The Executive Consultant (6 page)

I swallowed hard against the lump that formed suddenly in my
throat. I put back the bread and whatever I had in my hand at the time. All I
wanted to do was get out. Someone else might have confronted them and caused a
scene, but that was not my nature.

As soon as I was out in the open I called Anne. I hated
disturbing her as I knew she was probably out with Dominic, but I had to talk
to someone who I knew would understand. .

“Hey you. What's going on girl? Are you good?"

“Not really…I just saw Erin and Mark in the store. They were
holding hands,” I blurted out as I tried to hold back the tears.

“Well, honey, you knew they were together,” she sighed as she
told Dominic to quiet down, as he was asking who was on the phone. She
whispered 'Lea' and he sighed. I felt even worse as I realized that they were
probably in bed together.

“You never believed all the crap they told you, right?” She was
trying to reassure me that this was the truth and had been all along. She
thought I knew it was the truth. Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. Who knew?

“I mean, they were in your bed. Why would they be in your bed in
the evening, if they weren’t seeing each other? I bet Mark wasn’t even at work
all day.”

She said it with such firmness and then the penny dropped. Her
reaction to the whole thing had been so casual and she had not acted at all
surprised by the information at all. If anything she had seemed more surprised
that I had
not
known about it.

“You knew all along!” I screamed into the phone. I began to feel
a sense of betrayal as yet another friend had let me down.

“Calm down. If I had known I would have told you. I just had my
suspicions, that was all. You can’t accuse anyone without proof can you?”

My anger dissipated and I nodded; she was right. Wow! At least
she had had suspicions which was more than me as I had not had a clue. I hated
the fact I had been so ignorant of it all.

“Do you want me to come over?”

“No, course not.”

“Do you want me to kick their asses?”

“Of course I do.”

I laughed. Anne knew how to turn the situation around that was
for sure. I couldn't help thinking how happy I was to have her as a friend.

“You laughed, so you're feeling better. Now can I go back to
screwing Dominic?”

I giggled at the idea of them being in a compromising position
and her having to deal with my dramatic problems in the middle of it. I never
told her about the fun I had shared with Steven earlier: that had disappeared
the moment I had seen the two liars running around the store.

“Sure you can. Thanks Hun. I really appreciate the chat in the
midst of everything.”

"Don't mention it sweetie."

“Night.”

“Night.”

I was finally at the end of my first week. It had been rough but
I had made it. As I was about to drop my purse into my drawer, Steven ushered
me into his office and I started to panic. What could have gone wrong between
the most magical night of my life and now?

I started to wonder as I moved like a snail into his office. I
recalled
all
that had transpired the night before and what I had given
him. Was he having regrets?

“My consulting contract has expired. It won't be renewed."
He slumped down into his chair.

I stood looking at him, wondering if this was some kind of sick
joke.

"It is with effect immediately."

"No!" I cried out with much more emotion than I had
intended to show.

He nodded. He did not need to say anything more. I sat facing
him, stunned into silence. We avoided looking at each other.

There was a knock on the door and we both looked up.

"Steven? Can I come in?" Before he could respond
Rachel stepped into the office.

"We just heard what happened and we wanted to have a proper
send off for you. You're not leaving before five are you?"

"No, but don't bother."

She waved her hand dismissively.

"Bother smother. Just make sure your butt is here come five
pm mister."

She put her hand on my shoulder and patted it comfortingly. I
looked up at her to see her famous smile. Now I knew why she was the aunt of
the company and why everyone went to her with their problems. She was an asset
that everyone seemed to treasure. And just like that, the last day of my first
work week had started.

The day dragged by. I could not help but notice that Steven had
started to pack up his things. He had not said anything else to me since that
morning. I couldn't take it anymore; I stepped into the office to see him.

"So, this is it?" I said as I walked in, I didn't even
ask him if it was okay for me to be so blunt. I was too sad to care. I felt
more pain from him going than I did from when I had caught Erin and Mark
together. I had thought that nothing could have superseded that pain.

"Last night..." he trailed off.

I brushed it off; I simply could not take any more rejection.

"That's what wine does to you."

He looked at me puzzled. As I felt the first tear escape I
turned to leave. I heard him mutter almost to himself.

"But we never had wine." I kept walking as I did not
want him to see me cry. I had to hold it in even longer because as soon as I
got back to my desk, Rachel was standing waiting for me.

"Are you okay, Lea? Your eyes look a little funny."
She stepped closer as if to help, sincerely thinking that I had some sort of
speck in it.

"It's okay. My contact shifted. I'll take care of it."
As I rushed from my desk to the bathroom I heard her mutter.

"Never knew she wore contacts."

I washed my face and dried my tears before returning to my desk.
Rachel was still standing there waiting for me. As I turned to look into
Steven's office, I noticed that all his things were completely gone; it was as
if he had never been there.

"Nathan is back and wants to see you ASAP. It seems a bit
urgent. If you're not busy right now I would suggest that you go."

With a shrug I made my way out of the office with Rachel close
behind. I couldn't help but wonder if I was being sacked as well.

As I walked into his office, he had a frown on his face. He did
not appear to be the warm gentleman that I had first met when I had come for my
interview.

He was a bit more relaxed in a white shirt and jeans. I couldn't
help but think that he was supposed to be gone for two weeks, or had it been
that long already. Shoot! It had been two weeks; this week had been too long.

"I'll cut to the chase. Sit down." He motioned for me
to sit down on the leather chair as he sat on the edge of his desk.

"As you know there have been some sudden changes," I
nodded.

"This means that with Steven leaving..." he paused as
he turned to mute his phone which had started ringing in the background. I just
was not in the mood for much. I had had enough excitement for the day, no for a
lifetime. I actually felt like going home. The last thing I needed to do was go
to the party.

He could tell by the expression on my face that I expected to be
going too.

“No, dear Lea. We’re not sacking you. We’re promoting you.
Director of Operations. You did originally apply for the COO job. So, I thought
you would want this – "

I nodded, I could not believe that they were offering me
something more than what I thought they would have. DOO. My goodness! I was in
seventh heaven. I agreed to take the job and finally made my way downstairs. I
could not bring myself to tell Steve. Reluctantly I headed to the canteen.

Steven spotted me as soon as I entered and walked over
immediately. He grabbed me and as they were taking photos, he put his arm
around me and said, “Congratulations, I heard you got a new job.” I had my
mouth wide open and I turned to look at him, he didn’t seemed fazed at all.

***

I decided that I would go and spend the weekend, with my
parents. The last thing I needed to do was spend some time in my local store
and bump into Mark and Erin two again. Gosh, that was the worst thing that
could happen to me right now.

It was great. The sale of the business was getting closer and my
parents were feeling a lot better about things. I wanted to tell them about
seeing Erin and Mark, but I was only there for two days and I didn’t want to
ruin it. They would only worry, they were packing and getting ready for their
big trip. The last thing, they needed to do was worry about their little girl.

***

When I went back to work on Monday, I was shocked at how things
had changed. I was given Steven’s old office, and it felt surreal being in his
room and people knocking on it to see me. Only a few days ago, it had been the
other way around. I wondered what was going to happen as the week passed, but I
just seemed to fall into the role naturally. I had meetings and actually led
them and people reported to me. I managed to hire a secretary, send out some
memos and arranged some new meetings of my own.

I took to the role so quickly, because I had shadowed a man that
had given me so much direction in such a short space of time. On the Friday
night as I sat in the chair day dreaming about him, I never heard Nathan knock
or even enter the office.

 
“Wow, I'm impressed”,
said Nathan.

“About what?” I replied as I stood up and greeted him.

“Like a duck to water, that’s what you’ve done in one week.”

I nodded and I was impressed that he had noticed that so much
had changed in such a short space of time. I thought that he would email or at
least show that he thought of me as much as I did him. I felt disappointed and
hurt as I wished I could visit my parents this weekend too. With the long drive
and the long hours I had been putting in my second week. I thought it was best
to leave it to probably next week.

My birthday was Monday and I started the celebration early with
a party for me, myself and I. It was the first in a long time that I had
completely self-indulged. I went to a spa, got my hair done, bought some new
clothes and went to dinner with Dominic and Anne.

I think there'll be wedding bells soon. They couldn't keep their
hands of each other. I had to sit in between them. That was funny. Dominic was
not amused and neither was I, especially when he put his hand up my leg and
told me that he thought I was Anne. Funny guy.

As I arrived at my office, ready for another killer week, I saw
an email from the guy taking the photos at Steven's send off. I stopped when I
saw the photo of me with me my mouth wide open and him unfazed by what he had
said.

I was sitting practically crying about Steve, when Mark turned
up and I wondered how he even knew that I was working there.

"What are you doing here? What do you want? How did you
know I worked here?"

He sighed and walked closer. He looked tired, stressed and
irritable.

"I came to see you. You left your contract on the counter.
I saw it when I was leaving."

I got angry. I was so fucking mad. How dare he? He went through
my things. It was none of his business.

"You miss me as much as I miss you. I just saw you
crying."

"That wasn't for you. You cheating bastard. Why would I cry
over you? Look at the state of you."

He looked at me like a lost puppy and ran his hands through his
hair.

"They made some cuts at the hospital and I've lost my job.
Do you think your parents would still consider handing the business...? "

I stared at him in disbelief. The nerve of him!

"Get out, get the fuck out, before I call security."

He paused and looked at me, an ugly sneer crossed his features.

"You think in that business suit you’re better than me. I
supported you when you went to Grad school. Just remember that." With that
he stalked out of my office, slamming the door behind him.

At that moment, my phone rang. I picked it up and it was my
parents on the phone wishing me a happy birthday. I had been so caught up in
the weekend celebration that I had actually forgotten that it was today. How do
you forget your own birthday?
 
This whole
thing was crazy and all I kept thinking about was how much Mark had ruined my
life. I was not thinking clearly. I pressed the intercom.

“Sandra, come in here please.” Within seconds my secretary was
in the office.

"Clear my schedule please."

She nodded, "I’m sure you said you wouldn't have been in
today since it was your birthday."

I chuckled.

"It is and I’m not.” I winked as I walked out. She shouted
after me and I stopped. She came and whispered in my ear.

“That problem you had, I made security escort him out.” She
nodded as if it was a secret code.

“Problem?” I said, wondering what she was going on about.

“You know the one that left your office. You were screaming –
EVERYONE could hear. He went to the bathroom. Think he was coming back to your
office. Security came and escorted him out. I intervened. Been there done,
that, worn the shirt.”

I stood with my mouth wide open as she revealed that most of the
office had heard my love life details on a Monday morning. I wanted to die. I
didn’t even thank her as I raced home. I dialed Anne’s number and made her
swear that tonight I would be her priority.

“No, not tonight.”

I sighed as she said this. Great, I had taken the day off for my
birthday and now had nothing to do. I told her I was home and gave her a quick
rundown of the morning I had just gone through.

“I can't give you tonight but I'll be there in twenty.” I gave
her a kiss through the phone. I was excited about her coming to spend the day
with me.

I cleaned up a bit and got a few things at the store. Not long
after she buzzed the apartment door and I let her up the stairs. When she
arrived with the biggest box ever, I was shocked.

“For me?”

“For you,” she said as she handed it over. It was a photo of me
by the fountain on campus. She had taken the photo one day when we were messing
around and had gotten someone to paint it.

“Oh my gosh this must have cost a fortune.”

She shrugged her shoulders, whilst getting the popcorn ready and
too many bottles of alcohol.

“I’m going to make you cocktails you’ll never forget” She said
as she got the shaker and smiled mischievously. She gestured towards the
painting.

“I did it silly.”

I gasped. She had actually painted these. I never knew she was
this talented. She talked about how art and craft was her original passion,
which explained her obsession with flea markets or buying stuff that she
considered to be art and I thought was junk.

I got the dvd’s ready for us to watch; the whole collection of
Friends.
I gave her the details of Mark
coming to the office and she was not at all surprised. I also told her my
suspicions about Nathan and stuff he may be doing and she suggested that I
report him. Finally I confessed about Steven and she celebrated by making me a
'Sex on the Beach' cocktail.

“Girl you need to go and get that man, ‘cause he’s got your
heart.”

I recalled the story my mom had told me about my dad. I knew
that Anne was right. I knew there was something missing from my world. Her
confession about that it was Steve, brought a big smile to my face as I drank
the worst 'Sex On The Beach' cocktail I’ve ever had. After the third glass it
turned out to be the best, Sex On The Beach cocktail that I’ve ever had as we
passed out on my sofa.