Dakota held her new I.D security card up to the glass so the security guard could scrutinize it carefully, then nodded and opened the door for her. “Good morning, Miss Anari. First day, right?”
“Yes it is thank you.” Dakota smiled.
“My name is Len; I’ll be letting you in every morning and escorting you to the executive level.”
“Do you do that for everyone?”
“No M’am, just the top ranking folks such as yourself.”
“I’ll bet you’re a very good secret keeper.”
Len only smiled and nodded as he pushed the elevator button.
The elevator was very quiet. There was none of the tinny “muzack” that Dakota expected. Instead dark wood, well-polished brass, wine coloured carpeting and sound proofing weave surrounded her. Dakota glanced at her silent companion, unsure if she should ask the question on the tip of her tongue. Len was a massive and slightly imposing man. He stood well over six feet tall, kept his beard trimmed and his long hair pulled back. He could have checked his reflection in his shoes; they were so polished.
“Something on your mind, Miss Anari?”
“I was just wondering…this elevator, this building…it’s not at all what I expected. Only three buttons?” Dakota pointed to the control panel.
“This is the executive elevator. There are only three buttons because everything you’ll need within this building is on those three floors.” Len pointed at the panel before continuing. “I’m sure your assistant will be able to answer any more questions.”
Dakota nodded. When she had been offered the position, she was told she would be getting an assistant.
“Here we are.” Len said as the elevator came to a stop. The doors opened and they stepped into a hallway that mirrored the environment of the elevator.
“Miss Anari? I’m your assistant, Teresa Cummings. She was a slight woman with dancing eyes and an enigmatic smile. Dakota shook her hand and found herself impressed by the confident grip she got in return.
Len took his leave of the women and Dakota turned to her assistant.
“I’ll show you around and give you a tour. Teresa turned and Dakota followed full of curiosity. “There are three washrooms for the women on this floor, and the same for the men. Here is your key.” Dakota nodded and pocketed the silver key.
“This branch of the hallway leads to the executive dining room, but if you’d rather eat in the privacy of your office, they will deliver.”
“Executive room service?”
Teresa chuckled. “Something like that I suppose.” As they turned a corner, she continued. “Down this arm of the corridor are the upper management offices, and down here is a smaller coffee room that most of the secretaries and some of the other assistants hang out and chat when we can.”
“And my office is…?”
“Right down here.” Teresa led the way down a dark-panelled and carpeted corridor that looked like every other one she had shown Dakota.
“It’s all very maze-like.” Dakota commented.
“I’m sure it will all become familiar to you as time goes on. This is your office.” They were standing in front of a dark door with only a single brass plaque on it that read, ‘D. Anari, Director of Development & Sustainability’.
The outer office looked just like the rest of the floor, but there was low music coming from hidden speakers.
“Your office, right?”
“I’ve always liked to think of myself as front-line kind of person.” Teresa smiled. “Your office is through that door.”
“Do we have time for a chat?” Dakota asked.
“How do you feel about chocolate?”
“I’ve always felt it should be a food group.”
“I’ll be back in a jiffy with coffee and chocolate, then.”
Dakota waited until she was alone before she turned the knob to her office. She was a little alarmed to see the contents of her previous office, until she recalled the agreement that Wells. Corp would move her belongings. Dakota was immensely pleased to see two large windows that allowed the sun to pour in and spread sunbeams on her tiger-maple desk. Inherited from her grandfather, the massive desk had helped her feel at home, no matter where she worked. Her possessions were all here. Her gel stress ball, the aquarium that housed her Siamese fighting fish, separated by a pane of glass, her little green dragon that she jokingly referred to as her computer guardian sat atop the monitor; even her motivational plaque on the wall that read, ‘With our thoughts, we make the world.’ The only items she did not recognize was a large, tan coloured leather sofa tucked away against one wall, and her brand new computer, which the little green dragon watched over.
Dakota closed her eyes, stood in the sunbeam and breathed in the scent of her new office. When she opened her eyes again, she was smiling.
More to come in a couple of days!
1 comment:
Go baby, go!
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