Needing Grace

15.

I spent the week preparing for the presentation and I smiled widely at the people in front of me.

Frank from marketing was there and I was introduced to the other people. Finance was there, but not my father, someone else had taken his spot. He must still be on probation.

The head of human resources, plus representatives for each small business.

I looked at the four sullen faces of the board of directors.

My smile began to fault as I held my hands, keeping my back straight. I gave them my budget and what I will need then went straight to the point of why this company should embrace something new.

"Mrs Parker, I don't know if the smaller businesses want to incorporate as one in this."

My eyes landed on a short and overweight male. I beamed at him. "Of course! Not every advert will be Roman Empire, the owner of blah and blah. I'm saying, that you sir, give me a modular home and I will photograph it, make it more real than the artists impressions pinned on the building walls." I boldly stated to him before turning to another person, an elderly lady that looked so stuck in dark era, afraid of change.

"Ma'am, if I could make use of some show houses before opening to the public, and," I turned to a younger woman, "allow me to make use of your furniture," I knew these two companies teamed up, I did my research, "together, I will have the room photographed, the photos edited, and use them on social media. With the company stamp on it of course."

"Mrs Parker, what makes you think that you can gain influence on these, platforms?" The elderly lady asked me. I saw some heads turn to her and one even raised an eyebrow.

I smiled widely at her as I changed the screen on the projector. She doesn't know who Grace Griffin is. "As you can see, I am well known." I pointed to the top of my Instagram account. I didn't want to use my personal one, but I threw it in at the last minute just in case I needed a smoking gun.

"When ever I post something on my personal account, I reach not only my four hundred and eight two thousand followers, I also trend in the search bar." I clicked on the search panel as I spoke then to my messages. "I have a huge media influence, such as Rochelle here has messaged me." I opened the message. "Thank you Gracie for that shout out, I have reached twenty thousand people now and my little business is growing!" I reread the message and smiled warmly. I went to another message, from an organisation I regularly donated to.

I started reading, "Miss Griffin, we are so apologetic -" What? I quickly scrolled up to before that message. I smiled at every one. "I'm sorry, that one was personal. Here we go. 'Miss Griffin, thank you so much for the kind donation. Also thank you for making #beatingcancer a trending hash tag with your photo. You have helped people become more aware of such diseases." I clicked on the hash tag to prove my influence even more and pictures of adults, kids and even animals came up with all of them wearing the Cancer Foundation bandanas. "Thank you Grace for pointing this out! I made a super large donation to the Cancer Council, thanks for the inspiration, Grace! Thank you Grace for letting people become more aware of this horrible disease, this is my boy, 9,fighting leukaemia."

I stopped at that point, staring at the screen. I felt tears well up. That photo was only four months old, the boy, Jacob, he died shortly after that photo.

"Mrs Parker?" Who? Oh, that's me.

My head snapped back to the now. "Sorry. So as I was saying," I got out of the programs on my laptops. "I have a huge influence with my generation and with the people who love to keep up with us. Letting me create this and designing it, I will be making a huge difference to this company and making sales rise. Not just with Roman Empire, but with every sub company that I work with."

I heard the small quiet chatter as they spoke among themselves. Then I spotted him.

Roman.

How long was he there for? I did notice the empty seat when I started.

Then one of the directors spoke to him and they whispered among themselves before looking at me.

"Thank you Mrs Parker, we will get back to you."

I smiled at them and nodded as I unplugged my laptop and left the room.

My heart hammered in my chest. I worked many hours on this presentation. I started early and finished late at night. I skipped meals as I tried to make it perfect.

I made it as sophisticated and professional as possible. I may be nineteen, but I'm not a child.

I stepped in the elevator as it chimed out twenty ninth floor and pushed the single digit button. I stayed at the back of the elevator as the doors closed.

Pulling off my pink scarf and tucking it over my arm, I waited for the doors to open and rushed out to my office once they did.

I placed my items down and sat on the chair. Most of the renovations are done, just the last bits now. I could hear the work men doing their job. They were going of Frank's orders, not mine.

"Hey, Gracie. How'd you go?"

I looked up at the voice and smiled kindly. "Hey daddy."

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