Drunk Boss

I couldn't believe I was having this conversation with Tyranny Turner.

He furrowed his eyebrows and then eased them out. As if his prolonged thinking had concluded. More like he had figured out whether or not to let me go off that quick. The only thing anyone in my position could expect from him is 'the worst of the possible, and then there was this hope, buried in my heart, that he would perhaps take pity on me.

"On second thought, I think we won't be needing the manuscripts turned in tomorrow. Speaking of which ..."

He paused mid-sentence. Okay, maybe he will just let me off the hook.

"Yes?" I said, a little hopeful.

"Do you have a habit of over-working all night?" He asked, and my thoughts danced a little.

"Umm..yes," I said little curious.

What was he thinking?

"Great then, there would be a change in our plans..."

His eyes sparkled. His habit of stopping mid-sentence put me on edge. Couldn't he say all of it once? I could bet he was doing it on purpose to get a rise out of me.

"And that would be?" I insisted.

"You will work in the office the whole night and turn in the manuscripts to me by midnight."He smiled and went to stare at his phone.

That jerk. What did I even expect? I couldn't even bring myself to refuse. He would threaten to give me a pay cut. Or worse, he could fire me for talking back. After what happened in the elevator, it was nearly impossible to question his ways. Tyranny always does things in his way.

"Now hurry...and while you are at it, could you please bring me my lunch? I have placed the order. You can fetch it for me." He winked and retired to his work.

~

I went to Becky's to get him his lunch and grabbed a taco for myself. On returning, I found his desk empty and placed his coffee with his packed afternoon meal. So much for working with a bully.

On my return, I found a solitary rose with an anonymous note lying on my desk. The card inside reading-

'Here's to your perseverance.'

My eyes went wide. Who would have left it? It couldn't be Tyranny Turner. Was it a case of cheapskate stalking? Maybe I was thinking a bit too much about it. I slipped the note into the drawer and my heart skipped a beat. What if it was him?

***

A hell lot of hours later

It was already midnight. Feeling drowsy, I grabbed an espresso from the machine in common hall. I found a deranged Will Turner standing by the door. I saw him leave at ten. When did he come back? Did he need an espresso from the office? Or was he pissed I was here? Why was he still here?

"Are you in need of an espresso, Mr. Turner?" He nodded, and I took that one as a yes and filled a cup for him.

No sugar for him. I handed him his cup, and he looked at me closely. He reeked of alcohol.

"Done with your dinner, Mellon?"

"Not yet."

"Fine, join me then. I brought us some Chinese takeout."

Wow. Tyranny Turner had brought me dinner. It would be a highlight for a time when he had tried being nice.

"Sure."I beamed and followed him down to his office. Pro tip- Never turn down food from your boss. Never. He sucks your blood, you can surely eat off his wallet.

~

"Thank you for dinner, Mr. Turner," I said in what seemed like a whisper as I cleared the crates from the desk.

The Chinese takeout he brought was delicious. He must have gone all the way to Chinatown to get it. Maybe he wasn't that bad. He could be considerate if he wanted to. I'd keep that to myself, just in case he decided not to.

"It's alright, Evangeline. You can call me Will."

Did he call me Evangeline? My eyes went wide at him. I had never seen him allowing any employee to talk with him on a first-name basis. He had only scoffed at me and called me Mellon. I nearly suspected he was fucking with me, but then, what in the world could not change? 

"Eva would do Mr. Turner. I mean Will..."

"I will see you then, Eva."

He moved out. His steps were sloppy and he lost his balance, nearly tripping into the couch. Was he drinking before he got here? As he opened the door and walked ten steps out of his office, he collided with a chair and came tumbling down. I sprinted to get a hold of him. What in the world?

"Will. Are you okay?"

He opened his eyes for a split second.

"Eva..." He mumbled.

I helped him get up. Barely able to stand, he leaned on to me. I could leave him be and complain about his weight, but for the first time in my life, I had seen him soften towards me. It would leave a bad taste not to repay the favor, even if he doesn't remember it tomorrow.

I laid him down on the couch in his office.

"Eva..." He kept mumbling.

"Easy there. Rest your head and sleep."

"Eva...Why do you always drive me crazy?" Oh, God. He was drunk, blabbering.

"I am sorry. Please go to sleep, Will."

"No, no, no. You always do that..." He scoffed childishly. Adorable. I wanted to videotape him, but I figured if word got out, I would get fired.

"Do what?" It seemed interesting.

"Spew nonsense from that smart mouth of yours, Mellon. It makes me go crazy." He pulled me onto the couch, a bit too tiny for both of us to land. I landed on top of him. His drunk grey eyes stared back into my brown ones. My heart felt like it would explode. Breathe. Just breathe.

"You are just drunk. Go to sleep."

"I- not drunk. You-blind-Ahh, aim saw in two you-I-"

The only thing I could figure out was a possible threat that he would 'saw me in two'! What did I do to make a drunk man hate me so much? I would never know. His voice sloped down, and he fell into a deep slumber. I went on to work in my cubicle. 

Drunk or not, it wasn't safe around him. Will Turner is a dark and dangerous man, and he was born to be feared. I gulped.