Forgiveness and Punishment

3

Pimpernel dragged herself to work. Some days she wonders just why the hell she bothers. It's not like she needs the work. Besides, she'll never be anything other than a secretary in the pool they have. Her face insures her of that. She just lucky that they were willing to hire her any way. She's actually over qualified for the job. She should by rights be one of the execs or at least a junior exec by her degrees and qualifications. 

Pimpernel managed to finish her schooling in two years and her masters a year later as she started working for McGavity Corporation. She actually owns twenty five percent of the voting stock of this company but has a proxy do her meetings and votes. 

She's glad that she was able to keep her identity secret. She doesn't want to force her way into the work force here. All she wants is to be kept busy. So she finishes her work and helps out the other secretaries with theirs. She's never called in sick for the entire time she has worked there, three years now. 

She's even managed to make friends or at least friendly work acquaintances that would ask her to go out with them after work sometimes. She doesn't like to socialize much, her childhood had taught her to not trust people, but she goes for a few minutes to be social. As long as they don't go somewhere loud and noisy. They've learned that she can't go to clubs or loud bars, so they usually go to a lounge where there is soft music and easy conversation.

Evenso, she can't stay too long or she gets migraines from the noise. At work she has earplugs she uses to block the noise. It also helps her to concentrate. It's actually written into her contract since it is a disability.

"Shit, Pimpernel, are you sick?" Marjorie asks when Pimpernel sets her things into her cubicle.

"I know, I look like death warmed over. I had a bad night and couldn't sleep." Pimpernel explains even as she logs into her computer and starts working. She's going to need to start as soon as possible to get her work done like normal. Being this tired she'll have to go slower in order to not make mistakes.

"More like death itself, no warming it over. You should try taking sleeping pills to help you sleep." Marjory says sympathetically.

"Yeah, no, the last thing I need is to have my sleep artificially enhanced so that I can't wake up." Pimpernel shudders at the thoughts of what would happen then. She hides her reaction from the person that's as close to a friend that Pimpernel has ever had. But, that doesn't mean that Pimpernel is willing to talk about her life before coming here. She doesn't tell anyone about that. The last thing she needs is for her so called mother finding her.

The letter the lawyer had given her had been from her father. He wrote that the bitch wasn't her mother, but the woman that caused him to break up with Pimpernel's biological mother. His girlfriend had been pregnant with her but hadn't known until after her father had gotten together with the bitch.

Why he stayed with her she had no idea, especially since he knew that she cheated on him.

The letter also stated that her birth mother had died giving birth to her. But it was suspicious as to the reason why. He wrote that she looked just like her bio mother. He also wrote that she was the sole heir to her mother's fortune as well. It ranged in the millions as well.

It was truly a night for shocks. She told Mr. Lister about it and had him make papers to take over, by proxy, her mother's money as well.

Her trust in Mr. Lister had been proven good. He's been loyal to her and helped her find an excellent lawyer here in this city, once she located here.

Pimpernel is lost in her work and the memories and hadn't noticed that she has someone standing in front of her talking to her. It takes Marjorie poking her arm to get her back to her reality. 

She looks with irritation at Marjorie even as she takes out her ear plugs. "What?" Pimpernel asks annoyance heavy in her voice. Marjorie knows that she doesn't like to be interrupted when she works.

Marjorie merely points to the front of her desk.

She widens her eyes as she sees Mr. McGavity. "Sir, I apologize, once I get started working I get too focused to pay attention to the surroundings."

Timothy McGavity is in a foul mood. He hates coming to the office building. He much prefers working from home. But today he has meetings scheduled and he needs to go over things with those that will be going with him to those meetings.

First though, he needs to talk with the manager of the secretary pool. He's very pleased at how efficient it has become and how there have been far fewer mistakes made. He wants to give the manager a bonus. He also wants to know why it has taken him so long to accomplish that feat.

He walks through the sea of desks. He doesn't like his workers to have full cubicles. He likes to be able to see his workers are actually working. As he makes his way to the managers office a female secretary catches his eyes. She looks like she is about to pass out.

The last thing he wants or needs is to have the entire department come down ill due to her being contagious.

He stops in front of her desk, but she continues to work on some document. It's then that he notices the ear buds she's wearing and he gets furious. There is no music allowed, it's too distracting.

Once the female looks at him and has the things out of her ears he says icily, "Nice of you to join us, Miss Lancaster. You are aware that music isn't allowed during office hours?"

Instead of cowering like most females, and many males would, Miss Lancaster looks at him innocently, "Of course, sir."

"Then, why are you listening to music while at work?" Timothy manages to say without gritting his teeth angrily. Yet even as he says it, he doesn't hear any music and it's his turn to be confused, although he hides it well.

Pimpernel looks at him blankly.

Marjorie seeing her dilemma steps in, "She wouldn't listen to music, sir. She has incredibly sensitive hearing. It would cause her to have migraines almost immediately."

Pimpernel understands and explains, "I actually have it written in my contract for me to wear the earplugs. It's an actual disability for me."

To say that Timothy was shocked would be an understatement. "I see, forgive me for interrupting your work ladies."

Timothy continues on his way hiding his thoughts over the conversation he just had.

Pimpernel gets back to work as soon as she puts her ear plugs back in.