The CEO and Fate✔️

Chapter 7

Now. Now was the moment, when I truly understood.

Everything had come together in a perfect storm to give me a crystal clear picture of what it meant to run around like a chicken with its head cut off.

It was Friday, the day before what would probably be the most exciting thing I would do during this internship. I could no longer see my minuscule secretary desk. I'm sure my keyboard was somewhere there, under Mt. Work Files, but right now, one wrong bump into the desk, and everything would crumble. So, I took extra care as I sorted through things while Zane kept adding to the endless list of papers I needed to take with me to the conference.

"Hello?"

I looked up. Zane had his phone pressed tightly to his ear and his eyebrows were knit together in deep thought. I took that as the hint that I was done for the night.

I stood up and stretched. And stretched. It wasn't like I wasn't about to turn around and sit on my ass for another three hours tomorrow morning.

Hmm.

Zane stood up and bolted for his adjoining office. With him gone, I made use of the empty chair and began stacking files there that I didn't need so I could get to the papers that I did need to store into my computer bag. At one point, I did end up finding my wallet hidden under Financial Statements Third Quarter, but then I lost it again when I had to find Financial Statements Fourth Quarter.

Grumbling to myself, and Zane's closed doors, I rooted through what was left of the mess to find it. I was already tired and cranky, but then, my knees suddenly gave out, and I tumbled to the floor, and that was the final straw. I groaned loudly.

"What the hell is the matter with corporate America?"

I struggled to my feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed, during my pitiful struggles, Ember staring at me. She wasn't waiting for the elevator or for Zane or Gretchen, she simply seemed to be standing there to watch me fail miserably.

I ignored the oddity.

Once everything was back in order and my wallet safely attached to my wrist, I stood up. Zane's door was still closed and I think I heard a crash against the floor, so I safely assumed that my self dismissal would not be realized for awhile.

Gretchen was also waiting for the elevator when I finally emerged from my office. I jogged to catch up with her.

"I can't believe he's letting you leave before midnight," Gretchen joked. "And that bag looks like it only weighs ten pounds. Are you missing its brother?'

I scoffed. "Its brother can go burn along with the other files. I've got enough to do on the plane as it is."

The elevator dinged. We both climbed in. Right before, I had seen Ember organizing her office, so I was very relieved when I didn't see her running to join us. The door closed, and the endless fall to reality began.

"So, while the grown ups get some sleep, what are the teenagers doing for the night?" I laughed.

Gretchen grinned. "Well, actually, there is a small music festival happening a couple blocks down, so I was thinking of stopping by."

"Oh yeah? I love festivals, so that sounds really fun for a Friday night. What kind of music is it?"

"Soul actually!"

The elevator dinged. The polite chatter shattered. In climbed the gossip group from earlier, and they were showing no signs that their level of noise went below a 10.