Electric Impulse: A Bond UnBreakable

Chapter 47 | Merger

"It's official! Prescott Reality and Apex have merged and now our little-company-that-could is at a $2.5 billion valuation!" The floor erupts in applause. Holding on to the sides of the podium, Ally waits for everyone to settle down. " There are talks of going public in the near future." Everyone cheers. Some high five each other. Others whistle. Still others laugh. Ally smiles as she waits for the crowd to quiet. "That means bonuses on top of what has already turned out to be a lucrative year." My co-workers go wild with jubilant applause. "But tonight," Ally smiles flirtatiously. "We let our hair down. We set business aside and we have a great time!"

The energy in the assembly room is too much to contain. It's contagious. For a brief second, I forget we're in a corporate work environment. Everyone is on ten. Dancing in her seat, Tanya leans over. Touching her shoulder with mine, we both laugh and dance in sync.

Laughing, Ally pumps her fist in the air, then takes her seat on the side of the stage. Phoenix steps to the podium. Captivated with admiration, the crowd quickly quiets in anticipation. You can hear a pin drop, it's almost as if the crowd is collectively holding its breath.

"I have two words." Phoenix pauses looking at the crowd as they look to him for guidance. "Thank you!" He yells like a college frat boy. The crowd officially breaks into celebration. "Time to party! I will see you all tonight! Dress to impress!"

 It's a mic drop moment as Phoenix walks off with "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas blaring as he makes his exit. The assembly begins disbursing. The excitement is palpable.

                                                                                                ***

Later that Evening

How did we get here? Him here with her?

My heart aches for the old days.

Glancing at the unbelievably long weave she wears like an old lady clutching a raccoon fur, I wonder what she looks like without it. I'd love to snatch it off her head just to see which parts of her are real. She looks like a floating bobble head, glancing back at me as she flips her long black wavy weave. That strain in her neck, as if she's trying to be snobby but doesn't know how to pull it off, reads uncomfortable.

Talk about trying too hard.

Shaking my head, I lift my champagne flute as the speaker tells the room to raise a glass.

"To many more billions in the near future, Prescott Realty!" Adam Wehr, CFO of Prescott Realty looks around the room with a huge smile on his face.

Glasses clank.

Tsk tsk. Envy never looked good on you.

"How about that!?" He jokes, holding out his arms, champagne in one hand and nods his head with a deep sense of self-satisfaction before taking a sip.

If you weren't so concerned with what everybody else thinks about you, it'd be you on his arm instead of this . . . uhm . . . woman.

The room breaks into laughter first, then roaring congratulations roll through the crowd.

Well, she's NOT on his arm. She's JUST standing next to him.

Right. Keep telling yourself that.