The Office

The Office

Kalama

I stepped inside the red brick building, through the revolving glass doors, putting more distance between me and my dad. 

Sunshine hit me from every side, with the amount of enormous windows this building has, it is no surprise. White walls that scream for some painting to adorn them. With every step I take, my shoes half disappear in the lush carpet. 

Walking up to the desk so I can check in. “James, is my mom still in her office?” I ask the building porter, sharper than I intended. 

Raising his head from the computer screen, he looked at me with his eyebrows raised. “Good morning, Miss Kalama. Why does it seem that there is a demon after you?” 

Shoulder sagging in shame, I give him my most brilliant smile I could muster at the moment, hoping that the smile touches my eyes. “My apologies, James, I did not mean to sound like that, had a rough start of my day, that is all.” 

Checking his logbook. “Yes, Miss Kalama, your mother is still in her office, she hasn’t checked out.” He answers me with a little bow of his head and a smile. 

Not looking James in the eyes, I thank him and continue walking to the elevator. How am I going to make this clear to mom and grandpa? I will not be the next chief after mom.

At the ding of the elevator, with my thoughts on the dreaded meeting, I immediately walked through the elevator doors but bumped into a woman coming out of the elevator.

“Sorry, did not see you there.” I apologized instantly to the woman. She sighed heavily and glared at me. “Can you not see where you are going?!” She almost screamed at me. Pushing me aside, she walks away, poised with her head held high. Staring after her with an open mouth, I watch her exit the building. 

My eyes are playing tricks on me. It must have been the sunlight reflecting in her eyes. No one has eyes that color. Her eyes were a mixture of red and the darkest black ever. Shaking my head, I finally entered the elevator, still thinking about the woman’s eyes.

Entering mom's office, the  overwhelming scent of flowers hits me. A mixture of lemon and pineapple coming from her windowsill, where the sunlight hits the mint plant, with undertones of delicate and exotic fragrance from the white jasmines on her desk. But what I love the most about the flowery scent in her office is the lavender aroma coming from the plants at the entrance of her office. Her office always reminds me of a summer garden.

Her cheerful office with their colorful wallpaper and mismatched chairs mocks me as I’m in no mood to be joyful and pleasant in her office. I'm here to tell her and grandpa that I will not accept the trainee position to be chief. 

I have to stand my ground. She can call me hardheaded and temperamental all she wants. This will not happen.

Mom is on the phone, talking to god knows who. She sees me and makes her goodbyes quickly and hangs up. “Nice of you to grace us with your presence.” Pressing her lips together, she pushes herself up with her hands on her desk, standing up a bit hastily and her chair spins backwards with a bang against the filing cabinets. 

Cowering from the annoyed aura she is emanating, I put as much distance between her and me as I can in her office; I sit down on one of the mismatched chairs in the office's corner.

“I send you a text message telling you I will be late, didn’t you get it?” Trying to keep my voice respectful and pulling out my phone to double check if I sent the message this morning. And I did, so I don’t understand why she is in a foul mood. “Grandpa is already waiting for us in the meeting room, lets go.” She says with a strained voice while walking past me and gives me the mom stare. Holding back the urge to roll my eyes at her, and tell her I’m not a child anymore, that I’m a grown ass woman, I follow her.

This is going to be a disaster of a meeting, I could already feel it.

Not even 10 minutes in the meeting I storm out of the meeting room. I hear my mom calling after me. “Kalama, don’t you walk away from me, come back here. I’m not done talking to you, Kalama!” 

I didn't even know I had my fist clenched until I was downstairs and felt a bit of a sting in my palms. Unclenching my hand, I noticed both of my hand palms adorn with small half moons marks and tiny beads of blood. Who does she think she is to be meddling in my life? It’s my life, not hers, not anyone’s. It’s my life, mine alone. 

“Me destined to be the chief, that is laughable.” mumbling to myself, while walking out of the building and not checking out. I didn’t care.

Walking to the café to meet Remy, I call the garage to pick up my car to get it fixed. Remy, my best friend since we were kids, and now maybe, just maybe, something more. I’m happy he asked me out on a date, even if it’s for coffee during the day.

With sweaty and trembling hands, I open the café door. I was nervous to see Remy. Get a grip Kalama, I told myself, it's just coffee with him before I have to go to work. It’s not an actual date. Or is it?

There he is, sitting at a table in the back. He sees me and his face lights up, as he waves at me. He has the biggest smile on his face and my heart melts. Standing up to get my chair, I kiss him on the cheek as I always do. It felt strange, but good. 

Putting my hair behind my ear, I greet him. “Hi, have you been waiting long?” I ask, seeing the cup of coffee on the table. “No, not so long. But I needed something to calm my nerves a bit.” He tumbled over his words and ran his fingers through his hair. 

After placing our order with the waitress, I tell him about my awful meeting I just had with mom. “The nerve she had to call. She didn’t even discuss it with me first.” I was clenching my hands again and I knew my eyes were bulging in my head. 

Remy took my hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t let her waltz all over you, Kalama. If you don’t want to be chief, she needs to accept that.” I shook my head and squeezed his hands back. “She will not stop until I give in and say yes to be the next chief. Let’s change the subject, please.” My voice cracked and I felt like crying.

I look down at our hands, fingers intertwined. I felt butterflies in my stomach. “I have to get to work, if they still want me, after this morning.” I let out a sigh. He looks at me with those piercing blue eyes of his. “Don’t worry, I don’t think they will let you go that easily.” Leaning over the table, he kissed me right on the corner of my mouth. 

Pulling  away, I looked up at him through my eyelashes. He was looking back at me and I could see the unspoken question in his eyes. 

I knew if I just moved my head just a little, he would have kissed me right on the lips. Didn’t know how I felt about that yet. Yes, I have like a million butterflies in my stomach, but could I risk losing my best friend for a chance at romance?

On my way to the gallery, I thought about the almost kiss with Remy, and I got a warm feeling in my heart. But my happy feeling was overshadowed by what mom did. 

I wanted to scream. She infuriates me with the things she does. I can not believe her. She thought I would be the chief in training by pushing me to do it. 

As I was getting into the gallery, my boss Joyce stuck her head out of her office and called me into her room. Didn't even have time to change my shoes and put on my blazer. “Kalama, please sit.” She gestured for me to take a seat. “I think you already know why I have called you in my office?” She continues in her professional voice, while looking at me with pity in her eyes.

Before she can say another word, I raise my hand to stop her, so I can say my piece. “My mom had no right to call you and give you my two weeks' notice. It’s not what I want. I love this job. And if you don’t mind, I would like to keep it.” This time my voice came out strong and determined.

After a few seconds, Joyce cleared her throat, gathered herself and threw some papers in the trash. “We don’t need these papers then, go get changed. There is an exhibition that we need to get ready for.”