The Grey Patch (BWWM)

Part 7- Staring At Reality.

Regina Regan up there! Enjoy!

"...in this company, we do not play games, your every action counts and..."

Echoes, those were all they were to her. Maldives was sure she had probably only listened to the introductory parts of her little speech, and even till now, she wasn't sure she could make out even two points from all that Regina had been saying. All the while, from the moment she stepped into that office and saw that the person she was going to be working with, was the same person she couldn't even stand talking with, her enthusiasm to assume her official duties went into hibernation.

"...I look forward to working with you all. I'd like to have a private meeting with the financial secretary, the rest of you can leave. That'll be all for now"  she dismissed them and they all started leaving, including Maldives who had paid no attention whatsoever to what she had said and only began walking away because she saw everyone else doing so. Luckily for her, Rachel stopped her before she reached for the exit.

"What are you doing?!" she whispered.

"H—huh?"

"Ms. Regan said to have a private meeting with the financial secretary, that's you!"

"She did? She did....I'm sorry I was—"

"It's alright, just pull yourself together... and good luck!" she said then took her leave. Everyone else had left, leaving Maldives alone with Regina.

"We meet again Miss Coleman...I didn't believe it when my nephew told me you were the best graduating student but I guess he was right after all, I've looked at your credentials and you do appear to have some brain beneath that...that hair of yours, you're going to have to do something about it"

"Why do I have to do something to my hair?"

"Because I don't like the sight of it, it doesn't suit the style of this environment so you should get something more appropriate"

"With all due respect ma'am, I don't see the reason why I—"

"With all due respect Miss Coleman, you work for me now, you work for this company and you will abide by the company's rules"

"But I've gone through the companys book of conduct and I saw no such rule"

"I am the company, rules are whatever I make them to be. This isn't the streets where you and your kind walk around holding placards and protesting about what-not, this is an office! A company! One that is going to be paying you good money in exchange for your compliance"

"But—I"

"Rule number two, never talk back at me. You only got away with that the other day because my family was there to defend you, but right here, it's a different ball game. If you intend to keep your job, which I'm sure you do, you're only to do one thing; do as I say, did I make myself clear?"

Maldives stood there in pure shock, not sure whether to scream, laugh or cry. Here she was, the supposed 'envy' of virtually everyone at the NYU , receiving nothing but insults, on her first day of job. If only there was a way to murder someone and make their corpse disappear into thin air, Regina Regan would have been a floating object in the Bermuda at that moment. You can do this Maldives! Remember, you are Nigerian, you are resilient...you are Black, you don't crack! She swallowed, "Yes ma'am"

"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page. Now that we've cleared all that up, we can get down to business. I believe Rachel has told you the basics and you've met with Mr. Rodriguez, so you'll know what to expect in the coming days, or months, or years, that all depends on how well you fare here. I have some invoices I want you to look into for me, I'll send them to you later, you can leave now"