The Reluctant Assistant - Book One

Kismet Part 35

"Raymond, do you have a moment?" Joe Taylor asked, pushing his office door open. 

"Sure, what's up?" Raymond smiled broadly as Joe took a seat.

"I've a big favor to ask." Joe looked a bit uncertain of himself.  In the past three months that he'd been working with Raymond, he'd come to realize just how good he was at his job. Within the first month he had turned over every corner of company, working like a surgeon to peal away the layers, making sure that everything was running better than they should be. He always marveled at the way Raymond could remember names and faces, and seemed to know everything that's going on. Pretty soon he had come to trust Raymond's judgement. How Jackson could have wasted his talents by keeping him as an assistant was beyond him.

"I have been double booked and need a stand in." he grinned, looking slightly embarrassed. 

"Meaning that there is one your prefer above the other." he laughed at Joe. How this man got away with doing business was beyond him sometimes. He had no poker face. "What is it that I need to do?"

"Yeah, well, you got me there." he nodded in agreement. "Anyway, I'm off to Japan next week, but I forgot that there is a major charity function we have to attend."

"So, you want me to go to Japan in your place?" a smile played on his lips as he watched a blush creep up Joe's face.

"You're great and everything, but I doubt you'd want to take my wife." he laughed. "It's our anniversary and last year I promised to take her. No, I need you to oil the wheels at the charity ball." 

Raymond couldn't help but grin at Joe. He'd made the right decision to take him up on his job offer, he thought. Here he was more than just an assistant. Instead of having to clean up someone else's shit and being their nursemaid, he was actually given a position in which to take charge. And working with Joe was a major plus. No drama, no overinvolved personal issues, just work and peace.

"Okay, I won't torture you today, but," he held his hand up, stalling Joe who'd just started to speak. "You will bring back a waiving cat to bring me good luck for the rest of the year." 

"Deal!" Joe grinned broadly. "At least you're asking for something reasonable. My kids all want the most impossible things, especially since they won't be travelling with us." he laughed, getting up to leave. "I'll send you the details later." he called over his shoulder.

When Raymond got home to his new apartment, his phone pinged. It was an email from Joe confirming the charity details. Grabbing himself a beer, he sat down on the couch and closed his eyes for a second. Of all the things he needed now, was a charity event from hell. Why did he say yes to Joe in the first place?  He looked at his email again. Yip, it still said that it was the Dealer's charity ball.

He hadn't allowed himself to think of Jackson or what they had done to him, or rather, what he'd allowed them to do to him. That's why he left, to start something new, on his own and through his own choices. He'd been successful in staying out of Jackson's view. Even though it was the same city, he knew that unless Jackson hired a private detective, he wouldn't find him. Certainly, Glenn wouldn't know where to look, that he was sure of, which was a relief.

--

"She told me to what?!" Jackson nearly screamed, staring up at Glenn who had his usual blank face. Jackson groaned inwardly, even that stupid blank face reminded him of Cook when he was angry at him.

Jackson had spent the first month without Raymond in a complete drunken state, refusing to leave the house. It wasn't until Asuka came and slapped some sense into him, that he tried to go back to his usual routine. Work was hard, it kept reminding him of Raymond. Everywhere he looked he would see signs of him. Sometimes he was sure that he spotted him, but when he blinked it was gone. He still stayed in their home, even though it hurt him, hoping that Raymond would come back.

He'd lost and found him before. He could do it again. But no matter where he looked, he couldn't find a trace of Raymond. If there was one person who'd find someone that didn't want to be found, then it would be Raymond.

"She wants you to attend the Charity Ball in their place, sir." Glenn's voice interrupted his thoughts. Since Raymond had left, all hell had broken loose. Jackson was more erratic than before, with he smallest thing setting him off. Glenn thought that Raymond must have been a saint to put up with all of this. As it was, he was on the verge of getting another job. He was sure he had an ulcer already.

"Whatever." he dismissed the discussion. "You can get out now!" he snapped at Glenn, who immediately left. Jackson sighed as the door closed. Raymond would have found a way to save him from this nightmare, his thoughts kept turning miserably.

--

Squaring his shoulders, Raymond walked up to the ballroom where the function was being held. He didn't know whether Jackson will be there or not, but this was business and he had the company to think of.

He'd started to relax during the speeches and the dinner afterward. Everything was still going according to plan. He milled through the crowd of people talking in groups, when he was suddenly stopped. 

Raymond! We were just talking about you!" and older portly man called out, pulling him into the group.

Raymond looked at the people in front of him. Most of them had sent him job invites when he'd first resigned from Dealer's. "Teddy, it's nice to see you again. Although the last time we met, you had me backed into a corner." he laughed.

"But as I remember you still had an ace up your sleeve." He laughter boomed out, clapping Raymond on the back. He stood talking to them for a while before moving on. He knew that occasions like this was really where relationships were forged and alliances were formed. He'd watched Jackson interact with these type of people so many times, that it came easy to him. 

He was laughing at a joke that was shared in his group, when he heard someone call his name from across the room.

"Cook?"