Insipid

by Christine Brae

  “Thank you, Warren, Dave, Mark, Tim and Skip. I’m honored to be a part of your team,” I answer, as we all take a sip of our champagne. My appointment makes the Executive Team six members strong. Even though I’ve been unofficially a member of the team for a while, and my responsibilities won’t be changing, the acknowledgment still fills me with pride.

  Warren allows the press to swarm the conference room for a few minutes. It no longer surprises me that most of their focus is on taking pictures of me and commenting on my outfit. Noelle had issued a statement earlier to limit the types of questions to be asked of me, but still they persist.

  “Ms. Richmond, how have you been since—”

  “No personal questions please,” Noelle breaks in sternly.

  I follow up with a general statement, hoping it will help to redirect their queries. “I’m very excited about this new role. As you all know, Warner Consulting has been working on expanding its global presence over the last few years. We successfully launched our European presence last year and this year we plan to bring the Asian Pacific market into our fold. After all, we are a Fortune 500 company that’s quickly making a play to be a Fortune 100 company,” I say confidently.

  They ignore my statement and continue with their thirst for personal information. Like vultures circling around their prey. Don’t break, I remind myself. Don’t give in.

  “Ms. Richmond, does this increased responsibility serve as an outlet for—”

  “I said no personal questions, please.” Noelle protectively lifts her arms up to halt their progress, her narrowed eyes warning them that she’ll stop any further questions if this trend continues.

  Fifteen minutes of small talk and I’m ready to retreat back into my shell. I make a lame excuse about a previously scheduled conference call and scurry back into my office. The official press release Noelle mentioned earlier is waiting for me on my desk. I lean against my chair as I read the words corporate affairs wrote for the entire world to see. My life in a few sentences.

  “Jade is a true master of her craft and has worked diligently to build a seamless and compliant operational process that has allowed the company to grow and prosper over the last ten years. Her excellent collaboration skills have also allowed our company to gain its reputation in the field of financial consulting. Jade strives for perfection in everything she does and holds an extremely high degree of personal integrity and dedication to our company.”

  Right there, I decide that I am truly happy. My life had taken the worst turn and has found itself heading back and falling into place. The past is past. I have everything I need now, I convince myself. The two people who had my heart are gone forever. It’s time to live in the present, enjoy what I’ve always had. This job. My travels. My parents. My success.

  So why can’t these tears stop flowing?

  I peer up from my desk to find Noelle standing by the doorway, staring at me.

  “Jade?” Apparently she’s called my name a few times. “Are you okay? Would you like me to come back in a few minutes?”

  I swivel my chair around and quickly wipe my tears. “Oh, no need. What can I do for you?”

  “Your 11:30 lunch appointment is here. Thirty minutes early. I’ve asked them to sit in the conference room and also informed them that you might not be able to see them until the scheduled time.”

  “I’m free now. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be right out to greet them. Who are they?” I ask, unsure whether she would notice that I knew she had told me this before.

  “The two men from MT Media. For the merger?” she responds patiently.

  “Oh yes, them.” I reach over a pile of papers to pull out the folder she gave me this morning so I could prepare. Lucas Martinez and Leigh Taylor are the MT Media principals. We’re going to assist them in the due diligence process for a merger they’re considering with a global tech company, which means it could turn out to be a long and grueling process. Weeks, maybe months. It’s all part of the job, I remind myself as I straighten up my skirt and peer at the window to check my appearance. People often tell me that I look at least fifteen years younger than my actual age. My auburn hair is thick and wavy just like my father’s and my dark green eyes are straight out of his German gene pool. I’m not tall at all, just 5’4”, but with long legs and a lean waist. I got my skin from my Puerto Rican mother, flawless and wrinkle free. At least for now.

  After a few seconds of making sure that I have all the details in my head, I collect my materials and walk down the hallway into the designated conference room. I’m not one for quick comebacks and ad lib conversations. I’m methodical and analytical, and I need to process and plan before every business meeting I attend. Somehow, I don’t feel as prepared for this as I should be and so I take a few more minutes to gleam through my notes before leaving the confines of my workspace.

  “Hi!” I say warmly, extending my hand out to the first man by the door. He looks like a model right out of a GQ magazine, blond with thick, wavy hair. “I’m Jade Richmond, so nice to meet you.”

  He takes my hand and shakes it firmly. “Leigh Taylor. Pleasure to meet you, Jade.”

  “How was your trip here? Did everything go okay?”

  “It was a long flight, but no delays. Thank you for asking.”

  “What hotel are you staying in?” I ask, trying to start a conversation.

  “We’re at Trump Towers for now. We’ll probably move to a more affordable hotel depending on our length of stay. Let me tell you, it’s great to be catching the tail end of the summer in Chicago.”

  “Yes it is! You actually came at the perfect time; the heat isn’t as overpowering as it was a month or so ago. Indian summer in Chicago is something everyone needs to experience.”

  As Leigh and I exchange business cards, I see him through the corner of my eye. He remains standing in the background, silently watching me interact with his colleague. He doesn’t approach me; he waits in observance until my conversation comes to an end before he glides across the room to shake my hand. He’s remarkably attractive. His deep brown eyes draw me in as soon as I come face to face with him. A chill runs through my body as he grips my hand firmly and holds it for a few seconds longer before introducing himself.

  “Lucas Martinez, Ms. Richmond. A pleasure to meet you as well.” His rich baritone voice, coupled with a crisp Spanish accent, is music to my ears.

  “Hi, Mr. Martinez. Call me Jade. I was just telling Mr. Taylor over here—”

  He interrupts before I can finish. “I know, I heard. I was right here watching you. And please, call me Lucas. First names here, as we will be working together for a few weeks.”

  I turn to him and smile. Once again, his eyes bore into mine and I back away, afraid to admit what’s going through my mind. “Anyway, I’m here to take you to lunch. Do you have any preferences as to the type of food you’d like to try?”

  “Not really,” Leigh chimes in. “We’re pretty much open to anything.”

  “There’s a quaint little Italian place a block away from our office. Would that be all right with you?”

  “Yes, of course,” Lucas responds, with a gallant sweeping movement of his arm. “Lead the way.”

  “I HAVE TO warn you both, these heels have a mind of their own. They don’t allow me to walk very fast. I can either meet you there or you can casually stroll down the street with me,” I offer jokingly.

  “I think we will happily take our time to enjoy the sights on our way to the restaurant,” Lucas answers with a sideways smile.

  I can’t help but grin back.

  The walk is quiet and uneventful. Both men try their hardest to limit their pace to keep up with me. We loiter along the river, speaking animatedly about the beauty of the city. I regale them with my people watching stories from my office window twenty-three floors above the ground. I’m pleased at the way I am able to elicit a few laughs from them along the way.

  “The water looks almost light blue today,” Leigh observes. “The br
ight sun actually makes it look quite stunning, with the reflection and all.”

  “Really? It looks the same to me as always. Algae green.” I smirk. I really don’t see the beauty he’s talking about. What I see is the same unappealing green river in front of me day in and day out. It’s filthy and murky and filled with dead people. People who were dead even before they killed themselves. I force the morbid thoughts to the back of my mind and paste on a smile as we meander over to our destination.

  The restaurant is packed for a Monday but thankfully Noelle has called ahead, ensuring that we’re seated immediately.

  We’re shown to a booth and both men end up sitting across from me. I try my best not to stare, but I can’t help noticing everything about Lucas. His shiny brown hair is neatly cut, short on the sides and slightly thicker on top. Clean to the top of his ears, no sideburns. His deep set brown eyes sparkle with dancing flecks of amber and gold. They are earthy, muddy, dark, and warm yet impenetrable. His cheekbones are high, his nose fine and narrow. His jaw is a perfect V shape, lined with a rough shadow of stubble, and his lower lip is fuller than his upper. That’s where his lopsided smile comes from, I decide. Leigh’s features are the opposite. While Lucas is dark and mysterious, Leigh reads like an open book. Lucas is tall and shadowy and strong, Leigh is all blond and blue-eyed pretty.

  “Is this your first time in Chicago?” I ask both men after we place our orders.

  “I’ve been here a few times, but I believe it’s Lucas’ first time here,” Leigh responds before taking a sip of his drink.

  “That’s correct. This is my first time here and I’m enjoying it more and more,” Lucas chimes in.

  “What have you guys been doing since you arrived?”

  “Nothing much. I’ve been so jet-lagged that I’ve stayed in for the past few nights. But Mr. Single over here has been around quite a bit,” Leigh teases.

  Lucas laughs and takes it all in stride.

  “Where are your families from?” I continue to prod.

  “We’re both living in Southeast Asia for now; my wife is from there,” Leigh explains, pausing to take a sip of his water. “But I’m originally from Boston and Lucas here grew up in Barcelona.”

  “Southeast Asia is pretty far from Spain. How did you end up in that part of the world, Lucas?”

  “My mother is from there. We moved when she wanted to retire with family. I received my graduate degree there and found the perfect niche for my media business. Leigh just joined me as a full partner a few months ago.” He looks at me with a curious glint in his eye. “Tell us about yourself, Jade,” Lucas urges, watching me as both men fall silent, waiting for my response.

  “There’s nothing to tell. Born and raised in San Francisco, working in Chicago. German father, Puerto Rican mother. Stanford School of Business,” I rattle off as if it’s the most uninteresting background in the world. “I’m more interested in hearing where Mr. Single has been going for the past few days. Which places have you checked out?”

  He laughs emphatically, as if trying to lighten up a question that might uncover a secret. “Nowhere important. Just places around Trump Towers. Any recommendations?”

  “Unfortunately, I’m not the right person to ask. I don’t go out much, if you can’t tell. Too old, too tired. Noelle from our office is more your age. She can help you out.”

  “She just called us old, man.” Leigh turns to tap Lucas on the shoulder.

  “No! I said I was old, not you!” I argue, afraid that I’ve insulted them.

  “Well, if you’re old, we’re old too?”

  “Okay. Let’s just get this straight. How old are you guys?”

  “I’m 33 and Leigh is 35.”

  “Enough said. I’m almost ten years older than you.”

  “What the f—” Leigh blurts out, stopping himself just in time. “I mean, sorry. You must be joking. You don’t even look our age. You look younger than us!”

  “Thank you,” I smile, “but you don’t have to suck up to me for anything.”

  “We’re not!” Lucas scoffs. “Truly. I agree with Leigh. You look like you’re in your twenties. So many women must be jealous of you.”

  The waiter arrives just in time for me to ignore that last statement, and thankfully, the rest of lunch is spent on small talk. These men have impeccable manners. I know it’s the culture; they dine with the routine of royalty from the old world, with its aristocratic etiquette—changing plates after every course, spooning their food instead of shoveling. Once in a while, Leigh or Lucas chimes in with their disbelief about my age. The thing is, I’ve gotten used to it; I hear it like a broken record over and over again, so much that I cringe every time age becomes a subject in any group conversation. “So and so, how do old do you think Jade is? Jade, tell them how old you are!” You’d think it’s a good thing, but more often than not, human nature’s propensity for envy and competition makes it more of a bothersome attribute, particularly in a world where men still rule the workplace. Not only am I the illustrious “woman in a man’s world,” I’m apparently a youthful-looking one to boot.

  Later on in the afternoon, I lead them back into the conference room which will be their home for the next two weeks. Roughly fifty binders are spread out on the table, all full of documents that need to be reviewed together before putting the merger plan in place.

  “Make yourselves comfortable in here, gentlemen. Feel free to use the phone and all the other facilities and equipment while you’re here. I’m only two doors away, so please let me know if there’s anything you need from me. I assume you’ll be looking everything over and asking me questions as we go along?”

  “That’s the plan,” Lucas responds.

  I nod my head before turning around to walk back to my office.

  “Jade?” At this point, I still don’t recognize whose voice it is that calls to me.

  I swing back towards the table, where they’ve now chosen their places, two seats apart, both with their backs to the glass wall. Lucas stands up and starts leading me towards the door.

  “Is it okay if I get your cell phone number in case you’re out of the building and I need to ask you a question?”

  “Of course,” I say, “Is your cell number on the card that you gave me?”

  “Yes it is. Use the one that ends in 03.”

  “Let me program it on my phone and I’ll send you a text.”

  “Sounds good, thank you.”

  I address both men as I reach out my hand to shake theirs. “Welcome again. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

  A few hours later, I’m still thinking about him. I stare blankly at my phone for a few minutes before making the move that I somehow know is going to change my life. I’m like a high school girl with a silly crush, the only difference being that this girl is a 42-year-old woman and the boy is a much younger man.

  I send him a text message.

  Jade: Hi. It’s Jade. Just wanted to let you know that I’ve left for the day. Have a good evening.

  The phone dings back immediately.

  Lucas: Thanks for letting us know. Goodnight, Jade.

  I ARRIVE AT the office early the next day to prep for an all-day learning session about the new financial system our company is about to implement. No one is at the office when I arrive at 7:00 am, not even Noelle. I luxuriate in the silence of the before and after hours, when my mind is clear and unencumbered by the crazy events of each workday. With my door closed, I sift through my desk and search for the necessary files for review before the meeting. My mind is so filled with thoughts about the day’s presentation that at first I forget about our foreign visitors in the conference room next to me. Noelle reminds me about them with a phone call at 9:00 am to ask me whether we should be catering lunch for our guests. I instruct her to go ahead and arrange for their meals while they’re here and drop by the conference room on the way to my meeting.

  “Good morning! How are you?” I greet, addressing Leigh, too shy to look in Lucas’ direction
. All I notice is that he’s wearing slim dress pants that highlight his strong, long legs.

  “Good morning, Jade,” Leigh answers while Lucas looks up from a blueberry muffin.

  “I’m in a full day meeting, but please email or text if you need me. Noelle has you set for meals for the duration of your stay. I assume you’ll just continue reviewing the documents in the binders?”

  “Yes, that’s what we intend to do for the next few days,” Leigh concurs.

  Lucas continues to munch away on his muffin. His relaxed demeanor is in direct contrast to the nervous reaction I have towards him. I have to consciously steer my eyes away, determined not to look in his direction.

  “Okay, well, have a great day, gentlemen.” I nod confidently before turning around to leave.

  “Jade, wait up.” Lucas chases after me while frantically wiping his mouth with a napkin. “I might have questions for you tonight. May I just come to your office and discuss after your meeting?”

  “Yes, of course. My meeting ends at six, so I’ll be free after then.”

  “Oh. Well, I don’t want to keep you here too late,” he counters, running his hands through his hair.

  “No worries. I’m normally here catching up on work after business hours,” I assure him, giving him a smile and walking away before I say anything more. I’m normally adept at separating business from personal feelings, but this time it feels unnatural to me; somehow my mouth wants to start rambling uncontrollably.

  Nine hours later, Lucas shows up at my door carting two black binders in his arms. He uses his free arm to knock softly on my wall to catch my attention.

  “Hi, Jade. Is this a bad time? I can come back when you’re free.”

  “Oh, no, this is fine. Would you like me to go to the conference room so I can answer Leigh’s questions as well?”

  “Leigh’s gone for the day. His son is here visiting from school.”

  “Oh. Okay. Please have a seat,” I offer as I stand up to join him at my conference table.