Tonya had finally arrived in the yet another town, transferred from her last position at the lawyer office that she once occupied in New York. She was sent here to fill the temporary position vacated when the new office president decided to slash most of the old employees. She reported to the office, only to find it closed for the day
“What a good day I’m having” she muttered.
Arriving at the airport, she had lost her luggage, missed the shuttle to the office, and got stuck paying $45.oo on a cab, all to find it closed.
She kicked the ground in front of her and looked through the glass doors. No one was around, not even the usual security guard. The office building appeared completely deserted, and that’s when she noticed the sign on the side door. It was a small note, barely noticeable from the street. It stated that the office was now closed and relocated down the street, three blocks down to be exact.
She picked up her briefcase, shrugged off the anger, and started the walk toward the new office, muttering unladylike words as she went. She passed a convenience store, a dry-cleaners, massage parlor and various other little boutiques along the way. She took mental notes of the stores she wished to visit before going back to New York.
She arrived at the new office about twenty minutes later, her feet tired and her hair frizzled due to the light breeze that blew down the narrow street. She pushed open the door and felt the cool air inside the tiny office.
“Hello, may I help you?” a soft voice echoed in her ears.
Adjusting to the lighting inside the reception area, she looked at the tiny brunette sitting behind the desk. She couldn’t have been more than twenty-two. She was a petite young girl; her hair put up in a ponytail, cascading over her shoulders. Her tiny glasses resting on her pert little nose. Tonya looked at her in admiration.
“Yes, I am Tonya St-German. I was transferred here from the New York office. I have an appointment with Mr. Charles.”
The receptionist looked down on her desk to the appointment book, and found Tonya’s name.
“Ah yes, here we go. You are a little late though. I’ll see if he’s still in his office. Please take a seat.” She picked up the phone as she filled Tonya in.
Tonya sat across from the desk, watching the petite brunette place a call to Mr. Charles. She motioned to Tonya that he would be only a few moments. Tonya examined the rest of the room. A pine wood coffee table stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by black Italian leather couches. Across the table lay strewn a few business magazines, a couple of Life magazines and one thick volume titled The Successful Career of Max.
Tonya waited patiently as Mr. Charles finished in his meeting and made his way to where she was sitting.
“Miss St-German I presume?” he said extending his hand.
She reached for his hand, standing up, and exposing a little more leg then she had anticipated. He got a very good look at her long legs before she readjusted the hem. She noticed his stare, and decided she might have to file this for future reference.
They walked back to his office, a beautifully decorated room. On the walls were priceless paintings by famous artists, various sized pieces of art on ornate bookshelves. Tonya was amazed by the fullness of the room, considering the location of the business.
“So Miss St-German, may I call you Tonya?” he asked.
“Yes, please do. St-German was my ex husbands name. I haven’t had the opportunity to change it back yet.” She smiled back at him. Mr. Charles wasn’t as old as she had expected. Maybe in his early forties, Mr. Charles was a handsome man. He had the greenest eyes she had ever seen, and his salt and pepper hair made him look very distinguished. He moved gracefully she thought, and watched as he made his way around the desk.
“Not a bad butt either,” she said under her breath.
“Please call me Tom.” He replied. “Now then, New York has informed me that you are familiar with Income Accounts. As you are aware, we are having a problem with our current accountant. The Income Tax Department has been insisting on checking our books. A quick glance into the ledgers, and I noticed some discrepancies. I called you down here to find those missing monies, and explain the results to the I.T.D.”
Tonya looked closely at Tom as he explained their situation. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the mention of I.T.D. She hated working in cooperation with them, but that was in New York. She thought maybe that out here it would be different.
“Well, if you don’t mind Tom, I would like to get started as soon as I am settled. I came directly from the airport, and haven’t had the chance to check in yet.” She said, motioning to her clothes.
“I understand,” he said “Come back tomorrow morning, and we’ll have an office set up for you and all the ledgers will be available to you.”
“Thank you Tom. We’ll see you in the morning then.” She stood and shook his hand, feeling the strength in his handshake.
Tom walked Tonya to the reception, and informed Janney, the receptionist to set up an office for Tonya for the following day. Janney mentioned she would make the necessary arrangements and welcomed Tonya to the office.
Tonya made her way to the hotel that New York had set up for her. A quick call to the office she had left twenty hours earlier, and they extended her expense account. She needed new clothes, and it would only be right if the company supplied them for her.
Leaving her briefcase in the room, she made her way back down to the lobby and approached the reception desk.
“Excuse me, but could you point me in the direction of the nearest shopping mall?” she inquired.
The lady behind the counter mentioned that two blocks up was a vast mall, covering at least two city blocks. She also said that if Tonya didn’t find what she needed in this mall, she didn’t need it. Smiling back at the woman, and thanking her, Tonya made her way out into the bright daylight.
The thoughts of her terrible beginnings to her day came crashing back to her, and again she muttered to herself. She looked forward to spending some money, one of her favorite pastimes. She found the mall. It was kind of hard to miss. It was huge, neon signs lighting the afternoon sky.
The shops were all so beautiful, with various wares for sale. Her first stop was at this chic little boutique which sold business attire for women.
Making her way around the store followed by a friendly older salesclerk, Tonya picked out three suits and proceeded to the changing rooms. Once inside, she felt comfortable again. She tried the three suits, deciding to select the first one. It was a navy blue pantsuit. The pants were casual fitting and the matching jacket was a mid-length cut.
Taking the suit up to the cashier, she pulled out her business credit card and started the process that would keep her going for the rest of the afternoon.
Her second stop was at a shoe shop. She picked up three pairs of high-heeled shoes, one black, one white, and one red. She also bought two pairs of casual shoes and a pair of running shoes. Again her expense account was being dwindled.
