Bring Me Back

Chapter five

Present day

After finally spending half a day on my research, my brain exhausts and I am yawning like I haven't for ages.

"Wake up, Essie, your intercom has been ringing since last five minutes!"

I jolt right up at Kassidy's warning and I pick the damn phone as fast as I can.

"Honesty here."

"Is that so? I don't think so. Where were you, Miss Gregor? Would you like to be honest about that first?"

Dorothy scorns me from the other end of the phone because she knows that I am aware how much she detests slackers. And giving the industry we are working in, it is a prerequisite to be on toes.

"Mam, I was profoundly involved in searching and writing my article of the week. I was just taking a 5minutes nap because my eyes hurt."

"Huh, come to my office now."

My head turns to Kassidy's desk as I put the receiver down. She glances at our boss's cabin right across our cubicles, at the far corner. The glass cabin beguiles me.

"Good luck, chuck!"

Kassidy says with a pun intended but I wave her off because she knows the limits of my capibilities and tolerance. I am always true to my work because this is one of the dreams I have always wanted to come true. I have worked day in and out for this job and this is certainly known to my boss too.

Seamlessly ripping any doubts about my position, I walk toward the afforesaid cabin and knock the door twice. Dorothy opens it with remote access and signals me in. The door closes automatically when I enter in.

The four walls of her cabin are royale crimson colored and there's a large leather blue sofa set in the middle room with charcoal office and coffee table. An archaic lamp shade stands like a robotic spy at the far corner of the room beside the steel shelf where numerous trophies and awards are a figurine of her milestones.

I feel a sense of pride to have gotten the opportunity to work under this passionate woman.

"Can you please sit down, Miss Gregor?"

She asks me through her thick reading glasses as she sits behind her table wearing a yellow ribbed dress beneath the maroon shrug.

When I esconce myself on one of the executive guest chairs, her head finally bobs up to me, "So how was your nap?"

"Fine... It was just 5 minutes mam."

"Do you know the critical value of 5 minutes in a reporting firm? We can turn lives to dust in those minutes you thought precious to be slacking."

"I understand that completely mam, there is no doubt in that because I am pretty serious about this job and the responsibilities that come with it... I wear them like a crown. I wouldn't disappoint you because I am almost done with my article. Please be assured of it."

She gives me a stern look with long pause and then when I feel the beads of confidence flow through my body overall, I don't deter or faze by her enquired behold. I feel even more privileged to have spoken for my job and been able to stand up for me.

Then somehow a silent smile shows upon my boss's lips. That is totally uncalled for.

"You know that is nothing compared to what the people can ask you if I send you on field, right?"

I nod simply because I feel she has more to say.

"Honesty, once you are in the field, doing regular interviews and meeting with high society people, to manipulate them, to befriend them, one can question your intention at any point of time. Do you get that? At any point of time you will be put in the lime light to justify your actions. And I cannot come to rescue every time. No one can. The damage will be instant... To you, to me, to the organization and its goodwill."

"I know mam, being a junior reporter has given me certain experiences on field with seniors. I have seem they are brave and how intuitve and creative they are to spread news and reform lives of those damaged. It is like a god syndrome to those who know how to get inside people's head."

She laughs at my point of view and steeples her hand on the desk like a majesty.

"You're already talking like a permanent reporter, honesty."

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"Obviously good, here take this," she hands me a white envelope which she draws out from a side drawer while she tries to control her laughter.

"What is this?"

" See for yourself, will you?"

Her tone turns authoritative and I flip the small packet open. There is a letter inside.

When I read it ahead, I can't believe my eyes. This feels so dreamy and surreal.

It is a letter of appreciation enclosed with permanent reporter position. Oh my god, I think I will faint in front of my boss right now. So as to avoid the embarrassment, I bite down the inner skin of my mouth and wince a bit inwardly. This isn't a dream. This is real.

"Oh my god!! Mam this is... I can't believe this. Please can you tell me from your mouth itself. Oh my ..."

I speak a few strings of nonsense before being zapped back to reality when Dorothy, my boss, places her hand over mine on the office table and reaffirms, "This isn't a dream, Honesty. You've come to earn this position and you don't have time to even think about it as something whimsical or a serendipity, honey. Mark my words, your life going to be even tougher now. More challenges are coming your way and the accountability to deliver them increases ten folds."

I nod continuously considering her spiel as a holy sermon for me, needing to memorise every word being spoken and abstain myself from turning into a disappointment to her ever.

With the end of her guidance, my mind feels better and my hearts sings different songs of achievements and abilities to gather them more often.