Why Can't I Be Yours?

2// The Aftermath of a Tragedy

As Charles got into the office, Helena Hughes came in, mounting elegantly. She approached Ethan who was sitting outside Charles's office on his swivel chair.

Quickly, he placed a call to Charles as Helena waited for a response. The phone beeped in Charles's office and it broke the silence.

"Sir, the general manager would like to see you. May I permit?" He asked over the phone.

"Let her in." He said swiftly and beads of sweat were visible on his temple due to anxiety.

Ethan stood to his feet and opened the door for Helena.

"Thanks." She said as she beamed a smile at Ethan.

Helena Hughes - a woman not more than 27 walked in as gracious as an elite high-class personage. She is slim and of average height.

She has dark hair which was parted in halves into a classy bob. She had a straight brown skirt on her matching her beautiful brown eyes. She wore a plain white shirt and black stiletto heels to complete the look.

Also, she wore stud earrings and a simple necklace. Her earring was visible because she tugged her hair behind her right ear. She had a casual makeover and she looked simple but expensive.

"Sir, the meeting has been organised." She informed Charles who sat behind his desk.
It was obvious that he was impatient to receive her feedback as he swivelled his chair anxiously.

Quickly, he stood up and they made their way out. As they passed Ethan's desk, worry lay on his face as he was just as helpless as Charles. Being so close to his boss, he felt so bad.

*****

Arriving at the conference room, they all had long faces and they looked so pitiful.

"What has been done concerning finding the aircraft?" Charles asked, bearing the longest face.

"We're in touch with the area controller and we're waiting for their feedback." Mr Shane, the Chief Information Officer replied.

"Is that all you can tell me? What's going on with the maintenance team? From the reports I have here, the weather was calm so, how did an aircraft go missing? How? Are you all aware of the number of lives at stake and the implication of this?" Charles yelled as he banged a file on the desk.

He was fed with all that had been happening and he was putting his frustration on his workers. Not that he's being mean, it's just that an aircraft that flew in perfect condition with no complaint from the flight crew is suddenly missing and stands a chance of not being found soon.

You won't blame him for being harsh and angry even though it might have also appeared as a surprise to them. Everything was getting to him because the company's reputation will be tarnished publicly.

After he left the conference room, he headed for his office and placed a call to the air traffic controllers. Swiftly, he grabbed the landline and placed the receiver on his left ear in panic. Indistinct sounds erupted from the phone and Charles put his frustration on the caller at the other end who tried to explain things to him.

"Do something!!" He yelled and dropped the phone.

He became unstable and started pacing in his office space. He was dissatisfied with everything: the conference meeting, the non-productive phone call and worse, the disappearance of the aircraft which is the root of the problem. As he paced, he placed his hands behind his neck with them clocked and he breathed out. He was feeling weak as the situation was getting out of hand.

He was fully aware of the implications of the plane's disappearance as well as the fact that it must have crashed- a phenomenon that's known by all. Still, in confusion, he reached for his whiskey, poured it into the glass and took it in a gulp. He did this repeatedly and after he took three gulps, he left the area and sat on the couch with a glass of whiskey in hand.