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“He’ll see me,”Cameron responds.
I sit in shock, unprepared for a confrontation after this morning.
“Sir, you can’t go in there.”
“What I have to say is pertinent to the meeting taking place right now.”
“You shall not pass.”
I would snicker at Ayana’s appropriate Tolkien reference but I’m too busy looking for a nook to hide in.
“Kenya, you okay?” Pedro’s concern doesn’t penetrate my panic.
I shoot from my chair and scramble around the office. “Don’t you have like some secret bat entrance to disappear from in emergencies?”
“If I did, do you think Onyx would catch me unprepared as many times as she has?”
While Pedro watches me with a hint of growing amusement, sounds of a scuffle tick down an imaginary countdown.
“Why do I get the impression you’re trying to flee a crime scene?”
“I know you’re only joking right now, but it’s too close to what really happened.” I spin to face him, defeated that—wait! “You won’t need your desk until he leaves, right?”
“Are you proposing to hide under my desk?” He leans back into his chair and cracks a huge smile, no longer hiding his amusement at my expense.
“Pedro, please. I’ll owe you one.” I put all the desperation I feel into my gaze.
“Alright, go ahead.”
“Listen young man, I’ve tangled with the likes of Onyx Richardson and I’ve learned some things. I’m not letting another person pass by me again.”
“Then I apologize in advance for this.” Real regret colors Cameron’s voice.
I don’t know what he intends to do, but I squeeze under Pedro’s desk before Ayana’s indignant screech tells me won’t be accepting Cameron’s apology any time soon.
I lower my face to the floor to watch what I can from under the desk. The office door opens, but only one pair of loafers enters.
“Put me down!” Ayana huffs.
Soon a pair of heels joins the loafers.
“I never in my life…”
“Ms. Ayana, let me apologize on behalf of Mr. Norwick. I promise I’ll make up for his brutish behavior.”
“I also would like to—”
“You, sir, can stuff it in a tin can. Mayor Salas,” Ayana’s voice turns sweet enough to melt steel, “I know I can depend on your generosity with a day’s paid vacation to help me get over this very traumatic experience.”
“Of course.” The laughter hasn’t left Pedro’s voice since my mad dash for a hiding place.
As Ayana’s footsteps retreat towards the door, she mutters, “I should have said a week instead of a day!”
“I might have approved it. How many times have I told you to shoot for the stars first to give yourself room to negotiate down?”
“I swear I’ll remember next time.” She closes the door, leaving me a silent prisoner of my own making.
“Now, why are you here?” Pedro’s voice hardens.
