Twice Over

Chapter 141 - Aura

aura
noun
1. the distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround and be generated by a person, thing, or place.
2. a supposed emanation surrounding the body of a living creature and regarded as an essential part of the individual.
3. Medicine: a warning sensation experienced before an attack of epilepsy or migraine.

Before I'd even stepped back into Wallace's huge and power status-defying office in the Overmeyer corporate building, I could feel the tiny little hairs on my arms and neck stand up on end. My powerful step dad was already sending out a most powerful aura that spoke volumes about who he was and how pissed he was with whoever was already in the office.

I knocked on his office door and Assistant Jones opened it and guided us in. She directed us to sit on the lounge settee around to the left out of the way. It was the same settee that I'd bawled my eyes out on a few months back. Fond memories – not.

So here we were, Grant, Jackson, Sunny and I, sitting around the corner, but still in full view of the two mafia-like bosses and their four groupies-shash-bodyguards. I had to pretend that I was naturally used to this kind of thing so I picked up a business magazine with Wallace's face on the front cover and passed it to Grant, pointing out the investment advice for the year on the side. He took it with interest and flipped through its pages.

Then I watched as Jackson took a hold of Sunny's hand and ignore the older men on the other side of the room. He started to whisper sweet nothings in her ear that sounded a lot like a shopping list for ingredients for tonight's dinner.

I pulled out my computer out of the school bag that Grant somehow collected from my broken car in the time it took me to get changed. I spent twenty minutes pretending to ignore the heated discussion in the office as Wallace displayed his dominance to the underground bosses who had made a stupid mistake as to go after one of his daughter's assistants and ram into her car.

Wallace had obviously brought us into the office to hear and watch what was going on as a powerful message to both us and the gang leaders in the room. I was his daughter and no one could mess with me or mine. That gave me warm fuzzies on the inside and at that moment, Wallace's aura didn't feel quite so suffocating any more.

I found stuff to do while we waited for Wallace's little show to end. I heard mention of joint projects, access rights to this and that, the kind of talk that re-established Wallace's authority as the king pin in town. Quickly getting bored of discussion that didn't involve me, I looked to my own business affairs for work. After combing through notes and emails from Patricia and Mr Anderson, I ended up exploring my new idea for an art gallery and studio.

Studying commercial properties for sale in the down town area, I quickly looked up anything that was either two storied or split leveled, or any similar low rise office buildings that I could turn into an art studio or art gallery. There wasn't much that took my interest and I was a little disappointed. I found three that kinda looked mediocre and if I had time I might be a little interested in looking them over. I packaged them up and sent them to Patricia to do further research on.

Then I sent a quick email to my Coffee House manger, Ms Murr asking her for any last minute details for the opening night Friday night. We only had four more days until the event. Thank goodness it was a fraction of the size of my fashion show and didn't need anything more than trained staff and a live cafe band.

I sent an email to Ms Claire Godfrey, asking for a list of bands available at four days notice for the event. Woops, I left that a little late and wondered if anyone decent would be available at short notice. She answered my email almost straight away saying she'd get the list to me in the morning.