The Burning Pen

It's All a Matter of Choice
An Original Story by Ruth Solomon

This story can contain content unsuitable for those under the age of 18.

CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1 ~ At the Office

Emmet worked for Brand, Barrow and Blats. The company specialized in providing business services for other companies. Emmet’s job was to peruse the latest business news, contact companies that seemed as if they could use a third party business service, arrange interviews and land the account. Emmet was quite good at the first three, but his superiors believed he didn’t exude the proper professional demeanor it took to close the deal, and sent Brandon or some other worker to close. The young man was simply too non-aggressive. He never pushed and never pushed back.

This meant Emmet shared the bonus with the closer. He would have made twice as much if he could close himself, but no one would give him the chance.

“Emmet, you are a wiz at getting us in the doors of these companies, but we prefer our proven associates to get the actual contract,” Mr. Allen told him. “You just keep opening those doors and you can count on a long, prosperous career with us.”

So Emmet continued to open the doors no one else could, then was delegated to the background when a victorious Brandon Luster returned with the completed contract. He would then give Emmet the paperwork to complete, rather than do it himself.

“I’m a big picture guy, Emmet. Details aren’t my thing,” he’d say, piling the papers on Emmet’s desk and striding off to bask in the glow of his success, surrounded by associates and office girls. Emmet would sigh and get to work. No paperwork…no bonus.

Emmet was reading over the particulars of another closed contract when he saw a smiling Mr. Allen leading a pretty brunette woman from his office. Every stud in the room stiffened,  then started straightening ties and smoothing back hair as Anita passed.

Mr. Allen opened an office door.

“Right this way, Anita. Janice will show you around,” he said, still smiling. Wow, what a looker the new girl was. He followed behind her and placed a folder on the desk.

”Janice should be here in a moment. Now please excuse me,” he said to the brunette as he headed for the door.

Anita thanked him and sat down in the small folding seat available for new employees. In front of her was a large desk. It had pictures of a smiling blonde woman displayed, as well as an army little stuffed bears scattered about wearing all manner of ridiculous outfits. Pens, pencils, whiteout, a stapler, staple pullers and black markers rested in a desk caddy. On the walls were a few posters and logos of the companies B, B & B worked for, as well as a large circular clock. An appointment book rested on the desk, as well as a rolodex within hand reach. Obviously they did some things the old fashioned way around here.

Anita had been hired immediately, having aced the few tests given to check her computer and program skills. Her role would be a “floating” office worker. She would type up letters, fill out forms, enter data and do the mailings for the associates of B, B & B.

The office door opened and in walked Janice Tawdry, a tall, leggy blonde in a grey business skirt, white blouse and gray blazer who was the supervisor for the basic office workers. She approached her desk, sat down and leafed through Anita’s employee file for several moments, then eyed the pretty brunette with rather pursed lips.

“Just what we need in here. More eye-candy,” she thought to herself as she put on a false smile and welcomed Anita.

“Welcome to B, B & B Miss Bowen. Your paperwork seems to be in order. Your typing skills are excellent. We need people who can produce. We have a large number of contracts and paperwork that have to be processed daily. This will be your job. As you receive the paperwork, you will fill out all the necessary information in triplicate…one for the home office, one for corporate, and one for the associate’s records. Is this clear?”

Anita nodded.

“Good. There will be times you will be given a “rush” contract that has to go out immediately. You are to stop whatever you are doing and focus on completing that information and delivering it by hand to the associate, our main office and overnighting the last form to corporate office before you go home. We try to avoid overtime here, so try to get it done before five.”

Anita nodded again.

Janice began to wonder if the woman could speak. She stood up briskly.

“Now I’m going to introduce you to the associates, as well as show you around the office and show you the location of the rest rooms, staff room and cafeteria. You can bring your lunch and put it in the staff room refrigerator, go out for lunch or eat in our cafeteria. Your choice,” Janice said, walking past Anita, who rose and followed her out of the door.

The office was a maze of cubicles and Janice led Anita from cubicle to cubicle. Anita noticed immediately that almost all the associates were male, while the office workers were female. Each of the men stared at her, some quite lasciviously as she was introduced. Anita heard comments such as, “I’ll be doubling up on my output,” as they moved from cubicle to cubicle.

They stopped in front of a cubicle with a blonde-haired associate on a cell phone, facing the wall. His desk was clear of any paperwork and he had his legs propped up on it.

“You know you’re the only one for me, sweetheart. Don’t be like that. She meant nothing…nothing at all,” he was saying.

Janice cleared her throat.

Brandon Luster looked over his shoulder and his blue eyes widened. He pulled his legs off the desk and sat up.

“Honey, I’ll call you back as soon as I can,” he said into the phone, then folded it and placed it in his pocket. He swiveled his chair around to face the women.

Anita’s eyes narrowed in recognition for a moment.

“Brandon…I’d like you to meet Anita Bowen. She the newest addition to our B, B & B family,” Janice purred as Brandon gave Anita the once over. He didn’t remember her.  Brandon was like that.  If he didn't land a woman, he pushed his failure completely out of his mind.

“Well, hello Anita,” Brandon said, rising to his feet and giving Anita one of his most dazzling smiles. “Welcome to B, B & B.”

“Thank you,” Anita responded shortly.

Of all the businesses in the area, why did she have to get a job where this guy worked?

“Maybe I can show Anita around the rest of the office, Janice. I know you have work to do. Currently, I’m all caught up,” he said to the supervisor who looked relieved.

“Oh Brandon, would you?” Janice gushed.

"It would be my pleasure,” Brandon said walking up to Anita and offering his arm. She didn’t take it but Brandon took the snub in stride. “This way Anita, he said, showing her out of the cubicle.

The tour became more interesting, with Brandon giving his assessment and little tidbits about the people he was about to introduce her to…and not all flattering.

“We’re coming up on Herman now. He’s over forty, fat, balding and has a shrew of a wife and five kids. He’s on the ropes…only closing two or three accounts a month. He should leave and let a younger guy in, but the boss has a soft spot for him…he’s been here since the company started over twenty years ago,” he informed Anita.

Brandon stopped in front of Herman’s cubicle. The associate was studying a list of possibles intently on his screen when Brandon said loudly, “Hey Herman!” The poor man nearly jumped out of his skin. He blinked at the couple standing in front of him and ran his hand over his comb over.

“Hi Brandon,” he said, his brown eyes resting on Anita and flushing with embarrassment.

“This is Anita…new office girl. Just remember you’re an old married man,” Brandon said jovially. Anita frowned slightly as Herman grew even redder.

She offered the nervous man her hand.

“Hello Herman,” she said softly, giving him a smile. “It’s very nice to meet you. If you need help with anything, just let me know.”

Herman took her hand and shook it, smiling now as Brandon scowled slightly. Anita hadn’t been so friendly with him.

“Welcome to B, B & B,” Herman replied, looking at the young woman gratefully.

“Let’s move along. There’s a few more losers to meet,” Brandon said gruffly.

Herman colored again, and Anita decided she disliked Brandon even more now than when she met him in the bar the first time.

“I’ll see you around, Herman,” she said to him again, before leaving with Brandon, who looked at her sideways.

“You know, most of the girls don’t help Herman with his paperwork. He does so little they figure he can do it himself,” he said.

Anita glowered a little.

“Well, I’m not like most of the girls. If he’s closed a contract, then he should get a little help just to show his work’s appreciated,” she replied.

Brandon snorted and led Anita to cubicle after cubicle, introducing her to her fellow co-workers after giving a bit of insight on each one.

Finally they came to a little cubicle in the corner. It was the very last one. Inside sat a young man with large black glasses and a bad haircut. He wore a grey tie with a gray horizontally striped shirt. A pocket protector was sticking out of the breast pocket of the shirt, which was too big and stuffed in his pants, a pair of black jeans held up with a belt. He looked like his mother dressed him.

“Now, this guy, Emmet Barrows has been here for years and never closed a contract,” Brandon said conspiratorially.

Emmet was on the phone, an extraordinarily large pile of paperwork towering on his desk. He was writing something down on a pad as he spoke.

“Yes sir…Mr. Jonathan Grimes, yes sir, ten o’clock on Tuesday. Yes sir. Our representative will be there with all the information you need to make an informed decision. My pleasure sir. Thank you for considering B, B & B for your office needs,” Emmet said. He hung up the phone and smiled. He’d landed another interview.

Suddenly a tanned hand snatched the note off his pad.

“Hey Emmet, who’d you land this time?” Brandon said, studying the note. His eyebrows went up and he looked at the dark-haired associate. “Hobson’s Financial? You arranged an interview with the CEO? Emmet, we’ve been after them for years.”

”Well I read a small article about them having difficulties with the payroll company they utilized, so thought they might want to make a change. It’s just the timing,” Emmet replied, watching as Brandon stuffed the information in his pocket.

“I’ll handle the closing on this,” he said, then looked at Anita. “Oh, this is Anita Bowen…new office girl.”

Emmet looked at the new employee. Brown-haired, brown-eyed, full-lips, curvaceous with very pretty legs. Anita was smiling at him with interest. He swallowed but didn’t say anything…he was struck by how pretty she was.

Brandon rolled his eyes. What a loser.

“Aren’t you going to say anything, Emmet?” he asked him.

Emmet started.

“Oh, welcome to B, B & B Miss Bowen,” Emmet said, flushing a bit and adjusting his glasses.

“Thank you,” Anita said, “But you can call me Anita.”

Anita kind of liked that Emmet did not address her familiarly by her first name when introduced. It seemed he had old-fashioned manners.

“All right, Anita,” Emmet replied, flushing again.

Anita studied the mountain of paperwork on his desk.

“Why do you have so much work, Emmet?” she asked as Brandon sighed exaggeratedly. Anita turned to him.

“Brandon, you’re done introducing me to the associates, aren’t you?” she asked him.

“Yes, I just need to show you the staff room and cafeteria,” Brandon replied.

“I’d like to talk to Emmet for a bit. Maybe he can show the rest to me,” she said to the handsome blonde, whose blue eyes darkened a bit. She was dumping him for Emmet? He looked at the paperwork on Emmet’s desk.

“I don’t think he’s going to have time with all that paperwork,” Brandon said.

“Maybe I can help him clear some of it out. That’s why I was hired after all,” Anita replied evenly.

Brandon looked at her stubbornly for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders.

“Fine,” he snorted and walked off, clearly pissed.

Anita sat down in the little folding chair near Emmet's desk.

“You just let Brandon walk off with your interview,” she said to Emmet, who was pretending to look at his computer screen.

“He and the other associates always handle my closings. Mr. Allen doesn’t believe I have the proper presence to close deals,” Emmet said, still studying the screen.

Anita eyed the paperwork.

“So what’s all this?” she asked.

Emmet turned in his chair and looked at the pile of papers.

“When they close on an account I’ve set up, they bring me back the paperwork to do,” he replied, the pile of papers reflected in his glasses.

“They must have closed a lot of your accounts. Do you get any credit for it?” Anita asked him, her eyes dark.

“We split the closing bonus. It’s usually pretty good,” he replied with a sigh.

Anita looked at him a moment. She could tell Emmet was a very sweet guy, and was being overlooked and walked all over. He was good at what he did. The least his boss could do was let him try close his own accounts. But then again, Emmet didn’t look too sharp. First impressions were everything, and as smart as Emmet was, he didn’t project confidence.

“It kind of sucks that you are given all the paperwork while they’re given all the glory,” Anita said to him.

“I don’t need glory,” Emmet replied, looking at her directly now. “But it would be nice if they would do the paperwork themselves.”

Anita studied him.

“Why don’t you tell them that?” she asked him.

Emmet shrugged.

“I’d rather do the work than argue,” he said simply.

“I see,” Anita said, her dark eyes washing over the associate. He wasn’t a bad looking guy. He just needed repackaging. There was nothing Anita liked more than a “project.” She gave him a smile.

“You think you can leave this pile of paperwork long enough to show me the staff room and the cafeteria? It’s almost lunchtime and we can grab a bite to eat while we’re down there,” she said.

Emmet almost lost his voice.

“You want to eat with me?” he asked her incredulously. God, she was so pretty. She could pick anyone she wanted to share lunch with.

“Yes. I think you’re nice,” Anita replied.

Emmet blinked at her.

“I…I carry my lunch to work,” he said, his voice quavering just a bit. He cursed mentally at himself.

“So, you can still bring it. I doubt if the cafeteria workers would mind,” Anita pressed.

Emmet stared at her for another moment, then said, “Okay.”

Anita smiled and stood up, offering Emmet her arm.

Emmet stood up, cautiously looped his arm through hers, and walked out of the cubicle. He was aware of everyone staring at them with slack mouths and round eyes as he walked her toward the staff room. Brandon was frowning. Anita hadn’t taken his arm when he offered it to her.

“She must have a thing for losers,” the blonde thought to himself as they walked by. Emmet glanced at him as they passed and saw the black look on Brandon’s face.

Suddenly, he began to feel pretty damn good.

********************************************
A/N: First chappie. We find out a little more about Emmet’s job and Anita’s outlook. Brandon’s a real winner, isn’t he? Anita is viewing Emmet as a project. Pretty interesting start I think.

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