I work through lunch as always, I don't think that I have had an occasion in the last six months that I have eaten lunch in work without it being handed to me by William - although, Odette seems to have found out that I haven't been eating lunch four out of five days a week and has made it her new mission to supply me with daily lunches; however when I woke up this morning without any lunch and I stared down at my peaceful fiancé sleeping soundly in our bed, I just didn't have the heart to disturb her, deciding that one more day without lunch won't do me any harm.
My desk is inviting as I plonk myself down in the swivelling chair and wiggle the computers mouse, waiting countless seconds before it finally decides to come to life; Miller has already emailed me the spreadsheets he created earlier this morning, the whole expansion project is going as well as I'd planned - even after a day, the proposal seems to have taken off massively. Everyone in the meeting has gotten to work in their specific fields, Mr James held a meeting with the CFO and the COO both of whom have made the expansion a priority.
I begin to transfer the data in front of me, the white page and black letters merging into one after a while, I feel like this is the only thing I've been doing today, staring at mindless words and meaningless numbers. Once printed I place it in my file in preparation for my next meeting, Miller has informed me that I will be attending a meeting with a potential investor, and another meeting this afternoon with a food chain that we are eager to have in the already purchased land so preparation seems to be our most important ally. My office phone blares out and I'm interrupted from the incessant grey mush on my computer screen. I press the speaker button, "Styles."
"Mr Styles you have a visitor." A voice which I can only presume is our front desk receptionist on the first floor - after finally locating the source of the voice I think back to what she has said, it's very rare that I get visitors, and I find it suspicious.
"Did you take a name?"
"Yes!" I hear her smile enthusiastically as if she'd just figured it all out. "The name is...oh, it just says Mrs Styles."
I smile involuntarily when I realise just who has come to visit me, the fact that she has written my name on the sign in book has my heart soaring and I have to contain the blood that races through my aching veins, it's a reminder that she's mine, and I'm hers completely. "Send her up please."
"She's already on her way sir."
I wait patiently for Odette's figure to appear in my view, and after pacing and glancing around the doorframe I'm almost positive that she's doing exactly as I've asked and to take it easy today, she due to start work in an hour just for the afternoon and I have never been as apprehensive in my life. After a few minutes she waltz' happily into my office, her scent wafting through the room and filling my sense as if I were walking into my own home, the comfort she brings me is incredible, no matter where I am; Odette skips over to me unable to contain her excitement and I am engulfed in her arms, smothered by peppered kisses. Oh how I love this woman. "Ugh I have missed you." I embrace her tightly and kiss the smooth skin along her neck, the warm tickle of her necklace against my lips as I kiss anywhere I can find.
'I brought you lunch.' I think back to our conversation yesterday and should have known better as to doubt her, she would always have found a way to bring me some lunch. 'I made chicken cordon bleu roll-ups,' it's handy having a notarised cook as your future wife, her cooking never ceases to amaze me, Odette is always experimenting with flavours, but you can never beat a traditional French dish and she's picked one of my all-time favourites. She places one of our plates from home in front of me, as well as cutlery, everything well thought of and presented perfectly in front of me, I feel like a high-end restaurant has decided to come by my office and make my lunch.
"I'm marrying you for your food, you do realise that don't you?" I mutter, the food rolling in my mouth as I tuck in without hesitation, she rolls her eyes so far back I could see them in the next room, and then she leaves me with a disapproving yet humoured stare. "Well there are other reasons too, but it's mainly the excellent cooking."
'It's a good thing I love you and can deal with your cheeky comments.'
"You love it."
'No, I love you.' She smiles, her hands as delicate as always, 'how has work been this morning? Have you been really busy with the new expansion?' I told Odette about yesterday's meeting on the journey home from the hospital last night, she was more than pleased for me and was so excited that everything was going well for me in work, such a vast contrast to what it was.
My fork prods a piece of chicken aimlessly as I recall the events of this morning, "it has been busy but it's been enjoyable I suppose, it's nice that all of this derived from an idea that I had, and now it's this big expansion project with investors and meetings. I feel like it's my baby."
'So you should harry, it's all your idea, and don't you ever forget that. I'm marrying a very clever man.'
"And handsome?"
"No, just clever." My laugh is interrupted as a familiar face walks in, his free hand clad with a plastic bag that most likely contains Tupperware tubs full of steaming food.
He notices the plate of food in front of me, perfectly presented on the plate and almost vanished by my ravenous behaviours, he sighs defeated and I see a thought cross his eyes as he stands with a bag full of food. "Seems she beat me to it."
"Sorry William, I really do appreciate it though."
"I know you do son, it's fine, more for me anyway." He sits himself opposite Odette and I, tucking in to his food without question as he does every week. I notice him wince as he sits, his weak legs seeming to be a problem as of late, and no matter how many times I tell him to go to the doctors, the stubborn man won't, he'll never change.
"How's that leg doing? Have you had it checked out yet?"
"Of course not, I don't like doctors. You know," William turns to Odette changing the subject as always, the image of him probably similar to me only minutes ago scoffing his food, "your boyfriend here doesn't eat most days." He recalls, his intentions are clearly to get me into trouble.
Odette rolls her eyes for the second time today and nods her head, 'I know! I have to make it for him now.' I can almost see the disapproval through her hands.
"What did she say?" William asks discreetly, trying not to be rude.
"She said to leave me alone." I receive a small whip on my shoulder from my beautiful wife and a shake of the head, she still finds it funny though, I think she loves it when I change what she says to people that can't understand her, it's like it's our little secret.
"I highly doubt that son but nice try. That looks delicious, what have you got there?"
Odette fingers move beside me and I glance up at William, his eyes entranced at her movement but still completely oblivious to their meaning, 'chicken cordon bleu roll-up. It's my own recipe.' She speaks obliviously, forgetting that it's not just me and her in the room anymore.
"What?" William's reaction is comical, his one eyebrow pointed at the corner and half of his mouth raised as if the expression will help him understand a new language.
"It's chicken cordon bleu roll up, it's Odette's own recipe. There's extra if you want to try some."
"Sorry Mrs J but this looks too good to pass up. The beef cannelloni will have to wait." He digs in to the spare plate that Odette had prepared and releases a grunt of satisfaction, Odette's cooking is out of this world.
'William, how is your son doing?'
He glances at me for clarification and I look down to my food having missed some of the conversation, I take a wild guess, "she asked how your mum is." Odette's eyes widen and I know I've said it wrong.
"She's dead."
'Son, Harry! Son!' Her resting hand slaps her forehead in embarrassment and I try to contain my laughter at the mistake.
"Sorry, son, I meant son. That was my fault. Ethan is fine, Odette."
"Yeah, him and Wesley have been having a lot of talks lately. This is all confidential, but Lucas Perth is retiring so I think they're going to promote internally."
"Really? They have to advertise it though, they can't just promote internally without interviewing other candidates."
"Well I think they have their eye on a few people. Just keep your wits about you son, you never know, it could be you." His food clad fork points in my direction.
Impossible. "No William, it couldn't be me, at all. That's a giant step for me, I'm a branch manager, and I'm only acting area manager. I have no experience whatsoever to do that job."
It's Williams turn to roll his tired eyes now, "son, think about the last week. You organised an area meeting, you created a new way to include small business' and save company money, you created a new and detailed plan of an expansion, and to top it all off you are the one contacting potential investors and business chains. So don't tell me you're not ready for that job. Harry you came into this company as an intern and were CEO material from the start, I noticed it and so did Ethan and Wesley. The only person that doesn't think you can do a senior role is you." His words resonate me and I can feel Odette's agreement, her eyes boring into me from the side.
I glance to her and detect sympathy spread across all of her features, William is right and she knows it, I don't believe in my own ability, I never have. 'Harry, you can do anything. If I can have life changing surgery, then you can do this job. You're practically doing it anyway, I'll be with you the every step of the way, just like you have been for me.'
'I love you.' I smile at her, in our own little bubble.
'I love you more.'
"Okay I don't know what either of you are saying but it feels mushy so I'm going to finish this in Ethan's office. See you later, and don't touch my cannelloni." I chuckle as he waddles away leaving Odette and I alone.
'What are you thinking about?' She asks me, probably wondering where my head is at in regards to this whole promotion. Any promotion in this company would mean travel, and that's just something I can't do, I look into Odette's eyes and feel a tear inside my chest, I just couldn't leave her, I just couldn't.
"You. Always."
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What do you think is going to happen to Harry and Odette?
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- Pianogirl56