Growing Pains.

"You were late today," Mr Romano says sternly after I enter his office and close the door behind me. Our morning briefing was delayed because of the director meeting he had earlier. 

"I didn't know you needed me here early today," I respond calmly. I don't necessarily have a specific time I need to be at work. I just need to make sure that deadlines are met. It's in my contract. And so I look at him with a dare to say something about my lateness but he seems to think otherwise and just shrugs instead.

"Did you handle the Parker account?" he asks now getting on my nerves. He's clearly mad about something and now he's looking for more reasons to be mad. If issues aren't brought down during briefings, it should be assumed that the closing was successful and he knows that. 

"We closed the Parker account a whole week before deadline sir," I say matter-of-factly. No one ever questions my work! 

"Is this about earlier? I didn't know he was going to show up today. I'm really sorry about that," I say a short silence later. He's clearly in his feelings about something.

"You are allowed to have your personal life Ms Oliphant, but not at work," he says confusing me. 

First, he's never called me by my last name before and second, this is coming from the guy who invented business with pleasure. There's a very short list of people he hasn't slept with in the office, and it's just men on it. How dare he say that to me? So patriarchal. I want to give him a piece of my mind. 

But,

"I'm really sorry sir, it will not happen again," I instead choose to say. I still need my job. 

"I really hope that to be true Ms. Oliphant. That'll be all thanks," he says dismissing me. When did he get so formal?

I then walk to my desk  feeling more mad every step that I take. Everyone is constantly bringing visitors into the office, including him and I'm not allowed? I stop in my tracks and turn around after deciding I'm not going to let him bully me anymore. So what if he fires me? At least I'll have my dignity intact. 

"With all due respect Mr Romano, what you said to me wasn't fair" I say after walking into his office again. He almost says something but I cut him off, 

"I do my job, and I'm really good at it. I give my 130 percent and I'm not allowed a visitor?" I hear my voice getting louder. 

This is not even about having stupid visitors, I never have them anyways. It's about him being a dick for no known reason. I will not stand for it anymore. 

"I don't know what your issue is with me but I demand the same amount of respect that I give to you even if you don't like me," I continue to say. I don't care that he's my boss, respect goes both ways regardless.

"Are you done?" He asks moments later with no emotion whatsoever on his face. I nod and he says, 

"Please leave my office." 

I do as I'm told. 

If he can't appreciate the work that I put in, then maybe I don't belong here.  

When Mr Romano senior retired and his son took over, I thought I was finally going to get the recognition that I deserve. Jake was flirty and probably not qualified for the post but he seemed like a decent human being.

When I first met him he'd stopped the lift for me. When I spilled hot chocolate all over myself he came back to me after his meeting to apologize. I guess it was all an act. He's even worse than his father. I'm better off out of here.

I pack my stuff and leave them on the side table then I continue working. HR should be calling me soon to tell me to pack my things but I'll be damned if I leave without finishing my work.

The rest of the day goes by and I don't hear anything. He also hasn't come out of his office and that tells me it's even more serious. He must be really mad. I guess there goes my good recommendation.

It's soon knock off time and people make their way out of the office. I sit on my desk not sure if I'm coming back to work tomorrow or if it's my last day. His office door is still closed and I decide to give him a bit more time. He should be leaving soon as he never works late.

Two hours later I decide to go to him and ask what's going on. I need to know my faith. 

I knock on his door a few times but there's no answer so I just let myself in. He seems to be really concentrated on whatever he's doing on his laptop and I just slowly walk towards his desk hoping I don't disturb him, but also hoping he hears me so I don't have to make random noises.

"Hi Mr Romano," I call after just standing awkwardly for a while. He must've heard me come in, I wasn't loud but I also wasn't very quiet.

"Yes?" He responds simply and I lose my voice for a bit before recovering it again. I didn't really think this through. What do I say?

"I don't have the whole night Mia," he says now seemingly back to calling me by my first name.

"Uh, I just wanted to know when my last day is," I finally say. What do I have to lose anyways?

"Why? Are you leaving us Mia?" He asks now closing his laptop and making his way to me. He stands a few meters away from me and I try to ignore the wave of intimidation he emits.

Why is he acting like this morning didn't happen? 

"I figured it would be the next logical step. Clearly we're not on the same page about things and maybe you should find someone satisfying to you," I say finally deciding to resign. This has been way overdue.

"But I want you," he says now getting closer, until there's not much space between us. Why did that sound like he was talking about more than just work? It takes a lot out of me but I decide to remain strong. I can't let him do this to me. I take one step backwards but he just takes two steps forward. I can feel his breath on my skin.

"What can I do to make you stay?" He asks sincerely and I'm left wondering if he's got bipolar. I can never seem to keep track of his moods.

"I need you to respect me, and appreciate the hard work that I do," I say and he picks up my chin with his two fingers to stare into my browns. 

"Done," he says simply and I look back into his light blue's in disbelief.

Done?

"What does that mean?" I ask barely audible. He's too close. 

"It means you'll get what you want," he answers after a while then turns around to have a seat at the edge of his desk and I sigh a breath of relieve. I need to get myself together.

"Is that all Mia?" he asks with a smirk, clearly seeing the effect he has on me. 

"Well before your dad left, I was meant to get a 15 percent raise," I decide to say to him, might as well since he's in a good mood. It was true though, Mr Romano senior had promised me a raise before leaving. 

"You're lucky I'm feeling very generous. I'll speak to HR tomorrow and we'll have that sorted out," he says and I do a little mental dance. Holy shit.

"Is that all?" He asks again and I nod cheerfully. Then without thinking, I practically jump on top of him to give him a hug and he catches me. We stand like that for a while, just staring into each other's eyes.

It takes me a while before I realize what's happening, but I immediately detach myself from him and speed walk my way out of his office. 

I'll just pretend like that didn't happen.