The 18th Floor

Chapter Two

I mean it is no secret. You can see the chair. It normally doesn't affect me, it's life. It is my life. The chair has become a part of who I am for the past 6 years. It's been a long journey, but I've come to accept life as how it is. Accepting.

The only time it upsets me is in situations like this. Where I can see them slightly panicking, how will we make this work? Will she be able to work? Do I want to go through with this hassle? Fuck me.

I can see it now in Lucien's eye, but there's something else there too. I shouldn't have come. My blood starts pounding in my ears. To say what he said out loud in a professional setting, without even saying hello first? I need to leave.

I clear my throat just about to talk when he starts to turn red and says, "Apologies, I didn't mean to say it like that. If I had known I would have made the accommodating arrangements."

The pounding doesn't stop, it's not what I expected him to say but I still cannot get over his initial reaction. I can't speak, I can't even think. Did Sarah not tell him? We spoke about it with her in my initial screening, I mean I had to. I can't show up to work and the building is non-accessible to my wheelchair. She said it was fine and they will do what they can. I should have known she hadn't when Simon had to move the furniture when I came in, but he wasn't surprised to see me.

"I can see Simon moved some of it back", he says as he goes to sit down in his chair behind his desk and faces me as he fixes his tie and clears his throat. His redness creeping back down as I feel mine getting flushing harder.

Is he being sincere? My heart thundering in my chest so loudly I don't even know if I spoke the words out loud. I realise I haven't said anything back yet, so I offer him a small nod.

"My name is Lucien by the way, sorry I should have started off that way", he says, almost stuttering.

"Fuck, why don't we just start again. Hi, I'm Lucien, the Marketing Director", he repeats, this time with more confidence as he leans over to offer his hand.

I lift my hand up and shake his firmly. Something like relief washes over him as I say, "I'm Cyrene, nice to meet you. Again. Because this is the restart." Why did I say that? I blame the nerves and the fact that I feel like I'm drowning in the shades of brown I found in his eyes. Pull it together.

I see the corner of his mouth creep up with a smile in response and I feel mine mirror his but stop myself. Still cautious and apprehensive of him.

"Greek?" he asks.

"Half", I offer.

"It will be nice to have a bit more culture around the office."

"I'm not really in touch with my Greek side", I admit, not that he needed to know that. He looks up to meet my eyes again and I suddenly feel their warmth trap me.

"That's fine, always room to learn", he says as he picks up one of the files on his desk and opens it to what I can see is my CV. Ok, so straight into the interview. My heart is still hammering in my chest. I need to calm down, and breathe.

He smiles as he says, "you've got a very impressive CV here. I'm surprised no one has snatched you up already", still looking down at the desk. My heart doesn't know whether to slow down or speed up.

"Thank you. I guess no role has suited me well enough so far", I reply back knowing it's a lie and all I've received are rejections. I focus on my breathing. I cannot have a panic attack here. I refuse.

"Well", he begins as he starts to lift his face up to meet mine as I watch the previous red patches on his checks start to fade. I wish mine would do the same. "Consider yourself lucky, you are exactly what I am looking for."

Confusion must be written all over my face as he starts to smile and laugh lightly.

"I'm offering you the role Cyrene."

"What?", now I'm the one blurting. "Are we not going to have another interview? No discussion?"

"Do you want to have another interview?", he says with real conviction.

"Not really", I reply back cautious of my answer and still sceptical on whether or not he is being sincere right now.

"Good, that is what I like to hear. I've read your CV and I think you're a perfect match. I spoke with Sarah, who only solidified my choices in picking you and I have full confidence that you are exactly what I am looking for."

The shock must still be present on my face as he carries on to say, "this is usually where you would thank me for the job", he smiles jokingly.

"Oh yes, ok, yes, thank you, thank you. I'm just a bit shocked, I didn't expect to leave here with a job offer on the spot."

"Why not? You have an excellent skill set that I think will be valuable to me. You seem open and willing to learn and right now I have the capacity to teach. I know it's difficult to find a place with no experience so hopefully you can gain something here."

I can't stop nodding and my hands keep sweating.

"I had Simon print out your work contract this morning. We can get those signed and out the way and then discuss the next steps."

"This morning?", he looks at me confused, shit, did I say that out loud?

"Yes, this morning. I like to be prepared", he replies with his brow raised.

Wow, ok may he was ready to hire me regardless. But that was before he saw the wheelchair? He hands me three stacks of contracts and tells me to read over them before I sign them.

"Are you sure?", I ask him.

Confusion spreads across his face, "am I sure about what?"

"That you want to hire me?"

"Is there a reason I shouldn't hire you", he challenges leaning back in his chair. A small curl has fallen over his eyebrow in somehow in just the right place.

"No, it's just... it's just five minutes ago you acted like it was the end of the world when you saw me in a wheelchair and now, you're offering me a job that you printed the contract off for this morning, before you saw me. So, I wanted to check. Are you sure, you want to hire me?" Fuck, did I actually say that? Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I lock eye contact with him, and something like hurt and regret flashes through his eyes. He looks away first and runs his hand through his perfect hair pushing that curl back.

He leans forward on his desk, "I apologise for the way I acted at first, like I said if I knew, I would have moved things around before, Sarah must have forgotten to tell me. This makes me even more sure I want to hire you because your skillset is clearly what stands out the most. This building is highly wheelchair accessible and changes can be made if you need it."

My heart is still pounding.

"So", he carries on "do you accept the job offer? And my apology?"

I take a pen from his pen pot, his eyes following my every move, and lean back into my chair as I start to skim through the contracts and say, "yes, I accept".

"Good, I need someone on the team with a bit of fire."