I'm sorry. I still need to finish Hope Springs, as well as Coffee, as well as Air, and it seems like I'm turning into a collecting-unfinished-stories-author. That is definitely not my intention. However, University is draining me, I haven't written a word in over 2 months, and this is the first thing that remotely wanted to appear on paper. My sincere apologies for starting another story, but I hope that this way the burden to write will somewhat lessen and I can continue with the other stories.
None of it is mine, as usual, except for the mistakes, but we knew that already.
Thanks to all the DWP-writers out here, I love reading your stories :).
Okay, it might not be the same as blackmail, not the same as you know… kicking the queen from her throne at fashion week or lowering of the budget for the umpteenth time, but it was enough to make his little eyes twinkle in a particular creepy way. The kind of twinkle that was accompanied by a bit of sweating out of nervousness and excitement. He would make fun of her, or rather, she would make fun of herself in front of her 'adoring' employees. And he would watch and enjoy. It would be his best Christmas present in years.
Giddy with anticipation he looked at his watch. Almost eleven, time to go.
Andrea sighed as unnoticeable as possible. Board meetings were the most boring thing on earth. She had never much feeling with the delicate matter of how to spend money, perhaps because she never really had any money to spend in the first place. And to talk about profit and efficiency was absolutely not on her try-before-you-die list. Not that she would have to anymore, since Paris Miranda had taken Andrea with her to a diverse range of meetings. Business dinners, board meetings, even charity parties where Miranda had to do some meaningless speech about this or that. It was most random and strange, but Andrea wouldn't dare to raise her eyebrows as a question, glad to still have her job. With the little stunt she pulled she could have easily been blackmailed from working-life forever. So she smiled and doodled on her page with notes every time Miranda took her with her.
Turning her attention back to McElroy, a somewhat puffy man with bad taste for spicy smelling cigars she noticed the slightly clenched jaw of Miranda. Apparently even Andrea's soft sighing was noticed by the woman. It wouldn't surprise her. Or it was the board meeting itself that had her on edge. Board meetings always made Miranda annoyed. No wonder, everyone of them went the same. Some talking about money, some talking about how to make more money, some talking about the urgent need to make more money, and anywhere in between a slight but unintelligent attack to the budget of Runway from Irv, paraded easily with a witty but villainous remark from Miranda. A boring routine already to Andrea, who hadn't been at that many. Miranda would probably be sick of them. Such a waste of precious time. And if there was one thing the silver haired Editor couldn't stand it was just that.
Today it was even worse. It seemed like there would never be an end to it, talking over the made up balances and the budgeting for next year. Which would be a bit less then this year, crises and stuff… Why again were these meetings planned on Friday afternoon?
Andrea zoomed out a bit, automatically making notes, but not really thinking about what she wrote, just listening to the various frequencies of the different voices. Miranda's voice was an elegant soft tone, melodious but velvety. A voice that clawed into your skin or elegantly stroked it. A voice Andy would never get tired of.
After an hour or so the meeting seemed to be finished. Runway had done well, the best, as usual. And the shuffling of chairs and little coughs announced the departure of the grey-suited men. But then Irv grasped his throat and demanded everyone's attention. Miranda's was given with the pursing of lips.
'Before we finish gentlemen, and I am aware that we all would like that after this thoroughly informative meeting, I am afraid I have a small announcement to make.' Irv straightened his back, perhaps hoping that he would be able to level eyes with Miranda, but he would need a to do a bit of growing before that happened.
'As you know there is always a final activity around Christmas for the different departments of Elias- Clarcke. And as for this year it has been decided that there should be something more … interactive compared to the usual gala. We all know Elias-Clarcke stands for cooperation and engagement. So that requires an event that takes everybody out of their… natural habitat, so to speak.' He glanced spindly around. 'To improve and support this engagement there is an activity organised for each department. This will give the opportunity to mix and interact with colleagues one normally would not.' A short look at Miranda's face by Andy made the younger woman shiver. Irv was on his way to sign his death sentence. But the little man seemed only to be pleased by Miranda's revolting. It sounded almost as if he was continuing with a little more enthusiasm and menace in his voice. 'Auto Universe will go bowling, …' He started to name list the departments on alphabetical order. All kinds of activities were mentioned; going to a museum, pub-crawling, cook-workshops, city sight-seeing, Andrea anxiously waited for Runway to be named. She suspected, no knew, that Irv had probably made up some disaster activity like survivaling. They would have to run through mud. In the cold. And Miranda would probably literally shoot Irving before she would participate. Andrea hoped for the little mans fate that he was not that stupid.
'And last but not least… Runway will go Ice-skating.' Irving beamed.
Oh god. No. Please no.
Andrea looked at Miranda, who seemed changed into an indifferent attitude. Like Irv hadn't just listed the most unfashionable activity that didn't even require shoes. Andy was convinced that there was no way that Miranda would be ice skating. Not in a hundred years. Yet it was almost as if the older woman's eyes were… glimmering. Andrea knew that look. It meant: be aware, the queen is in full force. It was the look Miranda had before her most elegant insults. It was a disruptive look.
As soon as it was there, it was gone and without any recognition of Irving or his words Miranda stood up and strode behind him. Irv's face dropped a bit, now that Miranda was not paying any attention to him and he seemed a little les triumphant than a few minutes ago. This made Andrea a bit happier. At least Miranda didn't give him the pleasure of winning before the game had started. She easily raised from her chair and followed her gorgeous boss.
While walking back to the office Miranda rattled a list with tasks. Skirts needed to be received, the twins had a Christmas dinner at school, she wanted lunch from the place with the pomegranates and Andrea needed to inform everybody at Runway that there were going Ice-skating, no one was allowed to skip. That was all.
Andrea followed with a daze look. They would comply to Irvs sadistic plans? Right. Pretend nothings out of common Andy. One would think she would be used to the silver haired woman's whims by now. One was definitely wrong on that.