Needless to Say

Chapter 1

The smeared cobalt ink remained prominent on my left hand. I suppose that was karma for filling out the weekly reports with a gel pen. I swiped a finger across my tongue and scrubbed the stained speck, the vibrant New York City sun aiding my line of vision. No luck. I surrendered to my last option. Surely hand sanitizer would take it right off. 

"Only you would be the one to carry santizer in your car, purse, and desk." 

Julia's prized red bottoms clicked on the laminate flooring of my office as she waltzed over to my desk to release a sizable stack of paperwork. Her signature navy pantsuit clung to her thin figure as if she had just finished a shoot for Calvin Klein. Each piece of her ebony hair had been perfectly manicured into a high ponytail. The men of the office were scared of her. Well, maybe scared isn't the correct wording. They were intimidated. Julia was confident, poised, and utterly charming in every way. She had only been working for the company a little over a year, her skills deserving more than a simple assistant position, but still just as effective. Julia was my ally in a sea of strict, greedy businessman.

"What can I say? It was my last resort," I shrugged, "Whatcha got for me?"

"Client profiles. Mr. Langley requested they be inspected, recorded, alphabetically organized, and filed," she explained as she flipped through a few pages laying on top.

"Maybe I should start re-thinking my decision of switching positions," I laughed as I observed the sheer volume of profiles to be completed. Perhaps this was Mr. Langley's way of trying to pull me back into the word of sales. I snagged the job as a real estate agent the moment I obtained my license, but after selling for two years, and becoming overwhelmed by the work, I decided to take a step back and temporarily work in the office. "I feel like I'm doing my internship all over again."

"Aurelia, you were one of our top sellers, can you blame Mr. Langley for trying to get you back out in the field?"

"No, I suppose I can't, but I really need this break. I jumped in when I was twenty-two with no time for a life. The only thing I want to do now is take advantage of the time I've been given away from the battlefield."

"Harsh when you describe it like that. Have your aunt and uncle weighed in? I know they have been putting a lot of pressure on you lately," she asked.

"Yeah....about that...." I hesitated.

"You haven't told them?!"

"I still have a job and I'm still getting the same pay. Besides, they have their own ideas and visions for my life. What they don't know won't kill them." I said quietly.

"It's like you're trying to feed yourself to the sharks. I gotta get back. Give me a shout when you're ready to go." 

I sighed as Julia sauntered back to her office, giving a slight wink to Langley's secretary, Will, as she passed. 

This was going to be a long afternoon. 

I was consumed in paper cuts by the time my wall clock chimed at 5:30pm. It would be fruitless to continue any further. I stacked the profiles I had already completed and placed them on a small table by the door of my office. Surely Mr. Langley wouldn't complain if they weren't finished until Monday. I grabbed my work bag and shuffled out of the room. 

"Finished for the day, Aurelia?" Mr. Langley stepped halfway out of his office, as if he had been waiting for me to end my work day.

He was an ordinary looking man with no particularly special features. His bland, chestnut colored hair highlighted the bright silver frames of his glasses. His jet black suit was obviously expensive, but displayed no extravagant detailing. Clients would often wonder how this plain man achieved such a high position with one of the most reputable real estate agencies in the city. Little did they realize that being plain is the secret. No drama, no scandal, just clear negotiations.