8. The Meeting

As Robert walked into his office Alice followed.

"Good morning Alice." He greeted her before he turned to face her.

"Wonderful day isn't."

She was clearly not in the best of moods, as usual. Her beady brown eyes were looking through a huge black frame and the pitch black coloured, semi outgrown grey hair tide in an untidy bun at the back of her head, reminded him of an old scattered owl. She never wears make up as a rule except for the much too red lipstick that she constantly kept on re-applying every so often.

"I have been waiting for you for ages."

Robert suppressed an amused chuckle at her exaggerated tone.

"Mr Morgan phoned he wants to know when his order for the school will be arriving. You know I cannot keep track of all these small things. That is your job. I most certainly cannot do everything you know." Robert turned to face her with a smile on his face.

"I will check on it for you as soon as we are done." Robert promised with a smile.

She was busy pulling cat hair of her jacket and placing them in a little plastic bag. He knew by now that the stray hair would be added to her collection of cat hair that she collected every evening when she brushed her Persian cats.

"Busy with another Persian blanket Alice." She had four Persian cats, her pride and joy and as far as he knew her only friends. Alice's hobby was spinning the cat hair into yarn which she uses to knit small blankets, and sometimes clothing articles for gifts. Her two successful sons did not have much time for her these days. Christmas and birthdays were the only time she got to see her grandchildren. Her husband had died a few years earlier and with neither her sons showing any interest in the shop. She was left to run the store on her own. So the Persian cats became her substitute children on which she could lavish all her affection.

A smile started creping onto her face as she though of her darling babies. "Yes, they just love too sleep on their little cat hair blankets." Realising the he was trying to change the subject in his usual well-mannered way she stopped. Closing the bag and the smile quickly faded from her face.

"Jason was supposed to have placed the order two weeks ago. He probably neglected to do it. I don't know why I still allow him to work here. These days he is more trouble then his worth." She glared at him

"And don't you try and cover for him again."

"I wouldn't dream of it. Alice let me get you a nice cup of tea and you can tell me all about your Persian babies and what you guys got up to this week end." The smile crept back onto her face. Alice loved to talk about her cats and Robert knew that. She sat down in the chair.

"I am not going to forget about Mr Smith." She quickly added. Robert smiled

"Of courses not Alice, Don't worry, I will sort it out."

Robert walked to the door and opened it as Anne came in with two cups of tea. Anne Philips was a skinny, well dressed woman in her late thirty's. Her blond hair was tide in a neat pony tail and her slender face was without make-up. Robert never thought that she needed any. She was a quiet woman but a hard worker. She was Mr Jones's assistant for more years and when he died she became Alice Jones's assistant. She practically ran the shop for the first few years after Alice inherited it. She knew Alice's Monday morning ritual by heart and never needed reminding of it.

Robert thanked her for the tea. They sat down and enjoyed their tea while Alice babbled on about her cats. Robert sat back in his chair and pretended to listen. His thoughts quickly turned too a certain green eyed beauty and a satisfying grin appeared on his face.