She was in a rush, like always. Having left her dorm early for this particular matter, she couldn't afford to not arrive on time. She'd be embarrassed, and that's one of the things she loathed being. Her pride in everything she did was of great importance to her. She needed to have this pride to be above her friends. "Who'd like a commoner like them?" were her exact thoughts.
Striding past the people who were exiting the building, she took the stairs and reached the top floor in no time.
All she had to do now was search for her father's room. He couldn't be sitting around anywhere, he was the head there so he had to have a separate room for himself. So, she began opening and closing every door in sight, without caring what or who she interrupted.
She opened another door, in the same manner she had opened the last 7, and finally saw the old man sitting in his chair behind his desk. But there was someone else accompanying her father.
Someone who was much younger than her father, probably in his 30s or even 20s. He had black hair which were perfectly combed. His suit was neat and tidy and he was standing there, much taller than her, with a lit cigarette in his hand.
"Oh, I'll be back. I don't want to interrupt you two" she said.
"You're here now, come in" said the old man.
She walked towards him, ignoring the beautiful man who was standing right in front of her.
"Is it really okay? I want to talk to you about something important" she asked. The old man sighed, and said, "Joe, you wouldn't mind, will you?"
"Not at all" Joe said simply.
So she went on. In a whisper, she said "Dad, you know the situation I talked to you about previously? It's taken a huge leap. My friends won't leave me alone. I thought the news would've died by now, why hasn't it? I'm not going to quit my side-job just because of this"
"Calm down, now, dear. I told you it'll take some time. And you won't be quitting any job. Although I can very much provide you all the money you need" said the old man.
"Dad! I wish to be independent" she said with a certain rage in her tone. "Fine, fine" said the old man in a voice by which she knew the conversation was over.
All this time, Joe was standing in front of them, trying to look like he wasn't listening to a word they were saying, but she knew better. If she was in Joe's place, she would listen to the conversation with all her might.
Joe had a few questions in his mind. Who was she? What was she doing there? What situation are they talking about? He heard her call the old man 'dad'. Everyone in the office called him Daddy, but no one called him dad.
The girl looked too young to be working for the MI5, or to be working at all. This only meant that she was his daughter.
Joe's thoughts got held up when the old man said, "Joe, meet my daughter, Victoria"
He was right after all.
Victoria walked away from her father, towards Joe, and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Joe" she said.
Joe responded quickly, he didn't want to be seen inattentive or like he didn't care. Because he cared a lot. He just shook her hand and said nothing. All this while his mind was erupting with all kinds of thoughts. Her accent is so different from her father's. She sounds so Posh. She doesn't even look like Daddy. Joe was one of Daddy's most trusted persons. How did he not know about Daddy's family?
The handshake continued on for about 10 seconds, a pretty short time, but long enough for Joe and Victoria to make assumptions about each other in their minds.
Victoria turner to her father and said with a kind smile on her face, "I'll be off then. Bye"
"Good night" he said back.
Victoria set off for the door, grabbed the knob, opened the door and as she was about to close it, she heard Joe saying, "Good night, Victoria"
"Good night to you too, Joe" said Victoria and left.
On her way back to her dorm, she thought about that Joe guy only once. She didn't pay much attention to men, most of them fawned over her but she had better and more important business. She didn't think about the handshake or the 'Good nights' exchanged between them. But she did wonder whether Joe thought about them or not.
Joe left the office about half an hour later. He didn't think much about their little conversation either, but what he did think about was the conversation Victoria had with Daddy.
