Corporate Secrets

Chapter 19: Jake

About three years ago...

The lunch crowd did not arrive yet but there were a few people who wanted some snacks. It's generally easier for me to tune out a crowd than it is to tune out one or two voices.

The cafeteria was big enough to fit two hundred people. It is bright and airy with tall windows. It's very modern and the menu changes all the time. Rows of alternating square, rectangular, and circular tables and chairs lined the cafeteria. There were also a few booths.

There were several food stations one could choose from. There was the Sushi station where you can buy pre-packed sushi or sashimi with ginger and soy sauce or pre-packed seaweed. Then there was the Noodles station where you can customize the ingredients that would go with the noodles. The Pizza station's a popular one, easy and straightforward. Boxes of personal sized pizza in different flavors - pepperoni, Hawaiian, meat lover's delight, veggie, cheese, and so on and so fort. Then there's the Packed salad station which is next to the salad bar should you change your mind about getting a pre-packed one or create your own. Then there's the Soup station, they always have chicken noodle and minestrone. In the middle of the were four stations of different fountain drinks. It's conveniently next to the Dessert station where you could choose from tarts, pies, cakes, or parfait.

The cashier lanes were situated such that you couldn't leave without being noticed.You could pick from one of the four cashier lanes when you have made your selection and are ready to pay.

I sat in a corner table, away from the cashier, and plugged my earphones in.

I was starting to make a headway regarding the force field analysis I wanted to finish when someone sat in front of me.

I looked up from my laptop and saw Jake's smiling face.

"Oh, hi Doctor Clarke." I said removing the headphones.

How the heck did he spot me?

"Please. It's Jake. Doctor Clarke was my father." He said grinning. He was wearing a polo shirt and slacks.

"So, your dad's a physician?" I asked thinking what a coincidence it was that both our dads chose the same profession.

"Yup." He said flipping my laptop around so he could see what I was working on before I could even react.

"Come on." I said as he read the slide in front of him.

His eyes narrowed but he didn't say a word. When he finished, he flipped it back so that it was now facing me again.

"Do you want my opinion?" He offered without hesitation.

What was I supposed to say? No?

"That would be great." I said waiting to hear his criticism.

"I think Doctor Shaw thinks you are a competition who needs to be crushed." He said flatly and without remorse.

"Tell me something new." I retorted.

"She wants your job." He smiled slyly as he leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms in front of him and looked around, then he leaned forward.

Is this a joke? How could he know?

I looked into his eyes.

Do I trust him? Why is he telling me?

"She wants my job?" I repeated his statement. Verbatim. "Whatever for?" I followed up as he pursed his lips.

"She and your boss have history."