Heart of Stone

by Dakota Willink

  It was another glorious Fall day in New York and I relished the feel of the sunshine on my face as I exited the subway terminal. Last nights storm had cleansed New York of the humid and sticky air, leaving a clean freshness in its wake. Shakira was blasting through my ear buds. And yes, my hips weren’t lying as I sashayed into Wally’s for my shift.

  It was such a cliché, but I didn’t care. I felt confident. Sexy. And lighter on my feet than I had in years. Nothing could ruin my mood today – not even the stress I felt over quitting my long-time job.

  “Hey, Melanie!” I waved to a fellow coworker that was working the register.

  “Hi, Krys!” she called back while scanning groceries for a customer. “Mr. Roberts was looking for you a few minutes ago.”

  “Do you know where he is now?”

  “I think he’s back in his office.”

  “Thanks!” I said cheerfully with a beaming smile.

  As I was making my way back to Mr. Roberts’ office, I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I fished it out and read the incoming text. I smiled to myself when I saw it was from Alexander.

  Today

  7:51 AM, Alexander: My office. 3pm.

  Barking orders at me already?

  Unconditional obedience or not, that wasn’t any way to start a conversation – especially after the evening that we had shared.

  7:54 AM, Me: Good morning to you, too.

  7:56 AM, Alexander: You have to fill out some paperwork so I can get you on the payroll.

  Pleasure at night. Business by day. Check!

  I knew that this arrangement with Alexander was going to be a slippery slope, one that I’d have to navigate carefully. I just didn’t realize how icy it would be.

  8:00 AM, Me: Sure. But I work until 5.

  8: 02 AM, Alexander: Leave early.

  Yes, Master! Geez…he’s so demanding.

  But rather than lash out and let his brusque temperament ruin my good mood, I continued to placate him the best that I could.

  8:04 AM, Me: I’ll talk to Mr. Roberts about it. I’ll text you if I can’t get out early.

  I waited for a response. When I didn’t get one immediately, I pocketed the phone and continued towards Mr. Roberts’ office. Whether this was Alexander’s way of separating our business and personal lives, I couldn’t be sure. But if he thought that he was going to snap orders at me like I was some sort of dimwitted lackey, he had another thing coming to him. Hopefully it wasn’t the latter. Either way, I would deal with him later. I had more important business to get out of the way first.

  I approached Mr. Roberts’ open office door and gave it a light knock to signal my arrival.

  “Hi, Mr. Roberts.”

  “Krys! Glad to see you. I was hoping you’d pop into the office. I have to talk to you about a few things.”

  “I needed to speak with you as well,” I told him anxiously.

  “You first. What can I do for you today?” he asked. He leaned back in his chair and offered me a warm smile, causing the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes to deepen.

  He appeared to be in excellent spirits. It was a nice change, as Mr. Roberts’ smiles had been few and far between, and I dreaded the idea that I might ruin his good mood. However, I knew there wasn’t going to be an easy way around this. Rather than beat around the bush with small talk, I blurted out my reason for coming to his office.

  “I think you know already that I received a job offer from Turning Stone Advertising. I’ve decided to accept it. This Friday will be my last day here.”

  “Yes, I know it is. That’s one of the things I wished to discuss. I spoke to Mr. Stone about you in great detail this morning,” he informed me, taking my announcement in stride.

  It irked me that Alexander had taken it upon himself to talk to my boss about my end date, but a part of me wasn’t the least bit surprised that he had beaten me to it.

  “I’m really sorry for the short notice, Mr. Roberts. It’s just that Ale – er, Mr. Stone was insistent that I start right away,” I told him, glad that I caught my slip up in time. If I had any hopes of gaining respect from my future coworkers, I had to be extra careful not to use Alexander’s first name.

  “Don’t fuss over it – it’s no big deal. Do what you have to do,” he said easily with a sweep of his hand. But his easygoing attitude seemed false. I knew my boss pretty well, and despite the relaxed smile on his face, I could sense his wariness. And his disappointment.

  “I can stay a bit longer if you need me to – maybe work in the evening when I finish for the day at Turning Stone,” I offered, feeling terribly guilty. He had been under so much pressure, and I had just become an addition to his mounting troubles.

  He got up from his chair and moved around the desk to where I was standing.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m happy for you. Really, I am,” he assured me.

  I looked at him doubtfully.

  “Are you sure? I mean, I could help you train my replacement.”

  Mr. Roberts took a deep breath and shook his head.

  “Look, I don’t mean to sound so dismissive. I thought that if I acted like your departure was no big deal, it would make leaving easier for you. You’re not one to make rash decisions, and I know that your choice to leave Wally’s wasn’t something that you considered lightly. Anyone with half a brain can see how incredible this opportunity is, Krys. But I will admit, it’s going to be hard to lose you. You’re like family.”

  I was immediately rendered speechless as memories of my time at Wally’s flashed before my eyes. Mr. Seymour, the sweet little old man that I delivered groceries to. The company picnics. Mr. Roberts’ funny antics and constant teasing jests. Even Jim McNamara’s pestering. They were my work family, one of my few constants in a city full of chaos, and I would miss every last one of them.

  I had spent the last six months worrying over bills and about getting a better paying job, that I hadn’t even thought about what I’d be leaving behind. I fought back the sting of threatening tears, knowing that in the end, I was making the right choice.

  At least I hope I am.

  “It’s time for me to move on, but I will miss everyone at Wally’s a lot,” I told him truthfully. “I’ll be back to visit – you can count on it!”

  “You’d better – and often too. My wife and I will miss seeing your face around here. I haven’t spoken to her about this yet, but I know she’ll share my sentiments.”

  Another pain of regret struck me when I thought of Mrs. Roberts. Both she and Mr. Roberts had been so kind to me over the years and I should have told them both together.

  “Please tell Mrs. Roberts that I apologize for not telling you both at the same time. I just couldn’t put this off. Mr. Stone actually wanted me to start sooner, but I had to tell him no. I didn’t want to screw anyone here at the last minute.”

  “I appreciate that, and thank you for being so thoughtful. Although, I’m somewhat inclined to push you out the door right now. Your talent is wasted on stocking shelves. I’ve always known that,” he said, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

  “I’m nervous about this new job. Thanks for your vote of confidence.”

  “You shouldn’t be nervous. You’re going to do great things, kid. I’m proud of you,” he beamed. “But for now, while I still have you here, a lot of deliveries came in over the weekend and the receiving department is a wreck. Could you head back there and help sort things out?”

  “On it!”

  I gave him a thumbs up and headed towards the office door to start my shift. But then I suddenly remembered Alexander’s request, if one could call it such.

  “I do have a small favor to ask before I get to work, Mr. Roberts,” I said, turning back to him.

  “Anything.”

  “I’m going to have to leave a little early today. Mr. Stone asked me to meet him at Cornerstone Tower at three o’clock so that I can fill out a bunch of new hire paperwork.”

  “Not a problem at all. In fact,
I have a two o’clock grocery delivery scheduled for Mr. Seymour. It’s just a small one. You can take it to him, and then be finished for the day. Just let me know if you need anything else this week.”

  Walter Roberts was usually pretty easy going. However, with the limited staff at Wally’s, allowing me to leave a few hours early was a lot to give, even for him.

  “Why are you being so agreeable?” I eyed him suspiciously, pausing by the door.

  “Krys, do you realize what Mr. Stone did for this company? For my family?”

  “Um, no not really. I mean…I know that Wally’s was in a tight spot financially, but I don’t know the specifics.”

  “This past year has really taken its toll on me and the Missus. Haven’t you noticed how much less hair I have now versus a year ago?” he joked. But his face quickly turned serious once more, his easy smile turning into a grim line. He looked tired and seemed to visibly age right before my eyes. “We were in jeopardy of foreclosing on most of our properties. Sales have been down, and operating costs have escalated. The cost of keeping the shelves stocked, payroll, and building expenses got to be too much on top of the loan payments. Safety, product, and labor laws had to be first priority. The mortgages became second. Unfortunately, that wasn’t something the bank was willing to understand. So, to make a long story short, Mr. Stone stepped in, bought all of our buildings, and assumed the mortgages. He relieved a big portion of our overhead expense by doing this.”

  “I don’t get it. How was taking on Wally’s debt beneficial to him?”

  “I don’t know all the details on his end, but I do know that he was able to renegotiate a few things with the bank, and now Wally’s will pay rent to Stone Enterprise. He’s not a stupid man by any stretch of the imagination – I’m sure he’s making money off the deal. But he looked at the bigger picture first, when many turned their heads the other way. He considers Wally’s to be a staple in this city, and saved hundreds of jobs. And for that, I will forever be grateful. If Alexander Stone hadn’t come along, many people, including me, would be looking for a new livelihood.”

  “He’s a good man,” I murmured. I smiled to myself, remembering all the articles I read about his charity involvements. Wally’s wasn’t a charity, but Alexander was their benefactor in a round about way.

  Mr. Roberts eyed me apprehensively, and he seemed to be contemplating his next choice of words.

  “Yes, he is a very good man. But I’d be careful with him. He can be somewhat authoritarian, Krys. I’m not sure if he’s the right man for you,” he warned.

  I stared at him in shock.

  Am I really that transparent?

  “Don’t worry about me, Mr. Roberts. I’m sure I’ll be able to handle Mr. Stone,” I said, albeit halfheartedly. “Now, it’s about time for me to get some work done around here.”

  I gave him a small wave and quickly headed out the door before he could give me any more insightful observations. This was not a discussion I was going to have with my boss, as he had no idea how loaded his words actually were.

  CHAPTER 27

  I had mused over Mr. Roberts’ warning all day long, as I cleaned and organized the receiving dock at Wally’s. And by the time I arrived at Cornerstone Tower shortly after three o’clock, I wasn’t entirely convinced that Alexander was the right man for me either. In fact, he was wrong for me on so many different levels.

  Levels.

  I punched the button for the elevator in Alexander’s building, and repeated the word over and over again in my head. It was a reminder of the unfinished business between Alexander and I – the list. I could never give him all the things that he wanted. I may be open to some, but definitely not all. I had to be upfront with him before things went any further.

  When I reached the top floor, I found Laura Kaufman sitting behind her desk. She shot an icy glare in my direction when she saw me and I felt a little ashamed. The last time I was in this building, I left in a rush and had rudely ignored her. I smiled politely when I approached her, attempting to make up for my abrupt departure.

  “Hello, Laura. I’m here to meet with Mr. Stone,” I said, reaching out to shake her hand.

  “Yes, he’s been expecting you. Down the hall, first door on the left,” she said dismissively, completely ignoring my outstretched hand.

  Okay, maybe I deserved that.

  “Er…yeah. Thank you.”

  Obviously having no chance at polite conversation, I turned and made my way to Alexander’s office. It was easy enough to locate, as the etched gold nameplate on the frosted glass door was a gleaming beacon to all who passed.

  ALEXANDER STONE

  Chief Executive Officer

  I gave three short raps on the door, before pushing down on the handle to let myself in. Alexander, appearing every bit the part of a polished business man, sat behind a desk of black mahogany surrounded by enormous windows that revealed astonishing city views. He was leaning to one side of his high backed chair, chin resting on his fist. He actually looked more suited for the pages of a Giorgio Armani catalogue, rather than a CEO of a multibillion-dollar corporation.

  “Hey, good-lookin’. Sorry I’m a few minutes late.”

  Alexander glanced in my direction and tossed me a single nod.

  “I’ll get you the paperwork in a minute,” he said, before turning back to his computer. He seemed to be in the middle of something. Rather than disturb him, I made myself comfortable in the chair across the desk from him. I waited for him to finish what he was working on, and used the opportunity to look around at the surrounding space.

  Like his conference room, the office was sophisticated in style, boasting a posh interior design with every modern amenity that one could want in a workspace. It made me eager to see the offices at Turning Stone Advertising.

  “You have a really nice office,” I appreciated.

  His only response to my compliment was a slight grunt. I frowned curiously at him, wondering what was up.

  The phone on the desk buzzed and Alexander quickly snatched up the receiver.

  “You better be calling me with a date and time, Steve,” he said irritably into the phone. After a moment, his face turned sour. Whatever the person on the other end was saying, it couldn’t have been good. “I don’t care what the excuse is. Find another underwriter to get it done. And if you don’t, then I will. I want this deal closed by the end of the week.”

  He forcefully put the receiver back on to its cradle, turned back to his computer, and began furiously typing on the keyboard. After a minute, he stopped and appeared to be studying whatever was on the screen. His jaw ticked, while his thumb tapped a steady beat on the desktop. I had never seen him look so agitated.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked cautiously.

  Alexander looked up from his computer in surprise, almost as if he’d forgotten that I was there.

  “Everything is fine. I just hate delays.” And with that, he picked up the receiver again and dialed a number. “Laura, get ahold of Joshua Swanson. Tell him to check his email. I want a progress update by the end of the day.”

  He’s on a warpath over something…

  “What happened?”

  He eyed me strangely, but didn’t answer my question. Instead, he got up from his desk and went over to a file cabinet.

  “Here’s the salary and benefit information for you to look over. It includes a severance deal as well,” he said coolly, unceremoniously tossing a manila folder onto the desk. “After you read it, you’ll need to sign a few things near the back.”

  He sat back down and returned to whatever task he had been so engrossed in. I was rather taken aback, his frosty reception perplexing. I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat. Between Alexander and Laura, I was beginning to think that there was something seriously wrong with the water at Cornerstone Tower.

  “I think I offended Laura the last time I was here,” I stated casually, trying to do something – anything, to break the tension that was in the room.

&n
bsp; “Don’t worry about her. She can be fickle sometimes, but she’s extremely efficient, which is why I keep her around,” he absently waved off, not looking away from his flat screen monitor.

  Something wasn’t right, and it wasn’t just his frustration over a delay. He was acting different towards me. Cold.

  Is this the way he planned on separating our personal lives from work?

  I watched him for a moment longer before picking up the folder, the click of the mouse the only sound that could be heard in the room. I opened it and pretended to peruse the contents, but I wasn’t really seeing them. I flipped through the pages, chancing furtive glances at him, in an attempt to decipher the real reason behind his mood.

  “Alex, what’s wrong?” I finally asked.

  “Nothing is wrong,” he dismissed, again not bothering to glance up. More silence. Another click-click.

  Maybe he got what he wanted last night and now he’s done with me.

  I fought the familiar internal battle between my insecurities and basic common sense. It was a real struggle not to imagine the worst.

  I’m not my mother…it’s better to ask than assume.

  “Look, I understand our arrangement, but do you really need to act so rigid towards me? I mean, we’re not exactly strangers anymore.” I received no answer, just a few more clicks. After several minutes of listening to nothing but his tapping on the mouse, my patience slowly diminished, and self-doubting instincts began to override all rational thoughts. In the end, conjecture won out. “I’m sorry, but am I interrupting something of vital importance here? Or is it that last night you got your quick fuck and this is your way of saying sayonara?”

  He looked up sharply, eyes piercing through me like knives.

  “First of all, you’re not a quick fuck. I don’t want to hear you say anything like that again. Ever,” he spat out. “Secondly, you left last night.”

  Ohhhh, so that’s what’s got his panties in a bind…