Rags to Riches

Joshua's arrival

    The sound of flats tapping against the ground quickened as Ms. Joseph struggled to keep up with Lea.
"I just want to know what exactly is going to happen" Lea turned to Ms. Joseph with a deeply furrowed brow.
"He will be here within the hour, as long as there are no delays, and you will talk about and sign off on a deal that will require the desalination plant to pay if we wish to continue to receive our shipments of effluent."
"But we have no money for that! You know this." Lea grasped the shoulder of Ms. Joseph and looked at her with pleading eyes.
"I'm sorry, but we can't do anything about it. We can't dilute the excess brine without the help of Mr. Miller's wastewater treatment plant. It simply cannot be done." The two women stopped as they turned the corner into the lobby. "It's your call."
"What do you mean?"
"Whether or not we shut down the plant."
"But that would kill the marine life!" Ms. Joseph looked down. Lea followed her gaze down to her clipboard. She was carrying papers to shut down the plant. Lea thought about how much of a difference the desalination plant had made in just the two years it had been in operation, and about what a joke she would be if she shut it down now. Then she thought of Joshua, and how he ruined everything for her. Lea looked up.
"Let's just see what he has to say." Ms. Joseph nodded, and they both walked into the lobby, where a chubby young man was standing there, with Amelie on his right side and a dull look on his face.
    "Mr. Miller I presume?" Lea walked forward to shake his hand.
    "That's me." Joshua turned his body to reach his sweaty hand forward, and looked up at Lea with a frown as they shook.
    "Ms. Joseph, would you mind showing our guest around the facility?" Lea's face was twisted into a smile and her voice was unnaturally high. Her smile dropped as soon as she turned around and fell dejectedly into the Lobby's only couch.
    "Right this way sir." Ms. Joseph motioned for Joshua to follow her and they began to walk away. Amelie started to follow when Joshua turned around.
    "You stay here." He ordered. Amelie gave him a furious expression as she turned a heel and slumped down next to Lea on the couch. The room seemed to be colder and drier than usual, the normally bright and happy sunlight seemed harsh, and the small purple couch was hard and itchy. Both women sighed. They looked to each other and giggled.
    "Are you his assistant?" Lea broke the silence.
    "I'm the company advisor for Vasaqucur. I'm sorry you have to pay so much more, I was against him charging you from the start." Amelie gesticulated earnestly.
    "That's alright, we won't be paying anyways."
    "What do you mean?"
    "We couldn't. The damage to the environment and marine life would be to great, what with dumping all that undiluted brine into the ocean."
    "That's what I said! Mr. Miller wouldn't listen. He only cares about money."
    "How long have you been working there?"
    "Nine years. But this is Joshua's first."
    "That's funny. It's a pity you're not the CEO. Why aren't you the CEO?"
    "The Miller family has had the Vasaqucur company for as long as it's been running. Everytime someone dies they pass it down to the next heir. It's kind off like a kingdom or something."
    "And once Joshua dies the company goes to his kid?"
    "Joshua doesn't have any kids. But once he does, yes. He'll have to have kids soon, because he has no other family."
    "But what if he doesn't have kids?"
    "Well then I guess the company's mine." Amelie smiled sadly at the thought. She turned away to look off into space. There was a silence in the room for a few moments. The two women were sitting with identical postures, legs crossed, leaning forward, and wrists folded on their knees. "I just don't understand. He father was so considerate. Sometimes I wonder if this whole business just brings out the worst in Joshua." Lea looked at Amelie without responding. Sounds of conversation began to echo from around the corner as Ms. Joseph and Joshua returned. "But then again, how would I know. I really only just met him." Amelie smiled and winked at Lea before standing up and joining Joshua as he walked out the door. Lea felt her face turning red, she looked at the spot on the couch next to her where Amelie had been sitting, and she found herself hoping that they would see each other again.