I woke that morning a little sore, but still energized and cheerful. Mother was in the kitchen putting a sandwich and fruit into a paper bag, "good morning honey, breakfast is on the table." I smiled at her and sat down in front of a bowl of oatmeal. When mother caught me looking nervously at her she laughed, "don't worry sweetheart it's fine, eat, eat."
When I finished I sat up and patted my stomach, "that was delicious mother, thank you."
She smiled brightly and handed me my thermos of hot coffee and a bag lunch, "take care sweetheart and work hard for mother o.k.?"
I pressed my body into her and kissed her cheek, making her blush, "I will mother, I love you."
She pat me gently on the behind, "I love you too, sweety, now get going, I won't have you being late for work after missing a day being sick" She giggled when I blushed. She waved her hands in a shooing gesture and I got the message.
I walked briskly outside and saw Tama standing by my car with her arms crossed over her tits. She looked impatient and a little pissed off, "how the hell do you expect me to follow you in this?"
I rolled my eyes and moved the seat back. I heard a frustrated sigh as she crammed her massive body in my tiny coup. The weight of her body made the car lean over to the passenger side and she had to hold her legs to her chest to fit. "Sorry Tama, you could always stay at home."
She turned to me with a cold expression, "not a chance Eric."
She squirmed about while I drove and constantly groaned and complained, "look, I'm sorry my car is too small for you, if I had more money I might get a bigger one for mother and you but until than we're stuck with this so deal with it."
She glared at me and turned her gaze to the scenery, which was pretty much nothing as we were driving down the crowded highway. When we arrived Tama entered the building separately so I wouldn't get a lot of attention.
Even though I was a bit tired and sore, work was generally pleasant. My coworkers reacted a little strangely towards the huge Amazonian woman that now stood guard on the building. I decided to intervene before things got out of control so I decided to talk to my boss, Julia Lothrup, about why she was here.
When I walked up to her secretaries desk, Laura smiled up at me, "Mr. Haster, I was told you might be seeing Ms. Lothrup today. She doesn't have any clients with her so go right in."
She gestured towards the door, I looked to her than to my boss' door nervously but her cheerful demeanor didn't change and I couldn't sense anything other than honesty in her face. I slowly entered the large office to find my boss smiling at her computer and sipping coffee from a large grey thermos. (She was smiling?) When she heard me open the door fully she looked up from her desk and waved at me with her face beaming, "Mr. Haster, please come in."
Her eyes went back to her glowing screen as I shut the door and took a seat across from her. This gave me a chance to gauge her appearance. She used to be quite a piece of work but now? Being in her forties she put her life into her work and it made her hard and calculating, she never really gave me any problems because I always did what was asked of me, she never seemed this happy, or beautiful for that matter.
Her hair, normally in a tight bun, now fell to her shoulders in full curls. Her eyes were gleaming and hopeful behind her glasses and her happiness eventually affected me. I found myself grinning at her as she finished her work. I watched as she grabbed her computer screen gently and turned it towards me.
I saw our yearly records that were just released. I recognized many names and mine was at the top, the revenue from my clients never stopped growing as long as I worked there. This didn't surprise me as I worked harder and later than anyone else on the floor, but this was the first time my boss thought to bring it up, "you've been doing very well Mr. Haster," she gestured to my work during the last week, my progress took an obvious though not an unrealistic increase, "even more so recently. Laura also tells me that you've been more up-beat and personable, what happened Mr. Haster?"
I looked at her knowing gaze curiously. Knowing her history of how she treated her subordinates and how she used to dress I realized that she was enjoying a similar experience that I am, I wondered if it was coincidence. I felt confidence rising in me as I smiled, "you look very pretty today Ms. Lothrup, I've never seen you drink coffee either." I looked at her playfully, "how long? A week? Longer?"
She relaxed in her chair and held her hands up to her chin in a calculating manner as she grinned at me, "two weeks." I watched as she leaned forward and tapped her long manicured nails onto the desk, "don't expect me to let up on you, Eric. I've come to expect the best from you."
She stood up and walked around her desk to stare at me with a soft smile, "I'm happier now, I know you can tell. There are...personal reasons for it that will always remain a mystery to you, I'm trying hard to change, however, I will not let mine, nor anyone else's work fall to complacency, are we clear, Mr. Haster?"
I stood and nodded, "yes ma'am." I felt a smile creeping into my features, "mother wouldn't allow it anyways."
Her posture became relaxed and she chuckled at me, "I know what you mean, Eric," she shook her head sending her brown curly hair flowing around her shoulders, "Mr. Haster, I know we share something special in common, and my...mother, told me to expect our new guardian, however, in the presence of your coworkers you are not to tell anyone about what we spoke of today, as far as anyone should be concerned she is here to learn about human behavior."
I nodded, "of course."
She stood there for a moment, squinting her eyes and tapping her fingers to her thigh as she usually does when she's in deep thought, "I know you're scheduled for the promotion board next month. I was going to hold you back so that you can finish the Ardvire accounts, but now I think I'll just push the board meeting back another week. Finish those accounts Mr. Haster. You're dismissed."
Before I made it to the door I heard her call for me, "oh, and Mr. Haster, see if you can get your friend into my office so we can talk, I need to know what to expect from her."
I smiled at her, "yes ma'am."
When I left the office I smiled at Laura and made my way into the cubicle farm. I could see Tama's black hair above the walls. As I approached I saw she was bantering with two young interns so I stopped at the water cooler and watched. After a while they left and I took the opportunity to talk with her, her face brightened when she saw me.
I looked around to make sure nobody was watching before I approached her. "This place is so boring," she said as she turned to me and gave me an evil glare, "I swear if these idiots keep hitting on me I'll make sure they're limping back to their desks."
I rolled my eyes at her, "my boss wanted to have a word with you in her office, her secretary should let you in."
She eyed the opposite wall curiously, "Julia Lothrup."
My eyes opened wide in surprise, "yeah, I guess you know about her already?"
She smiled at me, "In a manner of speaking. We are aware of all those who help us in some way. We don't want to...as you say...step on each other's toes. With that said I'll speak to her, but I must speak with her mother directly before I decide to" she grinned diviously, "interact beyond introductions."
I chuckled at her word choice and realized that if I lingered any further people might get curious, or jealous, "well, if her mother doesn't have a problem with it than you have my consent, just don't do anything to make her backlash come my way."
She grinned at me deviously, "I'll make sure that won't be the case."
A few moments after I returned to my desk I could see the jet black crown of Tama's head walking passed the isles towards Julia's office.
As I continued working on the Ardvire accounts I sensed my cell phone buzz in my pocket. When I looked at it I saw Caitlyn had texted me, "hey Eric, sorry I missed u last night, they had me working late to get ready for the grand opening of their new store, lets hook up tonight, I heard u were feeling better."
I smiled and texted her back, "sure thing babe, want to catch the poetry reading tonight?"
After a few moments she replied, "that sounds great, I'm getting out early today because of last night, I'll see u when u get here."
I was anxious and excited the entire ride home. It had been a few days since me and Cat were able to spend some time alone together and now that I was out of my funk I was hoping I could make it up to her. I realized Tama was being awfully quiet next to me. "What did my boss say?"
Tama turned to me, her lips curled into a sly grin, "oh, she wants me to have dinner with her and her mother."