by Hattie Black
Renee searches for a quiet place to run into until she can compose herself. She eventually runs into the small, and quaint Rustic Coffee Bean shop. The sandwich, brew and pastry shop is owned by a middled-aged couple who embraces musicians, poets, study groups, church groups, parties, and others to gather and have a good time while consuming their special homemade snacks and beverages. Renee tries to remain undetected. She runs directly into the Ladies' Room, and finds a stall. Renee stands in the stall, leaning against the right partition, then whips out her cell phone and dials her mother.
"Helloooo." Renee's mother, Pilar Wainwright sings, knowing it is her daughter on the other end. Pilar hears Renee's soft sobbing. "Renee, honey, are you crying?" her mother asks with grave concern. Overcome with emotion, Renee is unable to speak. The high school Science and Math teacher stops preparing dinner. "Renee, please tell me what is going on. You're scaring me."
"Mom, um...Ronald...I found Ronald in bed with..." Renee's sobs grow louder. "I found Ronald in bed with Olivia." Renee finally spits out.
"Oh Baby! I am so sorry Renee. Where are you now?" Pilar asks immediately worried about her daughter's current state of mind.
"I, uh, I had to get out of there. I took a walk, and now I am at a coffee shop downtown...well, I am in a bathroom stall." Renee explains to her mother.
"I see. Honey, when are you going home?" Pilar inquires.
"I am not sure Mom. I had to get out of the apartment right away. I told Ronald, and Olivia that they better be gone by the time I return. I can't even look at them, or my place right now." Renee tells her mother with animosity in her voice.
"Ok Dear, I understand...I fully get it." Pilar assures Renee. "How long have you been away from the apartment now?" Pilar continues to ask.
Renee pauses to think for a moment. "Uh, I'm not sure...Maybe an hour?" She informs her mother.
"Ok Sweetheart. Why don't you get on the train, and come home tonight. I will have your father pick you up at the train station." Pilar recommends.
The invitation sounds appealing to Renee but she also needs to be at work early, and ready to for her first assignment - an opportunity to impress Melaine. "I don't know Mom. I have a presentation in the morning..." Renee begins.
"Presentation? Honey, is that fancy firm making you jump through another hoop, before they give you the job?" Pilar asks, slightly agitated.
"Oh no Mom, I planned to tell you later...I had a whole plan..." Renee says and begins to cry again.
"Oh Sweetie! Renee, you can tell me later. Please just get home. I am cooking dinner. I will have your Dad pick you up, and we will make sure that you get back there early. But you shouldn't be alone right now." Pilar appeals to her young daughter.
Renee considers her mother's words, and knows that at least a hug from her mother will go a long way at that very moment. Still, getting the job at BYWINSTON is the best thing that happened to her that week, and she had to hold on to that.
"Mom, if you and Dad can really help me get here early tomorrow, then I think that I will get on the train." Renee barters with Pilar.
"Of course baby girl. Whatever it takes, just come home." Pilar encourages Renee.
"Alright Mom. I am heading home." Renee responds. "See you soon." Renee ends the conversation with her mother, and begins to return the phone to her tote bag when she notices she has several missed calls. Renee is surprised to discover numerous calls, voice mails, and text messages from both Ronald, and Olivia. Feeling overwhelmed, Renee puts her phone away and darts out of the coffee shop, and heads for the train station to be with her parents for the night.
CHAPTER 3
The next day, Renee drives to work, using her mother's car. She was raised in Oaktown, a ninety-minute drive from Trojan City, where she now works. Her apartment is 15 minutes outside the city in Summersville. The train commute that morning, including transitions would have been about 120 minutes. Therefore it is a huge help to Renee, that her mother let her use her car. On the ride back, Renee worked to focus on her presentation. She and her mother had a very long talk about the Ronald, and Olivia debacle the night before. Renee cried as much as she could, and analyzed where she believed things went wrong. Her mother sought to comfort Renee, and reassure her that what happened is not a reflection of who she is, or any failure on her part. "It is just the breakdown of character of two people whose integrity was tested, and terribly failed." Pilar repeated this over, and over throughout their night time conversation.
The two women also stayed up pretty late the night before. Following deep discussions about Ronald's betrayal, Pilar remained awake with Renee to rehearse her presentation. Both Pilar, and Renee's Dad, Max Wainwright, were thrilled that their daughter had obtained the new job, and the opportunity to grow in her field. Now Renee rehearses her presentation out loud during her long drive. She recites her talking points, and visualizes the design she created on her work computer. About one hour into her ride, Renee opts for a mental break. She puts on the radio, and listens to upbeat tunes very loudly, in order to numb her brain from her pain - all while relaxing prior to the presentation.
Renee didn't want to think about Ronald, Olivia and the entire cheating fiasco for one second. While her personal relationship had crashed, and burned her career appeared to be on the upswing. The music is working - or so she believed. Renee convinced herself that she is happy, ready to seize the day, and conquer the presentation. She parks her Mom's silver sedan in the BYWINSTON building - underground garage. She rides the elevator to her floor, with her head held high and marches confidently to her desk. She walks past Marina's desk.
"Good morning Marina." Renee says in a chipper tone.
Marina is standing, busily sorting documents, and stacking them in her arms to take into Melaine's office. She looks up at Renee. "You're early?" She tells Renee sarcastically. "I hope this means you're ready for your presentation." Marina spits out, and turns around to head into Melaine's office.
Renee initially falls for Marina's intimidation techniques, for about 2 seconds. Her stomach does a cartwheel, and her heart begins to race. She walks a few more paces toward her desk, then her pep talk with her mother - from the night before - fills her mind. Consequently, a broad smile covers her face.
"You don't get to crush my spirit today Marina Marquis...not today!" Renee mumbles under her breath and plops down at her desk.
About thirty minutes later, Marina is standing over Renee's cubicle with her left arm outstretched, and her palm facing upward.
"Melaine is ready for you." She tells Renee in a dry tone.
Renee looks up at Marina with her eyes wide open, astonished. "Now?"
"Yes, right now." Marina repeats firmly.
"Um...the appointment you gave me is for 10:00 am. It is...um, 9:15 am." Renee reminds Marina.
"I know what time it is Ms. Wainwright!" Marina snaps back, then takes a deep breath. "If you want to do well here, you will have to learn to be flexible." She advises Renee, in a less aggressive tone.
"Yes, I um...understand." Renee responds sheepishly.
"Bueno! I presume you've already emailed me your designs?" Marina asks authoritatively.
"Yes, I sent them to you yesterday." Renee confirms.
"Okay then. Follow me!" Marina instructs.
Renee's stomach does somersaults, and backflips as she follows Marina to the meeting room. The presentation is being held in the a smaller conference room, than the one where Renee's interview was conducted. Melaine customarily uses this room for meetings with her design team, and for presentations with new, and returning clients. When Renee enters the meeting space, she immediately observes the unique design covering the walls. She assumes that Melaine had a hand in the layout, and her hunch is soon confirmed.
"I'm either stuck in this room, or in my office, so Colin allowed me to put my stamp on it. Do you like it?" Melaine says as she bursts through the doors a few seconds behind Marina, and Renee.
"Um, yes. It looks great." Renee ans
wers, feeling caught off-guard.
"'Great'? 'Great', Renee? You're a graphic artist, and the best description you can come up with is, 'Great'?" Melaine admonishes Renee. "Let's try this again. Renee, what do you think about the layout of this room?"
"Well, um...the colors complement one another accurately, and they are bold and vibrant. Also, the opposing shapes within the design on the walls provide a 3-D effect. Therefore, transporting the space into the future..." Renee rambles on.
"Ok...enough...enough." Melaine interrupts Renee. "You are on the right path. Now let's see how you do with your own design." Melaine tells Renee, who hasn't had a moment to breathe since she walked into the room. Renee inhales, then exhales. Okay, let's do this. She thinks, and sets herself up at the front of the room. Renee speedily acquaints herself with the presentation equipment, then launches into her spill. She stutters at the start, completely thrown off by the two pair of eyes glued to her every move. Renee soon sighs, clears her throat, and begins.
All of a sudden, about five minutes in, Renee, and the ladies are joined by surprise guests. Head honcho, Colin Winston saunters into the meeting. "Good morning all!" He announces. "What do we have here?" Colin asks Melaine pointing at Renee.
"This is my newest recruit. We're reviewing her first..." Melaine says before she is rudely interrupted.
"What? How is this relevant to what we discussed yesterday Melaine?" Colin barks. "We should be using our time to dominate television ads, TV show graphic opens, and the full television production design spectrum." Colin continues. "We talked about this!"
Melaine sighs, shakes her head, and looks at Colin as though he's a spoiled kid having a temper tantrum, while Marina stares at her shoes. It appears that Colin Winston even makes the intimidating Marina nervous. Colin then turns his attention to Renee. "What is that?" Colin asks Renee, looking at her presentation on the 72 inch flat screen, hoisted up on the wall. Before Renee can formulate one word, "Looks like we're retreating to the 70s. This is 2015!" Colin yells, then turns and walks out the room.
Renee is breathing heavily, and uncontrollably. She immediately wonders whether Colin's comment means she will be fired.
"Welcome to BYWINSTON Renee. If you haven't realized it yet, that was the Colin Winston, the company's founder - himself." Melaine notices Renee's rapid breathing, stands up and walks over to her. "Hey...Renee, don't let him throw you off. He always has a new big vision, and expects the result the instant it leaves his mouth." Melaine explains. "This exercise is aimed at getting you comfortable with presenting in front of clients. Let's continue."
Renee continues with her presentation while Melaine regularly interjects, critiques, and corrects her demonstration. Following the hour long session, Melaine stands to her feet.
"That will do for today Renee. It was a good beginning. There is still work to do to refine you, and your work further but we will end here for now." Melaine lectures Renee. "You will join us today at 3:00 pm for a meeting with the other designers. Return to your desk. Marina will deliver all the materials you need to get up-to-date with our current clients, and the process from conception to presentation, and sealing the deal." Melaine dictates.
Melaine, and Marina walk out of the meeting room, but not before Marina looks back at Renee and shoots her a formidable look. Renee immediately quivers, then collects herself, and hustles off to her desk to await the details, she was told to expect, from Marina.
***
Renee is perusing the data she was provided when Amanda Chen walks up to her cubicle.
Amanda is a seasoned graphic artist, and interior designer. She is 29 years old, and has been with BYWINSTON for three and one-half years.
"So you've been initiated I see." Amanda tells Renee, leaning over her cubicle.
"Um, initiated?" Renee asks looking up - surprised by the interruption.
"Yeah Melaine takes everyone through that "baptism by fire" when they first start working here." The woman dressed in all black, with black nail polish, and long wavy black hair with shaved sides tells Renee. "But I heard you had Colin walk in on yours. What was that like?"
Renee has a quick mental flashback about the experience, and her heart rate elevates once again. "It was...um...it was pretty horrifying." Renee admits to Amanda.
"I can only imagine. I've seen him make a newbie cry, and quit - and it was guy." Amanda informs Renee, then chuckles.
Renee becomes concerned. She worries that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. She read up about the overwhelming success of the savvy company, and had learned that Colin was a playboy, and direct with the media. However, before working at BYWINSTON, she previously interpreted his candor as comical, and entertaining but now - face to face with the handsome billionaire, as his employee - she personally notes that he possesses a nasty bark, and grows concerned about his bite.
"Don't worry too much newbie." Amanda encourages Renee. "I've survived, and you can too. Just remain focused on your creativity. Talk to Melaine lots about what you're doing - and thinking - as it pertains to creativity, and you'll be fine on the work front." Amanda continues to educate Renee. "As for Colin's wild eyes for the ladies, you don't have to worry. It doesn't look like you're his type." Amanda concludes.
Renee is noticeably taken aback. "I'm not his type?" What is she trying to say? Is it because I'm Black." Renee begins to think just when Amanda cuts into her thoughts.
"He likes girls like those over there." Amanda says, and points to a pool of women dressed in short dresses, and skirts with low cut necklines. "I'm not his type either." The almost punk-rock styled woman tells Renee, who now looks down at her own attire, then back at their "sexy" co-workers.
CHAPTER 4
Later that night, Renee lays on her couch trying to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. Thoughts are running fiercely throughout her head. From coming home to an empty apartment, being heart broken, and feeling betrayed, to considering asking her parents for a loan to purchase a new bed. Rene refuses to lay any part of her body on her current bed, where her boyfriend, and best friend defiled it. She is also growing worried that she may not be able to cut it at BYWINSTON. Hence, she is severely restless.
Renee recycles all the details she'd received from the Designer's meeting earlier that day. All the company's designers, both interior, and graphic artists sat in a strategy meeting with Melaine. During the assembly, Renee learned what everyone is currently assigned. She was also brought up to speed about designers being paired per project. At times, an interior designer is paired with a graphic artists depending on the project. Renee wasn't informed about her pairing just yet though. She wonders whether Melaine is keeping her in suspense on purpose. She also contemplates what it will be like to work with the offbeat Amanda. Though the other graphic artists seemed polite enough, Amanda is the only one she'd had extended dialogue with. Suddenly Renee's thoughts transition to Colin Winston. Her pores begin to raise, and she feels chills. How could he lead so many people, and not be a people-person...like, at all! Renee is perplexed, and somewhat terrified of the billionaire. As a result she makes a commitment to herself, to stay clear of him.
The next morning around 10:00 am, Renee stands at the 3D printer maneuvering the hardware in order to manufacture some art work Melaine forwarded to her to tweak, then discuss later that day. While standing there, Renee senses the presence of someone else behind her.
"You! Where is Melaine?" Barks Colin Winston. Renee spins around as though in slow motion. "Um...ah, she's not in her office?" Renee nervously replies.
"Would I be asking, if she were in her office?...Huh?" Colin continues, not relaxing his intensity one bit. "I don't see her assistant either!...Where is she?"
Renee begins to ponder why, among all of Melaine's other staff. Colin chose to pick on her. She takes a deep breath. She remembers she is new, and positioned within a wonderful opportunity. Renee smiles. "I can find out for you. Would you like me to find out for you?" Renee sweetly asks Colin.
&nb
sp; "Of course I want you to find out for me. Didn't I just ask you where she was?" Colin snaps.
Renee flashes her brilliant white teeth, and her hazel brown eyes which beautifully contrasts with the brown color of her skin. "Certainly. I am on it." Renee asserts, and walks off speedily to the pool of designers. Everyone is absorbed in their work, both individually, and collaboratively. Renee notices that with each step she takes forward, her colleagues are staring at her, and growing nervous themselves. She knows it is because Colin is following close behind her, and he rarely enters the "Designer Pit".
Renee dips into her cubicle and pulls up the department wide calendar on her computer desktop, while still on her feet. It indicates that Melaine is out at a meeting at a Video Production Company. She quickly straightens up. "Melaine, and Marina are out at a meeting at the Our Ride video production company." Renee informs Colin.