal, for short,” said the smiling woman as she left,” And just give me a tinkle if you need help.”
She winked and waddled out like a large animal.
*
It was early evening when I finally raised my eyes from my computer screen. The numbers had occupied all my time. Malaika and the young man with the ginger hair had come over to ask me to join them for a sandwich at lunchtime.
I had begun to sort through the files on the computer, glued to the screen and had lost track of time. My stomach gave a loud annoyed rumble and I dimpled at them as Mal burst out chuckling.
Mal also made the introductions:
“Roger Eden. He’s a computer whiz, out go to guy here,” she punched his arm playfully and he grinned, rubbing his shoulder with a mock gesture, pretending to be hurt.
They were a cheerful lot and I went along.
*
We were allotted a half an hour lunch break, said Roger as we left the building and made our way to a small cafe in one of the buildings.
‘I usually bring lunch, a packed one and share it as well,” chuckled Malaika who was always chuckling. A happy person, I thought.
“Mal makes the most amazing teriyaki chicken with broccoli,” said Roger as we sat at a small table in the crowded little area. A harassed-looking waitress turned up and gasped,
“The usual?” and then noticing me, she said,
“Oh, hello there! I’m Sandra and my mate and I run this madhouse. What would you like?”
Suggestions from the others came in, for we had been joined by three more employees who were curious to know more about me.
*
I opted for a healthy avocado, tomato and chicken sandwich which was enormous. I had forgotten how hungry I was and wolfed it down, making Roger laugh.
After some general ribbing and chatter, we left the cafe, heading back to work. I listened as Roger told me about his pet dogs; it was his favourite topic, I guessed and Mal made a face as she saw us.
But then, she gave another of her deep belly laughs and we were back to work.
As I sank down in the old chair, I smiled.
It had felt good to just be in the company of young people who shared many of my interests in music, games and stuff. I already had an invitation from a woman named Kitty, who wanted to know if I would like to join her on a hike with her local group of hikers, over the weekend.
And I had wanted to say a huge YES!!!
But the knowledge that my Masters might not like it had made me step back.
*
Numbers never failed to pique my interest and I was soon lost in world of the spreadsheets.
I noticed as I went over the previous month’s accounts, that a sizeable amount of the money was being squirrelled away in various little ways. Curious, I scrolled back and began to study the accounts of the previous year, with a fine toothcomb.
I was shocked.
A small amount here, another tiny amount there; but put it together, it came up to millions. I sat back, my mouth falling open in amazement.
Whoever had been in charge had been siphoning funds off to their own accounts over a period of years.
He must have made quite a pile, I thought drily, shaking my head in disbelief as Mal turned up at my door.
She beckoned me,
“Come on gal, let’s have a coffee in the kitchen.”
I glanced at the wall clock.
It was almost six!
**
Smiling, I rose and followed her. We worked for another hour and then, I noticed people getting up, and fetching their coats, packing their bags.
I sighed.
I had really had fun.
But I also realised that both O’Grady and St Just had done the right thing by chucking out the man who had been in charge.
I left the building, along with Mal and Roger. Mal filled me in on her family. A husband, three kids and a dog, she said, beaming. I looked at her tanned face and smiled back. She was like a ray of sunshine.
*
Mal sped away in her little car after having tried to convince me to join her;
“I’ll drop you, Bianca,” she said over and over again.
But since I lived on the other side of the town, I had demurred.
Now, Roger and I walked along the street. He lived close by with his flatmates and cycled to work each morning, he said.
I had no idea how to get to the centre of the city and I bit my lip uncertainly.
*
A message pinged on my phone and I looked down, my cheeks flushing.
Liam O’Grady.
The tenor of his text ws as curt and blunt as he was.
His text read,
“Get rid of that chap and walk to the supermarket.”
I looked about in bewilderment.
“Shall I drop you?” asked Roger, in concern, and then, his face darkening with embarrassment, he stammered,” Uh…I mean…I’ve got my bike.”
I shook my head, my face shining.
“It’s ok, my friend is coming to get me. I just need to pick up something for dinner,” I babbled.
Roger’s face fell.
“Oh, you in a relationship then?” he asked in a small voice.
I nodded, unable to stop smiling.
A relationship with two men, I thought, and they happen to be our bosses!
I dimpled and caught a look on his face that made me blush.
“Uh…see you tomorrow, Roger,” I said softly and waited to cross the road. As I entered the supermarket, I could still feel his eyes on me. I sighed.
He had looked so hopeful!
Thrusting my hands into my pockets, I walked down an aisle, wondering what O’Grady wanted me to do next.
I didn’t have ot wait long.
One of his men, I knew by sight, appeared at the end of the aisle, as unsmiling as ever.
“Boss is waiting in the car,” he said flatly.
I beamed at him but he did not respond. No matter, I thought as I almost tripped after him.
***
Liam O’Grady sat back in the large SUV, his fists clenched.
He had been waiting here for some time now, waiting for Her.
He had seen Bianca emerge from the old building, accompanied by a woman in her forties, Naidoo something, he recalled. But what made his chest tighten in jealousy was the look on the face of the young man with her. In a dark blue jacket, the young man looked smitten, as he gazed at Bianca. And small wonder, he thought, his balls tightening ominously.
She looked amazing, so fresh and young, that lovely mouth turned up in a winning smile, her dimples appearing, her soft brown eyes with those long lashes battling at the young man.
O’ Grady swore. He had it bad and how!
*
His chauffeur turned slightly as he growled,
‘Get her, David,” to his man.
He had some news for her, something that would make her unhappy.
But right now, he wanted to drag her into his car and f*ck the sh*t out of her.
*