Chapter 4
Who Are You
Wednesday. Hump Day. Elizabeth was so tired from last night she barely remembered the drive in to work. She made it only fifteen minutes late. Her usual. Coffee in hand and dressed in a smart but comfortable pantsuit she headed for her office after checking in with the receptionist to see if she had any faxes and glance over the staff roster to see who was here and who wasn't.
She nearly crashed right into Charlene as she was headed out of the bathroom.
"Hey kiddoe, how did it go last night?" the older woman said.
"Oh, it went fine. The crowd really liked us and the owner invited us back, booking us Valentine weekend. We had already cancelled a gig for that weekend because the bar we were going to play at mysteriously burned down last week. But this new gig will end up paying us double our usual $2,000 a night fee because she didn't shut up long enough for us to tell her that weekend was already free. Terry sure is a good agent." Elizabeth said smiling at the thought of her guitarist and favorite in-law's animated explanation of how this Carly lady wanted them so bad the weekend of Valentines Day, she never let him get a word in edgewise. By the time he had a chance to speak she had offered up the increased payout to convince him to cancel any other plans the band had.
"Wow, if things keep going so good for the band, you won't need to work here", Charlene commented while walking with Elizabeth toward their offices.
"Nah, you can't get rid of me that easily you old broad. Who would keep me in line and listen to my daily antics of the impossible life I lead. Besides, I love it here." Elizabeth answered while plopping her purse down on the floor behind her desk and grabbing a hold of the mouse.
"Don't forget to yell when you finish with payroll." Charlene called back as she headed out of Elizabeth's office and into her own.
The morning went on fairly smooth with the exception of the heated discussion in Leslie's office with Ethan while on conference call with Roland about the returning salesman that they thought they could refuse to return to work after his tour of active duty in Iraq was over. Elizabeth tried to remain calm but ERRISA is a law that the "good old boys" club could not sidestep. As expected, their antics had now set the company back a good $50,000.00 in fines and the looming onslaught of litigation and lawyer's fees were eminent. When Roland tried to pin the blame on Elizabeth she snapped. They had ignored her advice. They kept her out of the loop from start to finish because they didn't like what she had to say. Well, they were going to hear it now.
'I told you so's are such sweet revenge for the psyche when the MEN are put in their place by a GIRL.' Elizabeth thought from her desk as the smile spread across her face remembering the roar she spewed clearly and concisely placing the fault with detailed description back to where it belonged. In the end, Ethan, with head in hands, apologized to her and abruptly ended the conference call with the now feeble voiced vice president. Leslie shot her a wink and a slight smile as she stated matter-of-fact that from now on, the company needed to listen to their experts and Elizabeth was the expert when it came to all matters related to HR.
"What's that smile for?" Jane said as she sashayed into Elizabeth's office and stood in front of her desk.
"Oh, just the joys of my job," Elizabeth announced as she sat back in her chair.
"Yeah, I already heard from Leslie. You go girl! What'cha doin' for lunch?" Jane continued.
"Oh I don't know but I am STARVING. Beer has a funny way of making a pig of me the next day." Elizabeth announced while rubbing her growling stomach.
"Well Jimmy and Suzanne said something about Luigi's and Dawson and Hector are in. Leslie may come but she may have to be in a meeting with Ethan and the bankers so she's not sure." Jane offered.
"Luigi's sounds like heaven. I'm in." Elizabeth said. "11:45?"
"Yep, Dawson or Hector can drive and Jimmy will meet us there." Jane said as she headed back to her office.
Luigi's has been a famous lunch spot for decades. It was old and nothing special to look at but the Italian food was to die for. Anyone and everyone in Fort Jackson loved Luigi's.
Bernie had suggested it for lunch so that he and Jason could get away and go over the financial reports for the coffee business Jason co-owned with Sonny. Corinthos-Morgan Coffee Imports had become a huge conglomerate and Jason liked to stay involved with the accounting of the business. Working with numbers was a nice change of pace and helped him keep a balance against the other aspects, mob aspects, of his job.
They sat in a corner booth both eating veal parmesan with ziti and going over the papers spread out over the table. They were both unaware of their surroundings as they discussed the increased orders from Starbucks and Publix of their newest coffee beans.
Elizabeth and crew had come in and taken their usual large table in the center of the room. This group was an animated crowd of key managers. They all gossiped, joked and laughed about the business and their different aspects. Suzanne was the Executive Assistant to the CEO. She had her hands full because the old man was crazy. Jimmy was the head of domestic sales. Dawson was the IT manager and Hector was the head of the parts and warehouse department. Each person shared what they knew and joked and laughed about how the family who owned it was sure lucky they had THEM to look out for their best interests.
Elizabeth was in mid sentence with Suzanne and Jane about the latest antics of a tug captain peeing off the wheel house balcony and onto one of the deckhands when Jimmy interrupted.
"Girls, I want you to meet Jason Morgan and his accountant Bernie Stein. He's the one that just bought the crane we are shipping down to Venezuela next week. Jason, this is Suzanne Smith, Max's secretary, Jane Albert, our Credit Manager. Bernie, I believe you have spoken with her already. Adam Dawson, our IT manager, Hector Lopez our Parts Manager and Elizabeth Webber our Human Resources Manager."
Elizabeth slowly turned to see the person Jimmy was introducing to the disinterested bunch. Her eyes met Jason's, blue on blue. An awareness and recognition was apparent on both of their faces and didn't go unnoticed by Jane and Suzanne as Jason leaned in to shake hands with Dawson and Hector.
"He..Hello. Nice to meet you all." Jason stuttered and he peeled his eyes away from Elizabeth and looked over the group.
Jane being Jane spoke up quickly, "You are the best looking man I have seen in all my 53 years. Do you have a daddy I can take home?"
"Umm, yes ma'am but he died last year. Sorry to disappoint you." Jason said as he smiled at the older woman.
"Well, how do you know Elizabeth?" she continued. Jimmy, Dawson and Hectors necks nearly snapped at the question she asked. They looked at her as did Jason, Elizabeth and the rest of the gathering.
"He was at the bar last night." Elizabeth answered trying to be nonchalant while she felt herself shaking from the inside out at the steady gaze Jason held on her. His eyes were sending heat waves over her body. Everywhere he looked she felt scorched, in a sensual way.
"Not while Leslie and I were there, I would have remembered you." Jane stated staring straight at Jason while Jason cast his eyes over Elizabeth's face.
"Well, last night you got to see Liz, the raunchy exhibitionist. All we guys get to see is Elizabeth, the HR witch." Hector bellowed with a heavy hispanic accent and a loud chuckle to let those who didn't already know that neither description truly captured a tenth of Elizabeth's persona.
"Stick it Hector, remember I sign your check" Elizabeth retorted.
"Yeah, I uh…Yeah you do look different in the light of day" Jason stammered trying to pull the stunning blue eyed beauty's attention back to him.
"You probably figured she was some stripper with a great pair of… lungs. You didn't know there were actual brains rattling around in that head she flings around on stage" Jimmy countered trying to let his customer get his bearings and shake the noticeable cloud hanging over the table while his HR manager and his customer seemingly melted the world around them away and focused only in the awareness of each other.
"Well…um, huh?" Jason clamored while trying to draw his eyes away from the mentioned pair of lungs and up to meet Jimmy's fatherly stare.
"Oh never mind. Many a man has said less with that same look. Are you coming by today around three with your crane operator to test the machine before we break it down and load it onto our barges?" Jimmy questioned changing the subject. He loved Elizabeth like a niece but was also keenly aware of how sexy she was.
"Oh, yes...I mean no…I mean I am coming by to operate the crane myself. I love that kind of stuff. I'll be there with my partner Sonny." Jason stated.
Bernie interjected and announced to Jane, "Jason will have the final counter check with him when he comes. By the way, I am not his father but you can sure take me home."
Jason shot a glare at his accountant and looked over to Jane, "Please excuse Bernie, we don't let him out of the office much."
"Shit honey, I like bold. You should deliver the check yourself Bernie and we can talk about…..real estate." Jane retorted drawing a good laugh from the entire table of co-workers. Jane was bold and loud and crazy. Fun Fun Fun in and out of the office.
The cell phone ringing in his pocket drew Jason's attention away from the group of characters. "Excuse me" he said and turned and walked out the door to answer his phone. "Morgan" was all she heard and he was gone.
As the group got back to eating their lunch all eyes were on Elizabeth.
"What?" she queried with the doe eyed innocence she loved to play on her face.
Every twenty minutes after lunch Jane announced in minutes how long it would be until Bernie and Jason would arrive. Finally by 2:50 Jane and Elizabeth were worked up and pacing Elizabeth's office looking out the window every time a car pulled in to the parking lot. Both women had decided that bold was their strong suit and they were going out there with Jimmy to watch Jason operate the crane. Regardless, Jane would get a chance to talk with Bernie the handsome older accountant and Elizabeth could work as the sidekick to keep this Sonny person away from Jane and Bernie long enough for Jane to get a date.
Just then Elizabeth's phone rang. She picked up the phone when she noticed the caller ID displayed that it was her service manager. 'Shit' she thought. Anything he has to say is NEVER good. She picked up the phone with her always strong but courteous salutation
"Good afternoon, this is Elizabeth Webber" she announced.
She listened and the more he talked the more the smile that had been plastered since lunch turned into a frown. When Jane looked away from the window and over at her co-worker she noticed a definite v in her forehead, her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes turned dark with rage.
"I'll be right there." She spit as she slammed down her phone.
"What's up?" Jane asked.
"Dumbass painters are out back smoking pot. By the end of today, you and I will be painting cranes and barges because I am shit-canning the whole lot of them." Elizabeth growled as she grabbed her keys.
Scurrying out the door ahead of Elizabeth, Jane turned just outside in the corridor and said, "Aww, you are going to miss the show."
"At this point, I think it is you that's going to miss the show. Although you will be in the same block so I am sure you'll hear it." Elizabeth stated with confidence. Although she hated this part of her job the most, when an employee deserved to be fired Elizabeth could leave them quaking in their steel toed boots.