Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."
― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land

Her name is Michonne. She was someone I would have never hired if I had a choice. I didn't have a choice. One she's African American with dreads. A peculiar hairstyle for office but the way she wore them, I got over it. She kept them tidy. Two she's an African American woman, and that meant attitude, backtalk, Z formation with a snap, snap, snap. I had my beliefs in certain stereotypes, and from my limited interaction I didn't have much to go on other than portrayal on the news or television shows, I wasn't sure how much would be true, I just wanted to avoid any potential conflict at any cost. I couldn't without cause. The way she sized me up and gave me what I wanted and needed so quickly, I Rick Grimes CEO of GO Stop Insurance was at a lost for words. I went back into my office every time and sat down.

I quickly found Michonne's personality interesting. Michonne is nerdy, wears glasses on occasion, slightly clumsy, a big movie buff and quiet when she is pissed off. She works harder when she is upset with me. That is how I know she is pissed. I don't have my usual Starbucks coffee waiting for me on my desk, but I have every document and correspondence replied to without any errors. Not one typo. PowerPoint presentation emailed days in advance. Things prepared that I didn't know I even needed-Done! My schedule for weeks in advance laid out in an intricate format and updated to my outlook calendar. She is pissed. If I ask her, she will not admit to it. I once told her I should keep her pissed more often and that remark I made didn't go over to well at the time. She almost quit.

"Michonne, what are you doing?"

"I am going to go work for the Governor. Maybe there I can get more respect."

"What the heck, Michonne? What happened now? Can we talk about it?" I was in a panic. We were alone outside my office.

"I got my brown box. I am packing my stuff and headed a county over." Michonne announced. She did not slow down piling stuff inside neatly and orderly inside of a box that look like she could take more than she originally had stored at her desk.

"What about...Who is going to do the project..."

"Find someone you can keep pissed off to work at the high level that I have been while Carol can just go around and fricking decorate for whatever season, holiday or-"

"You are driving me Crazy Michonne. What you are asking me to do is inappropriate."

"I want to keep my old job title. No one needs to know the details."

"If word gets out that I am paying you more than Carol who is the Executive Assistant and she is under the impression that you are still her Personal Assistant when technically you are my Executive Assistant but want to remain with the title Personal Assistant-"

"I am your Personal Assistant." Michonne insisted.

"The way you say Personal-" I shook my head.

"How am I saying it?" Michonne wore that innocent look. She stopped packing her box.

"I have no idea. You keep me confused when you do it. You're staring at me like that too doesn't help."

"You're staring at me, Mr. Grimes." Michonne insisted.

"You give me the impression that you want more from me."

"You give me the impression that you are unsure if you want more to come from ME."

"This is what I don't get-I give you an honest response." Michonne knew exactly how to keep me exasperated.

"I gave you an honest reply."

"A reply that made absolutely no sense." I countered.

"You give me the impression that you are unsure if you want more to come from ME." Michonne repeated, enunciating every word.

"Why would I want more from you? More would mean I would have to pay way more and announce to everyone in the company that you are now running things. Baby steps Michonne, Baby steps." I was ready to walk away before we created a scene.

"I am not asking to run things, Mr. Grimes. I will run things as a team. You and I, if you are offering?" I had a sense then that Michonne was referring to something else and it wasn't business related but I was going to keep deflecting.

"I am not offering. This business arrangement is probably the craziest thing I even put my John Hancock on because I would like to keep you here. Permanent. I can't make you stay, Michonne and I am sorry about my comment of keeping you pissed to get 0 error work. If it wasn't for an error or two then I would have to actually have you run things."

"I have errors to keep you on your toes. I have errors to make sure you are paying attention. My work is generally 100% error free. Piss just guarantees it. As far as your John Hancock, I have a joke but you would find it confusing and Highly inappropriate." Michonne smiled.

It was when she smiled that I became the most confused when gazing upon her face because it caused me find it very hard to look away. I wanted to travel with my eyes and ears and follow every visible, discernible emotion that flitted across her lips and danced in her eyes. I wanted to know the Highly Inappropriate John Hancock joke but Carol made her appearance and only then could I find the strength to look a way.

Human Resources had sent her my way three years ago as a temp. I needed a Personal Assistant for my Executive Assistant. It took no time for her to out-perform the woman I had for fifteen years, Carol Pettier. Michonne corrects anyone and everyone that happened to be confused who's the EA and who's the PA.
Michonne is not my Personal Assistant not in the way that she implies that she is.

I have given up with the warnings, verbal, or even the threats of written documentation to go into her file based on her doing more than what is in her job scope. She had inadvertently created a hostile work environment with being efficient, energetic, a proactive team player, with her extremely high level of computer experience, excellent operational and managerial skills. Carol and I found ourselves unable to part with her.

Michonne stays into the late hours when all has gone home including me. She maintains the office when I am away and keeps things running smoothly including my personal life. I didn't realize how lost I would be without Michonne until a series of events that had nothing to do with work but how she is an integral part of my life.

"You're pissed off."

"I am not, Mr. Grimes."

"You are."

"I am not, Mr. Grimes."

"You were the designated driver last year." I countered.

I couldn't believe I gave in. I caved. I realized I have been doing it a lot lately. Usually, I would wait for Michonne to get over whatever issue she felt she had, but I didn't like Michonne feeling any negative way. It bothered me to the point that I began to reach out first to resolve our issues.

I stood looking over her shoulder, something I knew she hated with a passion, but Michonne pretended to be unbothered. She was playing Candy Crush, and during this time she needed a high degree of concentration because she was at level 282. I was still at level 60. I swore I was going to catch her. I also secretly like smelling her. She smelled exceptionally good at all times. Whatever the hell she wore wasn't to heavy or overpowering, it was her scent and I found myself missing it and wanting to inhale it more than was appropriate.

I was standing outside my office at Michonne's desk that was across from Carol's. Carol was gone for the day preparing for the office Christmas Party on the second floor of our Award Winning Building here at Go Stop Insurance.

"Okay."

"You don't want to be the designated driver this year?" I asked.

"You already volunteered my name."

"I can remove your name." I offered.

"You could," Michonne stated simply.

"You were the designated driver last year." I reminded her as if she had a faulty memory.

"Okay."

"You're pissed?"

"You have a meeting. If your feet don't get to moving to the elevator to conference room 42 on the third floor, you are going to be late Mr. Grimes." Michonne failed to advance to level 283.

She was pissed.

"Lori is bringing Carl, and Judith to the office, today." I tried to make conversation.

"Who told you this?" Michonne asked.

"You did."

"Why are you telling me something I told you?"

"I am only going to have my kids for a few hours while Lori and her new husband are in the area for the closing of their home. Lori promised to get the kids right after, and if not, she owes me big time. I will keep the meeting short as possible downstairs. I know you want to watch a movie tonight at my place. 'Water like Chocolate'. I found your reading glasses, so I am not going to be the designated reader of the subtitles. I will have the movie ready, and I'll replenish the Popcorn too."

"I know you will do what you can and within your means to do, Mr. Grimes. In the meantime remember this-your kids like me better anyway."

"Is that so?" I had a feeling she wasn't very pissed off. The idea of being around my kids seem to soften Michonne and sticking to a routine that we stumbled into by having Movie Night once a week kept us both in a position to wind down. If I had my kids during our Movie Night, we would need to find a substitute film. I was just about to ask Michonne her thoughts on which one when she turned around abruptly to inform me I had somewhere to be.

"You have a meeting. Go."