ALL GROWN UP

Lisa & Anthony

Each time Lisa entered his office, she couldn't help notice the well-crafted antique phone seated so exquisitely as the center piece on his desk.
It was strong and beautiful, just like him, she thought with a smile.

"Good morning Lisa. I'm sorry, have I kept you?" Anthony's voice broke through her thoughts as he placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

She loved it when he touched her. No matter how small or platonic.

Looking up, Lisa caught his eye and smiled, "Of course not sir, I also just got here."
Anthony scrunched up his nose and rolled his eyes, "You're so stubborn. I told you not to call me that. It's Anthony..AN-THO-NY."

Lisa had to look down to hide her smile. He was like a child sometimes despite being 45.

"Okay, let's begin."

And just like that he transformed into the boss.

                           ...............

Lisa, at only 19, was working as the personal assistant to Anthony, the CEO to Cube Co. which dealt in distribution across East Africa and very soon, across Africa.

What started as a punishment for sneaking out to go for a party, turned out to be one of the best things that could happen in her young life.
Lisa had never been one to listen to authority, not even her parents. She was clever and witty with a wicked sense of humor. So when her friends threw a party, it didn't take much to convince her to go even though she wasnt allowed to stay out past 11.

When she tried to sneak back in the following morning at around 4am, she knew she was caught when the living room lights were on.

"Arghh here we go," Lisa sighed to herself knowing that this was probably the last stroke.

"Mom!! Dad!! You can't do this to me! I won't go!! My friends are throwing parties and going for sleepovers and I can't even do anything without being wrong! I hate you!" Lisa yelled, after receiving her 'punishment'.

"You should feel lucky we set this up for you. Anthony is a busy man yet he agreed to take you under his wing, and as a personal assistant too," dad said as a matter of fact.

With that, Lisa stormed off to her room. They had said she was starting work as a secretary or tea girl or something at their family friend's company, Cube Co.

Lisa spent the rest of the weekend sulking around there house making sure everyone knew she was displeased. She had just come from high school a few months prior and here she was, going back to another structured routine-filled existence. It irked her. It really did.
So much so that on Sunday night when she was preparing herself for the next morning, she decided to be the laziest most uncooperative assistant so that she would be fired immediately. With that resolve, she relaxed and slept like a baby.

                  *Meeting Him*

At 8 she was at them company gate. She was awed at the size of his office space, taking up a whole five floors.

She walked in, expecting to find a half empty office space but instead she was greeted by phones ringing, papers shuffling, voices talking on phones as their owners typed away at their screens.

'Jeez, what time do they even get here?'

Lisa stood at the entrance of the fifth floor level, unsure of where to go next, only knowing that this was the floor that had his office.
"Hi there young lady, can I help you?" said a kind voice, coming from an even kinder face. Looking up, Lisa saw the middle aged lady and immediately registered that she was Ms. Diana, Anthony's main secretary.