Chapter 2

"Come in" she called out gently, "and have your seat," She added waving him to one of the seats in front of her

"Thank you, ma," he said as he quietly took his seat before looking around at the beautifully decorated and elegantly furnished office. It contains quite a few works of art and a lot of books. Too many of them, that he concluded that she must be an art lover and a reader. He finally forced himself to stop his eyes from roaming the expanse of her attractive and lavishly furnished office and brought it to settle on the large sophisticated exquisite desk between them. The glass block in front of her indicated she was the CEO with her name Mitchell F. Brown beautifully inscribed on it.

"How lucky she was to have attained such a high position at that young age and she probably couldn t be older than twenty-five." He thought and sighed before taking a deep breath.

It was the look in his eyes that made Mitchell clear her throat, bringing him back to the present; it wasn t the first time she had seen that look on the faces of the people who came into her office.

"Sorry ma am," he said apologetically, slightly embarrassed.

"No, don t be. Do you love art?" She said to make him comfortable. Though her office holds a lot more than art for people to love.

"Yes, I do"

"I can see that," she said with a smile on her face for him. And he relaxed.

"Am I supposed to sign something?" She continued when she noticed he was lost again.

"Yes, here," he said clumsily pushing the e-register forward to her.

Mitchell smiled at him again, she knew that feeling. She had been there once but she hoped this young man won t stay there forever.

Feeling intimidated by someone or their position was something she had sworn she would never be again, and that was why she had worked herself up to this level. A lot of people thought the position had been offered to her on a platter of gold, but she like everyone else has had her fair share of life, hard toils, and sweats before she got to the height she was today. There had been many sleepless nights, perhaps a little more than the others had.

Born into a very humble family, Money was one thing they didn t have in sufficiency but love and unity were. She lost her father when she was still in high school and when she was finally admitted into the university, things had been hard for them but somehow, she and her mother had found a way to pay her tuition through it. It wasn t easy but they had gotten by.

Mitchell remembered how she had vowed that once she graduated, she was going to get a good job and start supporting her mother and little sister but life after school hadn t been any easier. Even though she had graduated top of her class.

There were days when she had waited tables, delivered food just like the delivery guy seated across her but just like herself, she hoped he realized soon that he was created for much more than just taking and delivering orders.

"Here, thanks." She said returning the register to him.

"My secretary will handle your payment on your way out" She informed him.

"Okay ma am," he said.

He was so polite and Mitchell felt drawn to him because of that.

"Care for a coffee?" She asked out of the blue, surprising herself as well as the delivery guy.

"No thanks" He answered almost too quickly

She smiled and dipped her hand into her bag to bring out a few notes of money.

"I hope you won t refuse this," she said, extending the money to him. I will be glad if you do not," She added pleadingly.

"Thank you, ma am," he said shyly, a little embarrassed taking the money from her. But she smiled sweetly at him.

"Have a good day ma am", He said as he hurriedly turned on his heel even before she could reply to him.

Mitchell took a deep breath and reminded herself not to feel pity for the poor guy. Not everyone appreciates pity. She doesn t and that guy reminded her so much of herself. She had seen the look in his eyes when she offered him the money. He had been torn between pride and need, she knew if she hadn t begged him to collect it, his pride would have certainly won over his need for the money. She had also seen that in the determined glint in his eyes.

Well, nobody ever said it would be fair or easy, and she hoped he would realize this soon and challenge himself to be better but she would love to meet him again and perhaps help him.