Enduring Mr McGregor

chapter 9

Dear ol' Mr McGregor had been in a bad mood all morning, and she had been careful to avoid him.

She had been successful in her unspoken mission so far, until he buzzed her into his office.

With her heart beating fast and her palms sweaty, she walked into his office to find his head bent over his desk hard at work. At least he was working.

"You requested to see me sir?"

He didn't reply her.

A minute passed. Two minutes, and she still stood there. Was she supposed to stare at his fine head all day?

"Sir? You called?"

He held up a finger to shush her and continued typing.

Another minute passed. She was beginning to wonder if he called her into his office to ignore her. And just what was he typing that never finished?

She cleared her throat, and when he still didn't acknowledge her, she turned to leave.

"If you have a cough Smithy, go to the clinic. Or wear a damn face mask. I don't want my employees contracting whatever it is you have," he said.

He finally raised his head to look at her.

Nia felt her left eye twitch.

"I don't have anything," she said very calmly. "Why did you call me, sir?"

"Cancel all my appointments for the week and book a flight to London."

Why? Daddy didn't let you use his jet? She thought sarcastically.

"First class please," Robert continued. "You don't want me sitting with the commoners now, do you?"

He had walked over to stand by the glass wall and was staring at the city down below.

Nia stared at the back of his head. What a snobbish thing to say. Commoners indeed.

"Yes sir," she said and turned to leave.

Perhaps she would get the booking wrong and he would get a third class ticket. What a lovely thought.

As she returned to her office, it struck her. He was leaving! And for the whole week too!

Which meant she was free of his tyranny. She almost clapped and laughed in her giddy state. It was too good to be true.

Hurriedly she drew her seat closer to the desk to book his third class, sorry first class ticket.

••••••

Nia got to work the next day and sat at her desk apprehensively expecting Robert to scream her name the next minute. He always did that.

Then she remembered he was away for the whole week. She couldn't believe her dumb luck. The thought made her so freaking happy.

Not that she hated Robert or anything, he just made her feel nervous and jumpy. He intimidated her. Those eyes of his made her extremely uncomfortable. And then there were those mean and horrible comments he dished out every now and then.

Wednesday came and she was enjoying her freedom by having lunch in the cafeteria. Something she rarely did.

She sat with Beth and June, a very pretty Asian lady.

"Ugh, this lasagna tastes weird. Am I the only one who thinks that?" Beth asked poking at her dish. She suddenly looked up in horror. "Do you think it's yesterday's lunch, recycled?"

Nia laughed at Beth's horrified expression. That was one of the reasons she didn't come down to the cafeteria to eat. You were never sure of what you were eating. Of course the boss's dish was made separately, but the rest of them? Yeah, they weren't so lucky.