XY XX

OPEN OFFICE

Some days drag on and on. Xenia experienced one of those days.

"Excuse me, but that's my seat."

"It's an open space where everyone has a laptop. You can sit anywhere," Gregory said.

Xenia held back from rolling eyes, "listen, I know we didn't start well, but right now, this is my spot. So can I have my seat back?"

"Xenia, how old are you?" Gregory asked with a curious stare.

"I beg your pardon."

"What you are doing would have a 3-year-old toddler blushing in shame for you. I'm sitting here for today," with these words, Gregory sat down.

Xenia moved and found another space, lips distorted by all the curses she withheld. As Xenia sat down, she couldn't help but wonder how she became Gregory's tour guide and to what extent she was supposed to obey his command.

The everyday business developer turned to look at him. The man sat straight in his chair in his full suit and tie; one could tell that work was life for this man with one glimpse. Even Mr. Everett, with his flat jokes, appeared to be more relaxed.

He needs to pull the broomstick, which is constipating him out, Xenia thought.

A beep from her laptop brought Xenia back, a message from Niki. The sound made Gregory lift an eyebrow.

"I've got mail. Is it a crime?" Xenia asked with a crooked smile.

Gregory cleared his throat and resumed his work.

How is it going? Niki wrote.

I feel I'm on parole, Xenia replied, inserting a flat-lipped emoji with a gun pointing at it.

Niki worked in the coordination service; she also took care of all the house bookings. Xenia owed her a lot.

High school nerd Niki Wright wasn't precisely cool-chick Xenia's type of friend, but the girl was always kind to her. Meeting up in Monoprix while buying groceries ten years later, Niki recognized Xenia right away.

Single, homeless, and jobless parent Xenia didn't talk much about herself.

Upon Niki's insistence, they went to eat waffles at the Waffle Factory. As if the girl was a telepath, Niki told Xenia about Astoria's openings. Opportunities reserved for single graduates willing to work like dogs for three years to access the privileges.

The Astoria Edmonds HR underlined between the lines that being in a relationship or with children was inadequate with the very demanding positions.

The recruitment service mostly hired gay employees, for they were sure they wouldn't be pregnancy leaves, sick child leaves, and other obligations that came with being a parent.

Yes, it was disguised discrimination that everyone knew about and consented to without protest.

Xenia was about to decline when Niki mentioned the salary: 2.800euros for a debutante. Such a wage would allow her to reimburse the 15.000euros she borrowed for Mark to create his start-up.

Xenia just wanted to bash her head into a wall when she thought about how she indebted herself to a guy who left her when she was pregnant.

The wage sounded like heaven for the girl who slept on her mother's living room couch with her baby's cradle next to her. Unable to hold back longer, Xenia broke down and explained her situation.

"Okay, all you've got to do is omit the info about your daughter. It isn't lying. It's omitting."

"Eh, Niki, how can I forget my child?"

"You need a job, and this one is perfect. Once you are in, you're in; they can't fire you if HR finds out. You are a 25-year-old graduate. They'll take you just to pretend you are not interested in love and having a family. What they want is a lifetime commitment and total devotion to the company."

Not interested in love, Xenia didn't need to pretend.

The man who would have her jumping off a cliff for him didn't exist in this dimension. Xenia had given up in a been-there-done-that kind of motion. Love was the worst calamity on earth, and so Xenia went to Astoria's interview and got the job.

A few months later, Niki managed to get her friend an apartment reserved for office heads or seniors.

Niki was heaven-sent; Xenia always teased Niki about how big her halo must be. Despite the renewed friendship, Xenia kept Niki within a reasonable distance; she knew how easily she could betray.

Where is he now? Niki wrote.

He's sitting in my favorite spot; Xenia typed back and added a crying emoji.

You must be going berserk.

I just want to stuff his face in a kidney pie, for starters, Xenia wrote.

Be patient. I heard Gregory has to shift to other services. He'll only be in your department for two weeks, Niki added, thinking it would relieve her friend.

That's too frigging long; Xenia wrote back and inserted a fed-up emoji, which she followed up with the one who broke a sweat.

Message from Gregory Carlton: It's 9:01 AM. You still haven't logged into ARTISS.

Xenia poked her head up from her computer screen to observe the face of the man who dared interrupt her. Gregory glued his eyes on his screen. Zero glitches of anger or annoyance appeared on his face.

A robot, he is R2D2′s son.

Xenia smiled as she imagined the Stars Wars robot beeping and Gregory replying, "no, you are not my father."

Still mocking Gregory, the virtual show of her mind, Xenia logged on to Artiss and started the reports due for the day. The room remained silent; one could not believe there were sixteen business developers in the office.

Astoria at lunchtime was like kindergarten recreation; each employee joined a group gossiping as they went. Niki popped her head in Xenia's office doorway.

"Psst, Xenia."

"I'm coming, girl," Xenia said as she arranged her files in a neat pile. She got up and went to the door.

"Aren't you going to invite him?" Niki whispered.

"He's a robot; he probably just needs to be plugged somewhere," Xenia said and shrugged.

"Xenia, that's terrible, no seriously; you are not going to leave him there."

"Okay, okay," Xenia said. She turned and went to see Gregory.

"Hmm, Gregory, it's lunchtime."

Xenia hesitated; she didn't want to invite him to join them, yet she couldn't leave him behind.

"I'll have a chicken sandwich," Gregory said.

"Excuse me?"

"You were asking me what I wanted for lunch. I'll have a chicken sandwich and a bottle of Volvic."

"Eh, Gregory, it's not what I was asking."

As far as first impressions went, Gregory appeared as a busy macho, and the vision kept getting worse.