“No problem, I know what that’s code for. Clairabella, we need to go, honey. Your aunties will be at our place soon, and we have lots of food to devour,” I call out. I hear feet stomping down the hallway, her backpack making a swooshing noise.
“I’m ready for all the food! Bye, Gran! Bye, Pop! Love you and see you soon!” She hugs them both, and then we head for home. My girl has a smile plastered on her face the entire way.
4
Jamie
I heard Callie leave, and part of me wanted to talk to her the minute she marched her cute ass out of my office. Damn if my mother didn’t put that thought in my mind. Her curves were on display today when she leaned over my desk, showing me a hint of cleavage in her white flowery blouse, and she enunciated every issue she needed to address with me. I can’t even deny that it got me hot under the collar. I pinch the bridge of my nose and do something I’ve never in all my life done before. “Jesus Christ, Jamie, you should be ashamed of yourself,” I tell myself before pulling up Callie’s personnel file.
It doesn’t take me long to see all of her information open and waiting for me. She’s twenty-five, a college graduate, and has been with the company for almost six years. Never once has she been late to work, been written up, or used even a fraction of her vacation time. There isn’t much to go off besides her date of birth, address, and phone number. I make a note of everything I’ll need for later tonight.
So, what do I do? I delve even deeper and look her up on social media. A few words typed out, a click of a button, then there she is with what I’m assuming is her daughter by the way she looks. Both of them have straight red hair, and with their eyes so much alike, it’s as if they’re sisters instead of mother and daughter. They even have the same matching, bright red lipstick and cute duckface lips on display. Hell, the two of them together are stunning; there are no other words for their beauty. I’m not sure where her daughter’s father is, but if he left on his own, he’s a damn fool, much like the way I’ve been acting. Callie’s little girl is hanging on to her, and I can see the love they have for one another. It’s an unbreakable bond, one I know as well from how my single mother raised me. The two of them are matching from head to toe.
“No wonder she was done working for my tyrant ass. I don’t know what I could do to get her back here and working for me. I wouldn’t even blame her if I got on my knees and begged, and she still told me no,” I mumble out to my empty office. After seeing everything I need to see, I close my computer down, straighten up my office, unroll my dark grey long-sleeved dress shirt and close the buttons at the cuff, then pull my suit jacket on to somehow make myself more presentable, and walk out my office door. Thank goodness this building isn’t like a lot of other places where you have to lock every single door. I didn’t want that at my firm, which is why I implemented as much as we could to put files on online servers. It hasn’t failed us yet.
When I stop at Callie’s desk, it has me stuttering in my steps. Everything is gone, and it pisses me off that I didn’t see just what a diamond she was and how much I took advantage of her. Rapping my knuckles on her desk a couple of times, I come up with a plan, memorizing her address like the stalker I’ve all of a sudden become. It’s time to put my plan into action.
I could wait and stop by her house tomorrow, but what if she already has a job? Or maybe Callie and her daughter have made plans to spend time together tomorrow? I can envision her as a mother so clearly now, where before, I just thought of her as my assistant.
The whispering that seems to be going on as I walk down the hallway, and even when I get on the elevator, is ominous. Fuck. Maybe I need to re-evaluate a lot in my life.
In a matter of minutes, I’m in the parking garage. It was so awkward in my own building; I’m wondering if I’ll come out to my brand-new white Audi i8 being keyed or smashed like a damn country music song. I’m not one to spend money on material things, but I’ve had this car in my sights for well over a year. When I learned I was able to order a custom Audi, I knew it was meant to be. When I come into view of my car, I let out a relieved breath of air. If this has taught me anything, it’s to be freaking humble. And, I guess, now it’s time for me to eat some humble pie in the form of apologizing to Callie Taylor. Something tells me she’s going to make me work for her forgiveness.