The Struggles of Growing Up-Completed

Chapter 4

Realizing that when my mom returns she's going to want to talk to me about the video, I decide to go somewhere, anywhere. I need to focus on something else for a bit, while my head wraps around everything that's going on.

Ironically, I find myself at Remlor.

"Hey, Margaret. How are you?" I say to the bubbly receptionist on the lobby floor. She has her hair in a bun, and looks surprised to see me.

"Emma! Oh my gosh, it that you? You're so grown up!" She stands up to hug me, or rather squeeze me to death and I try not to tear up. I really missed everyone here, they remind me of my childhood and my father. Coming to work with my dad was the highlight of my single digit years.

"Yeah, well, it's been a few years." I mumble. She releases me, and it looks like she's holding back tears too.

"Wow, you look so much like your father. In the best most feminine way of course." She chuckles. I lose my breath for a second. He seriously is everywhere these days. Moving back is harder than I thought it would be.

"I''ve been hearing that a lot lately." I choke. She gives me a half smile.

"Oh, I didn't mean to upset you. Here, Will, is in a meeting, but Christina and Marcy would be thrilled to see you and by then he should be out." She hands me a visitor pass, and I tell her thank you.

Not much has changed around here since the last time I was here. There's still the sleek gray and blue lining the rooms and floors. The hallway that leads to the elevator has pictures of the history of the company. It's almost like a timeline, and starts with when the company was built. There's a picture and bio of Brandon Taylor and my grandfather. Then it goes through the innovations and dicoveries Remlor has gone through. Some important contributors. My father, John Taylor. A picture of Zach and... me? I didn't realize this was there. I mean, I knew his picture was here, but why mine? It's of us with our arms crossed and we're back to back. This is the picture they took of us when they did the article about us. Why didn't Zach ever tell me? I didn't really do anything. Then there's a picture of Will and his bio. There's always a start and end year for their pictures, and Will's says his "term" per say, ends this year! WHy does it say that? No! We agreed that he would keep this job until- until... Ok, now I'm hyperventilating. Oh my gosh! Did he know about the video? Did he know this time was coming? Was this part of some agreement with my dad?

I quickly press the button for the elevator. It won't come fast enough!

When it opens, I find myself looking at Christina, one of my friends here at Remlor. She's about 30 now, and works in Human resources. When I first met her, she was about my age and started as an intern. I was only 10, but I admired her greatly. I knew she would do good here, now she's the head of HR.

"Emma Rembrandt is that you!" Geez, have I changed that much?

"Yeah! It's me!" She squeezes me in a big hug and asks me about school, although I'm still dazed from the pictures on the wall. In addition to my father's video, I am not in the right state of mind to chat about college.

"Emma, I wish we could keep talking but I've got a meeting. Don't be a stranger!" Oh, I'll probably be your boss soon.

No! Emma, that's weird. Is it? Would people resent me for getting the job handed to me?

I realize Christina's waiting for reply so I mutter something and she exits the elevator. Talk about embarrassing.

Before seeing the one person I'm most afraid and nervous to see, I look for Marcy, Christina's younger sister. She works in the artificial cell technology sector, though she's not one of the scientists. She's more of a lab assistant and writes the grant proposals and the occasional abstract. She's really nice, and helped me with my college application. Wow, that was the last time I saw her, and I really should thank her, she helped me get to Stanford. Although, it's a little weird, considering it catalyzed a series of events that completely changed everyone's lives, again.