by Cathy Johns
The busy hustle of people walking on the streets, about to start their day in the morning and in the evening when the traffic is a pain in the ass makes me realize how fortunate I am for how far I’ve come and for the people who work for me making ends meet for themselves
“Sir,” Cecilia says snapping me out of my reverie.
“I like your office,” I find myself saying. “Not like mine that clearly shouts a man’s office.” That makes her chuckle.
Everything in her office is white except the walls and the throw away colored pillows on one of her guest seats near the floor to ceiling window. A mahogany desk sits at the center of the room, neatly arranged. A white leather seat behind her desk with two matching seats in front of her desk where I make myself comfortable. A mahogany bookshelf with neatly arranged files stands on one corner of the room. Everything in her office is totally the opposite of mine, I have an antique wooden, walnut office desk with a matching bookshelf behind it. Black leather seats a round glass table sitting in the middle, a black rug beneath it facing the floor to ceiling window. The walls in my office are white but my office is an executive one. Leo calls it a fuck pad but I never bring women there. That’s my second home when I have one of those days where I have deadlines to meet and I can’t make it home.
I have a modern bathroom with a shower cubicle, a bedroom with a king size bed, a living room with white leather seats and matching white carpet beneath a glass table and don’t forget a mini-fridge. On the wall, I have a portrait of my mother. She’ll always be the queen of my heart.
“That’s because you’re a man,” she says laughing.
“If you say so,” I say roaming my eyes around her office one more time. “You should see Leo’s office.” Her eyes widen up and I know there’s something between them and I don’t need a fortune teller to tell me about it. She pulls her chair back and sits I know I’m damn right by the way she’s all uncomfortable around me at the mention of Leo’s name.
“Do you mind if we talk?” I ask trying to change the topic and I see her puff out.
“Sure.” She opens her diary, grabbing a pen, ready to take notes. So typical of her.
I hardly meet with her in her office, since I’m always the one who calls for the meetings in my office but whatever I want to say can be said anywhere.
“It’s what we talked about last time. You know, the horticultural business and the houses I’m contemplating building.”
“Well, I may have a few ideas” Cecilia says, a smile crossing her face.
“Okay,” I say.
“I know you, and I know when you talk about a project you don’t go in blindly, you go in focused, knowing what you’re getting yourself into. But, this is something you’ve never done before and I can’t say it’s the same as when you invest into properties and I want you to tread carefully with eyes wide open and an open mind. I’ll share the ideas I have but I also need you to take on someone who’s a well-known garden coordinator.
“You can hire someone from the Agricultural department to help you with this, see to it that you have met with interested people who have a mind and a vision like yours. Not just business wise, but those who have a heart like yours to give back to the community. Approach sponsors, which I know you won’t have a hard time doing especially with your current status since everyone wants to be rubbing shoulders with you.”
That makes me laugh. She does have a point there.
“You should organize an event, dinner, cocktails, whatever you want and invite all these people. I’m pretty sure they’ll be on board with you. Remember, you’ll be feeding a nation and still be doing what you love. Creating jobs for all those people you want to help.”
I should thank the heavens for sending her my way. I rest one arm on her desk and nod my head. She seems to have thought about all this carefully.
“I know the boys are with you on this one hundred and ten percent but Taylor, if you’re going to be doing this, let other people who are capable or have a heart like yours chip in. I know this will be a win/win thing for everyone. If you’re doing farming, do it all the way. Feed the Nation and the world too and they’ll remember you for that. Make a change for every child out there who has no idea where their next meal will come from or a roof over their heads. You know where they’re coming from. You know what it means not to have a decent meal, a roof over your head.”
She stretches her hand and places it on top of mine, squeezing gently. Cecilia is that sister we all wish to have instead, she remains that friend who sticks closer than a brother.
“Thank you” I find myself saying. Not sure what I’m thanking her for. Two words are not enough to express how indebted I am to have her in my life. For always thinking ahead of me at times. I know she has her past, something she doesn’t talk about because all I know is when she joined my company, her marriage was hitting rock bottom. She was struggling to balance everything and still kept a smile on her face and then the divorce a few years later. Now, I hope my brother won’t end up hurting her even when I don’t know what’s going on between them.
“I’ll always have your back, Taylor.” She says standing up from her seat and reaching for a file beneath her arranged papers and hands it over to me. I open to see what’s inside… “I just prepared a few ideas of my own. I don’t know what will be helpful and what won’t I also talked to a few architects regarding the other project, they sent their proposals but that’s all for you. Just let me know when I should schedule appointments with them.”
I pause from flipping the papers in the file and look at her. The one woman who deserves to head this project and what better way to let her lead it. But that’s a surprise for another day.
“How about tomorrow,” I say as she notes it down in her diary I also make a mental note on that. I stand up to leave her office but halt my step and turn to look at her with an appreciative look. I know I couldn’t have come up with half the ideas she has told me or what’s in the file. “I don’t know what I’d have done without you Cecilia, or where I’d be without you having my back all the time. I’m indebted to you.” I’m sincere with my words as I walk out of her office, the file in my hand as I head back to my office where I enter, closing the door behind me and removing my suit jacket draping it behind my seat before sitting. I open the file, reading every word, taking all the ideas in as I deliberate on them.
The day goes by quickly and when I go to look at my watch, I find that it’s already 4pm, I missed out on lunch.
I leave my desk, taking my suit jacket and head out of my office, everybody is working on their computers and a small smile spreads across my face. I’m about to change the Nation again. With that, I head towards the elevators as I leave the building premises and get into my car with one thought in mind. Hope.
I know it’s Monday; the club must be closed and quite early for someone like me to be walking in there but that’s not what I want to do. I just want to leave a message for her then I will catch up with the boys later to discuss further the best way to proceed with the projects at hand and share the ideas Cecilia had prepared for me.