XY XX

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Xenia was interrupted by Cassie's high-pitched voice.

"Gregory, I came to get you. I don't know if Wendon informed you, but we organized lunch to welcome you all."

"Oh," Gregory replied, a little perplexed.

Xenia took advantage of the situation to slip out, leaving Gregory to face the devilish redhead.

"I hope she isn't giving you a hard time," Cassie said as soon as Xenia was no longer on the radar.

"Who?"

"Xenia, she is a real little wild spirit who thinks she owns the place. She's one of those new-age women who neither know their place or respect work ethics. She is always yelling about whatever rights. You nailed her mouth shut this morning."

"Cassie."

"Yes."

"At lunch, I don't talk about my colleagues or subordinates. It's my break, a moment where my mouth is only supposed to open to welcome food and water."

A simple shut-up would have been okay. Can't he keep it simple? Cassie thought.

The woman hugged her jacket around her to cover herself from the waves Gregory's cold aura sent.

Gregory strode to the door, where he held it open for Cassie, who was taken aback by the attitude switch. The man was cold but remained a gentleman; this made him more appealing to the red-haired eyes.

XY XX

Niki widened her eyes, excited to ask, "so, tell me everything?"

"Oh, Niki, I swear I'm not going to make it. I don't know what I did to deserve this."

"Maybe it's because you were late."

"No, Niki, they didn't pick me there, and you heard him right. He thinks I'm his minion."

"Xenia, don't forget he is here to audit; you should be fanning him."

"I know, I should, and I would be kissing butt, but the guy is patronizing."

"It's his first day; maybe he just wants to show who's the boss; he'll probably be different tomorrow."

"He better be because I'm not going to take no bossing around from someone who has Harry Potter's wand stuck where it shouldn't."

"You are terrible," Niki said with a broad-spread grin.

"What, it's true though he is so stuck up."

Nikki smiled, "I find him quite sexy with his full English accent; it reminds me of Mr.Darcy, played by Colin Firth. No, Micheal Fassbender, oh yeah, he is as hot as Micheal."

"You mean Pride and Prejudice; you are fleur bleu. Want to exchange? I'll ship your Firthbender to you; I hate men like him."

Niki cocked an eyebrow, "Is there a man you don't hate?"

"Let me think," Xenia said, sitting back in her chair, arms crossed.

"You shouldn't even have to ponder, "Nikki shook her head in disapproval.

"I know Sponge Bob; he cracks me up," Xenia said, clapping in her hands.

"Oh my Good Lord, Xenia, he isn't even real, and he's not even a man."

"Sia loves him."

"You let her watch sponge, Bob?" Niki inquired face expressing what kind-of-mom-are-you look.

Almost every woman in Xenia's entourage gave her that stare. Everybody had their opinion on how she should raise Sia.

At first, the constant remarks stressed her, and she made more mistakes than Xenia opted to listen to herself even if people thought she didn't know how to educate her child.