Alphabet Soup

Zeal

Zeal

        “Here’s your morning coffee, sir. Black, as always.” Lisa set down the steaming cup on her boss’s desk. Mr. Richardson lifted the cup and blew on its contents softly before taking a cautious sip. He nodded to his secretary in satisfaction before swallowing another mouthful of the invigorating brew. 

        Setting his cup down on the mahogany desk, Mr. Richardson gestured for Lisa to take a seat in front of him. She obeyed, scooting the reasonably comfortable chair an inch or so backwards before easing into it. After scooting her red rimmed glasses further up her nose, Lisa politely held her hands in her lap as she waited for the human resources manager to speak.

        “Lisa, my dear, I think we really need to have a little chat about our relationship before we get to business today.” The secretary cringed. Mr. Richardson help up a hand to stop her from speaking. “I don’t mean this in a negative way, I assure you. I simply need to know what you think our next steps ought to be.” He paused before smiling warmly, revealing a brilliantly white set of teeth that belonged on a Colgate commercial. “Everything has been progressing quite well so far, wouldn’t you agree?”

        A deep shade of pink invaded Lisa’s cheeks as she remembered the night before. If she inhaled deeply enough, she could still smell hint of her lavender perfume lingering on her lover. “Yes, sir.”

        “There’s no need to call me that, you know. Call me Mike or Michael, if you insist on being so formal.” Michael Richardson leaned back in his chair slightly, grinning all the while. Lisa muttered a quick apology. She just couldn’t get used to referring to her superior by his first name. It felt unnatural to her.

        She fidgeted slightly and adjusted her glasses in an attempt to hide her discomfort. “Mike,” Lisa began with the name still sounding so familiar yet so strange coming from her lips, “I think we need to start making plans sometime soon.”

        Her delicate hazel eyes met his fierce blue ones, begging him to make the first move. He brought his half empty cup to his lips as he waited for her to continue. She would have to keep the reigns of this conversation firmly in her grasp for a little longer, steering it as carefully as she could.

        “I have nothing of value to offer yet. I need to save up some more before I can afford to make any large leaps forward.” She tapped her nails on the desk, seemingly absorbed in the teal nail polish she had applied just yesterday. How could she possibly meet his eyes when she was so undeserving of his attention?

        Mike snorted derisively into his now lukewarm coffee, sending a few droplets onto the cream colored carpet below. “I can handle the costs. You needn’t worry about money.” He rubbed the slight stubble on his chin thoughtfully. “You know, I could always arrange to have you promoted. However, I’m not sure how I feel about you working under any other man.”

        Downing the rest of his coffee with in one final gulp, Mr. Richardson awaited Lisa’s response. She bit her lip, running her tongue lightly over her glossy red lipstick. After mulling it over for a few minutes with her lover’s intense gaze burning into her, she had her answer.

        “As much as I would love a promotion, I can’t let you risk anything on my behalf. Besides, you are the only man I want to work wish.” She gave a single seductive wink. There was no way she would risk endangering their relationship over a bunch of green paper.

        Mr. Richardson barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. And this one had been so close to being the perfect wife, too. She always did exactly as she was told to do as soon as she was told to do it. She would bend over backwards at his slightest hint of need. Heck, she would probably throw herself in front of an eighteen wheeler if he told her to. What this pitiful woman really needed was drive: she had about as much desire for career advancement as a brick. Actually, no. That was a cruel insult to bricks everywhere.

        Beaming a false smile at Lisa, Mr. Richardson slid open a compartment in his desk. His secretary’s mouth dropped open as if it had suddenly become unhinged. He stared down at two elegant little boxes, one a rich purple and the other crimson. He pulled out the crimson one without any hesitation. It would be a simple matter to replace the contents of the other box: his brother made engagement rings for a living.

        Lisa almost started hyperventilating when the box came into view. Mr. Richardson got down on one knee. He presented the box with one hand and prepared to open it with the other. “Lisa Jones, will you do the honor of…,” He opened the box and continued speaking simultaneously. “Getting out of my office as soon as you pack up all of your belongings.”

        The pink slip that was folded inside of the box was snatched up in a heartbeat. Lisa stared at it. It was already filled out, signature, date, and everything. The so called reason for her dismissal was that she had been leaving work early ever since she had started seeing Mr. Richardson outside of work related purposes.

        “But you gave me permission to leave early. How could you leave me like this, thing both your love and my job from me all at once?” Lisa could barely whisper these words out as her throat constricted painfully. Tears threatened to pour out of her eyes at any moment.

        “Unless you have evidence to back up your claim, I strongly suggest you get out of my office this instant before I call security.” His voice, once so warm and inviting, now felt as if it had been dipped in liquid nitrogen. Of course she had no proof. Her house had no cameras to record that conversation and they had never discussed this at work before. Lisa let out a strangled sob before fleeing the building.

        Yet another failure. Mr. Richardson folded up another pink slip, placed it in the empty box, and stashed it back into his desk. Oh well, finding a new secretary to romance would be easier than catching a fish in an aquarium.