Paisley

Chapter 9

  "I hope the flight was well. I know this was pretty short notice but that's how I operate sometimes. I'm a very spontaneous, fly by night kinda boss. So when you work with me you have to be ready and on your game within a moments notice. No pressure or anything." Prince said winking at me.

I kept looking around the room and reveling in how beautifully detailed his office was. It made me a little sad that there were no windows. No natural light. Just 2 bright lamps and nothing else. The scent of the room was just overflowing with vanilla. Whatever his fragrance was wearing was driving my senses insane! My attention was then drawn to Prince. He was sitting motionless in his black leather chair. Derrin was talking to him about something. I couldn't hear words I was too drawn to Prince's demeanor. So serious and focused. His piercing brown eyes stared Derrin down slowly. I then looked at Derrin. As I'm looking over at him I can see his stoned faced demeanor. His body language was coming off as confident. He played his whole conversation as cool as a fan. I can't imagine what's going on in his mind though. Is he afraid to screw up because there's more pressure involved? He didn't show it at all. Not even on his face. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw something. I turned around in my chair and noticed a painting of a tree. The tree was a tall wide oak in the middle of a field. The root were visible in the ground. The sky was painted daytime one one side and night with a pinkish moon on the other. I didn't notice that I said it out loud but the conversation suddenly stopped when I got up and walked over to the painting. In a loud whisper I said

"Wow!"

Derrin and Prince watched me walk over to the painting. Just as I got close enough to touch it I heard

"Erinalia?"

My name was deep and slow when it was said. I heard it again while still entranced by the oil painting on the wall.

"Erinalia? Are you there?"

Slow and deep my name was called one more time.

"Erinalia?"

That deep voice I heard but for some reason my body couldn't respond. I don't know what it was about the painting but it was drawing me in like a moth to a flame. Suddenly I was snatched back to earth by a loud shout.

"Eeeeeeerrrrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnn!!!!!!!!"

I shrieked and turned around quickly. I came to at last. Derrin looked mad and Prince just looked pretty.

"What happened? Why are you yelling at me?" I said

"Because I had to bring you back into orbit spaceman Sam!" Derrin said. I can tell in his eyes that he was starting to get embarrassed.

"I'm sorry Derrin! I didn't even realize that I......"

Derrin just looked at me. I looked down at the floor and walked back to my chair.

"Sorry.......Derrin. I'm sorry Prince. Please continue." I said sadly.

Derrin and Prince looked at me with this stare that I know all too well. I made myself look like a fool and on the inside they were laughing at me. My face started to get really hot and I could tell I was sweating out my edges. I sunk lower in my chair praying that I would just blend into the leather or just fade to black like I was never here. I felt Prince looking at me. I raised my head slightly to see if he was. I was right. His eyes felt like flaming arrows and he peered into my soul. The burn was painful. He had an ink pen in his had. He dropped it on the desk. He turned his chair to Derrin. He gave him a slight grin. Derrin looked back at him with a look of annoyance with me.

"Here's the list of everything that needs to be done. I trust you will do exceptionally well. I hope your work will be more than satisfactory with the guests tonight."

Prince slid a black book across the desk to Derrin. Derrin pulled it closer to him and stood up. He then shook hands with Prince.

"Thank you boss and I won't let you down." He said.

That last statement was obviously directed at me. I couldn't even look up I just sat there in the chair looking like a pitiful child that just got scolded for playing with matches. Derrin went about 5 steps before I got up and headed towards the door. Too embarrassed and ashamed of myself I couldn't look at the man on the other side of the desk. I turned the chair stood up and attempted to tag along behind Derrin but I also wanted to stay steps behind because I knew his dad's speech was coming after the debauchery that had just ensued. I went to step over the threshold of the office and into the hall when all of a sudden I heard that deep voice from the 5'2 man in black.

"Erin!" He called.

I stopped and closed my eyes. I never turned to look at him because my face was still covered with shame.

"Please stay. Come and talk to me."

My legs suddenly turned my body back into the office. My eyes were still closed but before long I was 3 steps back into the office. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. The look on his face was calming and very pleased with me staying. His eyes smiled at me even though his lips didn't. He gestures me to close the door and have a seat. I slowly closed the door and shuffled my way back to his desk. I sat in Derrin's seat since it was closer to the door just in case I had to make a mad dash out of the room. Prince came from behind the desk and sat on the corner of it and folded his hands across his lap. I only looked at his hands at this point. I was too afraid to look at his face. I started to suddenly feel the room spinning around me but Prince was still. My heart was racing. I felt like he was going to give me a lecture. The silence was taking over my thoughts. I wanted a song to start playing. Moreover I wanted to hide.