Chapter Four

I took a really deep breath and looked back at the computer screen. That table was so messed up with all those giddy numbers, and they weren't doing what they should. I did and remade countless times, but most did not match the result.

Half a day and nothing, so I decided to go to lunch, maybe I could solve the problem when I got back. I left everything organized and left, still not knowing what I was going to have lunch for.

I took the elevator that seemed to have stopped on all floors above me, but when it arrived it was empty. I went down about two floors, then he stopped again.

— Oh, how I hate these elevators, I'm hungry for a dragon, and this crap doesn't come soon.

Said one of the two women who entered the elevator. A blonde with blue eyes and a brunette, black hair and eyes too.

— Are you new here? I've never seen you around.

Asked the brunette, looking me up and down. — Ann, are you talking to me? — I asked, then I looked around, it was just the three of us and it certainly wasn't for the blonde. — Yes, I am. I started yesterday. I work for Mr. Uckermann.

— Ah, poor girl! — The blonde said hoarsely. — He's a pesky guy.

— And a fucking good one.

— Wow! — I said, embarrassed. Who were those crazy people?

— Nice to meet you, I am Mai and this blonde here is Annie. We work on the meeting floor. — She greeted me with two kisses on the cheek.

— What do you do there?

— I help my boss to present projects.

— And you fuck with him in his spare time, don't forget it. — Completed Mai and I giggled in disguise. — I am a secretary there, I have to keep everything in order, but I am also doing everything for Alfonso, vice president of the company.

— I heard about him. — I commented. — But who is your boss? Annie, right?

— Alfonso. We kind of work together, right Mai?

She had a delicate way and was very beautiful. In fact, both were. — Nice. So, we are basically work slacks.

— Only that you work in confinement, with Christopher.

— And certainly with Natália, that disgusting. — She pretended to force vomit. — You jaguar must know her, she is disgusting!

— And she gives it to Christopher, get your ears ready.

The elevator door opened, and I got out while I heard the two of them talking badly about Natália to me. Christopher didn't seem like the type of man who picked up women at work, but on second thought, maybe he did.

— Are you going to lunch?

— Yes. — I kept walking, looking at the two, so I shocked everything on the glass wall, but they passed the door that was a few centimeters beside me.

The noise in the lobby was so great that everyone stopped what they were doing to look, and I wanted to dig a hole to stick my face in. Annie started laughing hysterically as Mai tried to understand how I had accomplished that feat. Would I be able to work a day without embarrass myself close to other people?

— Damn glass, why did it have to be so clean?

— Seriously? Have you seen the width of the door? — Mai crossed her arms looking at me. Behind her Annie continued to laugh, even blushing and breathless. — Did you hurt yourself?

— No, I'm clumsy, no worries. Things like that always happen.

— Oh boy! I liked you. — Said Annie wrapping her arm in mine. — We will take you safely to a magnificent restaurant full of delicious businessmen. Come on!

I didn't have time to contest. When I found out, we had already crossed the avenue and after a short walk, we stopped in front of a Spanish restaurant. Hispanic women were famous in Mexico City and I hadn't been to one yet.

Disconcerted, they made me eat one of the most famous dishes in the place, made with ants. If I was disgusted? Of course! But the price of it made me eat every little ant on my plate. It wasn't that bad.

Late in the afternoon, with less than an hour to go, Christopher appeared, which left me a little confused. Wasn't he in Puerto Rico?

He passed by me quickly, throwing a transparent folder on my table, and saying nothing. Then she entered the room and slammed the door, which made me scared. How bad must that trip have been?

— Dulce? — He shouted and I opened my eyes wide.

— And there we go to meet the famous beast. I mumbled, heading for the door.

— I heard this! — His voice was closer. What an unfortunate ear!

I opened the door and went inside, sneaking towards his table, where he was sitting, massaging his temples.

— How was the meeting, sir?

— A disgrace. — He closed his eyes. — Were you able to do something today? I left a list on your table before I went.

— Some things, but I'm having trouble with some files. The results don't match at all.

— You are not paid to calculate anything, Miss Saviñon. Feathers to clean up what they send you. — He looked at me, he was really stressed, but what was my fault? I almost broke my head trying to understand where the error was.

— Do you want a glass of water?

— You don't get paid for that either. — He insisted. — Can you send in my email what did you manage to do? And update me of my schedule.

— Of course, sir.

While I was talking, he just played with his cell phone, as if he wasn't paying attention to my lines and that irritated me immensely.

— Something more?

— Not for now. — I thought a little. — A woman called from Miami, it was a lady, but she didn't say her name, the call was dropped before. I was unable to return.

— Miami? It can only be my mother. — He said, but then turned his attention to the cell phone.

He was so irritated that he threw the device on the other side of the room without mercy, so I was silent, before I had anything left for me. Whatever had happened on that trip, it was not good.

— Christopher?

Nat��lia arrived at the door and I looked at her, feeling relieved.

— What's it?

— Okay, let's talk a little. Can you excuse us, Miss Saviñon? Close the door when you leave.

I nodded and without saying anything else I left. If what Mai said was true, there was no way she was going to witness the way she wanted to talk to her boss.

I went back to my work and tried my best not to pay attention to what was going on inside, but it didn't work. The noisy was explicit and made me nauseous. How did they have that courage? Fifteen minutes later she left, fixing her hair and looking as she always did. I stared at the monitor and pretended that nothing had happened, even if in my mind I couldn't stop thinking in what I heard and what the girls that I met earlier were talking about.

They knew Christopher and Natália and they had already warned me that this was going to happen, I just hadn't taken it so seriously. I wish it had been just baseless gossip, because that was a complete lack of respect.