Boss Lady

Love Heals

Back at the office, Jules was waiting for me with a clipboard in hand, in a fantastic charcoal grey cigar suit. I had never known a more attractive cross-dresser than Jules. She rocked every outfit she wore more than men. Her sleek blond bob seemed to move with her.

"Don't tell me something else happened in the  two hours I was gone. God! Can you make it two hours without me. 120 freaking minutes Jules. Is it too much to ask for?", I said dramatically.

Jules grinned a little.

" 'fraid it can't sister."

Oh Lord! I was getting too old for this.

"Is it the board of directors?", I asked getting down to business.

As soon as I could get this bullshit in order, I could go and pick Josh up from school for once. One of these days, the school was going to call Child Care Services on me.

Josh was practically being raised in my office. He even had his Legos stored here.

I screamed bloody murder every time I stepped on a misplaced block on the sofa.

"You fired Neil, and now his daddy is threatening to sue us for wrongful termination of contract.", my sister sighed.

"Well have you talked to Caldron?"

"I have. Caldron assured me there wouldn't be a problem. He has got shit on everyday. Neil's daddy is big in real-estate. Never seen a property tycoon pay his taxes. Bet there's a story there."

"Well then what's the bloody problem? I have to pick up Josh."

"The board's freaked. You fired your longest standing member's son without so much as a goodbye wave. "

I tensed. The board could outvote me from my position as CEO. They could force me to resign or step down. That would be a nightmare. I had built this company brick by brick, with years of hard work, begging and groveling to investors and failing and retrying and failing again. I had turned my dream into reality through sheer force of will,unfailing tenacity and a large amount of stupid courage. I would not let my empire fall.

"Have Caldron in on it. It's time to bring in the big guns. I don't care if we have to bribe, threaten or coerce them into obedience, I want it done."

Stella nodded, her face hard.

"You got it boss."

She slipped away in the other direction. I went up to my office and Tori came up behind me.

"Not now, Tori. I have work to do."

I was determined to be Josh's mother today. I hated neglecting my kid. He was patient and sweet and understanding but he needed to know that his mom would always be there for him. My business was my second baby but it would have been nothing if not for Josh.

A woman's biological and career clock always raced against each other.

Being a hands on mother was more tiring than being a CEO.

"I just wanted to go over your schedule for tomorrow.", she said her voice sympathetic.

"I want Marketing and Strategy at the table tomorrow morning and also the Finance department. I want to know how much loss we incurred for stopping production. Whatever progress we had made with that press conference is now gone."

"Yes boss."

She said and stepped away. I had been too rude with her. But, fuck the day was going so badly.

First the massive losses, then the board getting fired up, the guilt over freaking Tuesday Tea Parties.

A girl needed a break sometimes!

But, I didn't have that opportunity.

So, I did the only thing I could. I sucked it up and smiled for Josh. I had gotten through six years before this. I would get through six more.
                  _____________
The BMW parked just outside St. Ignatius Primary School. We were not to crazy about religious values but I was a Catholic. Some beliefs were too deeply ingrained in my blood to ever be revoked. When I had started looking for schools for Josh, I hadn't been too sure about my options.

But I was sure above this, that I would prioritize his education over every thing else. If my background and beginning as hungry Brazilian immigrant had taught me anything, then it was that education had the power to change lives.

I had studied and I had studied hard.

Then I had achieved success in my life. St. Ignatius had a brilliant program for kids like Josh. They focused on his talents to develop him as an individual and they were strict about community service at a young age, both of which I had wanted for my son.

The only downside of being admitted to a Catholic School was their insistence on weekly tea parties for parents and attending Sunday mass and church.

Mass was  a forgotten conclusion but sometimes I did manage to attend the occasional parent groups.

Oh, St. Jude the Apostle, patron saint of hopeless causes, let the principal not see me enter the school.

For once, some God listened and I reached Josh's classroom.

He was hard at work with Father Hernandez on his Spanish lessons.

"Amo mucho a mi mamá. Ella es amable y fuerte. "

I love my mom very much. She is kind and strong.

God! This kid. Here I was worrying about not being a good mother and he was showering praises about me.

"Bien. Muy bien, Joshua.", Father Hernandez replied kindly.

Josh beamed at him and then his eyes fell on me.

His smile widened and I could see all his teeth through his grin.

" Mamá!", he said excitedly in Spanish without switching to English.

"Mi amor.", I replied with equal adoration.

He ran towards me and I picked him off the ground swinging him in an arc and crushing him to my chest.

"God, I don't deserve you Josh."

The kid sassed me back. Of course he did. He was my son.

"No you don't. But I still love you because you give me cookies."

And I was 27 again with a year-old Josh in my arms. My most valued treasure. All the pain and tiredness faded away as I hugged my son to my chest. I had given life to him once and now he breathed life into me.

I would have been nothing if not for Josh.

He wasn't the least surprised to see me at school. He didn't wonder the whys and hows. He simply said the three words that every lapsed Catholic said when he finally came back to God.

"I missed you."

What more could a girl need than the three sweetest words in the world?
                     ____________

Hey, people it's Della. Hope you are doing great. If you have hopefully reached this far, please vote and comment on my work. I would love some feedback from you.

I am seriously enjoying writing this book. Sana is a mother and a boss but I feel that working women have impossible odds to balance. Family, career and oneself is a huge demand on them.

P. S. -Do you agree?

P. P. S- What changes would you like to see in the system regarding this?