Chapter 14
10 years and a Day Part 2
It Could Be Anybody
New York City – November, 2014
Here y'all go. This is definitely the last chapter until Monday. I hope that this will do y'all until Monday. I hope that this is the fix that y'all need. Enjoy everyone and please, let me know what you think.
S/N: For Korkiebugg, their tattoos read 'Yours'. They're right above their hearts.
I hummed One Step at a Time as I walked through the lobby of what used to be CAPRA. I was going to have to get used to saying E&S & Associates. I already feel that it's going to be a great fit for me. For us all. Things appeared to be going on the right track for most of us from what I could tell. Most of us have gotten raises. Most of us still have our jobs. And from what I've heard through the grapevine, there are supposed to be some more promotions handed out and a few firings too but that happens most times when new management comes in. Other than that, things have been on the up and up for us. I have to admit that in the beginning, I was a little bit skeptical but I'm not anymore. It's still all so new and exciting. And I wanted to spread the excitement around to my fellow workers. I'm pretty sure that they needed it.
Everyone that I passed this morning in the lobby received a smile. Shoot, I was giving them away for free. They could have as many as they wanted and they gladly took them. Everyone was smiling with me. Not one person got past me without hearing me say good morning to them. When I stepped onto the elevator, there were sneers and glares coming from all around. Some people were yawning. Some of them had their heads bowed and their eyes closed. Others were leaned against the wall of the elevator with their eyes closed; half asleep. Well, this had to stop. This was an awful way to start the weekend; yawning and all frowned up. They needed to smile and they needed to smile now.
By the time we reached the fortieth floor and I had stepped off of the elevator, they were laughing and they were wide awake. I told them the joke about the wide mouth frog and the crocodile. It's Flynn's favorite joke. It works on her whenever she's in a bad mood. I figured I'd try it on my fellow co-workers. And it worked like a charm.
Some were getting off of the elevator with me; still laughing. The ones that had to keep going leaned off of the elevator and waved good-bye. Some of them told me to have a great day. I wished them the same.
One lady even said, "Thanks for the laugh. I needed it. I can't wait to tell my husband that joke. He'll love it."
All they needed was a smile and a kind word.
Gran would've been proud.
"Looking good, Sookie," Todd sang to me when I walked past his desk.
"Not as good as you do," I replied with a wink.
"Always fierce, honey," he said with a snap of his fingers. "That's why they pay me the big bucks. And don't worry about being a little late. The new boss hasn't shown up yet; none of them have."
"Good to know," I said as I waved at him over my head and went into my office.
I wasn't in my office two minutes before Einin came running in as if she was being chased by some maniac. "You are late, Sookie. What happened? Where were you? I've been running around here like a chicken with my head cut off and you were nowhere to be found." She looked completely frazzled and it was only 9:15. "Did you oversleep?" she asked. She then shook her head no. "You never oversleep. It must have been the traffic. Was it the traffic? I'll bet that it was the traffic. Where were you?"
"You're right. It was the traffic," I said calmly. "It'll be okay. They're not even here yet." I placed my briefcase on the floor next to the coat rack as I hung up my coat. I could feel Einin's eyes following my every move. "Isn't it a gorgeous day?" My smile broadened. "It's an undeniably gorgeous day. It's a little chilly out but it's great. I love New York, don't you? I never thought that I would but I really love New York. It's the second best place in the world."
Bon Temps is first.
Home always comes first.
When I looked at her, she was shaking her head no. "Who said that they weren't here? I saw two limos pull up in front the building over an hour ago. A gaggle of men came rolling out of the limos. It had to be them, right? They're here, Sookie. I just know it. And I'm not ready! What if they don't like me? What if they decide to demote me? What if they bring in their own people and replace all of us?" With squinted eyes, she looked at me. "Why are you so damned calm?" She threw her arms up in frustration. "You're making me nervous, Sookie. Why are you so calm, dammit!?"
I hit the intercom button on my desk phone and asked Todd to bring us some coffee. I walked around my desk and took her hand. I led her to the couch and sat her down. I then said, "Because you're not. Listen to me, Einin. You're irreplaceable. We're all irreplaceable. This law firm would shut down without us. We are the reason they wanted to acquire this firm. We are the reason that they pay us the big bucks. Our hard work put us here. We are the best in the business. How many other law firms have the joy of having us work for them? None. We are the best. We are allowing them to work with us. They are the lucky ones. They should be kissing our boots. They should be the ones running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Not you but them. They should be cowering at the fact that they are finally going to meet the best that this world has to offer. And you are the best, Einin. You are. You know this, right?"
She nodded her head frantically; red curls were flying left and right. Todd entered the office without the coffee and said, "Miss. Greenbrier, Miss. Stackhouse, they're here." He bowed as he dramatically ushered us from the room.
Einin jumped up from the couch but I held onto her hand. She looked down at me and I said, "Calmly, leave this office. Put that killer two-million-watt smile on your face and charm them as only you can. Walk out of here with your head held high and let them see you. Let them see the power that you radiate. Let them know that they did not make a mistake by acquiring this firm. This world is yours, Einin. We just live in it. Do you hear me?"
She smiled brilliantly and nodded. "I can do this," she said.
"You can," I agreed. "Now, breathe and relax," I said.
She did as I asked. "Okay," she said. "I'm ready."
"You are," I assured her. I then released her hand and let her go. And she did as instructed. She walked out with her back straight and her head held high. Though I couldn't see her face, I knew that she was smiling.
Once she was gone and out of ear shot, Todd stepped in front of me and said, "They said that their boss would be in later. There was some type of personal emergency that had to be attended to. They said that they'd get the meeting started just as soon as he arrives. They are in the conference room and they want to do a meet and greet with you and Einin. They've brought a few of their associates with them."
I touched his shoulder and said, "Thanks but why are you telling me? Einin could've handled it."
In his own flamboyant way, he looked at me over his glasses and said, "Look at her, Sookie. She'd have had a fit if I'd told her. She'd think that it was her fault." He clapped his hands in front of himself and rolled his eyes. His perfectly pink painted nails were waving back and forth. "Look at my nail," he said as he showed me his pinky. It was chipped. "She had me in here until ten last night typing gibberish. There was no way I was telling her that the big man was going to be late. There is no way that she could've handled it."
I laughed and thanked him once more as we left the office. I proceeded to follow Lori, Einin's receptionist, into the conference room. Curtis, Jackson, and Gregory followed in behind me. When Einin, Lori, and I walked in, the men stood for us. Einin wasn't the sniveling mess she was earlier. She was still smiling and full of confidence; just as I knew she would be.
"Hello, gentlemen," she announced. "Welcome E&S & Associates; formally known as Capra. I'm Einin Greenbrier and this," she said as she placed her hand on the small of my back and pushed me forward. "This is Sookie Stackhouse. She's my right and my left hand. Most times, she's my brain. I don't know what I'd do without her." She then proceeded to introduce Lori, Curtis, Jackson, and Gregory. "They're team leaders with the firm as well. I know that we are growing but we have so much to offer. It pleases us to have been given this chance to become a part of your growing and successful firm."
We all gave our thanks as we stood behind Einin.
The elder gentleman was the first to introduce himself. "I'm Niall Brigant. I'm not the head honcho. He's running late but I am his head attorney. I have to apologize for him but he will be along shortly. If you don't mind waiting for him before we get the meeting started, that would be greatly appreciated."
As if we really had too much of choice.
Einin smiled at Mr. Brigant and told him that it was not a problem. "We can get to know the other associates that are with you if that's not a problem."
Niall then introduced the three men and the woman that were with him. Everyone seemed to be nice and very proficient. There were smiles and handshakes from everyone present. It was quite pleasant. It was a lot better than I'd expected; especially with Einin. I am so glad that she has relaxed. Like I said, she's an amazing woman and she's so much better than she believes herself to be.
She was just as pleasing and as pleasant as she usually is. "If you'd like to eat a little something while we wait for the new boss, we have fruit juices and coffee. We also have several types of pastries for you to enjoy. Please help yourselves." She motioned to the buffet that was set up at the other end of the conference room.
The elderly gentleman, Niall Brigant, was extremely polite and accepted Einin's offer. "We appreciate your hospitality," he said as he looked into her eyes. His smile broadened as she smiled at him. I could tell that Mr. Brigant may have a thing for Ms. Greenbrier.
As a matter of fact, I'm almost sure that he had a thing for her. He hadn't taken his eyes off of her since he'd been here. I was thinking that I may have to play matchmaker later on. Einin hasn't had a date in almost two years. The jerk that she was dating was an a-hole and he didn't deserve her. She was devastated when he left her. She'd learned that he was just using her as a sugar mama and she's been gun shy ever since. I've been trying to get her back in the game but she said that she needed a little time.
Smiling at Niall, I thought to myself that time was up.
He was an extremely good looking man. He had silvering hair and it was thick and full. He had the most mesmerizing pair of green eyes that I've ever seen and he was dressed to the nines. Anyone could tell that his suit was specifically made for him. It fit him perfectly. It was more than obvious that there was nothing that Einin could give him that he couldn't get for himself. He didn't need her money or her connections. He would be absolutely perfect for her.
"Ms. Greenbrier," Niall said as he walked to where Einin and I were standing. "Would you care to join me?" He held two china plates which in turn held cinnamon rolls.
I could feel Einin tense up when she saw the cinnamon rolls. Einin feels that she's overweight. She's on a lifetime diet. I know that she's thinking that if she eats it, her panties will be cutting off her circulation by lunchtime. Einin is a size five and she works out every single day … two hours before work … an hour after work. She is extremely obsessive.
I leaned close to her and patted her back. "You can do this, Einin. We'll stay an extra fifteen minutes at the gym tonight if you want."
"You're the best, Sookie," she said as she made her way to Niall Brigant.
Einin is thirty-nine and alone. I hope that she gives Niall a chance. She needs this. She's married to her job. She said that she doesn't have time for a family. She's a great person and she's adorable. She never has a hair out of place; makeup is always flawless. She has a body to die for and she's beautiful. I've always told her how beautiful she is. Everyone realizes it but her. Obviously, Mr. Brigant realizes it too. He still hasn't taken his eyes off of her. It made me happy to see that someone else sees Einin as a beautiful woman. Hopefully, she'll see it too.
"They look good together, do they not?" a voice said in my ear.
I could feel the blood drain from my face as chills went through my body. It couldn't be. That voice could belong to any man that buys law firms. It doesn't have to be him. It could be anybody. My mind was shooting sparks. There could be a million reasons that I think it's him. For one, I was thinking about him on my way to work. That had to be it. It's not him. There had to be at least a hundred men that sounded like that but only one could make me feel as I feel right now.
I placed my hand to my heart over the tattoo and closed my eyes and I counted to ten. I had to place my free hand onto the table to keep from fainting dead away.
When I was able to, I answered his question. "They do," I said in my most professional voice as my back straightened and my pulse quickened. I wanted to turn around but I knew that if I did, he would see. He would see what he's always done to me … even after ten years and a day of not seeing him.
The sound of his voice brought back every memory that we shared for the first eighteen years of our lives; the playground, the blue raspberry ring pop engagement ring, the swing set, and our relationship. Our first time was with each other. We professed our undying love to each other. When we made love for the last time, we promised each other forever. We were supposed to be married by now. Then the most important person in my life popped into my mind. Our daughter, Flynn.
"How have you been, Sookie?" he asked as he stepped in closer to my body. He placed his hand on the small of my back and it happened. I squeezed my eyes closed as I whimpered at feel of his hand.
My heart stopped as my hand tightened over my chest. I didn't answer him. I didn't look at him. I couldn't so I did the only thing that I could do. I walked straight ahead. I didn't look at anyone that was in the room with me. I just kept walking. I didn't know where I was going but I was going.
Einin looked curiously at me and before she could ask what was wrong, I mouthed the words, "I'll be back."
Without waiting for her to respond, I left through the back door of the conference room. My fantastic and perfect day was now more than I could handle.