Keeps Gettin’ Better

Damian

When I enter Angel’s condo and find her in a casual T-shirt and leggings, something just clicks. It feels like coming home, and her being the one to greet me feels right. Her and Genie. Even though this isn’t my address, I get more of a sense of home here than in my forty-fourth floor condo.

Watching her put flowers in a vase shouldn’t be fascinating, but it is. How she arranges and smells each one, closing her eyes and inhaling the fragrance. She appreciates the little things, and it makes me want to bring her flowers every day.

Meanwhile, all I can smell is the intoxicating aroma of Indian spices from whatever she’s got on the stove. “What are you making? It smells amazing.”

“Mm. So do these. Genie says thank you, by the way.” She stands on her tiptoes to give me a peck on the cheek, then walks over to the stove, removing the pot lid. “I’m making butter chicken and garlic naan. Just packaged naan because I’m not talented enough to make it from scratch.”

I can’t stop myself from standing behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist. Her hair interferes with my plan to trail kisses down her neck, so instead, I end up laughing. “This hair is out to get me.”

She chuckles while stirring the steaming creation on the stove. “It’s a better guard dog than Genie sometimes. This is almost done. Go have a seat.”

A few short minutes later, Angel is bringing two wide bowls of butter chicken and a small plate of naan to the table. The ease with which she carries everything makes it clear her waitressing skills haven’t gotten the least bit rusty.

We settle in and start enjoying our delicious meal, all while Genie snort-gobbles her food a few feet away. Most people would prefer soothing 80s music and dim lighting for a romantic dinner. Not me. This is perfect.

“How was your time at the office this morning? Anything interesting?”

The second Angel started explaining her conversation with Elliot yesterday, I wanted to fire him. But the more she explained, the lower my level of rage became. By firing him, I’d prove him right—that I am some kind of hot-headed monster. I can’t be that guy. Nor do I want to be. Angel handled it well, and sounds like she put him in his place.

Needless to say, when I hear a knock at my office door and look up to see Elliot, I’m a bit surprised.

“Can I come in, boss?”

I click save on the document I’m drafting and close my laptop. “Sure. Have a seat.” Now that I know what Angel said to him yesterday, I’m curious about why he’s here.

I study him as he walks through the room. From his personnel file, and what I’ve learned from my time here, Elliot is married and welcomed his first child about a year ago. He’s always been a reliable employee and turns in quality work. I doubt he knows that I’m aware of any of that. Or that I care.

Elliot slides his lithe frame into the chair on the opposite side of my desk. “I came to apologize.”

Not what I expected, but I don’t want to let on that Angel told me about their conversation. I don’t need to give her a reputation as someone who runs to me with everything, because that’s not what happened. “Okay. I’m all ears.”

“Since you started working here, I… we, all of us in your department, haven’t given you a fair chance.”

“I’m a little lost here, Mr. Hannon.”

Elliot takes a deep breath and I notice both hands have white knuckles, clenching the arms of the chair he’s seated in. “Our last boss, Mr. Woodward, was a dictator. If he said jump, he expected us to ask how high, then reach heights twice that in half the time. He wanted everything run by him, but didn’t allow anyone to question him. If they did, they’d be shamed in front of the rest of the employees or fired without notice.”

That is the exact opposite of everything I stand for. “So, he was a jerk.”

Elliot chuckles, but reins it in quickly to study my face. “You could say so, I guess. Though I could think of a few more colourful words. Anyway, you came into this department essentially out of nowhere. None of us knew you, and we assumed you’d run things the same way.”

“I’m sorry he treated you that way, though that’s not how I want to operate.” I blow out a long breath, feeling like an idiot for not learning this sooner. Any one of the staff members in my department could have spoken to co-workers in my last department and learned that’s not me.

“Yeah, I’m starting to realize that.”

“It sounds like I owe you and everyone else an apology, Elliot.”

He furrows his brows and finally releases his grip on the armchair. “I don’t follow.”

“There’s somewhere I’m failing as a leader, and I need to figure it out. I never set out for this job. I just wanted to create and do what I was passionate about, but I was thrust into this position with no management experience. It’s harder than I realized.” Now I want to slap myself because here I am complaining about the incredible job opportunity gifted to me. The last thing I want is sympathy. “I’m not trying to complain, and don’t mean for it to sound that way. But I need to figure out a way to make everyone more comfortable around me. I assumed I’d come in here as a complete stranger and people would warm up to me, but never questioned how things used to be done. I thought I’d learn your methods, rather than employing my own, and it appears we’ve gotten our wires crossed because you are all maintaining the status quo.”

“If I may, sir?”

I lean forward, placing my elbows on my desk. “Please, I’ll take any advice you have.”

“Let everyone see your human side. I… um, I’m ashamed to admit, I approached Angel yesterday and cautioned her about you.”

He raises his hands up to protect himself from my reply, but I don’t budge. I’m impressed he’s fessing up.

“Now, before you get angry with me, I realize how wrong that was. Angel was none too impressed either, and she laid a verbal assault on me that lingered on my mind until I walked in here just now. She was right. We all made assumptions rather than taking the time to get to know you. So, more than anything, I’m sorry for perpetuating that mentality on my team.”

I suppress a smile as I imagine Angel, standing all of five-foot-one-and-a-half, berating Elliot for speaking against me. But the reality is, it’s not her job to make people comfortable around me. “I have no one to blame but myself here. Frankly, I thought everyone hated me and it was hopeless to try, but that was irresponsible. And while I don’t condone sticking your nose in personal relationships, I appreciate you looking out for Angel with good intentions… Unless you were trying to make an opening for Mitchell.”

We both laugh, and for the first time since Elliot walked in here, he looks relaxed.

“No, sir. She’d eat him alive.”

I’m pleased to look up and see other employees walking by, taking in the scene of Elliot and me laughing and smiling. This is the most at ease I’ve felt at work in months. It’s as if the veil has been lifted, and we’re seeing each other as more than boss and employee.

“I won’t take up any more of your time. Thanks for seeing me, and again, I’m sorry for everything.”

“No apologies necessary. This is on me. I appreciate you opening up to me and giving me some ideas on how to proceed.” I stand and reach my hand across the desk to shake Elliot’s. There’s no time like the present to employ new methods to prove to everyone I’m not the jerk my predecessor was. “How are your wife and daughter?”

Elliot’s face splits into a wide grin, indicative of a man who is in love with his family. “They’re great, thank you. We’re expecting again in March.”

“Wow. Congratulations. Let me know when the time gets closer so we can make sure you have some time off.”

“Oh, no, that’s fine. Don’t go to any trouble.” The speed at which he jumped to decline my offer is concerning.

“One thing that’s going to be a clear difference between me and most other bosses is that work will never take precedence over family. Don’t let this job take over your life, okay? Promise me that.”

Elliot stares at me again, looking as though he isn’t sure how to reply. I’m not about to dive into my complicated history of my father abandoning me, but now that Elliot and I have opened the lines of communication, I want to make it clear where my priorities are. Never will I allow another child to feel as if they were less worthy than a job.

“Thanks, boss. I really appreciate that.”

After Elliot leaves, I sit at my desk feeling a sense of calm I have yet to experience in the last ten months. For the better part of a year, I allowed a cycle to perpetuate and did nothing to interrupt it or change its course. I could give up on management altogether and ask to be transferred back to my old job, but I’m not a quitter. The employees working under me don’t know the real Damian Taylor, so I’m going to make it my mission to create a department where people work hard because they’re treated like humans and feel valued. One where employees feel confident voicing their opinions and don’t slink back in fear of losing their livelihood.

I may have landed this job out of desperation on Mr. Nicholls’ part to fill a void Mr. Woodward’s departure created, but it won’t be a mistake. This job can’t have my “all” because there’s so much more to life that deserves attention, but I will give it my best while I’m here. I’ll give these people my best.

That starts with a request for Paxton. I ring him through the intercom and he comes running to the door. “Yes, Mr. Taylor?”

“Paxton, call me Damian, please.” I take a deep breath, because this is a reminder I’ve given the young man no less than two hundred times. “I need to call a staff meeting. Today, tomorrow, next week. Whatever works for everyone. Can you handle that?”

“Yes, sir. What do I reference?”

“Tell them it’s for a team-building exercise.”