When the Story Ends

chapter 3

"Coffee?" Hank, my parents' assistant, asked. He placed a warm mug on my desk, and I smiled.

"Always." I took a sip, feeling the warmth run throughout my body. "You always make the best coffee."

He chuckled. "Thanks. Are you getting settled?"

"You know, I've technically worked here since I was fourteen. Before that, I grew up here."

"I know, I know. It seems like just yesterday you were running around here with that toy camera taking pictures of everything," he reminisced.

My parents had hired Hank as their first employee a couple years after they started the Gazette, right when it was taking off, to help with the day to day office work. He was still in college then, and even when he graduated, he decided to stick around. I always considered him an uncle since he was around so much and even took care of me if my parents had to leave town. He basically became part of the family, and we knew we could count on him for anything.

"Anyway, your dad want to see you in your dad's office when you get a chance," Hank said now.

"Okay. Do you know what for?" I asked.

He looked around, then leaned closer, his tie blue checkered almost dipping into my coffee. In a low voice, he said, "You didn't hear this from me, but I think they finally have a project for you."

A smile instantly came across my face at the news. After the last few weeks continuing to do busy work even though I worked full time hours, I was ready to take on something bigger. I told Hank I'd see him later, then headed over to my dad's office. I knocked on the door a couple times before peeking my head through the door, seeing him sat behind his desk squinting at his computer.

"Hank said you wanted to talk to me," I said.

"Yes, yes," my dad said, waiving me inside. I shut the door behind me and sat down in the cushy, red chair on the other side of the desk. "If you think you're ready to take on more, I think I have a project for you to head up."

"I'm ready," I assured.

"Just remember you'll have to keep up with the projects that you're already on. So I'm going to give you until the end of July to get this piece ready."

I nodded. "Sounds good. What have you got for me?"

"As you probably remember, an idea was pitched to start featuring pillars of the community to bolster businesses and non-profits in the area."

Ray's face immediately flashed in my mind, and my heartbeat started to pick up. "That was Ray's idea," I stated, remembering how him and my dad were talking about it for weeks before he started to shut me out.

"Yes, it was. And we had big plans for it that I would hate to go to waste."

I scanned my dad's face, trying to figure out if he was really suggesting I take this on. He wasn't one to joke around, and his face looked steady, expressionless. "Please don't tell me you're asking me to work on his project."

"Kyra, you have to admit that his idea was really good. This could be an incredible way to give back to the community."

"Then put someone else on it," I shot back.

He sighed, situating his glasses on top of his balding head and rubbing his eyes. "Look, I didn't want to force you. I figured you'd want to have your name on such an important project." He shook his head, and I knew what was coming next. "I'm not asking you. I'm assigning this piece to you as your editor."