Lifes Changes Ch 06

I hear an insistent noise coming from somewhere close by. It kept up the same pitch and interval no matter how much I tried to not listen to it. Opening my eyes I realized it was the alarm clock. Slamming my hand down to shut off the noise. I remembered not to long ago that I would have gotten up well be for the alarm woke me. And I would have been dressed and breakfast made before Bill was even out of the shower. Now he and Pam where both gone. Sitting up in bed I thought where's my coffee. Isn't it amazing how fast you can get use to something?

"Good morning Mistress. Breakfast is ready for you down stairs. I'll put the toast in when you come down." I remember when I was cheery in the morning to. Pam was all ready dressed in a brown leather skirt. A Red silk button down blouse, tan stockings and three-inch heels. Her hair was done in a French braid again. And if I had to guess I'm sure she was wearing red leather thong panties. I would have chosen a lower fatter heel put she'll learn. Those heels are pretty but their not meant to be worn all day. I could see she was looking for some sign that I approved of what she was wearing.

"I'm just glad of one thing." I told her. She looked at me with a questioning look on her face. "That I all ready know your doing my husband other wise I'd go nuts if I found you in his office. You look absolutely gorgeous. That outfit looks wonderful on you. The other girls are going to think Bill has a new secretary. Just to satisfy my curiosity. Red leather thong panties?" Pam looked at the floor and blushed before nodding her head. "Thought so." I notice that Pam was standing straighter. Normally she slouched. "Pam are you wearing the corset." I asked

"No Mistress that would be to tight to work in."

I went to the bathroom and Bill was shaving. "Have you seen Pam this morning?" I asked

"Earlier before she got dress for work. Why didn't you get your coffee?"

"Yea she just brought it up. You better put your erection control in overdrive when you do see her. She's one hot mama. Remember I told you cloths make the person. I think I just proved it."

"She must be good?"

"Oh she good alright. And remember no fooling around in the office."

When I was showered and dress and had my makeup on I when down to the kitchen. Next to the trash container I saw a box in it was something white and something plaid plus two white cotton panties and a white bra. I said it no one in particular.

"Oh look Miss Frump died." I looked at Pam she was smiling from ear to ear. "Do me a favor honey. Don't through your old cloths away. There still good and there good quality cloths I know a charity that can use them. They give them to mothers coming off of welfare to find jobs in."

"Oh good I did feel bad about just throwing them away. That's why I but them in a box and not in the trash itself." Bill was sitting at the table I said to him

"Doesn't she look wonderful Bill? Couldn't you just eat her up?" Looking at Pam I said "You need some earrings. Go into my jewelry box and pick out a set. Just not the diamond studs, Bill gave those to me on our wedding day. And pick out a necklace too."

"I can't wear studs anyway my ears aren't pierced." I looked at her ears and said

"So their not. Never mind about the earrings then just get a gold chain a slim one. Would you like pierced ears?" She nodded her head. "See if there's a place down by your office that will do them if not I'll see if Jenny will do them. I have to go." I kissed Bill and Pam goodbye and left.

I arrived at work my usually half-hour early. On the way up to my office I thought about all the wonder full things that had happen to my life in the last week and a half, had it only been that long. I got off on the twelfth floor and all the way into my old office before I realized that I didn't work there anymore. I looked around seeing if anything was left behind. It appeared that Ginger had gotten it all. Getting back on the elevator I ran into Janie.

"Good morning madam Vice President. Forget you don't work down here anymore."

"Just force of habit. And don't start that madam vice president crap either." I told her

"I'm sorry I had to say it just once. I'll never say it again. At lease I won't. That doesn't mean it's the last time you'll hear it. So how was your day off, do anything worth gossiping about."

"Just did some shopping and sat around the house." I lied

"What about Friday anything planed for the long weekend?"

"Bill has to work so I'll be all alone I'm not sure what I'll do yet." I told her

"I have off to and my husband will be working as well. So I'll be all alone too." She gave me a tiny grin.

"Maybe we should get together and do something." I said trying to be coy but failing.

"I'll get with you tomorrow and we'll set something up." She said as the elevator reached my floor. We said goodbye as I got off.

Going to my office I found Ginger in my office fuming. "Mrs. Macon If you're going to start coming in at the normal time now that your VP I will need to know." Well someone had a bee in her bonnet

"Yes ma'am if I decide to change my schedule I'll let you know." I said in more of a tone that Pam would use

"Don't ma'am me I'm your secretary not your boss."

"Are you sure?" I asked in my normal take-charge tone She realized she was over doing it and became very apologetic

"I'm sorry Sheri It's just that I come in fifteen minutes earlier than you to get everything setup and the coffee made before you get here. I just need to know." She saw my eyebrow rise at the mention of coffee. Which was a sore spot with us anyway. "If I'm going to make it for myself I'll make it for you too."

"I'm sorry I was late but my mind was wondering on the way up in the elevator and I got off on our old floor. I was in our old office before I realized my mistake. It won't happen again. I did notice that you got everything clean out of there. Did you use a whip on the maintenance department to get it done."

"No they were very help full once they found out that you're their new boss."

"What! I don't know anything about maintenance. Who assigned them to me."

"Mr. Burns did he said you need something to do now that you make so much money."

"I don't think he wants to talk about money I'm sure he makes a lot more than I do. Who's the department head in charge of maintenance?"

"Mr. Davenport, I believe you know him." Then she handed me a sheet of paper. "This is a list of all the departments you in charge of, and the names of the heads I believe you know them all." I look the list over quickly didn't see any thing out of the ordinary except maintenance. And at the bottom of the list it said Gym.

"I'm in charge of the Gym." I asked stunned

"Yes you personally. According to Mr. Burns. He said you're the only one that uses it you might as well be in charge of it."

"Well this I don't mind, maybe I can get some new equipment down there. Ok what else do you have for me."

"The personnel files you asked for are on the side board and you have a meeting with Mr. Burns at ten o'clock. Also Mr. Davenport would like to talk to you whenever it's convenient. And here is a list of you perks. A lot better than you got down stairs. Oh by the way my choice, if it means anything, to replace you down stairs is on the top of the pile."

"You know I always take you suggestions seriously. See if Davenport can come up now if not make an appointment for around one. And again thank you for taking care of the move."

"Oh your more that welcome. I found out I get a twenty five percent raise to come up here. Plus other benefits." Ginger left on that I looked over the perk list. Not bad. I pulled the first personnel file off the pile as I was taking a drink of my coffee. And just about spit it out. Ginger came back in and said "Mr. Davenport will be right up."

"Ginger are you kidding with this choice. Jeff Franks, you hate him." Ginger gave me that I know more then you look and said

"Sheri in all honesty he is the brightest one of the bunch. He is highly qualified and has the experience to handle the job. He knows the systems as well as you. His only down fall is his attitude toward the female sex and I think you somehow but that fire out. Since last week he's a change man. He hasn't said one rude or sexist thing to anyone. If he sees a secretary carrying something heavy he'll take it from her and carry it to where she needs it and is gone before she can thank him. He has changed. What you did to him seem to work. I just wish you did it sooner."

"I'll give him a good looking over. Let me know when Mike gets here." Franks is she kidding. I thought it over and she was right on the experience and qualifications, and he did know the systems as well as I did maybe better. Ginger showed Mike in ten minutes later. As she was leaving I said "Set up an appointment with Franks this afternoon." She gave me that I told you so look.

"Mike good to see you. If your here to tell me you have crises on your hands. Please tell me it can wait."

"No Mrs. Macon no crises at lease not now. I can't guaranty what it'll be like in and hour from now though. That's why I'm here."

"Mike until Monday we were on a first name bases can't we continue with that." I asked

"I wasn't sure how you wanted to handle that. So I figured it was just easier to call you Mrs. Macon and see where it went from there. I like knowing we're still friends."

"Always Mike. Now what is the problem that's not a problem right now." I asked

"I just need to know how you want to handle problems in the future. Mr. Key's let me run my own show down stairs and just keep him a breast of what was going on. But I had to clear every dime I spent with him. Which during a crises is a problem if I can't get in touch with him."

"You didn't have a discretionary fund to work with?"

"I had no fund to work with. Spare parts are none existent. I'm still trying to replace people that left a year ago. It's mess down there."

"Can you get me the budget for last year. What was spent? And a list of what need's to be fix now. And how many people you need to replace and how long the spot has been vacant." He handed we over a file folder and said

"I was hoping you would take the bull by the horns. Also my maintenance supervisor wants to implement a plan maintenance system to hopefully fix things before they break and cause a problem." He said with a hopeful look

"Mike I can't promise anything you know that. I've only be in this job about an hour but I will promise one thing I'll start rocking the boat which I know Keys never did."

"That was his favorite saying, "Don't rock the boat". Well thanks for hearing me out. If nothing else it's good to know some one cares." Mike said as he stood to leave. I stood also.

"I've an appointment with Burns shortly I'll see what I can do. Just try and keep every thing together down there."

"We do our best Sheri." Mike left right after that. I looked over the folder that Mike had given me till Ginger came in to tell me of the meeting with Burns. On my way up to Burns office I realized I had to cool down. I was so furious that Burns dumped Maintenance on me after two years of neglect and he wasn't going to get away with it, well at least not with out a fight anyway.

"Good morning again Sheri. Are you ready to tear into to him? He's been expecting it." Janie asked as I walked into her office.

"He has, has he well I hope he's ready for an ear full because I ready to give him one?" I told her

"If I can give you some advice. Hear him out first before you jump all over him. He knows what's going on around here and he knows how to listen. I'm sure what ever he did he has a good reason behind it." I could see why she was his secretary. Her sweet sexy voice would calm down just about any hot head that walked into the office.

"Ok I'll listen first but he had better have a good reason." I said calming down some. I walked into Burns office.

"Sheri good of you to come up." Like I had a choice. He handed me a cup of coffee with out even asking if I wanted some. We sat down on his couch instead of by the desk then he continued. "I'm sure you think I threw you a fast one on the Maintenance department. But let me explain. I wanted to get it away from Key's, who's been handing in for the past three years. He's good man but he getting on in years and he'll retire in three months. Key's thinks that every penny that he spends is coming out of his own pocket. I want you to let Mike Davenport handle Maintenance he's a good manager and he knows what he 's doing. Do you have any questions so far?"

"A few. Can I give him a discretionary fund to work with? He can't be coming to me every time he has to buy a bolt or what ever. And what about replacing personnel. He hasn't hire anyone in three years even though he's lost six people." I asked. Fred had me right where he wanted me and we both knew it.

"Give Mike a twenty-five thousand dollar spending cap. Anything over that he need's to come to you. You have a fifty grand cap. More than that you come to me. Have him replace what he really needs replacing right now the rest we'll work on later. Have him bring his manpower back up to the level it was three years ago. That should keep him busy for a couple of months. Till we make him VP to replace Keys, but don't tell him that. Then he can have maintenance. Will that make both of you happy?"

"That will do it. Now what about the Gym and why are you giving it to me?" I asked

"I didn't give you the Gym, Malcolm did. He's kind of a physical fitness nut. That's why the work out rooms here in the first place. He was down there most of Monday and you where the only one in there all day. He wants you to replace the equipment that's broken. You have the last word on what you want down there. He also wants you to hire someone to take care of the place and act as a personal trainer to anyone from the company that wants one. He would like to see more people use it. He doesn't want you to think he making you do this so if you don't than say so and I'll find some one else."

"I'll take it. Most of the equipment down there is broken. I've talked to a few people that have memberships at other Gym's they don't use ours because there is no one there to watch over them and help them if they need it. I think a aerobic class would go over real well with a lot of the women." I told him. My enthusiasm showing in my voice.

"Good I'll tell Malcolm that you'll do it. Now have you given any thought of replacing yourself as department head?"

"Not really I have one person on staff that I would give it to in a second except for one big problem. He's attitude toward the opposite sex."

"You talking about Franks aren't you?" Fred asked

"Yes, he's has all the qualifications and the experience. He would be my choice and my secretary's choice but for the fact he has a problem keeping his hands off the women."

"I've hear he changed for the better and as of Monday we have a no tolerance policy for sexual harassment in place. If he were caught today with what he did to you he'd be gone. Explain that to him and let him know that if he's caught I'll through him out myself." I could see that Fred meant it too. "I don't mind giving someone a second chance but there is no reason a woman should be afraid to come to work because of people like him. Is there anything else we need to cover?"

"No we covered everything I needed. Is there anything you needed you called the meeting?"

"I knew you'd be wondering about why I gave you maintenance so I left a slot open for you first thing to get you settled and we both can get on with our day." We said are good byes as I left.

"I didn't hear any fireworks in there so I guess you're satisfied with his explanation" Jannie said as I walked out of Burns office.

"Yea he's pretty good at disarming his victims isn't he?" I asked

"Yep that's why he's a president and we all work for him." Janie told me before I went back to my office and told Ginger

" Make an appointment with Mike Davenport for around one this afternoon." She nodded her head and then I said "Mr. Burns said they came out with a policy on sexual harassment. Have you seen it?" She told me I had a copy on my desk. "I'm going for work out I'll be back around twelve thirty. Did you get that appoint with Franks?"

"He'll be here at two. He wanted to come right up but I made sure he knew that you wanted to see him this afternoon." I grabbed my bag and went to the gym I did my work out all the while I was checking out the equipment to see what was working and what wasn't. Back in my office I wrote down a list of what needed replacement. I knew my best bet was to get the trainer in first and let that person help me decide what to get and where to get it. At one Mike came in. After I told him about what was discussed in Fred's office he asked only one question

"When I kiss your feet do I take your shoes off or leave them on."

"Does that mean you're happy with the way I'm going to run things?" I asked already knowing the answer

"More than I can say I'm finally going to became a department head and not a stooge." He said.

"Good go down and get to work so I can get to work up here." Mike jumped up and made for the door. As he was leaving Ginger came in.

"Mrs. Marsh call said it wasn't important she'll call back and Jeff Frank's is waiting." Looking at my watch I saw he was fifteen minutes early.

"Your sure he's changed?" I asked Ginger

"Sheri you can see it in his eyes. I think he's afraid of you." She responded just before the phone rang. She answered the phone then handed it to me and said "Mrs. Marsh"

"Jenny how goes it."

"That's the last time I take off during the week. I haven't stopped all day. How's it going on your end?"

"Busy but not real bad. What can I do for you?" I asked

"I talked to Jim around noon and he wanted to know where Bill got the foxy secretary from and what happen to Pam."

"She did look hot this morning. Of cause she wore a leather skirt and panties. She may never wear anything else." I said

"I figured as much. Jim wants y'all to come over tonight for dinner so Pam can meet Ginger. Would that be ok with you?"

"I don't see why not. So Jim feels safe with her then?" I asked

"Yea he did some questioning himself and he thinks she'll keep his secret. Is seven thirty ok with you?"

"That would be fine are we dressing up?' I asked and hoping not.

"No kind of like the night y'all came over for pizza. Shorts and tees."

"We'll be there. I'll call Bill and let him know and He can tell Pam."

"Ok I have to go see ya tonight." Jenny said as she hung up. I called Bill to let him know what was going on. Then told Ginger to show Jeff in

When he came in I could see he was visibly shaken. His face was white and sweat was forming on his forehead. He kept his eyes on the floor. "Jeff please has a seat." He sat down never once looking up at me. "Jeff I asked you to come up here today because."

"Mrs. Macon I have been very good I really have. I haven't said anything to any one since our talk last week. Can you give me another chance please?" He rattled off almost in tears

"Jeff what are you talking about?" I asked a little puzzled

"You going to fire me. For sexual harassment." Ok now I saw where he was coming from. But I didn't see what he was so upset about he could have another job tomorrow with his qualifications

"Jeff why are you so upset over getting fired you could be working again. It's not like this is the only place you can work."

"I wouldn't be working for you." I knew where this was going but I had to hear it from his mouth.

"Why is working for me so special Jeff. I'm like every other boss.