Karma

New Partner

I hate walking into my building. My face everywhere along with my name. To be honest, it makes me sick. The glass walls, and the elegant furniture and statues. I haven't walked into the building since that fight with Alice, my sister. My sister was the one who helped me build this publishing firm. She was the one who helped me and came up with all the ideas to get me here. 

Just like that, I am reminded of her again. I officially hate this place. I should have never come back. It's constantly reminding me of her.  And it's like I am not at the front desk anymore. I'm back to that day Alice is yelling at me. She is so angry and she is crying. Tears streaming down her face and she looks so broken and hurt. And...Lost.

I grab onto the desk trying to steady myself and I knock over a vase. "I'm so sorry sir!" I don't know why my assistant is apologizing. She shouldn't be, but I don't even tell her not to say sorry or that it was my fault. "Clean it up now," I say firmly and walk to my office. 

It is a nice little office. Alice helped me pick out everything my desk, my chair, the paintings that hang up on...My thoughts are interrupted by a knock at the door. "Welcome back sir. Ummm. I h-have your new partner with us. I f-figured you would like to meet her?" I sit down at my desk and motioned her to bring in this new partner. The door squeaks as she opens the door wider. I look up and see this short girl, about five feet, she is wearing a white shirt with a black skirt and suspenders. She looks quite like a little school girl. To top it all off she even has purple hair with light purple tips and these big glasses that take up most of her face. 

"Hello! I'm Sammy," She says sitting on my desk and extending her hand out to me to shake. I glare at her. Who does she think she is getting on top of my desk like that? She nervously laughs getting off my desk, "Wow. Ok, grumpy. You know you never did tell me your name or introduce yourself for that matter. So, I think I will just call you grumpy." She says smiling. I continue to glare at her when I turn my glare to my assistant. 

"Out," I say shooing her away. 

"That's not necessary," Sammy says to her. "Please sit. We need to talk about financial plans anyway and we need you to help out with that." The assistant looks at me for approval, and I am pretty sure she can see my baffled face. Did this girl just contradict me? 

I slam my hand on the desk making only the assistant jump and Sammy turn to me. Then I stand up to look more intimidating and say, "I said out. You, Sammy, are not to speak to me like that or call me whatever name you please. Now, leave Sammy and me to discuss some...agreements." The assistant goes to leave and this time Sammy doesn't stop her. She just watches her leave and when the door closes she comes over behind my desk putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Sit," she commands pushing me down to my chair. "Let's get one thing straight, Grumpy, you are not my boss. We are partners meaning we have to work together to make this company grow. That is what you want, after all, isn't it?" 

I continue to glare at her and brush her hand off my shoulder. " Who do you think you are to talk to me like that? "

She sighs and walks over to one of the chairs in front of my desk. "How old are you?"

"Pardon?" Did she seriously just ask me how old I am?

She sighs again. " Must be pretty old. I mean I already told you my name yet you still asked who I was... I'm Sammy by the way. Then, I asked you a question and you didn't hear me, apparently. Its ok old people sometimes get memory loss and sometimes have trouble hearing as well. " 

"I am only thirty," I say through clenched teeth. " I can hear you just fine."

"Oh! At least you can hear me. I wish they would have told me about your memory loss though."

I lean back in my chair rubbing a hand down my face frustrated. " I don't have memory loss."

"Prove it then."

"I don't have to follow your orders."

"How can I believe that you don't have memory loss if you don't prove it to me then?"

I cross my arms over my chest. "I remembered that your name was Sammy."

"Ok. So, then I just have to repeat myself then you will remember!"

"Oh my god. You are the dumbest little girl I have ever met."

"Gasp! I am not dumb and I am not a little girl!"

"You sure look like a little girl and did you just say 'gasp'?" I ask/say shaking my head and chuckling I even smile. Wait. What the hell? I'm laughing and smiling. This little girl is making me laugh and smile! What in the actual...

"Did I just make the tough, grumpy, intimidating boss smile?" She asks smirking.

I put back on my stern face. "Financial. Didn't you say we need to work on the finances of the business?"

"Fine," she says motioning to me, "Do that and change the subject." She says pouting and she even looks...disappointed?

I sit forward putting my arms on my desk clasping my hands together. "Do what?" She doesn't say anything and she gets up from her seat.

Walking over to the door she says, "I'll go get the paperwork that we have to look over." She opens the door and opens it stopping, "Hey, Grumpy, I like it better when you don't put up that wall." And with that, she leaves.

Did that little girl...Did she figure me out? My heart flutters. I put my hand up to my chest. Heart problems now? Maybe I am getting old...