Alex stood silently, still mind boggled by what Michael had just said.
‘You heard me Alex, now don’t pretend like this isn’t what you applied for. And there’s been some mess up. Because no one in my office messes up’
‘Oh god! So, I was interviewing for a sugar baby position’ Alex spoke, almost to herself not paying any attention to what Michael was saying
‘Yeah, like you didn’t know. Stop with the pretense Miss D’Souza’
‘What?!’ She looked at him bewildered, like he was making less sense with each word he spoke
‘Ok, so now that’s what you’re gonna do. Pretend like you’re not Alex D’Souza’
‘I’m not!!! I’m Alex Avery’
‘Miss D’Souza, I don’t like games outside of the bedroom. So, you can stop now. You’re testing my patience’
‘I’m testing your patience!’, Alex stood up angrily, ‘Really Mr. Jackson. The error is very clearly on your part. And the way you’ve spoken to me has been anything but respectful. Please. If I had the money, I’d sue you and bring take this firm down’
Oops. She never intended to say that. Not the suing part. But the not having money part. Alex was stubbornly independent when it came to money. And what she really disliked about being a sugar baby was not sex. She liked sex and having fun just as much as the other person. But the thought of someone else paying for her expenses. The idea of receiving gifts for no reason at all. The very feeling of living off another person, and more specifically another man made her suffocate.
‘What did you say Alex!’ Michael grunted. His voice bellowing out of his mouth like a howling wolf. But
Alex was unfazed
‘You heard me. And it’s Miss Avery for you, Mr. Jackson’
‘You little bitch’ Michael stood up from his chair and walked over to Alex. She stood her ground, not moving even an inch as Michael approached her with fury
‘You little bitch’ he repeated ‘no one talks to me like that, you understand’
Suddenly the door slammed open, and Jeanie scrambled in, panting for air. She was followed by glasses who stood behind her, staring at Michael in awe.
‘Mr. Jackson’ she said, trying hard to catch a breath ‘there has been a little confusion. Ms. Alex is here for the position of Applications Engineer. I sent her to your office by mistake’.
Michael breathed in heavily.
‘Anything you’d like to say Mr. Jackson?’ Alex asked indignantly
‘Yes, you may leave’
‘Wha..?! You know what, fuck off’
Alex stormed out of the room
Michael stared straight at the door unaffectedly, while Jeanie looked like she had just seen Lucifer descending from heaven. Did someone just say fuck off to Michael Jackson!!!!
She came back to reality when she heard Michael calling her name
‘Jeanie..’
‘Um, yes, yes sir’
‘I said you’re fired’
‘But sir. I’m so sorry. It was a genuine confusion. I apologize sincerely sir. It will never ever happen again. I badly need this job sir. My kids are in school. I’m the sole provider in my family. My husband died in an accident last year sir. Ever since it’s been hard and this job is the only thing that’s helping us survive sir’
‘Jeanie’ Michael spoke up softly ‘why didn’t you tell me all of this, before?’
‘Um…I’m sorry sir, I didn’t think you’d want to know sir’
‘Exactly. And neither do I want to hear about it now. Pack your things and be gone by today’
‘Sir’
‘Jeanie…do you want me to sue you for sexual misconduct?’
‘What?!’
‘Because of you, I spoke to Alex in a manner that I should have in an office interview. Now do you want me to send you to court for that?’
‘But Sir…’
‘Yes, or No?’
‘No sir’
‘I thought so. Pack up your things and leave! Now Jeanie’
Jeanie walked lifelessly out of the office. Michael went back to typing on his computer. After 5 minutes, he felt a presence lingering in his peripheral vision and looked up
‘Who are you now?!’
‘I’m Alex D’Souza sir’
‘Oh, my dear heavens’ Michael sighed and shook his head gently. ‘Alex are you here for…’
‘The sugar baby interview. Yes sir, I’m here for that’
‘Ok. I’ll be straight with you. I’m sorry Alex I’m not gay, bi or pansexual. Unfortunately for you, I’m into women, but if I was into men, I’d definitely have hired you. Thank you for coming in. I’m a little busy now, so you can excuse yourself’
‘Mr. Jackson, I know that I’m not an ideal sugar baby. But I’m really desperate. Is there any position at this firm that I can have? Please sir’
‘Alex!’ Michael spoke assertively but then calmed down ‘ok, I guess we do have an opening for a gofer. You’ll need to run various errands. Think you’ll be able to do that?’
‘Yes sir. Absolutely’
‘Ok, then go talk to Frank and tell him I hired you. He’ll take care of the rest’
‘Um…sorry sir, but is there somebody else I could talk to, besides Mr. DiLeo’
Michael looked at Glasses seriously
‘It’s ok. No problem. I’ll go talk to Mr. DiLeo. Thank you so much for the opportunity sir’
Glasses ran out of Michael’s office closing the door behind him.
Michael looked around the empty office room. He stared at the wall for a few seconds and them picked up the glass paperweight and flung it at the wall. ‘Fuck!’, Michael shouted in frustration as the broken pieces of glass scattered down.
