What About Now

Chapter 5 - Mr Thornton's Office

Taylor's P.O.V.
"Hey Mr Thornton," I smiled nervously, as I entered his office. He looked up from the paperwork he had sprawled across his desk, and moved his glasses further up his nose.

"Ah, Taylor, take a seat!" He gestured a hand to the seat in front of his desk. As he began piling the papers into neat piles on his desk, I made my way to the chair and perched just on the edge of it. I was a little nervous, seeing as I'd never actually been summoned to his office before, and I had no idea what I'd done wrong. If anything!

"How are you?" He said kindly, looking at me with soft eyes. Mr Thornton was roughly 55 years old, and his hair was a light grey in colour. He had a kind face, unlike Mrs Grimm, and gentle wrinkles formed around his eyes when he smiled. I could tell he was a family man, because he kept a picture of his daughter and grandchildren on his desk.

"I'm good thank you," I replied, "How have you been?"

"I've been okay," He nodded his head and folded his hands on the desk, "So how have you found working here in New York?"

"Mr Thornton, I've been here three years," I let out a nervous laugh. He chuckled.

"I know, I know. But I just wondered if you've enjoyed working with us?"

"Oh, well I absolutely love my job here!" I perked up a little, "I've been able to work with some fantastic journalists and have made some great friends here."

"Yes, I can see." He nodded his head in the direction of the main office behind me. I turned in my chair and followed his gaze. I had to stifle down a laugh, when I noticed Kaya poking her head to the side of her desk to get a look at what Mr Thornton had called me in for. When she saw the pair of us looking at her, she instantly blushed. I waved at her and laughed. She gave me a little wave, and then went back to her work.

"I see you've become quite close friends with our journalist Kaya Scodelario?" Mr Thornton chuckled as I turned back to face him.

"Yeah, Kaya and I have become great friends," I laughed.

"And what about your friends back in England? From your old job that is. Do you still keep in touch with them?"

"Oh, um," I stumbled. I hadn't spoken to anybody from home since I moved out here. Well, besides my sister. But even then, I hadn't spoken to her for months.

"My colleague George Brown, your old boss, tells me that you were quite close friends with a certain Thomas Brodie-Sangster?"

"Oh right, Thomas." What did this have anything to do with my work here?

"Yeah, Thomas and I were close. But I don't speak to him anymore." There was a short pause, in which I looked down at my lap and Mr Thornton watched me intently.

"I'm sorry, Taylor," He apologised, "I did not mean to pry." I nodded in response, and looked back up at him. There was still a question that was burning in my mind.

"Mr Thornton, why did you call for me?"

"You see Taylor; I've had some trouble recently. With the number of staff members that we have employed in this company."

"Oh," I said quietly. Was Mr Thornton about to fire me? I'd been here three years, and I thought I had done pretty well. Sweat started to spring up on the back of my neck, and I wrung my hands in my lap.

"It seems that when you left England, my dear," Mr Thornton continued, "And came to work for us, our numbers became slightly um, unbalanced. Some of the other companies around the world, that work under the same name as us, had too few a number of staff, and it would seem that our company here, has too many."

"So, is that why you're firing me?"

"Oh my dear girl, I would never dream of firing you!" Mr Thornton let out a laugh, "You're one of our best journalists here! It was George Brown who in the first place, contacted me and said that he thought working in New York would be a great opportunity for you!"

"I had no idea!" I said, "Mr Brown just told me that I had been promoted."

"And you had," Mr Thornton agreed, "But that is not why I called you here today, Miss Brooks." Oh bloody hell, this man took his time! Just get to the point already!

"Hm?" I asked.

"Miss Brooks, I am transferring you to another newspaper. Don't worry, it's not permanent. Only until we can sort out the number of staff here. Once we have sorted out that, and everything is balanced again amongst our companies, then you will be welcome to come back and work for us again, here in New York." My heart pounded in my chest. Moving me? Where? I didn't want to move! I'd just settled in New York. Got used to their way of life. And now they are transferring me?

"Um, why me?" I asked.

"Because you have a special connection with this particular company," Mr Thornton began, "They have had serious problems with their staff, and they requested you especially, knowing the stress I am under right now with the number of staff here, to help them out."

"And what would I be doing to help? What I do here or-"

"Oh heavens no!" He grinned, "You'll be promoted to being their head journalist, which is quite different to your job as head journalist here in New York. You'll be editing and proof reading the articles before they get sent to the printer, and you'll be in control of putting together the actual newspaper itself. Of course, there will be writing involved, and this particular type of writing I know is something that you've always wanted to do."

"Which is?" I was literally sat on the very edge of my chair now. Couldn't this guy just spit it out already?

"You're going to have your own column." And that was it for me. Excitement rushed through me, and a large smile formed on my lips.

"Are you serious?" I cried, putting my hands to my mouth. I'd always wanted a column of my own, ever since I was a teenager. And now I was being offered one on a silver plate! Well, theoretically.

"Yes, I am very serious!" Mr Thornton smiled, "You'll be working five days a week, so you'll still have weekends off. You're pay will increase by 15% and the company has already organised a flat in the city, for whoever takes on this position."

"Oh wow, I honestly don't know what to say!" I was way too excited to speak!

"Well, I think this'll be the cherry on the cake for you," Mr Thornton continued. My eyes widened. How could this get any better?

"You're going home. To England."