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  Nonchalantly and very slickly, Mr. Serentini walked between the women towards the elevator, “Good morning ladies. I’m going to need one of you to take down a letter when I get back” and with that he strolled into the elevator.

  Softly, Mrs. Upman told Catherine, “Sit down. From the look on your face I can tell you look scared. What’s wrong? You are more than qualified for this position and I know I trained you well. You are ready for anything,” Mrs. Upman told Catherine as she embraced her quickly. “You know, I never thought you would be good for this position from the moment I saw you, and yet you are. You are more than just your looks, dear, and you will be great for Mr. Serentini, I can tell. Now, when he gets back you are going to take down this letter and prove yourself to our boss and even to yourself, I think. Now, go get a pad and sit in his office.” After a further look at Catherine’s face, Mrs. Upman added, “You know, he doesn’t bite.”

  “Okay, okay, I’m going. I’m going” Catherine assured Mrs. Upman. She grabbed her pad and pencil, never a pen because Mrs. Upman told her their boss changes his mind so often you need to erase a lot, and walked into Mr. Serentini’s office. Again, the first thing that caught her attention was the paintings on the walls. She had been in this office numerous times over the past month and each and every time her attention rested on the walls. “Wow,” Catherine muttered almost under her breath.

  A voice came from directly behind Catherine, “Yes, they are magnificent aren’t they?”

  Catherine had no idea someone else was in the room and yet words were being spoken, such lovely words and by an amazing voice. Words? Voice? Wait, someone else WAS in the room! Catherine whipped around and came face to face with her boss. He was so breathtakingly handsome, she couldn’t draw her eyes away. “Yes, they are.” She told him breathlessly only inches from his face.

  Before Glen couldn’t control his emotions any longer he backed away and sat down behind his desk. “So, please, sit in a chair so you may take down my letter. I’m surprised you came and not Mrs. Upman.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Well, because you seem to avoid me…” Hesitating, he smiled trying to put her to ease thinking she might reveal something. “You could put my worries to rest and tell me you don’t move five feet just because I walk into the room.”

  Catherine almost blushed. “No, I wasn’t. Perhaps it was your imagination because you have so much on your mind.” She tried to sound nonchalant and realized she was going to have to be more careful not to flinch around her boss and look so worried all the time. But, was that really possible given her state of mind? Damn her Uncle James!

  “Good, I’m glad it wasn’t really me and just my imagination running away. I was starting to feel like the Big Bad Wolf.” He kidded.

  Catherine couldn’t ignore her question any longer. “While we are on questions, do you mind if I ask one myself? There has been something I have been wondering since I started working here. Would you satisfy my curiosity?” After Glen replied in the affirmative Catherine asked, “Are all the paintings in this office real Monet’s?”

  Surprised but pleased with the question, Glen responded, “That wasn’t anywhere close to what I thought you were going to ask. But, it pleases me you noticed. They are Monet’s, all of them. I happen to have a real profound interest in art. Most people cannot tell if they are real or just don’t take the time to notice I have anything decorating the walls at all. So, how is it you have the talent to have an eye for details?”

  Since it wouldn’t be so bad to answer one question earnestly and Catherine didn’t see how this could effect her disguise, she said, “I learned from my mother. She had a great interest in art and so do I. She taught me a lot.”

  “And still does, I imagine?”

  Catherine hesitated, “No, she died a few months ago.”

  “Oh, I’m very sorry. The loss of a loved one is very hard.” He knew himself from the experience but wasn’t about to get into something so personal yet.

  “Yes, it is.” She sniffled and in order to keep from crying Catherine switched the topic, “So, what was it you wanted to dictate?”

  Glen noticed a subject switch when it was presented to him. In this case, he was glad for it so he started dictating a letter. “Alright, start the letter with no heading. Just, Mr. James Martin.”

  Catherine dropped her pencil and barely held back a gasp.

  “Is something wrong?” Glen tried to puzzle together in his head what was making Catherine be so nervous. Glen chalked it up to first day jitters of his presence in the office.

  “Sorry, just dropped the pencil. Please, go on.” Catherine hoped Glen didn’t notice that she was obviously flustered and prayed if he did it would attributed to nervousness since it was the first day with him actually present in the office.

  Glen continued with the letter, “Mr. James Martin, then skip a line. Write each of the following sentences on one line. The day is coming when you will be no more. There will be a change of tides in business and your company will no longer be the best. In this day and age there is only one. Then sign the letter anonymously. Make sure there is no return address or anything else linking my company to the letter. That’s it, thank you Miss Richmond. You may go.” Her boss finished without looking up from the piles of papers on his desk once and Catherine got up to leave. She could not believe this man was so cold hearted. But, now she saw that her Uncle might have been right and perhaps her instincts were not as strong as she thought.

  When Catherine got half way across the room, Mr. Serentini looked up, “Wait, you must think I’m awfully insensitive. Listen, that man you are sending the letter to is terribly coldhearted and said some horrible things about my father as well as myself. This was my fathers wish for this letter to be written before he retired. Even though I usually don’t say such things, I will do this one thing for him to hopefully but the vendetta at rest.”

  All Catherine could do was to say, “Yes, sir.”

  Mr. Serentini, satisfied, told Catherine, “You may go.”

  Catherine left as she was baffled. She needed to send the letter but at the same time needed to tell her Uncle who the letter was from and yet who was the worse person. Each was doing something bad to the other. Yet, she would have to concede that so far she believed her Uncle was worse, though she didn’t want to admit it. By declaring it that would mean that she needed to feel guilty herself. But, Catherine already did feel guilty. She walked outside Mr. Serentini’s office and closed the door. She leaned up against the wall for support to comfort herself. Catherine realized she needed to move down the hall before her boss heard her lingering outside his office. As Catherine walked down the hallway, she thought of her mother, how much she missed her, and how she felt so alone. All of a sudden tears started flowing down her face, she couldn’t control herself.

  Mrs. Upman heard Catherine even though she was around the corner. She went up to Catherine, “What’s wrong dear? Are you alright?”

  “Yes, I’m fine.” She muttered between sniffles.

  Mrs. Upman tried to calm her down and ran her hand down Catherine’s head and neck. “I don’t even think I should ask, but I’m going to anyway, did Mr. Serentini do something to you?”

  “No, no.”

  “Alright, hun, calm down,” she soothed. After Mrs. Upman rubbed Catherine’s back for a few moments, she calmed down. “Now what’s wrong?”

  Catherine asked herself what was wrong with her for showing her emotions like this. “I was just thinking of my mother, really, it’s nothing to be concerned about.”

  “I think it is something if it is making you cry. Tell me what’s bothering you about your mother.”

  “She died a little while ago.” Catherine told Mrs. Upman in a low voice. As she was speaking Catherine realized she should not be talking about any of this, especially in this context. So, Catherine straightened up, stopped crying and thought that she needed to keep her emotions together, to continue as long as she had to. There was
only one thing Catherine should be concentrating on; Mrs. Upman and her party. If she only thought about getting Mrs. Upman to that surprise party she would get through the day. So, she told Mrs. Upman everything will be fine and sat back down at the desk. After a little while, Rhoda Upman left Catherine and everything went back to normal, for the time being.

  Before she knew it, the time was already 7 o’clock and in ten minutes Catherine would need to get Mrs. Upman down the hall to the sixth floor ballroom for her party. So, Catherine put the plan into motion. Earlier in the day it was decided what she had to do to get Mrs. Upman downstairs. Everything depended on the coffeemaker and Catherine hoped it was indeed broken, as it was supposed to be. “Mrs. Upman, would you do me a favor and hand me my mug behind you?” After Catherine thought she waited long enough, she started to fidget and squealed, “AHH!”

  “What’s wrong?!?”

  Catherine thought she might have done that a bit over the top, but continued. “The coffee maker is broken! And I really had my heart set on that coffee.”

  “Oh, that’s usually no problem, there’s some downstairs. You can go, I’ll cover here.”

  “Can I twist your arm into coming, you do need a break and I can use some advice.” Catherine hoped this ploy worked.

  Mrs. Upman figured after the young secretary was crying earlier, she should go. So, said, “Just give me a minute to finish up this letter and I’ll join you.”

  Catherine thought that was easier than it should have been, but shrugged it up to good luck. “Okay, I’m ready when you are.”

  Miss Richmond and Mrs. Upman headed to the elevator when the letter was finished. Catherine hit the sixth floor button and stood in front of the elevator buttons so Mrs. Upman wouldn’t notice that she hit ten floors less than she should have. She also decided to get very talkative about problems so Mrs. Upman wouldn’t notice how far down the elevator was going and perhaps concentrate on giving Catherine’s advice. The doors opened and they stepped out. About the same time Mrs. Upman noticed they were not on the right floor was the same time everyone screamed ‘surprise!’ She looked liked she almost had a heart attack but you could tell she was moved to tears. It took Mrs. Upman about three seconds to clear her face, after she just looked happy. Catherine was so pleased for Mrs. Upman she moved off to the side and just watched the woman who was her mentor and became her friend as she moved about the room. Mrs. Upman first looked like a scary, terrifying woman but was really very nice inside. Everyone in the room seemed to know it as well. Yes, all of them feared her wrath, but Catherine guessed everyone knew she had a soft side and respected her. Catherine felt very privileged to have been witness to this special day for her.

  The sixth floor ballroom was beautiful. There were shimmering curtains on the windows in place of the normal plain ones and a gorgeous chandelier on the ceiling that was so immense and now glittering with the light, it took your breath. There was a huge dance floor and at least thirty tables on the outsides of it. Each table was decorated with beautiful silver table cloths with exquisite silverware and plate ware. There was a gorgeous ice sculpture of a wine rack, with of coarse beautiful bottles of age old wine within it. There were also many waiters walking everywhere with white gloves and tuxedos on. Everyone looked like they were having a great time. Catherine thought Mr. Serentini really knows how to hold a great party. He thought so much of Mrs. Upman even though she was around so much for his father, not for him. Catherine supposed Mr. Serentini, the junior, knew Mrs. Upman throughout the years anyway and Catherine was happy there was so much care between them. But, secretly, Catherine knew Mr. Serentini was really giving this celebration for a much needed break for his employees as well. She could tell he cared for the employees, not like a normal CEO. Everyone in the room was grateful and could tell they each respected Mrs. Upman, as well as their boss. But, that latter care was much more subdued among the employees, but still there.

  Catherine was against the wall near the elevator doors she came in from, taking in the surroundings, when an older man came up to speak to her. Catherine had no idea who this was or what he wanted but she braced herself and subdued her nervousness that was always heightened. She wished it wouldn’t be that way, but the guilt she felt for the deception she was putting her boss through kept gnawing at her.

  “Miss Richmond, how good to have finally met you.”

  “Nice to meet you Mr. ?” Catherine left that statement as a question.

  “Mr. Serentini. But, you may call me Albert.”

  Catherine could not believe this was the very man her Uncle despised. How could he be? Albert Serentini seemed like such a nice man and actually came up to her. Her, the wallflower, the person no one talked to at these events. She thought it ridiculous for her Uncle to hate him. This man was nice to her. But, her Uncle James did seem very adamant, so Catherine remained on guard of her emotions.

  “So, Mr. Serentini, I mean Albert, are you enjoying your retirement?”

  “Sure, sure. All these parties tend to be nice. You just have to wait for the first dance to start before anyone has a great time so everyone else can dance.”

  Catherine threw her inhibitions to the wind and decided to have a good, maybe even great, time. “Maybe you should start it then.”

  “No, no. The guest of honor must start it. The problem with that is that Rho-, I mean Ms. Upman, has to be in the first dance. It’s a tradition here.”

  “Is that really a problem?”

  “Well, not really, I suppose,” he trailed off.

  Catherine smiled and looked directly into his eyes, “So, go ask her.”

  “No. I couldn’t. I don’t think she would want to dance with me. Anyways, I have two left feet.”

  “Oh. I don’t picture that, in fact I highly doubt. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind, perhaps she would like it. So, go ask.” Catherine knew a thing or two about Mrs. Upman, like the fact that her husband up and left a few months ago. But, Catherine was sure Mrs. Upman was in a much better mood than she was last month and could very well enjoy dancing at this festive occasion. So, when Albert hesitated, she told him again, “Well, go ask the woman to dance. You owe it to all of us to do so, we need to dance.”

  As Albert Serentini walked away towards Mrs. Upman, or Rhoda as he called her, Catherine decided she liked him. She didn’t know what her Uncle had against him, but she liked him just the same. Catherine silently wondered if Mrs. Upman held just the same feelings towards him as she did, or if it was more?

  Albert Serentini was nervous as he walked the twenty paces across the room towards Rhoda Upman. He knew she wouldn’t be thrilled to go to dinner with anyone but her husband three weeks ago when he asked but Albert did so anyways. She said no. But, then again, why would someone say yes when they thought their husband was coming back? After Albert’s wife was gone, he knew everything was missing in his life. But, he came to understand himself more and deal with the pain. He quite often went to visit her in the cemetery. Albert hoped he gave Mrs. Upman enough time to get over her disgusting husband. How anyone can abandon their wife of thirty years for some young floozy, he’ll never know. Perhaps he could just console her, if nothing else. Albert would never know why someone who was lucky enough to be with Mrs. Upman would leave her? But, he intended to put everything about that man out of Rhoda Upan’s mind and perhaps in time show her what a real man acted like. Everyone would surely realize two people could take a lot of comfort in each other when they both lost two very important people in their lives. Albert just hoped Mrs. Upman would see it in that light as well. He walked towards her and decided that she would want to dance with him. After all, she knew it was customary for the guest of honor to dance first and she wouldn’t want to let anyone here down.

  So, when he was close enough to me heard he said, “Mrs. Upman, Rhoda, would you please give me the honor of the first dance?”

  “Sure, why not boss.” Albert almost cringed. Why couldn’t she call him Albert? They had known each other for what see
med like forever, but Albert assumed it was because she was his employee. Mrs. Upman did work for him for thirty years and knew him by nothing else than ‘boss.’ But, Albert vowed that would change in time.

  Mrs. Upman was all smiles and very happy that all these people to be here for her. It was an exciting feeling, to say the least. As the two people circled the dance floor, everyone’s eyes watched them as they laughed. Everyone was having a great time at the party, including Catherine. She was meeting so many people in the office and actually enjoying herself, without worry for a positive change. To make matters even better, she hadn’t seen her boss once. It was true that she liked looking at him, who didn’t with looks like that. But, she didn’t need her conscious grabbing at her tonight. Right after the appetizers just before everyone took their seats for the entrées, Catherine met this man Adam Ericson from the legal department. He was very charming, had looks anyone would describe as good, smart, and very interested in the boss’s new secretary. As they were getting acquainted, Catherine learned he went to Harvard Law School, got all As, something he was very proud of, and was working at the company for a total of two years, presently. Just as Adam asked Catherine about herself, the band leader announced everyone should take their seats. Catherine felt her hand being taken from behind her and felt an immediate jolt of electricity run up her arm. Catherine knew who it had to be. As she turned around Catherine was face to face with her boss. They were so close she could smell his cologne, which was an amazing sent and made her gasp for more. It smelled like a mix of deodorant and sent of something that was all man that made his presence enthralling.

  “You’ll be sitting at the head table, with us Catherine. Please come with me.” Glen tucked her arm within his and started to move while Catherine muttered a quick apology for leaving at Mr. Ericson and a promise to see him later before she was whisked through the crowd by her boss, the very man she was afraid of and yet incensed by. But, it felt so good to have her hand within his. It was so good that she almost tried to ignore the feeling. Glen was taking her to the head table so fast it was unbelievable. But, he couldn’t shake the feeling of jealousy when he was trying to find her all night, she was with another man. Glen was wondering who was he anyway and if could he fire him?