Liberation [completed]

Bruce Clayton- Asher

I look at all my head of departments sitting around the conference table discussing the various projects we had going on. The main issue at hand was the technology behind it. They were all fine on their own, I just had to supervise them and give my approval.

My thoughts wandered to Mia and our conversation last night. I couldn't shake the chilling feeling that she could feel like she wasn't entitled to happiness. That was something everyone could have and should have. Of course, it wasn't something that happened all the time but you can enjoy it when it comes. You don't make yourself miserable cause you're not 'entitled' to it.

"Mr Billiard?" The head of communications, Isaac, calls for my attention.

"Yes?" I ask looking up from my laptop.

"Do you approve of the sales pitch?" He asks me.

"Run it down for me again," I ask them and they tell me their plan to make videos and put it on the television and internet for people to see and buy. It would help with the sales of the products we've just come up with. We were fine on our own but to gain more ground this had to be done. Always stay above the rest. That was my motto and I made sure that everyone in this room understood it.

"Mr Billiard, Mr Hunter Hughes is on the line for you," Natalie says sticking her head into the meeting room.

"Right, we're done for the day, we've discussed enough and please proceed with everything that we've discussed ONLY once I've signed the minutes," I tell them as I stand up. My responsible side yells the shit out of me for not paying attention earlier. Now I had to read the fucking minutes to know what happened, "I want them on my table by the end of the day" I say to whoever it was who was taking the minutes.

"Yes Sir" a woman whom I've never seen before squeaks up in response and fear. 

I walk out of the meeting room and to my office which was on another floor. I run over the things I had to ask Hunter. I had a hunch on what was going with Mia but I had to check with him, he was the doctor after all.

"Hey man," I greet when I get the phone. I had told Natalie not to disturb me until further notice.

"Asher, how's it going?" Hunter greets me cheerfully. 

"It's good, but I have a few questions about Mia," I tell him immediately getting into action. 

"It's always about her now huh," Hunter asks me with a knowing tone. 

"Look, this is serious. I need your professional help" I tell him seriously not bothering about his jokes now.

"Is everything okay?" Hunter asks me growing serious too.

"I don't know you have to tell me. She hasn't been herself lately, well since my parents' anniversary party" I tell him.

"Tell me what's happening" Hunter urges me.

So I explain to him everything I've noticed and the talk we had yesterday. Hunter listens to me patiently like he usually would. "Leah had said Mia was feeling unwell this week" Hunter notes.

"Do you think it could be depression?" I ask him, "Is she depressed?"

"She doesn't seem to be showing heavy signs of it. Of course, I wouldn't know much about it, I'm not a psychologist." Hunter says, "But it doesn't seem like depression. She hasn't done anything drastic right?"

"No, I don't think so," I say nervously. 

"She so upset and I just don't know what to do. I mean who the hell would think they aren't allowed to be happy, you would have had to go through some really crazy shit to think that" I say angry at everything Mia's been put through. She's so innocent and strong, she didn't deserve all this and like every other time, my anger settles on her father. That man better be dead or wasted at some slum.