Whisper in the Shadows

double check

"Mihaela, are you listening to me?"

I looked over at my stepfather, who also happened to be my boss, standing in the doorway with a handful of files waving them around trying to get my attention.

I smiled as big as I could at him, "Of course I was, what were you saying again?"

He let his arm fall to his side and started walking towards my desk with his brows furrowed together. He sat the files on my desk and slowly slid them towards me as perched on the edge of my desk.

"I sure hope whatever you're doing is either making me money or are preparations to make me money", while staring intently at me, but with a jokingly undertone.

"Do I do anything besides either of those things?", I laughed and he slightly smiled.

I picked up the files and read the tabs at the top, - CA Conference - scrawled out in his perfect handwriting.

I looked at him quickly, "Why are there three files, who else is going besides you and Mr. Bogdan?". Usually just the two of them attended these things, and as much as they hated the thought of rubbing elbows with other lawyers instead of making money, they figured the pros outweighed the cons. The firm usually racked up a ton of referrals from these types of events. The California conference being one of the largest put on.

"Open them and you'll see", he said a little too excited for his normal monotone facade and watched me, still with a slight smile, but now with a twinkle in his eye.

I ripped open the first folder. His registration and plane ticket information. Uninteresting.
I slammed it face down on the desk. The second one was for his business partner, Mr. Lee Bogdan, who always talks about how much he hates conferences but will usually do whatever my step father asked of him. Double uninteresting. I let it flutter to the desk on top of his as I hastily opened the last file.

- Mihaela Isla Erikson - was written on the name line. I blinked a couple times just to make sure and reread it. - Mihaela Isla Erikson -. I stood up and hugged the file folder tightly against me while staring at him.

"Sir, permission for a hug while on the clock?", I asked, but didn't wait for an answer and threw my arm around his neck, crushing the file between us. He let out a small, quite laugh and grabbed the file from me and tossed it on top of the other two.

"Looks like you better start getting ready. We leave this Sunday, and I'm already packed", he told me while trying to wiggle out of my grip.

I pulled away and started doing a little hop bounce that I knew he hated. His life's philosophy was to keep a perpetual poker face. I however did not inherent that trait from him.

He grabbed the three files and got collated them back in order. "I'll be expecting the utmost professionalism out of my top performing associate", he stated, while eye balling me still doing my happy dance.

I stopped, straighten up and put back on my heavy hitting lawyer mode bitch face. "Absolutely Mr. Erikson, wouldn't want to disappoint my place of employment with my womanly moods and behavior's."

He did a slight roll of his eyes and stood up smoothing out his suit jacket where I had bunched it up.

"Oops Father, you forgot a wrinkle!" I whispered, pointing at his jacket. He shot me another look. He didn't like me addressing him by any name except by his surname or Sir while on the clock. He however did take a quick look down, only to see there were no more wrinkles.

He started to walk out of my office, and paused on my doorway, while tapping the folders on the frame.

"Miss Erikson, will you be attending dinner tonight?", He asked.