04

_I don't know mr Brown but I was also doing my job...

"What's going on here?" asks Mrs. Jefferson who has just arrived.

It is a sign of fate. I have a guardian angel who will save me whenever that jerk tries to take me down.

_It happens that my new assistant prefers to chat with Iris than to work.

_Well, there is nothing to make a scandal of it. Let's go to your office Mr Brown, we'll discuss it. Everyone else, return to your posts.

We all head for Mr. Brown's office, he in front and very upset.

_ So Davis, what is it?

_Aliyah is not doing her job well.

_Please be more indulgent, she's new.

_I need a competent assistant. If she can't do her job well, give me Neil's assistant and have Neil take her.

_Miss Smith, can you leave us?

_Yes, Mrs. Jefferson. Sorry to disappoint you Mr Brown, I said reluctantly.

This mr deserves me to punch him in the nose but I'm not going to give him that pleasure. He just decided to push me but it's not going to work.

I don't know what Ms. Jefferson says to her, but she walks out of her office smiling, gives me a warm smile, and leaves the room. Mr Brown then seems to have returned to better feelings and asks me almost politely but in an imperative tone to bring him his files so that he can work. All morning, he leaves me alone. At noon, he tells me on leaving his office that he is going to have lunch outside. I then take the opportunity to go sit in the break room and eat while chatting with Iris.

Around half past one in the afternoon, when I thought I was finally quiet and rid of the tyrannical side of my boss, he comes to disturb me during my meal.

_Aliyah!, he says entering the room. What are you doing ?

_I eat mr Brown, I replied calmly.

_I need you, he told me firmly.

_OK. As soon as I finish eating, I...

"Right away," he cuts me off.

Exasperated, I end up getting up. He leaves the room in a hurry.

_If you learn that Mr Brown is dead, I authorize you to name me as the main suspect Iris.

She giggles at my remark and I too go to Mr. Brown's office. As soon as I enter, he attacks me.

_I think the basics are not clear Aliyah, he says in a contemptuous tone.

_ What do you mean sir?

_You are my employee and I am your boss. When I tell you to hurry, you hurry. If I send you across town, you go. If I tell you that I need you, you come right away. I believe your former employer was too lax with you.

Eh ?! No, that's the drop of water that broke the camel's back.

_You are right mr Brown, the basics are not clear. I will tell you that I am an administrative assistant and not a personal assistant. I am not required to do anything for you outside the professional framework.

This first answer shocks him but don't hurry, I haven't finished.

_Then, even if I'm just a simple assistant, I'm still a human being and I need to eat. Break times are for all employees. Not ¾ hour for the assistants and 1h45 for the lawyers and directors mr Brown. I don't want to disrespect you in any way, but don't treat me like I'm a nobody. I have a degree in business law, I'm here by circumstance. Please treat us with respect.

He is speechless. Finally ! It had to come out. I've wanted to strangle him so badly since this morning. Maybe I'll get fired but at least I would have spoken. Is there any chance he likes my candor?

_I find you very impertinent for an assistant, he corrects himself. Even if you didn't choose to be here, you are still under my command and must do as I say. This is the second error that I tolerate. Third, you're fired. Take a pencil and a notebook, we have work to do.

And no, he's still just as dumb. I would have thought that my speech would have changed it but apparently. I think I have to be careful if I don't want to be unemployed soon. Tonight when I get home, I'm going to look for rat poison.

After several hours of working with Mr Brown, I return home exhausted. At least he leaves the office quite early, around 7 p.m., which is absolutely not in my working hours but hey, that's the only positive point of this shitty day. I hardly saw Neil.

I arrive home tired and I drop heavily on the sofa in the living room. It rings the doorbell. I open it and see with unvarnished relief that it's Chloe and Esteban. Finally people to complain to.

'' How glad I am to see you,'' I said, jumping on them to take them in my arms.

_We see that. Esteban called me and suggested that we come and pay you a little visit to see how your working day was.

_And we brought Chinese!, announces my neighbor, showing me the package.

I'm lucky to have such caring friends. I let them in and go upstairs for a quick shower before slipping into a pink sweatshirt and black leggings. I'm still wet when I come down. We start to eat and while we have dinner, I relate my working day.

_My boss, it's like the devil wears prada. He is obnoxious, rude, condescending. I can't believe how he can piss me off already. I wanted to kill him all day.

_How is he physically? Esteban asks me.

_He looks like an Arab almost. He has fairly dark brown hair though, azure blue eyes with green highlights, light tanned skin, and he's tall. Without lying to you, it is beautiful. But what is it annoying. It's actually unbelievable.

_That's a shame. I'm sure you would have made a very nice couple with your caramel skin and your beautiful face, Chloe told me.

_Not yet. This is the third time today. First Neil, then the receptionist and now you.

_Neil is the blond, right?

_Yes. He was very nice to me though.

_Don't fall in love too quickly Ali, my best friend teases me.

_Oh it's okay. Do you know me.

_Exactly.

_In any case, try to keep your job for a long time. Ignore this jerk. This firm can bring you a lot, reminds me Esteban.

_Yes I know. But it's going to be hard not to get fired with the asshole who serves as my boss. At least I have you.

_We also love you crazy.

We hug and have a netflix party. I don't know what I will do without them and my family. It's comforting people like that after a shitty day like this. And tomorrow, rebelotte.

My day started again the same way. The boss yelled at me, I went to get his coffee. But what was fabulous is that he went to attend a hearing which started at 9am so I didn't have him in the ass for more than a good two hours. He didn't get me drunk, I didn't see him, the total foot. Unfortunately, he showed up again afterwards and started bothering me again.

I was organizing her agenda for the week when a tall mixed-race woman walked into my part of the office. She looks like a model and she is really beautiful. She has straight hair that falls down her back, super fine features and very beautiful skin. I would almost be jealous.

She passes me and is about to go into my boss's office, who told me not to let anyone in under any circumstances, not even Neil.

_ Hey ho miss, where are you going? I can help you maybe.

She looks at me as if she had just noticed my presence, me the Lilliputian and she ends up answering me:

_Who are you?

_I'm Mr Brown's new assistant, Miss Smit...

_Yes, yes, in short, she cuts me off, I'm your boss's girlfriend. I am going to see him.

_You have an appointment ? Otherwise, I can't let you in.

_An appointment? How's a date?

Here's another one who doesn't speak the language. I'm going to have to explain to him what a date is.

_ Yes an appointment. It's when someone knows you need to come...

_Who do you take me for?!, she gets angry. I know what a date is! I don't need an appointment to see my boyfriend.

_Yes, otherwise it will be necessary to iron. Mr Brown clearly told me not to let anyone in because he is very busy.

_But I'm not just anyone, I'm his girlfriend.

_ That I hear it well but that's what I was told miss.

She nervously rubs her temples and glares at me.

_I don't know who you think you are, my little one...

My little ?! Where are we here?

_I am not your little miss.

_Anyway. I never needed permission to enter this office so...

_It might be time for that to change miss.

She looks at me stunned and that's when Mr Brown chooses to get out of his office. The model takes the opportunity to play the victim and say that I verbally attacked her, which is not false in itself but I only replied.