Slave For Him |M.B|

Chapter 4: People Pleaser.

"Absolutely not!" Norman Clark exclaimed. Matt slapped his thighs and looked at the older man sternly. It was obvious he was getting fed up with the games his boss was playing.

"She has no home, no job and no money. You have a daughter; wouldn't you want someone to give her a job and a home if she didn't have any of that?" Matt was trying to convince Clark that it's a good idea to have a woman working in his drugstore, but Norman Clark wasn't having any of it. I stood on the other side of the counter with my suitcases at my feet. Matt was obviously getting frustrated with his boss, but for some reason he didn't stop trying to convince him that letting a woman work in his store was a good idea.

"No. I'd want them to put her on the next train back home. Running away is reckless and no respectable young lady runs away from the safety and security of her parent's or husband." Norman Clark, a tall lanky man with snowy white thinning hair that almost looked silver, a matching moustache and beady brown eyes. He was born in the late 1800's and was raised by a boarding school. How did I know this? There's a picture of a group of young men hanging on the wall behind the counter, it reads: New England School for Boys: 1899. He must've been a teenage back when this picture was taken. His wife stays home and he has a teenage daughter. She's about 16 years old now, almost fresh out of High School and probably eager to work. I wonder how she'll feel knowing her father doesn't support women working. I wonder how Norman will feel when she does start working.

"But that's not an option here." Matt told Norman aggressively. I wasn't sure if that was just his personality or if he was getting really mad. Norman looked down at Matt with a grim expression; I knew things were going to get messy if I didn't intervene. I leaned over the counter slightly and smiled at the 67 year old man.

"Mr Clark, I respect your opinion about me going home but that isn't an option for me at this moment. But I can assure you, I am a hard worker. I've been educated at the finest all girls school in the United States of America." I tried convincing him with my education but he didn't seem swayed by my attempts. Matt seemed impressed by my attempts though. It was like he's never seen a girl grab the bull by the horns before. Norman crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head with a stubborn expression on his wrinkling face.

"I don't care if you were educated by the Queen of England herself, you are not working here." He was a stubborn old man but I was a stubborn young woman who wasn't going to let up until I was either removed from the store by the police or I get this job. I stood upright, crossing my arms over my chest and popping my hip out slightly with my eyebrow cocked slightly. I didn't want to have to do this but it appears I have to bring out the big guns. It's time to bring out the family name and flaunt it around like a dog trainer using bacon to try and convince the dog that jumping into a ball of fire is a good idea.

"Mr Clark, you are a tough man to convince but I can assure you, my father, Richard St Claire, has a few stores back in Louisiana that I spent my entire teenage years working at. In fact his store chain is being taken nationally as of this year. I'm sure he will be expanding to the East coast pretty soon and it'd be a shame for this fine store to close down to make room for this expansion. But I can make sure that doesn't happen." I threatened subtly. Hell, it wasn't even subtly, it was very blatant and blunt. I wasn't even sorry for it either. I needed a job; he wasn't giving me a job. So, I used the truth against him. None of what I said was a lie either. Daddy's store is being taken nationally this year, there are going to be 34 new stores across America. I can make sure Norman Clark's store is safe and sound though, that's if he gives me a job.

Norman stared wide eyed at me with his gob hanging open. His beady brown eyes were wide and filled with horror. He uncrossed his arms, letting them drop to his sides. He seemed completely shell shocked that I did that. Nobody would expect an itty bitty thing like me to make a big threat like that. It's unheard of. But I needed this job and I needed a home. When your life is on the line you do crazy things.