A Meeting

Chapter One

Milo Anderson

It is a very cold morning today. I felt my pulse accelerate as I picked up my pace. My goal is to run 5 miles this morning. I really need to push my self to my limit. The air thickened around me as I begin to run quicker. After some time I saw my apartment complex and I begin to slow down a bit.
Good morning. How was your night? I asked the man that settled himself in front of the building.
Morning Milo, it was good, thank you. He replied.
Mr. Sam as I often call him situated himself with his luggage at the gate of the complex. The caretaker Mr. Grant as tried his best to get rid of him but he refused to leave. I see no harm in letting him stay there, he is very helpful in fending off riff raft that cause trouble around especially since the owner refused to hire a security. Everyone in the building has gotten use to Mr. Sam although no one know his story or where he is from.
I looked at the time and saw that it was 6:50am and I rushed upstairs to my apartment. I have to get to work by 8:00am and my boss don't like tardiness. I opened my door with my key and walked to the kitchen to prepare my breakfast. I opted for toast bread, it would be a lot quicker. I went to the fridge to bring out the bread and put the cheese and egg in between and straight into the toaster.
I went to the bathroom to put on my skin care routine from Fenty beauty. I just got it recently and it works wonders on my skin. I gave it some time by picking out the outfit for the day. I sorted it out yesterday but I can't decide in wearing a skirt with the flower top or a trouser. I laid both down ok the bed and went to the kitchen to off the toaster. I rushed back to the room to take a quick shower.

I checked the time 7:20am. I quickly ate my breakfast and went downstairs after locking my door properly. I ordered a Uber to work. I stepped into the office building 7:50am.

Good morning Tiana. I greeted the receptionist at the desk.
Morning Milo, how was your night? Don't bother answering that, I can see you glowing. She replied.
Really? I guess it this new product I started using. I will tell you all about it later. Please tell me, on a scale of 1-10, how moody is our boss this morning? I asked.
I would like to know about it. I haven't seen the boss this morning. She replied.
Okay, thank you. I have to go. I said
Later then, enjoy your day. She replied.
I went straight into the elevator and hit the button to my office floor.
Good morning, Miss Anderson. Tina my secretary greeted.
Good morning Tina, what is my schedule for today? I asked
You have a meeting with the board by 12pm about the summit and Mr. Grant requested the summary of accounts from you. There is also meeting with the accounting department by 2pm today. She said
Have you seen Mr. Grant this morning?
No, ma. His secretary sent an email requesting for it. She answered my silent question too. She is very efficient in her work that is why she has been my secretary since I got my promotion.
I walked into my office grumbling today was going to be stressful for me. I picked up the phone and Mr. Edwards.
I need five people who are free into the briefing room right now. I said
Okay, ma. He replied.
I might as well start now. I am the head of accounting department for Williams and Grants oil and gas. I have been working in this company for the past seven years as soon as I graduated from college. I did my internship in this company and I was retained as a permanent staff.
I went down to the briefing room.
Good, you are all here. Good morning. We don't have much time to waste, so I would just dive right in. As you all know for the past three days we have been working hard to balance the summary account. Now, what I need from each one of you is to calculate the accounts right from the beginning. You are to discard any previous calculations done and start afresh. Is that understood?
I got a chorus of yes ma.
I have to submit this to Mr. Grant by the end of the day. So I need all available hands on deck. I said.
Mr. Edwards walked up to me and said. What are you going to do about the unbalanced accounts?
It is not up to me, I have to present it to Grant like that. There is nothing I can do. I replied.
It doesn't make any sense to me though. I mean I have been the head of accounting department for 6 months now and I haven't had this kind of issue before. I have tried to balance this account 25 times in the past 3 days and it is still not balancing. I fear what Mr. Grant will have to say. I will have to see when I hand it over to him.
I guess we will see. Mr. Edwards said. I had forgotten he was still there. I looked around, I see all available hands are on deck because this is just as important as the summit which I need to prepare for right now. The slides for my presentation is ready, I just need to go over it again so it would go smoothly.
As I was going through the presentation again. My phone rang scaring the crap out of me. I looked and saw Mr. Grant's name. I sat up straight and panicked a little. He is probably expecting the summary right now. I picked up the call.
Good morning, Mr. Grant. I greeted respectfully.
Where is the summary of accounts I asked for, Miss Anderson. I expected it to be in my office before the board meeting. Do you understand?
Yes s.... He cut off the call.
I suddenly became nervous. He didn't even reply my greeting. I went ahead to check on those recalculating it.
Hey everyone. How is it going? We need to hurry it up.
A chorus of okay ma sounded.
I need everyone to forward the final calculations to my email. Thank you. I said and walk out.

I stepped out into the hall and cursed silently as my heels loudly clicks against the hard floor and walked back into my office.
I really need to get a hang on it and give it to my boss before the meeting with board. I am getting frustrated by the minute.