Chapter 4

“Alright, Megan, you ready to help me run this company?”

“Yes sir!” she says, with great pride.

“First, I think we need to get the vice presidents together. For now, Sarah, you will be Megan’s person assistant as she is going to be very busy.”

“What about you, sir?” asks Sarah.

“Casey, can be my temporary personal assistant.”

“Sir, she is just an intern,” reminds Megan.

“Yes, but she is damn smart. She learned most of what she knows from you so I know she is ready.” Megan is bursting with pride. “Let’s put her on a respectable pay and while we’re at it, we’ll check into giving you a raise also. Alright we have a lot to do, so let’s get to doing it!”

“Yes sir.”

“Yes sir.”

“Megan, please send in Casey.”

Megan smiles. “Of course, sir.”

“Yes, Mister Jennings.”

“Casey, take a seat, please.” She does so cautiously, wondering if the turmoil of late has made it so she can’t intern anymore. “Okay, well, you know what happened yesterday?”

“Yes sir.”

“I’m taking over the company until Mister Denton gets back on his feet. Megan is going to help me run it and Sarah has become Megan’s personal assistant, so that leaves me without one. You have done great work since you’ve been here, your grades in college are exemplarily, though I believe you are on summer break, and you learn quickly. I need a temporary personal assistant. Want the job?”

The pretty and petite blonde-haired and blue-eyed nineteen-year-old Casey squeals and jumps up and goes over to the sitting Derek and hugs him. Then she remembers herself and straightens herself up and then says, “Oh, sorry, sir.”

Derek smiles and replies with a little laugh, “That’s alright. Casey, you have always dressed elegantly, but now we are heading a company high in the finance world so we are going to get you some more appropriate clothes. The skirt and blouse you have on now is wonderful, and we’ll get you a few more.”

“Really?”

Derek smiles and then nods to Megan who has been watching the whole moment unfold with a precious smile of her own. She comes into the office. “Yes sir.”

“Why don’t we have Sarah take Casey down to personnel and get her on the payroll,” Casey’s eyes go bigger as does her smile. “Then let’s have Sarah take Casey shopping for a week’s worth of outfits. Give them a company card.”

“Yes sir.”

Derek stands up and says, “Casey, go with them, come Monday morning we are going to have a lot to do.”

“Yes sir, and again thank you, sir.” Derek just smiles.

After Megan and Casey walk out of the office, Megan comes right back in. “Sir, are we going to work this weekend?”

“No. Saturday I have a double date with Eric and then Sunday David and Lisa are having a little barbecue celebration for the coming baby.”

“Yes sir. Sir?”

“Hmm.”

“But I can assume we will be working some weekends.”

“Most likely, yes.”

Nothing more needs to be said. This is a big opportunity and it will not be squandered. Few and far-between are the chances to take a significant leap forward in life.

As this Thursday of June 2013 comes to a close a horizon of endless opportunities are spreading before the veteran of combat, and he is both grateful and worthy.

Friday is set for the meeting with the vice-presidents and both Megan and Derek are expecting some offended pride and egotistical effort blocking.

For this night there can only be one of true greatness to match the honor that has been bestowed upon Derek. After he cleans up and eats a small healthy meal he sits in his dark brown leather recliner and turns on the stereo and when the CD comes to life the greatness that is Elvis fills the room and perforates the soul like no other music could ever hope to do.

With a sigh, Derek is ready.

Friday comes early and looms large. The trip to work calls for some good old classic rock-n-roll, and as Black Sabbath makes the windows vibrate in Derek’s Aston Martin DB 9, he is looking forward to the confrontation, for lack of a better word, with the vice-presidents.

Derek knows two of them pretty well and has worked with them to high success so he is hoping they will capitulate without too much fuss. The other five on the other hand are sure to be offended beyond measure, and being “upper echelon people” will do what they can to make Derek and Megan’s big chance all that much harder.

“Good morning, Megan, Casey and Sarah. Casey, that is a beautiful pants and blouse outfit.”