It wasn't the ringing of the alarm clock that woke Daisy up. It was the intense oppressive heat. After struggling for breath did Daisy realize that it was Tom lying on top of her that caused her so much discomfort. She was hyper aware of her hardened nipples pressing against his chest. But that wasn't the only hard thing that she could feel. Tom stirred in his sleep only to press his nose into the crook of her neck.
"Tom"
"Mmm"
"Tom I need to get up."
"Nooo"
"I need to get up Tom. I have a meeting with the CEO of Melinda Internationals" That got his attention.
"Will the PR guy be there?" Tom whined still half asleep.
"Yes. Now he will be trying his best to get me fired. One thing I need to do to keep the job is be on time. I just lost all my savings yesterday, remember? I can't afford to lose the job."
Tom rolled over to free her. If she remembered correctly that was the side of the bed where she was supposed to be sleeping. She smiled and got up. Tom was an overgrown teenager.
"So how do you plan to go home now?" Daisy asked.
"I won't be going home. I need to be inside my office to orchestrate some business that my subordinates will be working on." He explained.
"You are peculiar, you know. You don't date. You own a bistro and talk like you own a huge business empire and you sleep like an adolescent." Daisy chastised.
Tom looked ashamed. "Well that coming from a woman who hasn't been in a relationship in almost ten years and who lives in the most dingy part of town despite having a respectable job and who doesn't have a single friend. Bravo Miss Durant and I thought you wouldn't be the judgemental type." He said with a tinge of hurt in his voice.
"I didn't mean it to criticize you. I was just stating an observation. If it is any consolation to you I am peculiar myself. I am not normal and I can never be. My history did ample to erase my normalcy. So I am no one to judge you." She replied sincerely.
"You better get ready for the meeting. I don't want you to lose the job you have." Tom admitted.
Daisy nodded, grabbed some clothes from the closet and rushed into the only bathroom in the apartment. When she went out Tom was gone. On his way out he had made a pot of coffee that sat on her dining table with a note that said, "Wear something pink." That brought a smile to her face. Daisy thought of ignoring it altogether since he wouldn't really get to see what she wears, not that it should matter anyways. But she decided to wear her pink blouse top with her grey pencil skirt and royal blue scarf. When she reached the office she was already five minutes late but everyone was busy in the preparation of the meeting to actually notice her.
It was about an hour before an extremely tall man entered the room followed closely by a slim and petite brunette with light blue eyes. She had seen the man before but not in real life. He had been in the cover of Times and Forbes. He was chosen as the face of the Economic Times on more than one occasion because he was the CEO of the fastest growing hotel chain in the world and because The Chairman was the most reclusive hermit in the history of billionaires. "Mr. Bartolli" greeted the rounded balding man who happened to be her boss. Mr. Osborne was a cunning, soft spoken man who loved his children, his daughter and his company.
"Let's get to business, shall we?" the CEO quipped.
Mr. Osborne took the draft from Daisy and handed it to Mr. Bartolli. The large man took in her appearance and nodded at her. She looked down conscious of herself. Just then Ramon dashed inside in a hurry. "Excuse me Mr. Bartolli. I was informed that the meeting was postponed for an hour."
"For you it was. How did you manage to enter this meeting anyways? What we are conducting here has nothing to do with public relations. Meet me after one hour and then we shall have the discussion regarding publicity." he replied. Ramon nodded and left as he had arrived, flustered and in a great hurry.
"Now, where were we Miss. Durant." Suddenly Daisy realized that Mr. Osborne had not introduced her. How did Mr. Bartolli know her name. She had arched her eyebrow in surprise when the man answered before she could ask. "The Chairman likes to be informed about who is doing what work."
"Aren't there a lot many people working under him to bother about everyone?" Daisy asked.
"Daisy." The reprimanding voice was Stella, one of the girls who were part of the team working on this project.
"Yes. Well if you knew the Chairman you would know that he is bat shit crazy and a complete control freak and to top that he is a spontaneous control freak. I bet he is the only one of his kind to exist in the world." Bartolli said in amusement ignoring Stella completely. He flipped through the pages fast, as if he already knew the document by heart and turned to Mr. Osborne saying that the chairman has requested two alternate drafts of the employee contracts and the final version that would be accepted would be one of the three and only he shall maintain knowledge of which until it is brought to effect. Daisy's mouth slightly opened in surprise. It was highly unnecessary and yet a genius idea.
"I shall get right on it. Do you know what variation is required?" Daisy asked businesslike.
"That's alright Ms. Durant. Stella will take it from here." Mr. Osborne interjected. Then turning to Mr. Bartolli he said, "Sir, Ms. Wilson will take over from Ms. Durant. As it is she is far more competent and qualified to handle your business."
"You mean so far our account was in incompetent hands?" Bartolli asked cocking his head.
"No, of course not. Ms. Durant was under expert supervision all this time." Mr. Osborne asked. Daisy smirked to herself. The only person to approve of her draft was when Tom went through it last night when she woke up in the middle of the night fearing that it would be rejected.
Bartolli nodded. "That it was." he said gravely and Daisy looked up to catch him wink at her. Daisy gasped in surprise. "So that concludes the meeting. Good luck Ms. Wilson. See you around Ms. Durant." He said curtsying to her and Daisy frowned along with everyone around. Just as brusquely as the meeting began it ended and Daisy was put into an insurance claim case, all the excitement in her professional life gone to Stella along with the Melinda International account.
The rest of the day dragged slowly. Stella had an animated discussion with Mr. Osborne regarding the variations in the alternate contracts. She couldn't get her mind off the smooth curtsy that Frederick Bartolli did at the conclusion of the meeting. If anything people would assume they were previously acquainted. However Daisy knew that the only place she had seen him was on the cover of magazines. And he truly belonged there. Despite the amiable persona that he projected Frederick Bartolli oozed of power and confidence. She didn't hear from her boss or anyone in fact for the greater part of the day. As the day came to a close however she found out that everyone was headed for a party. She didn't hear it because she was invited but rather because she was the one left to finish off the day because Stella left early to get ready. It was dark when Daisy managed to finish off all the pending drafts and prints and placed them as they were supposed to be. Stella may have been younger than her but she was a position of power owing to being a niece to Mr. Osborne. She was as good as a boss to her as any other.
Daisy walked into an empty parking lot to find her decrepit Volkswagen laying in a distant corner. It was a refurnished model salvaged from a junkyard but it served her well. She even called it 'Harvey' and talked to it at times though it did not win a race for her. She was tired and disappointed. As she opened the door of her ancient car she felt a shadow fall beside her. She turned around to find Ramon standing there.
"I know what you are thinking Daisy. You are hating me right now because you lost the account for me but think of it this way, I at least spared you your job. And if you like you can even take a peek into the files to find out what is going on with your pet project though it is most likely that your draft will be rejected the first thing Stella's work hits the table. You can't deny that she has some good graces with her boss."
"You didn't get me off the account. Mr. Osborne did. And Stella is his niece so obviously there is a favouritism. You can't help it. I don't have any sugar daddy and I earn my own break. you just wait and watch."
"You are too naive Daisy. I don't want to be on the wrong foot with you. I really like you. I want to help you and I want you to go places. All you have to do is to open up to me. It wouldn't do you good to not recognize where the interests of your bosses lie and they definitely lie with me."
"I have a set of principles Ramon and they are not up for sale."
"Look Daisy, remember the time we dated?"
"It was one date. Rather it was one office after party at a club you were at and we decided to hang together. Then I got hungry and we left to grab a bite outside. Things turned ugly when you tried to fondle my behind and I slapped you."
"You have the memory of an elephant. I can see that now. But that is not what I was getting at. I meant I am definitely interested in you and I am ready to make exceptions with my tolerance level if you agree to go out on a date with me."
"If you are forgetting I have a boyfriend." Daisy countered remembering what Tom had told him.
"If you love your job you would do well to break up with him. I will see you on Friday. I will text your office number and do show up on time. I can give you heck of a time but only till my mood doesn't sour. Okay Daisy. See you then." So saying he left.
Daisy stood there for a couple of minutes unable to decide what she was to do. She knew Ramon was bad news but the job was important to her, especially given the fact that she had squandered all her savings. Then again she remembered Tom. She couldn't cheat on him, could she?
Cheat? He was the one who said that you are not his type. Remember Daisy? Her subconscious reminded her.
'But he spent the night in my bed and he definitely flirted with me.' she told herself back.
He teased you to make you uncomfortable and slept in the same bed as you because it didn't bother him half as much as it bothered you. You don't do anything for him.
Daisy wiped a stray tear that threatened to stain her pale face and got into the car. If she managed to meet Tom she would tell him about the date. Otherwise she wasn't liable to tell him whom she went out with even if it was the scum from whom he defended her. It was Tom's idea to get a guy to father her child. Why couldn't it be Ramon?