Victoria's head swam as she left the office. Cum-stained, makeup smeared and hair a sticky mess, she gathered herself as she passed Janet who looked at her with what Victoria read as disdain while she talked into her tiny telephone headset. Clearly Janet was no longer someone that Victoria could count as a subordinate - the next time she was in Janet would be checking her for underwear for godsake.
"Excuse me, Vicky. You forgot something." Janet purred.
Victoria stopped in her tracks. She wondered what could be next.
"Your new phone." She held out a tiny, sleek, smooth, silver flip phone. "Keep it charged and on. And don't let it ring, well....vibrate, more than five times. Mr. Jackman is a busy man. Oh, and you can't make outbound calls on that phone, so don't bother trying."
Taking the phone and pulling her Louis Vuitton purse over her shoulder in a gesture designed to show confidence, she walked along the corridor, trying her best to avoid the stares of the office staff. She dug in her purse for her keys as she entered the lobby.
"Miss Barclay?" A security guard spoke from behind the reception desk. "Um, Miss Barclay I have been asked to tell you that you cant park out front anymore. That's the executive area. The employee area is around back, and we have a spot reserved for you - afternoons after 4:00"
She wondered if this could get any worse. Did the entire company know about Jackman's arrangement?
"I know", she said, acting as if she knew about this latest humiliation, that it was no big deal.
As she came out into the lot, a tear rolled down her face. Goddamit, how did her father let this happen? Was Jackman so good that he had orchestrated the whole merger and had the time to orchestrate this humiliation of her and her father so thoroughly and completely?
She unlocked her shiny VW bug and sat inside. She took out her old cell phone and called into the office. She did not plan to walk all the way down the hall to her father's new office (next to the bathroom for godsake) and then leave with him, the pair of them enduring the snickers and stares of the office staff. He would have to run that gauntlet on his own.
Reception put her through to his new office line. He answered directly, as he no longer had a secretary.
"Yes?"
"Dad it's me." She was pissed, and she wanted him to know it. "I am out front. I understand you know longer have a car, so I am waiting here for you for five minutes. If you can't finish up in the next five you can take a goddamn taxi home."
"Oh.. I understand." There was a long pause. "Honey, I'm really sorry.. I didn't mean for it to turn out this way, I..."
She cut him off. "Sure. Whatever."
"I.. I was just outmaneuvered." He was practically whispering. "Jackman is a very smart businessman - I have to win this company back somehow..."
"Fuck that dad. You totally fucked up." Tears began to well up. "You have no idea what I have been though today. Now, I don't plan to sit here in this fucking parking lot for then next half an hour waiting for people to pass by and laugh at me, so you better get your ass out here as soon as you can."
"I will be out in a couple of minutes.. I have a report I have to finish up for.. uh..Jackman. I'm sorry baby"