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Elias.
Bursting with pride, I watch my brother delegate the group with his chin pointed high. His lips move on some silent command, directing a minion away from the flock, bustling in a hurry, just as another joins and awaits orders. I inhale sharply when I spot Doris keeping pace at his side, clipboard in hand, as always.
Gosh, when did I get so attached?
As they draw near, oblivious of my existence, my brother's voice elevates in strength.
"... the quarterly performance overview must extend to the accounting department and heavily focus on middle management." A woman bolts from the group, disappearing through the cubicles. "Regarding the marketing department, our recent decline in sales among younger demographics calls for a bottom-up approach. Inform the director to expand upon their internship program and to prioritize recruiting talent with fresh perspectives." Another runner takes off. "And as for—"
Catching my eye, Elias stops abruptly, causing his corporate entourage to halt in unison—okay, kinda creepy. "Head over to Conference A and start the presentations without me." And just like that, they're off, marching like little green army men, except for Doris.
"Take notes in my absence," he instructs her, approaching my desk with a serious expression. "I'll be there shortly."
But Doris doesn't budge, her gaze flicking to me then wandering toward the group and back again. She thrums her nails over her clipboard, before scampering over.
"Mr. Kingston?"
"Yes?" He turns at the foot of my desk.
"Shall I push Marco's supply-chain presentation to last? I presume he has some questions he'd prefer you answer directly."
Elias hums. "Yes, go ahead."
"Perfect." As she turns to leave, she hesitates, side-glancing at me once more, noticing the box on my desk. "I see you're moving on."
Nerves bundle within me. I've never quit a job—never even had one before. What do I say? Farewell? It was a pleasure? Honestly, it wasn't. Doris isn't to blame, but it's the truth. This isn't the place for me, even if I had a shiny office like Elias, so I can't really thank her for all her valuable lessons. I was a terrible assistant and certainly a dreadful partner to work alongside.
So, I don't sugarcoat any lies. "I am," I say, offering a genuine smile, despite anticipating her snarky comment, possibly along the lines of good riddance. Except... nothing of the sort comes. In fact, she returns the smile—something I didn't know her lips could do.
"Well... best wishes for your next chapter." She nods, before trailing after the group.
Elias blinks, stunned.
"What's that look for?"
"I, uhh... I'm just surprised, is all. You got Doris all teary-eyed over leaving."
I snort. "Yeah, right. I said two words to her. Plus, she wouldn't have even come over, if it weren't for her question."
"Maybe, but I can't recall a time when she said goodbye to any of her junior assistants on their last day. Not even one girl who worked under her for two years."
"Seriously?"
"Mhmm."
"God, she's just ruthless, isn't she?"
"Yep. But that's the kind of person I need under me to do this job. Or..." He winces. "My new job," he corrects. "And my old job. I couldn't do either without Doris."
"How does it feel being the big dog, huh?" I nudge him. "One day in, and I'd say you're already up to speed."
When he shrugs, I nudge him harder, giving his shoulder a shove. A Kingston being modest? Not possible. "Come onnnnn. You know it's true. Walking in here, you looked straight out of a movie."
A smile creeps across his lips. "Okay, fine. Maybe being CEO is going to my head, even more than being Director of Finance did."
We both glance at his old office, shrouded in darkness. When I shift my focus, I find him wearing a serious expression again. "So..." I lower my voice. "You took Dad's office, then?"
"Temporarily. I'm having this one remodeled."
