Drowning

Chapter Eight

Walking towards Mariana's office I nod at her assistant and enter.

"How do you feel about stealing my carpool buddy?" I tell Mark that apparently is still here, standing dangerously close to my best friend. Mariana was running a bit late today and no matter how many times I told her I could wait for her she insisted that Mark would drive her to the office on the way to work, and apparently not only drive her but walk her in too.

"Pretty good actually, I'm thinking about making it a regular thing," he says, turning around and walking away from Mariana with a genuine smile on his face.

"You wouldn't dare, asshole" I say, walking up and smacking him in the back of the head while sending him a glare.

"Is that from Angela's, gimme gimme gimme," Mariana scurries to me. So much for patience.

"Here you go," I give the impatient lady her coffee.

"Thanks," she says and takes a sip. "Where's mine?" her boyfriend asks.

"You can go get your own if you'd like one,"

"No, I'm good I'm just gonna take this one," he says moving to take the only coffee left on the tray but before he can reach it I smack his hand away.

"Jesus, what's with you and smacking today," he says, soothing his hand. That's a bit dramatic. I didn't even hit him that hard.

"I was with Angela she rubbed off on me, so you better leave before I continue my smacking,"

"Ok then, that's my cue," he says to Mariana, walking towards her again and giving her a quick peck on the lips. "I need to get to the practice anyways," he says to me while ruffling my perfectly combed hair. The audacity. So when he turns his back towards me, I take the opportunity and smack him in the back of the head again. "Geez" he says, stumbling over, and I hear Mariana mutter "children" before he walks out.

"Well I just came to give you that, I'll be on my way." I say making a move to the door.

"Wait, isn't the lawyer getting here today?" she asks before I get the chance to leave.

"Yeah, that's what they told me last week. And he better be here today because I want this over with. Honestly I don't need to stress over more things, getting the headquarters in Spain ready, plus the launching of the app is enough." There are too many things on the company right now to also have a lawsuit. I swear that if this fucking lawyer doesn't do his job right I'm suing him.

"Calm down, everything will unravel itself. You said he was a good lawyer, what's the worst that could happen?"No matter what the internet said he seemed like a self-centered douchebag, and I actually trust my gut more than the internet. He was so set on not taking my case, like if I asked him to take it. I'm thinking this but what I actually say is, "He was kind of a prick but I don't know. I guess we'll have to see,"

"Exactly give him a chance, you said he was the best so let him prove that to you." I never actually said he was the best, but sure. That seems like pretty good advice, so the only thing I need to do is not judge him too quickly. That seems easy enough, right?

"Ok then, I'll get going hopefully it doesn't go too terrible," with that I open the door.

"Lunch later?"

"Yeah," and I leave.

I made my way to my office saying 'good morning' to Alice when she met me at the elevator. I don't know how she always manages to know I'm here without me saying anything. "Here you go," I gave her the tray with the cup of coffee that I brought her. I'm a firm believer that how you treat your employees reflects on their work.