In the security room, the two security guards stared open mouthed at their screen monitor. The two men watched the screen for a couple more seconds and then in synchronised disbelief turned and looked at each other in shock. Their boss' behaviour confused them.
Their boss was about to kiss a woman. That wasn't the reason for their astonishment. They were pretty sure given the various articles they had read over the years that their boss had a somewhat envious track record with women. So kissing women was not the issue. What they found astonishing was the fact he was about to kiss a woman in public! In all the articles they had seen and read, in all the photos they had come across, not one photo showed him kissing. No photograph presented any of him holding his girlfriend's hands. Let alone, a handhold! No kissing. No arm on their shoulders. No girlfriends leaning on him. No cuddles.
He didn't do public displays of affection. Ever! Until now!
"Who is she?" The younger security guard, Don, asked in bemusement. But he couldn't stop watching. It was puzzling.
The older man, Ern, shrugged. He pointed out, "You clamped her car." Don received a snort. Don's eyes narrowed in speculation. Ern watched the monitor, and wondered whether they should go out to the car park.
Their boss' behaviour continued to baffled them. What was being recorded on CCTV right at this moment was any indication, then clearly his attitude to public displays of affection had changed. With this woman.
The woman was stylish. Attractive. But not ostentatious. Not one of his boss' normal girlfriends. He thought. Too classy! His girlfriends were attractive, true, had trendy clothes, sophisticated, but they normally had lots of skin on show! This one was elegant. And covered up!
Obviously, this current girlfriend was different. Mr Cardoso would not engage in this type of behaviour! Not in public! Ern has been with him, working for him for about five years as a security guard, and he has never seen his boss behaving like this. Of course, he knew his boss had been out with lots of different women. He saw his boss' behaviour: Helped them to put on their coats; Held the door open for them; Walked with them. But this one, Ern shook his head, this one, his boss was about to kiss her. In public!
"Yeah." Don rolled his eyes at his colleague. "Cause I was told. My job!" He countered, albeit with a measure of awkwardness as he continued to watch the monitor.
They stood stock-still and watched.
Eventually, Don confirmed quietly, "Followed orders." Hadn't worried about it back then. He frowned. This might go belly up. He only just started this job! His first week at this place. He rubbed the back of his neck. He wondered whether to intervene.
Silence.
Don muttered to himself. Worried now. He turned his head to look at Ern in bewilderment. "Didn't ask who owned the car or why!" He said bluntly as he glanced across at Ern. He was already thinking about what he needed to do.
They were still watching the monitor. Mr Cardoso and that woman were about to kiss, out in that car park.
Silence.
Eventually Don said, "It didn't have a parking disc on display." He grumbled. He was in trouble: He had clamped his boss' girlfriend's car! That couldn't be good.
Silence.
Don took a breath and mumbled, "Figured someone had parked it and gone shopping."
Ern laughed. "Yeah. His girlfriend!" Ern sniggered. Of course, Ern understood Don's actions. Lucky it wasn't him: He hadn't clamped that car. Thank goodness.
"I didn't know that!" Don protested.
"Obviously." Ern snickered. "Take it from an expert, you have a lot to learn!" He thought about his boss' previous girlfriends. Some of them were really divas!
Sheepishly Don said, "And why did they asked me to clamped her car?" Don groused. His older colleague shrugged. Don said more loudly, "I was just following orders!"
Again, Ern snickered despite the fact he heard the sincerity in Don's voice. "Yeah, remember that." He looked over at his colleague. "You might need that excuse. Especially if she is a diva!"
Don rubbed the back of his neck and groaned. "This is not my fault!" What a mess.
"Yeah." Ern smirked and patted his colleague's back. "Not mine either!" He added silently, pleased it wasn't him.
With that, their eyes returned the monitor. And they raised their eyebrows as they watched.