V
"This will be your office for your stay here," Clarissa showed me a large room composed of at least dozens of cubicles, each had a table, computer, drawer, swivel chair and other office necessities.
The first minute we had arrived at the Palace, being amazed was not enough to describe what I had felt. I thought it had no effect to me anymore because I had always browsed it in Internet or watched it on TV, but I had been wrong. I wanted to explore every wall, every floor, every ceiling. I wanted to see the rooms of those powerful people in the world. What were the scenes those every corner see that was hidden in public?
Many guards had inspected us when we had entered the main gate and the door of the palace. Maids were busy working, not even glanced on our way. I was waiting to meet one of the Royal family, who were hiding behind one of those doors I lost count.
"Who works here besides to me?" I asked as we walked toward a vacant table.
"Other accountants of the Royal family and other people who work for Palace's financing and budgeting," we stopped in front of a cubicle and she waved to an elderly man who sat there, "This is Robert Watson, the head accountant. He will guide you in your job," she smiled at the man who already standing and beaming to us, "Hey Rob, this is Shirley, Prince Alexander's new personal accountant."
"A new one huh," he grinned, "I wish you a good luck."
"Don't scare her," Clarissa clicked her tongue and we continued our walk.
"What does that mean?" I curiously questioned.
"He just teases you, you know."
We stopped in almost all the cubicles to know the strangers working there. I was no good at memorizing names so as we passed one or two tables, I already forgot the name of those people in the previous table. I smiled at them and never spoke because Clarissa held all the talking.
Finally, a vacant table showed in front of me. The window, where I could view a busy street of England was near to my new place. The rain outside was weaker than earlier.
"This is your table, I hope you get along with your co-workers," Clarissa said before leaving to give me time to appreciate my new place.
New place. Far away better than the place I had in my former job. The table was made of expensive mahogany covered with dark-brown paint. I laughed when I realized it had the same color with my long hair. A flat-screen computer in one side of the table, and a space enough for writing or stacking papers.
I sat on my swivel chair. Feeling every inch of its softness. Then, I clicked the mouse and the keyboard of the computer like practicing my job. I giggled when I noticed I looked crazy. I was so happy that I did not care if other people thought negative about me.
This was a dream come true!
"Hi!" someone spoke behind me and I turned around to see who she was. Her feminine accent was not a Brit. Her diction was solid, but fluent. An Asian girl stood in front of me and gave me a small smile.
"Hello?" I tried to respond normally, but it came out to be a question.
"I'm Katherine Lee," she put her hand near me.
"Shirley Woodman," I shook her hand for a moment.
She took her hand again and said, "It's lunch break, mind if you join us. Actually, only me, my friend over there," she pointed over her shoulder and I followed it to see an African-American girl spoke with an English man in more than friends matter. "She is Jackie, a good friend of mine, but these past few days, she and that guy, Felton, have a good understanding."
"Why not you join them?" I smacked myself mentally for asking that. My question was the worst thing I spoke for the century.
"I'm not good in threesome you know," she giggled, and even though I did not get it, I joined her. "Want a new pal here?" I nodded to her and stood on the ground.
"Can we take a little tour in the palace after we eat? I'm new here, you know."
"Yeah, I know," she smiled and started walking, "Oh sure, the lunch break lasted for one and a half hour. I will tour you for at least one-fourth of the palace in a very quick way."
"Is it really that big?"
"You have no idea."
My new Asian acquaintance – we were new pals as what she called – was very talkative but you would enjoy her company. She talked about the country where she came from: Philippines. Her father was half-Filipino and half Chinese while her Mother was a pure Filipino. That was why she was one-fourth Chinese and three-fourths Filipino.
I also learned from her that she was a personal accountant of Queen Beatrice, not only her but there were other two, including Jackie, her friend who was starting to fling with a man. Katherine was assigned to the charity program under Queen Beatrice.
When I asked her about the Queen, she answered with a mouth full of burger.
"She is the prettiest woman I've met in my twenty-seven years of existence," she drank first her water before continued, "She is strict and very disciplined, a right ethic for a real queen. But, when you talked to her, you will see how beautiful her heart is."
We were in a dining area inside the Palace where all the employees eating. Katherine said that she had never seen the member of the Royal family to eat with them. This intended for workers only.
"What kind of mother she is?" I spoke those words before I could stop them.
Katherine answered it as if all people asked her about it. "In my five years of working here, I witness how much she loves her children," she wiped her mouth by her handkerchief before continuing, "Everyone saw that Prince Nicholas grew up a real good man. Princess Victoria is a sweet girl, who wants to finish her study before to work for the government. However, the real issue is Prince Alexander," she frowned.
"What happened to him?"
She laughed at my question, "What happened to him? I don't know, maybe the Queen ate a sour fruit when she was carrying the prince in her tummy." She glared at me, "You don't get my joke. By the way, some said maybe he has a middle child syndrome."
"You don't like him either?"
"Of course not! He was stupid."
"You're like Lola," saying my best friend's name, I suddenly thought about home. What was she doing? How about my parents? Were they all right?
"Who?" the space between her eyebrows folded.
"Lola, my best friend back in Chicago. If you'll meet her, I think you will be good friends," I drank the hot tea I had ordered.
"I want to meet that best friend of yours."
After we ate our lunch, Katherine led the way on different hallways of the Palace. She told me that they allowed us to have little tours since we were employees. But be sure we behaved, every corner of the palace had CCTV, monitoring our every move.
We stopped in front of one door to another. She enjoyed discussing every part of the palace to me. Including past stories about those rooms, what were the shortcuts to get there, and who should be there or not.
I recalled some of the doors in the first floor like the dining area (not the dining area we had eaten earlier, the dining area of the Royal family), living room also known as accepting area where some of the short meetings held, Royal office or Board office where important meetings held, different public rest rooms and a public library.
"The private library is in second floor along with the offices," she explained as we ascended upstairs using the elegant stairs in the middle of the palace. This was not Clarissa and I had used earlier. Probably, we had entered through the backdoor where the elevator was located. "As far as I concern, you know our office is on the second floor, along with the offices of each of the Royal family and other offices."
"Yes, I know that," I shyly answered.
"We have no time to tour for second floor, maybe let's try tomorrow."
"Okay. Anyway, where do you live?"
"I live here," she chuckled, "If you don't believe me, I have a room in second floor like the other accountants. Other employees have rooms in either second or first floor because third floor and up is for Royal family only. Remember that you can't go there without a guard or Royal family member's permission, unless you are executive guest, you're welcome there."
"I'll take that as a warning."
When we got back in the office, Clarissa ran toward me and narrowed her eyes.
"Where have you been?"
"We ate lunch," I answered, almost whispering.
"His Highness is waiting for you for about an hour. Oh my gosh, we will be both dead!" she put her hand on her forehead before I could process all the things she said.
"What?! Why did you not try to find me?" I panicked. I was going to face my boss for the very first time, but I got late. This was my amazing first day in England, and tomorrow, I was sitting on my couch back in Chicago.
"I don't know where to find you," she held my arms and shook my whole body.
"For me, you should go," Katherine interrupted us, "Instead of killing each other, go to His Highness right now and apologize."
"I think you're right," Clarissa and I answered at the same time.
"Let's go," Clarissa pulled me out of the room.
I waved to Katherine and heard her, "See you later."
We walked on the long hallway toward, I concluded, to Prince Alexander's office. I was so nervous, but excitement flowed in my veins. Gladly, Clarissa had lent me some of her corporate dress before we had gone to the office earlier. All my clothes had gotten wet (including all in my suitcase) by the rain. She had said that the maid would do the washing for me.
Clarissa kept on reminding me to speak politely and never fell on His Highness' charm. I would try, I answered in my brain, but I assured her that I was in England for job and nothing else. I had no crush with the Prince, but I was attracted with his handsomeness, especially when Paparazzi got a beautiful picture of his flawless chest, jaw-dropping abs... never mind!
"Okay, I'm not going inside," she finally said once we stopped in front of a large door, twice my size maybe. "I repeat, don't forget..."
"You don't need to say it again. I heard it about a hundred times. I can do it," I interrupted her. She left and my heart freaked out inside my ribcage. I took a deep breath but it stopped in the middle. What if I died before I could enter his office?
I brushed my sweaty palms on my skirt I borrowed from Clarissa, and counted three seconds.
By three, I knocked twice when I heard his permission, "Come in." Somewhat, his voice was familiar, or my imagination.
I opened the door and entered the spacious office. Before I could close the door behind me, a pair of green eyes locked with mine and I froze.
"What took you so long?" in that angry, but sexy and hot tune, my heart stopped for a minute, or an hour, or a day, I was not sure.
It can't be him...