At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 29 Lunch Chat

I thought that Jessica was awful to say such an unkind thing and I was worried that she might be planning something sinister.

She had just glared at me and I felt that she meant every word. I decided that I should confront her later rather otherwise I’d worry and not sleep very well. I felt she had a love/hate attitude towards me and maybe it was that she felt insecure or that she felt that I was a threat. Whatever I was thinking about what she might mean.

As the room emptied Kate asked me to tidy up and gather up the spare reports that were left behind and shred them. She said that she needed to have a one to one meeting with Jessica after lunch and to make a space in her diary. I switched some appointments around and then confirmed it with her after which she asked me to call Jessica and inform her of the appointment and the designated time.

I was dreading making the call and had to use the bathroom first to relieve myself. She frightens me and I couldn’t believe that I’d allowed her to dominate me

I thought that Kates purpose might be to give her a pep talk but then I thought more than likely it would be a verbal warning or even a full dressing down. I never saw this more aggressive side of Kate first hand before and I realized that she was demanding of her management team and well focused on the Company performance.

I wished that I had her management experience and decision making ability and I felt she excelled well beyond my capability. She had reached the top management level in record time yet she was only about 3 or 4 years older than me. Most of her managers were older than her.

Today she was being particularly decisive and I watched her and admired her as she made telephone calls and discussed issues that had been raised in the meeting. I wondered if she would ever be married and if men were scared by her ability and firmness or if maybe she had a partner or a boyfriend who was subservient but none had ever been mentioned. I could imagine that she’d had plenty of boyfriends.

She looked across at me through the open connecting door whilst on a telephone call and had seen me watching her and admiring her manner. She just smiled at me that was a big relief. I felt that I wouldn’t like to upset her or to be in her bad books.

She looked particularly nice today and her dark blue pin striped trouser suit fitted her very well and accentuated her figure.

I tried not to stare but I admired her so much that I wished I could spend more time with her and I wanted her advice on as much as she would offer. I wished that I looked like her in a trouser suit with her slim waist and bustline.

I decided to take more notes about her leadership style and a record of how she dressed. I took a spare desk diary from the filing cabinet at the end of my desk to use for rough notes and set up a record sheet on my computer.

About 11-45am she came out of her office to my desk as I was typing some letters for her and said ‘Come on I’m going to take you for lunch, I need a little chat with you and I’d like to treat you if you don’t mind’.

I quickly freshened up and she was waiting as I came out of the bathroom and pretended to be impatient tapping her foot because I had kept her waiting. I smiled and she let me see that she was teasing me. She then held my jacket whilst I put it on.

‘What do you fancy Chrissy? How about we share some rib of beef at La Grillade? I’m feeling like some red meat today’. She laughed as she said it and since I was traveling to Birmingham with no dinner that night it was a very welcome offer.

She suggested we walk to La Grillade since it was less than ten minutes and the car park wasn’t so good. She was soon striding out at a quick pace whilst I struggled in a fairly tight skirt and heels and I then realized that I lacked the experience needed to walk very quickly and keep up with her. She let me hold her arm to keep a balance.

When we arrived outside I looked at the menu and thought it was a little expensive but she just said come on I’m paying so enjoy it.

We went downstairs into the restaurant that was converted basements of a hotel and had nice character. The head waiter knew Kate and welcomed us with a small glass of wine and he showed us to a corner table in a good position.

Kate said she’d order for the two of us if I didn’t mind and I was pleased as I’d have not known what to choose as a starter. She selected some salade lardon that was lettuce with bacon and small pieces of toasted bread with a nice sauce that we add with slices of warm fresh French bread. The rib of beef was cooked OK but a little bit raw for me so I focused more on the well cooked pieces and the pomme frites. Kate was quite happy enjoying the medium rare pieces.

During lunch Kate told me that she was really happy with my performance and that I’d done a good job and that she would review my salary after 2 more weeks if I kept up the good work.She said that ahe hoped I was enjoying it.

I was most grateful and I felt she was kind to reward me with a one to one lunch.
Then she said that she’d noticed me helping Anne to produce the reports and asked me my opinion about her capability and if I thought she was suitable for promotion. I hardly dare answer but it was obvious that I couldn’t escape. I told her that she was a good people person and was respected in the office but lacked opportunity and guidance.

Then she asked me about my relationship with Jessica and if I thought that she was capable to be the Manager of the department. I said that it wasn’t my place to comment but that a few people had remarked that she wasn’t yet experienced enough and had been thrown in the deep end. She had consequently struggled with some parts of the job on the financial and reporting side. She smiled and said that I was very diplomatic and that she would take note of my ‘none answer. I blushed.

Then she paid the bill with her Company credit card and asked if I minded if we didn’t take a sweet or a coffee and she’d buy me a cream cake on the way back from a pastry shop to save time.

I was not sure that I could manage anything else to eat as I’d reduced my food intake a lot these last few days in an attempt to lose weight but Kate insisted and she selected a blueberry cheesecake that I in the end I accepted gratefully.

Whilst we were in the queue I had a call from Sally so I promised to call back and said that I’d contact James in the meantime to ensure his plans had worked out. She’d left work early to gather some things from her flat whilst Jessica was at work. I felt this was a good move on her part.

Kates appointment with Jessica was later in the afternoon at 3-30pm so when we got back to the office Kate call me to her office and signed the letters that I’d typed. Then she asked me to run an errand for her if I didn’t mind. She wanted me to go to the post office to collect a parcel that should have been delivered to her home.

The Central Office was about 10 minutes in a taxi so she said that I might have to think about driving lessons and then I could have gone in her car. I daren’t attempt that and my idea was to have a much smaller car that was easier to park.

The taxi waited for me outside the Post Office and I was relieved that it was not ‘my taxi driver friend’. Was I getting paranoid I wondered? As I came out of the Post Office I bumped into Mary Jo, Jessicas friend so I stopped for a chat. She said that Jessica had told her that I might be moving into Sallys flat and she was looking forward to it. I said she’d asked me but that I wasn’t ready to go that far yet and felt safer at home for now. She said she understood and that I shouldn’t get too close to Jessica until I got to know her better. She could be a handful.

I waived bye to Mary Jo and jumped into the cab and was back in the office around 2pm to find Kate had started her next meeting ahead of schedule so it gave me chance to call Sally.

I couldn’t wait to tell her about the events surrounding Jessica and how she seemed to have been found out and put under pressure by Kate. She was hoping that she’d get her come uppence and be sacked but I doubted Kate would go that far.

I hoped to grab a lift to the station or to take a bus and meet her around 6 pm in good time for the train. She said she’d buy a snack for on the way and would be watching out for me. James would be waiting at Birmingham New Street station when we arrived. I was hoping to get changed before I left the office since we’d agreed on our weekend outfits.
Kate started another short meeting at 3pm and I took in her afternoon tea and some spare cups and saucers for her guests.

When I came out of her office my mobile was ringing and I didn’t recognize the number so I didn’t answer. I scrolled down my contacts list and it wasn’t a number I recognized.
About ten minutes later I got another call and again it wasn’t a number I recognized but this time I answered.

The caller said ‘Hi this is Barclays Bank Fraud Services. Can I confirm that I am talking to Mr Christopher Taylor’.

To be continued…..