And so the morning begins, cold gray and rainy. I’m hoping my nose is just stuffy from the shift in weather and not because of an oncoming cold. I suspect that is the case since the weather keeps yo-yoing and that is usually what sets my nose off. Since nothing else is afoot, I will hope for the best. And in hoping it is usually best not to dwell on the worst, so instead, let’s start our morning prompt. Are you ready? Then let’s go.
I suspect Mr. Randall’s love affair is going to end in tears and the project schedule is about to go out of the window. Just a hunch.
Wednesday, December 7th: This is my assistant.
“This is my assistant,” Steven said. He gestured to the woman by his side. She was model pretty with flawless skin, high cheekbones and big blue eyes. Her blond hair was a smooth sweep, pulled back into a long flattering ponytail, her heels were sky high and diamonds winked from her earlobes like blue fire.
Lewis nodded and tried not to judge by appearances.
“Miss Anders will be your liaison in my office,” Steven continued. “Contact her with anything you need.”
“Of course Mr. Randall,” Lewis replied. He looked to Miss Anders. “Miss Anders, a pleasure to meet you.”
She inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement of his delight in meeting her. When Steven Randall continued on his way returning to his office in the upper reaches of the Prescott building, she followed along, a respectful to steps behind her boss, saying nothing to anyone and paying no attention to anyone they passed.
When they disappeared it was as if the entire floor took a breath. Michael sidled up as Lewis knew he would. “They must pay secretaries well in the upper offices,” Michael said.
Lewis thought of the diamonds , the designer clothes, the high end shoes and the scent of the perfume that still lingered in the air. It smelled more expensive than the diamonds looked.
“It’s a high pressure job, I suppose,” Lewis said diplomatically. Michael gave him the side eye but shrugged and let the matter stand. They all knew the rumors. Steven Randall’s assistants were never really assistants but the current girlfriend playing a role to conceal her from the current wife’s sight. Occasionally the current wife would be replaced by the secretary and someone would be sent up from the secretarial pool to stand in until Steven tired of his new wife and brought in a new secretary.
While not one to gossip or to judge based on appearances, he had to wonder how much of this gossip was true and how it would affect his current project. They were working on a very tight deadline with a very strict budget. Any delay could send the budget and project ricocheting in directions no one wanted.
‘He wouldn’t have made her the contact person for the project if she wasn’t competent,’ Lewis decided. What ever else she was beyond competent wasn’t his concern. He was certain that Steven Randall would at least make certain his assistant was competent.
The thought helped steady him. Lewis turned away and shook off thoughts of Steven and his assistant. He had a project to manage and little space for any idle time, let alone idle time spent speculating about another’s affairs.
‘It would be nice to have affairs of my own,’ he thought as he walked back into his office and slid into his desk chair. ‘Or at least an affair of any kind,’ he decided. It seemed these days all he had time for was work.
Ten til Midnight 