Chapter 2
by: Obsolete Love
"I am sorry, Ms. Star but you can not see Mr. Winner." Shanah gripped her hands together for two reasons: patience, being that she had said that sentence for the fifth time to the voluptuous woman in front of her; and because she might just slap Ms. Star's face to the ends of the universe.
Ms. Star pouted her lower lip and gave a 'look-at-me-aren't-I-cute' pleading look with the 'give-me-what-I-want' air.
If she weren't so irritated, she'd have laughed! God! Had she looked like that when… She stopped herself, not letting her mind dawdle in the past… Laughable!
Ms. Star saw the plain woman's 'no' through those thick glasses and knew that she wouldn't waver… 'Just like Laddi… I wonder where Laddi got this twerp.' The sarcastic thought just left her mind when she gave an overall look at the 'Ms. Winter'.
Quatre's new secretary looked like someone from an oldies era… Old Earth… no looks, no taste for clothes… Well… at least she could be sure that there's no competition coming from this certain wench.
"Ms. Winter, I don't think you understand. Quatre will dearly love to see me. We have an… understanding."
At that moment, Shanah's patience broke. She'd heard the exact phrase from all the other women that had been in her office. She didn't even hear the outer door open, or notice the three figures that came inside in her anger… all she knew was that this woman in front of her was the fiftieth supermodel who had passed by this morning since her day had started and she had had enough!
Shanah stood up, braced her frame on her desk and met the woman's heavily painted eyes with her own blazing ones.
"Ms. Star, if Mr. Winner had even wanted to see you, he would have given me a message from the very start. Also, the fact that he did not even mention your name, and that his schedule is booked for the day, I suggest you turn tail and get out of this office before I call the security for pestering and distracting me from my pile of work."
Ms. Star's eyes blazed with fury and Shanah saw the real person behind her 'oh-I'm-so-sweet' demeanor.
"If you think that I'm going to be booted out of that door because of your-"
Shanah pressed the intercom. "Security." She gave a significant look at Ms. Star.
"Yes, Ms. Winter?" A man's voice answered.
Ms. Star's eyes slanted in hate, memorizing Shanah's features. She leaned down and swiped Shanah's hand away from the intercom.
"Don't think that I don't know your games, Ms. Winter. I know that you just want him for yourself, but get this into your head, you are going to have one hell of a fight."
Shanah leaned to Ms. Star's face, putting her own angry face nose to nose with her. "You know, I hope I will never stoop so low to fighting with you. That would be most immature."
With an angry growl, Ms. Star turned around and stomped out of the office.
Shanah, on the other hand, waited until the door slammed shut before she fell onto Laddi's old chair. She closed her eyes, trying to shake off her frazzled nerves… 'I can't believe I did that…'
She only had time enough to prepare the drinks in the private conference room when the first set of people came in. There wasn't even enough time to say 'Good morning' to Quatre and offer him a drink. Judging from the light inside Quatre's personal meeting room, it was clear that he was already in there, so she just ushered the group right in…
Then, when she came out, she saw a beautiful woman waiting in her office to meet Quatre… It seemed as if the moment she was able to fend off one, another just pops right in! And it's only been an hour in her first day so far!!!
'Oh dear Lord, what have I gotten myself into! When had super models ever risen this early in the morning?!'
The sound of applause made Shanah jerk from her seat and she saw Laddi, and two people she met from the party last Friday- oh yes, her counterpart, Rashid, and Ann, Laddi's daughter in law… And at the moment, Laddi and Ann were smiling while Rashid had- is that a smile? -on his face…
"Bravo!" Ann cried out as she reached Shanah's desk, patting the new PA's shoulder.
"Good one, Shanah! I hope Ms. Star will think twice before coming back here again! You handled her quite effectively, if I do say so myself." Laddi pressed the link to Security. "Wesley, forget about the call."
"Yes ma'am."
"Oh, I forgot about that…" Shanah whispered as she cupped her chin on her palm.
"That's okay… You know I wish I met you sooner! I could have gotten some lessons from you." Laddi grinned up at Rashid. "So, whatcha think? Did I choose a good one, or did I choose a good one?"
Rashid shook his head at Laddi's usual demeanor. "There's no choice in that question." He walked to the conference room.
Shanah felt a tug of sadness. Her counterpart still didn't trust her…
Rashid stopped just as he was about to open the door and then smiled to himself. "But I must admit… I agree with Laddi… quite an effective way of dealing with them…" Then he went inside the office.
Ann and Laddi all turned to Shanah with wide smiles.
"Well… I dare say that you got Rashid on your side." Ann announced gaily, liking Shanah even more. According to her kids, she was nice, and when she met her during the party, she had liked her… but now… Whoooee! Had she got a story to tell Jessamyne and Iria!
Shanah blinked. "I… I did?"
Laddi nodded. "Yep. From now on, Rashid is one of your loyal friends."
"He is?"
Ann laughed. "Shanah, breathe… you did and he is, end of questions, k?"
Shanah laughed. She never thought, when she applied for this job, that she'd meet such wonderful people!
Something tugged at the back of Ann's mind while Laddi talked to Shanah… Something that Ms. Star had said… Her eyes went back to observe the new PA and three years of being in the cosmetics business made her check details…
'Potential… potential…' the thought flitted around her head. "Hey Shanah, how about we give those models something to worry about?"
Shanah frowned as she stared at Ann in confusion. "Hmm? What do you mean?"
Ann grinned as she sat down at the edge of Shanah's desk. "Well, with a little blush of pink here and there… maybe some green… wardrobe…" Ann's voice faded when she saw fire embark in Shanah's eyes.
"No thank you." Shanah looked away.
"But you'd be beautiful!"
Laddi saw Shanah cringe.
"Ann, I don't have to look beautiful for this job." Shanah stood up and walked to the wall to get some cups and brew some coffee… She was pretty sure that the drinks inside the Conference Room were gone by now.
Laddi saw Ann about to say something and quickly shook her head at the girl. 'Looks like our little Shanah has very passionate feelings about beauty…'
"Well, Shanah, we just dropped by to see how you are doing. We won't bother you anymore." Laddi started to pull a confused Ann out of the room.
"Oh wait! Don't you want some coffee or doughnuts?" Shanah called out to them.
Laddi just smiled. "Go on with your work. Ann and I have something to do."
Before Shanah could say another word, the door closed.
Ann glared at Laddi. "Mom, whatcha do that for?"
"Ann, use your head." Laddi replied while she walked to the elevators.
"I am using my head."
Laddi sighed. "Shanah doesn't want to look beautiful."
"Yes, but she is. And she's kind and helpful and smart. Don't you think that she'd be perfect for Quatre?" Ann prodded on.
"I hired her to take my place, not to match her to Quatre."
Ann grinned. "Ahh, but that's the case, mom… You're not matchmaking them, I will be doing that wonderful job."
Laddi rolled her eyes. "Ann Roberts! Didn't you see how much she hated the topic of makeover when you brought it up? Didn't you see how she looked at Ms. Star? Have you ever seen anything on her face other than her light lipstick? Does she strike you as a person who'd want to parade in frills just to attract some guy?"
Once again, Ann put up her hands up in surrender. "Alright, mom. I get it… Sorry."
"Okay… now leave it alone."
Ann nodded as she stared at the declining lights inside the elevator. "I still say that she and Quatre might hit it off."
"Gah! I don't know how my son puts up with you!"
Ann grinned and looped an arm around Laddi. "What can I say? He loves me."
~*~
Rashid watched as Shanah brought in a tray of fashionable silver thermoses into the room while Quatre was staring at the stats on his computer.
A grin lighted his face as he remembered what happened just a while ago. He watched her bite her lip nervously before placing the tray at the table by a wall and then, to his surprise, she took out pieces of paper and placed them in front of the thermoses.
'Smart… Labels…'
She turned to face him with an inquiring eyebrow and Rashid pointed to the left most of the thermoses. In no time at all, she had a steaming cup of coffee in front of him, complete with an array of sugar, cream, etc. on his saucer.
He nodded his thanks to Shanah before she disappeared into her office just as Quatre looked up and noticed the new thermoses.
Rashid saw a slight frown of confusion on Quatre's face then saw understanding filter in those eyes. He knew then that Quatre's question found an answer in that quick brain of his.
"Gentlemen, how about some more coffee or tea before we continue?"
The group of four nodded their agreement before walking toward the small table.
Quatre glanced over at Rashid and saw a surprisingly entertained grin playing on his friend's lips… 'Hmmm I have to ask him what's so funny. Maybe I'll be able get my first laugh this morning too…'
An hour later, Quatre stretched his frame out of the chair. They were able to finish fifteen minutes earlier than planned- good… Quatre faced Rashid and saw that the unmistakable smirk was still plastered on his face.
"Rashid, what's so amusing?" Quatre walked into the adjoining room and Rashid followed.
"Nothing…"
Quatre glanced at his old friend while he sat in his chair, and saw a glitter in his brown eyes. "Really? It's very rare to see you like this, you know."
Rashid just shrugged.
Quatre frowned then shrugged. "Alright. If you don't want to tell me, then so be it." He leaned to the intercom as he pressed a button. "Ms. Winter, please come in here?"
"Yes sir."
Rashid suddenly coughed and Quatre gave another glance at his friend who still looked as if he was trying to stop peals of laughter. 'Interesting…'
The door opened and Quatre's gaze instantly reverted to Shanah, wearing her usual white blouse and black pants ensemble.
"Yes, Mr. Winner?"
"Uhm… Ms. Winter, has there been any… unexpected visits recently?" Quatre mentally started praying, 'Please I hope they didn't… please I hope they didn't…'
At that question, Rashid gasped, quickly ran into the conference room, and banged the door shut. Shanah and Quatre looked at the door and in a few seconds, they heard loud guffaws of laughter.
Shanah bit back a grin and willed herself to face Quatre with her usual composed demeanor while Quatre was still having a hard time trying to gauge what had just happened to his placid Rashid.
"Was there something I missed?" He had this distinctive feeling that Ms. Winter was the answer to his questions.
Shanah shook her head. "No sir. There were some unexpected calls, but since you didn't give any early notice for 'unexpected' visits, I presumed that you didn't want to be disturbed and promptly asked them to leave."
Quatre mentally breathed out a sigh of relief. If they weren't able to get past Shanah, then that could only mean that she had handled them quite well. "Thank you, and yes, you presumed correctly. Of course I hope you also presume that if the unexpected visitor is a family member, you will tell me as soon as possible?"
Shanah nodded. "Of course, sir."
With that problem settled, Quatre opened his drawer and took out a cheerfully wrapped box and a vase from under his desk. "I wasn't able to officially welcome you last Friday. These are for you." He stood up.
Shanah eyed the single, long stemmed, pink rose in half bloom, the gift, then the man walking towards her in disbelief. There was only one word she could utter- "Huh?"
Quatre grinned as he handed her the box, seeing the golden flecks in her wide emerald eyes. "I hope you'll like it." He had a feeling that she would give it back to him if he went overboard, so he took the safest course and got her an almost similar blouse that he ruined last Friday.
Shanah stared at the gift in her hands. "Uhm… Thank you…"
At that moment, Quatre saw the wintry ice that she had enclosed herself in slowly chip away. 'Wish she'd take off those glasses.'
She looked up at him and smiled hesitantly. "Uh… should I open it?"
Quatre shrugged and his grin turned into a smile that coaxed Shanah's own faltering smile into a real one. "It's up to you." Her smile illuminated her face, making it look softer… 'Nice smile… she should do it more often…'
'How sweet…' The thought flitted in her mind while she stared into his beautiful eyes… Then she suddenly remembered who was in front of her. Shanah mentally shook her head and straightened.
Quatre sighed inwardly as he felt that icy cold aura surround her once again, shielding her… from what? He did not know.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Winner. Really."
Quatre nodded. "I'll walk you back to your desk." He didn't get any response while he followed her. He saw a tender smile upon her face when he dropped the vase on her desk, which showed that warmth in her… but it was too quickly gone. He gave a parting nod and was about to enter his own office when a question stopped him.
"Mr. Winner, I wasn't able to give you your early drinks. Would you like me to make you coffee or tea?"
Quatre shook his head. "Tea in the afternoon, perhaps, but so early in the morning, I think I would rather get a sugar boost. A cup of hot cocoa would suit me better. Thank you for the offer, Ms. Winter." Then he finally went inside.
Shanah stared at the closed door for a moment and then a soft smile lighted her face while she faced the rose on her desk… 'Laddi's right… Sweet…' then like a child opening her first Christmas present, Shanah enthusiastically opened her gift.
Within the white folds of tissue papers, she found a blouse almost similar to her own, but instead of cotton, it was silk… and it hinted of femininity…
A part of her gushed at the present while another part of her screamed out for her to wear it, and still another part of her was sad, knowing that she would never wear such clothing…
With a sigh, Shanah closed the box once again, and hid her present in the lowest drawer, along with a new set of extra clothes.
'Time to make some hot cocoa. Good choice too…'
~*~
Quatre stared at the door that linked his office to Ms. Winter's… Somehow, he was… intrigued with her… Well, who wouldn't be? One moment, she was warm and sweet as honey, and then the next, she was as cold as an iceberg!
He heard the door to the conference room open and saw a contained Rashid walk inside. "Since you're probably not going to tell me what got you to laugh so hard, I'm not even going to ask." Quatre forced himself to start on the set of proposals in front of him.
Rashid just grinned and turned to his own desk, situated in the other end of the room. "By the way, Ms. Une had wanted to say that your overture for some of the Preventer's files are acceptable and that they're going to make the changes soon."
Quatre grinned. "That's good, I hope she's well."
"She looked very healthy." Rashid faced his computer and started typing. "Quatre, vid-mess for you."
"Who's it from?" He stood and walked to Rashid's computer just as his old friend opened it.
Duo's grinning face appeared on the monitor. "Hey Q-man! Just wanted to say thanks for swaying in some more customers to my side. I came 'highly recommended' by 'Mr. Winner'." Duo laughed as he motioned the quotes with his hands. "Well, anyway, thanks again, dude. I know you're busy, but get some time out. Maybe you can hang out here or something some time." With a victory sign and a wink, the message ended.
Quatre grinned as he walked back to his chair and made a mental note to call Duo later. "How's the Maganacs' poll for Duo and Hilde?"
Rashid smiled at Quatre. "Some are starting to move to the 'Will never marry' side. You sure you're not going to move there too?"
Quatre shook his head. "Nope, I've got a feeling about this one."
'Ah… when Quatre has a feeling… he's got a feeling.' Rashid nodded. "Alright, I'm going to add some more credits to my account on that poll."
"What about the other one?" Quatre asked while that wide smile of his reached ear to ear. The poll started out as a game… and now, it was still on going. It never failed to bring a smile to his face.
"7,000 credits Never and 1,000 Yes."
Quatre rubbed his newly shaved chin. "Well, those two are hard… I mean, at least Hilde and Duo see each other…"
"Still want to stick to 'Yes'?" Rashid asked as he gave Quatre a mischievous grin.
"Still sticking."
"You're going to lose you know." Rashid said cheerfully.
"Let's see… I'm not losing hope yet… If I have to, I'm going to knock those two on their heads, hypnotize them, and do whatever."
Rashid laughed hard once again, for the second time that morning… quite unusual… "Well, I'm still sticking to Never. And don't you dare do that because it's cheating."
Quatre shrugged as he gave his attention back to the papers, his mood finally lightened. "Suit yourself."
~*~
1800 Hours
2 Months Later:
A knock resounded in Quatre's room before it opened.
Quatre didn't have to ask who was at the door and his thoughts were confirmed as Shanah came inside.
"Is there anything else you would like me to do, Mr. Winner?"
Quatre shook his head as he smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Winter, but I think I've got everything I need. You may go home."
He saw her nod curtly.
"Good night, then, Mr. Winner."
"Good night to you too, Ms. Winter." Quatre checked his watch and noticed the time. A frown appeared on his face. Granted that she was supposed to be his personal assistant, but he didn't want to overwork her… Not to mention that waiting for him to tell her when she may go home was somewhat embarrassing for him… "Ms. Winter."
Shanah stopped at the door and promptly turned around. "Yes sir?"
"Office Hours end at exactly 1700 hours… er… 5:00pm. I noticed that it's already 1800 and I just wanted to tell you that you do not have to stay unless if I ask you to stay. You can leave promptly at 1700 if you wish."
Once again, he noticed that nod, as if a subordinate to an officer, before leaving his office…
Shanah leaned against his door, half wanting to go in once again and yell at his face to go home and rest when she remembered those dark circles under his eyes… He works so hard… Goes home so late… And it was not only for the profit's sake, either. Every time there was a meeting or a proposition being offered, his first question was-
'What can the people gain from it?'
Not the usual- 'What can we gain from it?' that her previous employers usually asked… That had struck her heart and that knowledge stayed with her… She'd also started to read the society page in her newspapers and sometimes she would just want to tear some of those articles that talked so badly about him!
Well… actually, she sent a dozen of hate letters to the author of one article and probably flooded another writer's email with junk mail… but still!
'Ergh… Shanah, you're becoming over protective of him… If I didn't know myself any better, I'd say I'm starting to really like him.'
Shanah closed her drawers with a jerk at that thought. 'Heck no! I'm not going to be that kind of a secretary! Besides…' She walked to the outer door, catching a dim reflection of herself in the mirrors. 'What can a guy like him see in someone like me?'
Shanah gave a satisfied grin to her reflection, loving the fact that it showed a very plain looking girl then… her cheerfulness disappeared, replaced by a feeling akin to sadness…
'Ah well… Good night, Quatre…'
Shanah closed the door…
~*~
Quatre sighed as he leaned against his chair, his acute sense of hearing picked up the sounds of drawers being shut closed and finally, her echoing footsteps out the door…
She was one intriguing woman… She's able to do everything Laddi's done… save for that first official day of hers… But right after that day, he goes in his office and finds a mug of warm hot cocoa, his papers neatly stacked and orderly… and Shanah with her back straight, ready to take notes in front of his desk…
Then there's the fact that for the past two months, not a single "uninvited" guest was able to bother him!!! So far, everything hinted on such an icy personality but… Quatre remembered those few times when he saw her warmth… and those few times when his sisters, nephews and nieces passed by… The smile on her face as she held Hannah's newborn babe… that laughter of hers while playing with the kids…
It made him wonder why she isn't that way with him… Why she kept that icy wall around her when he could feel warmth trying to escape…
"Or maybe you're just going crazy… again." Quatre gave a wry smile while he stared at the papers in front of him.
What was really bothering him?
Once again, his thought went back to the contrast between Shanah's actions toward him and toward other people.
'Okay… so I'm bothered that someone near me seems to not like me…' Quatre turned the paper without really understanding the previous page. 'Okay… so I find her eyes beautiful and maybe I think that her smile is great …' He started tapping his pencil on his desk nervously.
'Aw heck with it…' He went back to the first page then dropped the paper on top of his stack of 'unread' proposals that Rashid had sent to him from L-7. He's not going to be able to give his full attention to it anyway, so might as well go home.
~*~
1200 Hours
Shanah stared at the last page of the proposal Quatre had drafted from the previous night… Confusion and suspicion rose in her as, for the third time that week, she stared at a piece of paper with inverted d's, or f's or upside down q's or g's, and other indecipherable letters in Quatre's handwriting.
Granted, he was under a lot of pressure and stress lately because of a sudden setback in a project and major trouble in a subordinate company… but are those the reasons why she's staring at this type of handwriting?
His previous drafts were all perfect in both grammar and penmanship, much like the other drafts… but this was the third time that the last page of a draft had such errors…
Could it be that…?
Shanah shook her head, not yet sure. How she wished she could ask Laddi what this was all about… or ask Quatre… but… she had a feeling that this problem might turn into an explosive one… Or maybe she was just getting paranoid?
Either way, she still kind of understood what word Quatre wanted to use… so… for now, she would just go ahead and edit it for him… He was still going to read it afterwards anyway… and he wouldn't know the difference, now would he?
Shanah sighed as she started typing up the draft.
~*~
"Rashid, really… Go home and relax, I'll just finish this up." Quatre coaxed the man in front of him.
Rashid stared from Quatre to the stack of papers in front of him. "Quatre-"
"Rashid, there are a lot of people we can help if this project pulls through. I want to finish this as quickly as possible and have it out. I know that I haven't been sleeping and that I need rest, but how about if you let me finish this last paper and then I promise you that I'll take my time with the other ones and go home early tomorrow?"
He wanted to argue… how he wanted to but… He knew that stubborn tilt and that look… Besides, he couldn't really dictate his actions that much anymore… Quatre was already a man, not the boy he used to take care of… But… he knew he still had his influence on him. Rashid gave Quatre a glare. "Tomorrow." Then he walked out of the office. He gave a quick appraisal at Shanah's clear desk and smiled softly. The girl had somehow burrowed her way into his heart…
'Heh… but I like seeing how she fends off those women.' Rashid thought happily while closing the door behind him.
Quatre dropped his weight in his chair and let out a sigh of relief… Rashid's nagging about getting rest was worse than Laddi's! And he would… just as soon as he finishes up some paper work…
He glanced at the papers on his desk… Not really his favorite part of the job, but it's a must…
Seconds ticked to minutes… Minutes to hours and once again Quatre's head started to throb painfully… He tried to concentrate as best as he could, but the letters still started swimming around the page in an incomprehensible group…
Quatre leaned back on his chair and tilted his head to face the ceiling, his eyes closed. He knew that he's been pushing himself too hard… but he needed to get some stuff done soon. His hand massaged his temples but his headache didn't stop… Never does… Once he starts having them… no point-
'But I need to finish this!' Quatre wearily shook himself once again and stared at the paper… For a moment, he almost understood the words and then it started swimming around once again… darting here and there…
'I don't need this…' Quatre grimaced. "Dammit!" the word was wrenched out of his lips… He rarely ever swore… only when his patience was stretched to its limit and when his stupid spells hit him hard on his blind side, especially when he wanted to finish some things.
'Maybe if I close my eyes and rest for a little while.' He leaned his head on his hands, elbows propped on his desk, and his eyes closed…. Only for a few seconds… only for a minute or two…
Then his head dropped on top of the papers and promptly gave up to a much-needed sleep…
~*~
"Thanks Sam." Shanah whispered to her security escort. Good thing she had her own set of keys to the building… She just forgot something… and not just for the first time too… She shivered at the freezing air inside her office and wished she had worn a sweater…
'Feels like Pluto…' Her eyes quickly spied her organizer and she grabbed it in relief. She needed to rearrange some stuff in it.
Light spilling through the small space from Quatre's office made Shanah turn and stare at the closed doors… A glance at her wristwatch told her the time and she inwardly grimaced… She had heard from the previous guards that Quatre hadn't been going home these past few days… The taut lines on his cheerful face were huge indicators of that fact…
Reaching a decision, she walked to the door, already making up an excuse if he asked her why she was there.
'I just forgot my organizer, Mr. Winner. I just came in to see who would be in your office at this hour…'
Okay… plausible enough… She opened the door and peeked in and the sight she saw made her heart melt like butter…
"Oh Quatre…" her whisper came out as soft as the summer breeze while she walked to his desk… Asleep on top of a stack of papers with his platinum gold bangs falling over his face… her handsome employer.
She gave into the temptation to stare at him… stare at him to her heart's content… and for a moment, she almost brushed back those inviting bangs… Her reasonable mind cried out for her to wake him up and warred with the one that was telling her to leave him alone and let him sleep undisturbed…
The latter won as she quietly started to walk back to the door… Her body shivered once again and she became all too aware of how cold it was…
Shanah's glance darted to Quatre's slumped form and knew that if she was feeling this cold… he's probably freezing, too… If he slept through the night in this temperature, he would probably catch a cold the next day and get sick or something…
Her gaze fell on Quatre's coat, hanging neatly on Rashid's backrest and she didn't lose any time as she walked to it, grabbed it and walked to Quatre's side.
As gently as she could, so she wouldn't wake him, she draped the coat over his shoulders and made sure that it was secure… then, involuntarily, her hand went to his hair to tenderly brush it from his face…
"Sleep peacefully with cherished dreams." Shanah whispered, remembering how her mother used to say the same phrase before she went to sleep. Then she drew back her hand, walked out of the office and closed the door as softly as possible…
She had not noticed how those clear, aquamarine eyes followed her trek…
~*~
Shanah walked into her office, studying the day's schedule, memorizing as much detail as she could. She didn't even need to look at where she's going while she read her organizer and sat on her chair. Her hand instantly went to the set of keys in her purse and took them out. For a moment, she let her gaze drift from the schedule to the keys so she could choose which key was needed but something caught her eyes…
Slowly, she let her organizer drop from in front of her face and she saw a single long stemmed pink rose on her desk, almost similar to the one she received from Quatre before… but this one didn't have a vase…
A confused frown appeared on her face while she slowly reached for the card tied around its green stem.
'Thank you for the coat.'
Shanah's jaw dropped as she reread the sentence. 'But that could only mean…'
"Good morning."
Shanah swiveled around, surprised at the cheerful greeting. Her eyes took in Quatre's tall frame, straining the confines of his perfectly tailored suit while he leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, looking fresh as the rose on her desk… Grinning just as charmingly as he always does…
Embarrassment washed over her while she remembered how unprofessional she acted last night.
Quatre's smile didn't waver as he walked to her desk and sat on its edge, liking her cute surprised-shocked look. He motioned to the flower. "I wanted to thank you for the coat. I had a very peaceful sleep, thank you."
Shanah gulped. 'Peaceful?' That could only mean… He was awake the whole time…! Anger replaced her previous embarrassment. "You were awake?!"
Quatre grinned as he saw fire in her emerald eyes. At least he's getting some emotion from her, not at all like the usual stoic person who had been his PA for the past few months… When she covered him with his coat and whispered her good tidings for only his ears to hear… He knew then that he didn't want the same stoic person who'd been working for him… He wanted the person last night… the real Shanah…
"I woke up when you placed that coat around my shoulders. It was cold in here last night." He didn't want to lie to her. He liked how he felt last night.
'O God!!! Okay Shanah… you can still save yourself…' She tried to school her features into her PA self.
He saw her quickly scooting back to her usual phlegmatic self.
"I'm sorry about the way I acted last night, Mr. Winner. I can assure you that it will never happen again."
Quatre didn't lose any time. "On the contrary, Ms. Winter, I would like it to happen again." He saw that shocked look on her face before he gave his argument.
"E-excuse me?"
"Ms. Winter, if you hadn't wrapped that coat around me, and I had slept through the whole night in that drafty room, I would have woken up with a headache and a runny nose, or worse maybe a fever with the rate I've been working. That would have been disastrous to the effect of delaying some much in need of attention projects. I only have you to thank for from preventing that disaster from happening."
Shanah could only stare at Quatre. "I… I…"
Quatre decided to push his luck while she's still in shock… He really would like to call her by her first name… and she by his… "And Ms. Winter, I pride myself in having a very comfortable working environment. At the moment, I am committing hypocrisy."
He waited for her to question him, and she did.
"Why is that, sir?"
Okay… he's reviewed his argument earlier this morning… So, here goes… "My previous assistant, Mrs. Roberts, calls me Quatre and so does Rashid. In a way, I find it somewhat disconcerting that you call me Mr. Winner."
He saw her shock disappear, replaced by anger and that intelligent glint in her eyes. "It is the way that a professional business should be run, though."
"True, I won't argue with that fact. But how about if we drop off the formalities when there is no one else around except for Rashid? Don't you feel more comfortable with first name basis, rather than last? Mrs. Roberts did it."
For a moment, Shanah hesitated. True, she'll feel more comfortable but… "Sir, that would not be fair. In due respect of your previous assistant, Laddi did call you Quatre but you called her Mrs. Roberts. Why is it that you did not call her Laddi instead?"
Quatre grinned. It couldn't have been better had he planned it. "But you see, I hold a certain degree of respect to Mrs. Roberts… She had worked for me for such a long time that I consider her like… a mom. I couldn't bring myself to call her Laddi and I also couldn't call her mom, so Mrs. Roberts is the only option."
Shanah grinned at his insightful argument, feeling slightly rejuvenated by their banter. "Noted and understood, sir."
"Quatre." He prompted.
Shanah nodded. "Quatre."
"Shall I discontinue on calling you Ms. Winter?" Here's the critical part.
"Only if you find it uncomfortable… Quatre."
Quatre grinned, hearing his name once again. "Actually, Shanah, I do."
"You are the boss." Gads! I'm acting too unprofessionally!
"That I am… so I have one more favor to ask, being the boss." Quatre breathed in deeply for courage… Why he's doing this… he had no idea!
"Yes?" Shanah instinctively reached for her memo pad and pencil.
Quatre grinned. "Please act as you would around other people when you are with me…"
Shanah blinked a couple of times in confusion and Quatre decided to leave it at that for now… he was able to accomplish quite a feat today. "Thanks for the coat, once again, Shanah." With those parting words, he entered his office…
'Act as I would around other people?' Shanah stared at Quatre's back, seeing the door start to close… All right. He asked for it. "You're the one who said that! Don't say I didn't warn you!" Shanah called out before the door closed.
Quatre grinned from the other side of the door while Shanah smiled on her side. For some reason, she felt lighter, happier and quite up to any task to be given…
Rashid came inside Quatre's office while Shanah was making Quatre's usual drink. For a moment, Rashid stopped as he stared at a cheerfully smiling Quatre, reading over the papers on his desk.
Quatre looked up and grinned at Rashid. "Good morning, Rashid! Hope you slept well."
Rashid frowned. He was expecting a dead tired Quatre… not an exuberantly lively one… He only grunted out his answer.
"I'll take that as a yes then."
Before Rashid could open his mouth for a retort, the door opened and Shanah came inside in her usual ensemble… actually smiling in Quatre's presence!
"Here's your morning hot cocoa, Quatre. Is there any change in the schedule you'd like to make?"
Rashid's eyes bulged. 'Er?'
Quatre shook his head as he smiled back at Shanah. "I haven't found anything wrong with any of your scheduling so far, Shanah. Thank you for the drink."
Rashid shook his head. 'HUH?'
"You're welcome. I'll come in for the drafts in about ten minutes. I'll just get the conference room ready."
"All right Shanah."
Rashid watched her enter the Conference Room while Quatre went back to his task with that silly grin on his face.
He couldn't take it! He just couldn't take it! Like a volcano erupting… the words spilled out of his lips…
"What in the blazing, burning dessert is going on here?!"
Quatre looked up at his friend's rarely confused face and felt a rumble start deep in his chest… then he let it out and a merry laugh rang in his office.
