A Tinge Of Cray Ray

Chapter 4

Delilah

Ding-dong

"Oh my God Lila he's here!" Jocelyn squealed.
"I'll get the door."
"Lilah wait. how do I look?"
She was wearing a deep blue A-line dress with a plunging neck-line. Very different from her usual business attire.
"Fucking teasing and yummy." I winked.
"Oh you..." She giggled, adding the finishing touches to her makeup.
"May I ask who exactly this guy is ?"
"Client."
"Whoa, that signals 'Alert! Alert! Red flag!' Talk about unprofessional." I said in a robotic voice.
"Oh hush you, It's just a date I'm not gonna marry him or anything."
"If you say so...." I sang " Hurry up then will you? Don't wanna keep lover boy waiting."
She flipped me off as I went to get the door.
There here stood, he wasn't very tall for a man but he was pretty good looking, Blond with bright blue eyes and a nicely built body, I subtly tried to check if he also had a nice butt.
He was holding a box of chocolates and a bouquet of pink and red roses, a sprinkle of lavender here and there..
How cheesy.
"Hello.... I'm Max and you must be Delilah." He smiled good naturedly.
Wait lavender?!..
"Gimme that!"
I snatched the bouquet and began to pull out the sprigs of lavender ignoring his surprise.
I wasn't doing a very good job at it though..
"Lila? What are you doing?" Jocelyn gasped snatching the now disfigured bouquet, giving me a scathing look.
"Hey Max, sorry about her, how sweet of you! Hmmm I love chocolate... and the flowers? They're so a-a-achooo!"
Yup. It was the lavenders.
I gave the idiot a 'I tried to tell you' look.
"Excuse me."
"I'm so sorry, I had no idea." Max said uneasily, his shoulders drooping, He looked like a sad puppy.
Cute.
"It's fine, It's the thought that counts."
Oh Jocelyn always the so sweet.
I eased the items from her hands.
"Jocelyn? Who's at the door?"
"Mom meet Max. Max my mom." I heard Jocelyn say.
"Oh my What a handsome young man!...."
"As do you Mrs. Summers, I see where Jocelyn got her loveliness from." Max said smoothly.
Ew! Was he flirting with my mom?
"Hohoho how sweet of you and please call me Jennifer." Mom giggled girlishly.
They're  on first name basis now?
Typical Mom.
"So tell me, how much do you like my daughter?"
"Mom!" Jocelyn cried.
I wasn't really paying attention after that, I was mesmerized by the box of chocolatey goodness.
So I might have dug in....
Picking up a few of Jocelyn groans as mom badgered Max with weird questions then reprimanding Jocelyn that groaning was highly unladylike much to Max's amusement.
"That's it. We're leaving. Now."Jocelyn said impatiently.
"See you later Li... Lilahhhhh?!"
"Pwot..?" I said with stuffed cheeks.
Two other heads turned to me.
"Pwat..?" I said with stuffed cheeks.
Mom and Max both had amused looks gazing at my reclining form on the couch while Jocelyn gave me a look that says 'Really?'
I'm sure right now I looked like Theodore from Alvin and the Chipmunks.
"Wam a gwoing gwal." I said like that explained everything and swallowed a mouthful.
"I'll just relax over here and watch this lovely scene unfold. Sorta reminds you of prom night doesn't it?
And by the way he does have a nice butt."

***************

"You look awful." Hailey pointed out. I groaned with my face slumped on my desk.
Tell me about it.
Awful, was an understatement. I barely got any sleep last night. Forgot to set my alarm, turned up 20 minutes late looking like a walking corpse.
All thanks to Jocelyn.
I should have warned that 'Max' that Jocelyn and alcohol just didn't get along before He turned up at 11pm with her in an intoxicated state.
At least he was decent enough to bring her back all in one piece.
It didn't help that our bitchy supervisor had to come berate me this morning to keep up with the deadline.
Why wouldn't she just go suck the Chief's face or something?
Oh don't even get me started on that office gossip.
Yes. The bitch was fucking our Chief and he was married. Married I tell you!
It was no surprise she rose in ranks faster than anyone else.
Typical.
"Here, I got you a milkshake."
"Seriously? A milkshake? You couldn't get me a coffee or something?" I asked disbelievingly.
Hailey hated coffee.
"Coffee is bad for you."
"But it's exactly what I need right now." I whined. She waved me
off and slurped on her drink.
Meanie...
But I downed the shake anyway.
"Ms Summers?"
"Yes?"
A young man holding a clipboard stopped at my desk.
"Mr. Devine summons you."
Hailey and I exchanged a look.
"Alright, Lead the way." I said standing up to follow him but not before Hailey gave my hand a nervous squeeze.
"This way please."
Deep down, I was freaking out.
He has never summoned me before. Was he going to fire me? I wasn't exactly best employee of the month...What if he notices my very late entries in the attendance sheet?
Yup I'm definitely getting fired!
If I was to get fired from one of the best newspapers in the country, That wouldn't look good on my CV. I might never be able to get a job anywhere else!
I was literally sweating through the elevator ride.
The man who called himself Jackson was silent all through, heightening my anxiety.
Finally, we stood in front of an oak door labelled 'Chief of Editors'
I gulped and straightened my clothes.
Jackson rapped twice on the door and went in after the muffled 'come in'.
"I've brought Ms Summers, Sir."
"Thank you Jackson."
"Have a seat, Ms Summers."
I obliged.
"Would you like anything to drink? Tea, perhaps?"
"That would be nice."
"Jackson would you please?"
Jackson nodded and left the room.
Mr Devine was a charitable man that is if you count out his adulterous exploits. But this didn't stop him from firing any staff he considered imcompetent.
"You must be wondering why I called you here Ms Summers..."
He began.
"Pleasedon'tfiremeireallyneedthisjob!" I blurted out in one breath without thinking.
Mr Devine's eyes widened in amusement then cleared his throat and spoke.
"I didn't summon you to fire you. Actually It's quite the opposite. Though I chose to turn a blind eye to your recent tardiness, l'll address that later." He said sternly.
I was partly relieved.
"By the way there is something important I wish to discuss with you You see, our company has received a proposition. One that will prove highly beneficial to our paper." Jackson returned with the teaware and poured us each a steaming cup.
"Thank you."
Didn't this sounded like something he would announce to the administration? Why to an underling like me?
Strange...
"What is this preposition?" I asked curiously after a small sip.
"We've been offered generous fundings and a great opportunity to interview one of the biggest personalities in the country, Someone who has managed to evade the media and every social gathering. The general public are curious about this person, Think about it ! Fresh. Crisp! You'll offer what they'll find nowhere else and sate their curiousity and I want you to conduct it." He said, his eyes now twinkling with excitement.
That caught me by surprise.
"What? I'm sorry Chief but there must be a mistake here. I'm Delilah Summers, This isn't my specialty, I'm a feature writer not an interviewer. I'm sure someone from that department would be honoured to hold it." I protested
He sighed.
"I know. Let me rephrase that, Our benefactor asks for you to conduct it, not just one but series of interviews and I quote ' it's either you or none at all.' "
That's preposterous!
"Who is this person?"
"He. Kieran Gastordale."