20
It was close to noon when Jerry walked into the office from the parking deck. As usual, he did not speak or really look at anyone before he walked into what used to be his office.
“What the hell is going on in here? Where’s all of my stuff?”
Ross looked up from the desk where he was going over the floor plans for Wade’s new office. “Mr. Levine, how good of you to make it in today.” Ross turned to his assistant. “Would you give us a minute?”
Ross waited until the assistant left the office. He closed the door behind him. “Is this your normal starting time, Mr. Levine?”
“It’s apparent you know who I am, however, I don’t know who you are. Who are you and why are you in my office?”
Ross smirked. “Ross Tyson. Your office and your stuff have been moved. Mr. Tyson will be taking over this space. I am not in the habit of asking a question twice, Mr. Levine” He raised an eyebrow as he stared at Jerry.
“It was a late night, as I’m certain you know your brother was in a car accident and I was called in to cover for him.”
“You were called in to ensure that the station was functioning smoothly as any member of the executive team would do.”
“Yes, of course,” Jerry rambled out.
“I see.” He nodded. “Mr. Allen has been sent home to get some much needed rest since he worked yesterday and last night. You can take over the night shift in his place.” Ross sat back down at the desk reviewing more paperwork. “Your new office should be ready by now. Ms. Mercer can show you the way.”
Jerry hesitated, then realized he had been dismissed. He opened the door to step out. The assistant who left previously stepped in and closed the door.
He turned to Betty Ann. “What in the hell is happening around here?”
“It’s called a takeover, darling,” Betty Ann said with a southern drawl.
“Why are you talking like that?”
“I like his voice.” She smiled. “Come on I’ll show you where your office is now located.”
Mrs. Young was putting the final touches on the new space as Jerry walked in.
“Wow, they hooked this space up.” Betty Ann nodded in appreciation.
“Mr. Levine, I was just putting the final touches on your new work area.” Mrs. Young smiled. “This is really nice. It only took them a few hours to take out that wall and paint. I wasn’t sure how you wanted to arrange things, so I had them place the furniture in the same manner as your other office. Of course you have a few new pieces, the conference table and chairs, the wall monitor and your very own coffee station.” She looked around admiring the space. “So, what do you think?”
It took Jerry a minute to take it all in. The space was twice the size he’d had before. The furniture much nicer, and the conference table and chairs were off the chain nice. He looked at the plate on the door. Right below his name was the title, News Director. Well, it could have been much worse.
“Mr. Levine, don’t you like your new space?” Ms. Young asked.
“It’s a work space, Mrs. Young, nothing more, nothing less.”
“It is a lot more than you had or than you deserve, Mr. Levine,” she said as she walked out of the room disappointed.
Jerry really didn’t give a damn about her reaction. He looked at Betty Ann. “Don’t you have work to do?”
Betty Ann smirked. “You really need to get a grip. Don’t you realize they could have fired you or demoted you to a production assistant? But they didn’t do that, Jerry. They gave you a really great office and a position you are worthy of which is more than you did for Rachel.” Betty Ann walked to the door. “Don’t be a dick and screw it up.” She walked out and closed the door behind her.
Jerry sat his backpack on the chair then thought twice and picked it up. He instead placed it on the hanger in the corner. He stood in the middle of the room, slowly turning around looking at all the space he had. He walked behind the desk and sat in the chair. “Nice,” he said as he adjusted the height. He touched the bookshelf behind it, even opened the cabinet to see the inside. “Wow.” He was sitting in an executive styled office. This is where he was supposed to be. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the coffee station with the coffee machine on top. He opened the cabinet beneath and there was a variety of k-cups, coffee cups, sweeteners and cream. The next cabinet door he opened wasn’t a cabinet at all. It was a small refrigerator, stocked with water, drinks, and more creamer. He almost did a twirl in the room, before catching himself. It was as if he had died and gone to news director’s heaven. He started a cup of coffee as he looked around at his box of all his stuff from the other office.
“The other office.” He thought for a minute. How could he play this? He took the cup of coffee, two sweeteners, then walked back to his new desk. “The injured employee.” He nodded. Yeah, that’s the way he was going to play it. They came in and took his job, demoted him and gave him a new office thinking that would smooth things over. He laughed. “It did,” but he would never let them know that…never.