Black Temptation

Chapter 20

Breath shaky, we enter into his bleak office. No painting not pictures make it less than comfortable to stare at, let alone be inside of. He sits in a chair similar to Peters...I gotta stop comparing people to him. But that's not beneficial. He's never going to leave my thoughts.

I struggle with a piece of hair as we step near his desk.

"You wanted to see us, Mr.Caesar?" Adele's voice cracks almost as if she's crying or planning to whip out the crocodile tears to get out of the inevitable punishment. He lets out a deep breath and stares at us if he's trying to convince himself if either we were misguided in the task or just idiots.

"Sit down."

We hurriedly follow orders but freeze when he speaks.

"No, stand up. Sit down. Stand up. Just...exist in my office."

He seems irritated with himself as he tries to collect his thoughts.

"Do you know why you are here? Wait, that's a stupid question, do you know why I am angry?"

Adele and I look at each other in confusion, mentally pushing one another to say something in response.

"It's not because of that small fire or even that obnoxious woman almost slapping us with a lawsuit for "planning to barbecue her child" no, not even that."

He pauses to even out the suspense and awkwardness.

"It's because there was no t-e-a-m work." He says, pointing to the one sightly attractive thing on his wall. "Time efficient and meaningful work."

'Meaningful? Efficient? Have you ever made four double cheeseburgers with everything on them? In 15 minutes? No I didn't think so.'

"I understand your difficulty in following directions and respecting authority, McKenzie, but don't take Adele down with you."

'Hair line receding, overbite say what?'

Adele gazes at me confused. She sucks in her lips as Caesar grabs some slips of paper from his desk.

"That problem is why you are getting a week off, with half of what you'd make regularly."

My eyes grow wide as I drop my jaw.

"What?!"

He raises his hand in front of me, stopping his moment of writing.

"Now, now. I know about your little accident and how that screwed up your brain but no need for the yelling. And this is only temporary. Take this given time as a chance to bring yourself back to earth. After that week is done, come back with a new mindset and act accordingly."

"But Caesar--"

"That's all I have to say. And you need to tell Adele that you are sorry."

He hands me the paper and it tells me what to give the accountant when I come back to get my two cents worth of a pay check. I huff and exit the office, Adele following behind. She closes the door and stares at me as if she's unsure of what to say.

"I-I'm sorry." She speaks.

'Oh, but I thought that was my line?'

I place my hand on my head.

"That is the most moronic thing I have ever heard. Teamwork? Are you serious? And what am I supposed to do with half of a paycheck? Wipe myself with it?"

I kick a wall. She looks down at her feet, I'm guessing my anger scares her. Good, because it's starting to scare me too. I'm never this angry, I've never felt such an urge to release all of my emotion. Even with...Peters. That is subordinate to everything I'm just experiencing.