The Divorce

16

"These are a lot of conditions."

I sat opposite Gabriel, who was staring down at the contract, I had written up and passed onto Richard yesterday.

Gabriel looked up, his steel like silver eyes staring at me. I tried my hardest not to show any emotion, especially not to cower in fear. 

Because when you were on the receiving end of those cold eyes, it made you want to do that. 

"More than Fern said there would be," he flipped over the page.

I cleared my throat, trying to project confidently, "I added a few more."

"I would call this more than a few."

"Well if you don't like it then I can -,"

"I'm not finished." Gabriel said, his eyes flickering back to the paper in front of him. 

I leaned back in the chair, he had gone over that five page document more than ten times. Surely there wasn't going to be something new that jumped out. I made sure all the full stops were in place anyway. 

"This condition here...clause 5 section 1, subsection b, further subsection c, sub point note 4..." he said looking up at me, "It needs to change."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because there may be times where I don't know what will happen so I cannot.." Gabriel looked back down at the paper, "Email you with the subheading "For Action" with details about what you need to action." 

"Why not?"

"For example if something pops up like the other uh, morning, and my grandmother just shows up then we need to make do."

"Fine." I muttered, "We can add in a further subsection to say 'to the best of your knowledge', deal?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes at me and sighed. "Fine." He said, like he was doing me a massive favour.

"I'll get Richard to run his eyes over them and send it to you by close of business today."

Again? How many times does Richard need to run his eyes over this dumb document.

"Sure." I said because I was more understanding than Gabriel.

"You can leave now." He said, turning to face his computer. 

I stood up and then paused, "Leave?" I asked.

"Yes.

"Don't you want me to do anything? Like work or something?"

"Well according to your clause 15, part four, subsection c it says that I can't make you do fake work."

"So there is no real work?"

"No."

"So what do I do?" I asked.

"Whatever. I don't care." 

Gabriel started typing something and I sighed. Very well...I guess I had all the free time then?

I let myself out of the office room and went upstairs trying to find Fern. Surely he wasn't still sleeping in? It was just eleven in the morning but Fern had gone to bed early last night saying he was jet lagged, surely he still wasn't tired?

I went up to his room and knocked, but there was no response. I waited a few minutes just in case but there was still no response. Surely he wasn't sleeping?

Maybe he was out.

Now that I had the rest of the day off, or until Gabriel told me I had no idea what I was meant to do. Should I still proofread that report?