Losing Control

Macy:   The old brick building was on Second Street, right next to a bank.  Macy wondered around it. "There was nothing left for me here." She thought.  Then she grabbed her bag that sat by the front door and hesitated for one more moment. This office held so many memories. It was bittersweet to let it go.   She inherited the consulting firm after her parents died in a car crash when she was fifteen but had spent her younger years hanging out here after school while they worked. They built a successful name for themselves and after the accident Zach, her father’s friend, and former employee kept the business going.  Macy really should have thanked him for what he had done, but she hadn't spoken to him since her parent's funeral.  When he came to give his condolences Macy was surprised to see him.  He hadn't stayed for long but had assured Macy that he would see to the business.  He encouraged her to go on with school and that once she graduated college he would hand everything over to her.  If anyone else had offered that Macy would have been suspicious, but her parents had trusted Zach.  Her mother said many times that Zach was a good man and that they were lucky to have him as a friend.  Macy thought about the tall, dark, and handsome man.  Zach was a mystery to her.  When he worked for her parents she had been only eleven years old and he twenty-one.  He treated her kindly and was always polite.  But he was also withdrawn. His quietness intimidated Macy, and she never could understand what made her parents think so highly of him.      Macy had to drag in a breath as she gathered her courage. Now it was time to really let go. Walking down the stone steps to a waiting car, Macy handed the building keys to the realtor, nodded to the driver, and climbed in. She told the driver to take her to the airport. Her flight would leave at five pm. She planned to be at the airport by two-thirty. She would have plenty of time to get through security and just breathe before her new life started.   Zach:   Zach sat behind his desk watching traffic outside his office.  His plan to leave early was wrecked after one of his clients, Mr. Woodard called.  The client was in a panic as usual for him. Zach had to take time talking with Scott to help him understand that he had nothing to stress about.  Zach kindly explained that he would make sure everything needed for Scott's project had been ordered and that all Scott needed to do is focus on building the system that worked.     "Scott you have nothing to worry about. I am handling all of the details and I told you only to worry about building your system.  That is why you came to me so that I can invest and you can focus on what matters." Zach tried to be patient, but there was only so much a man could take.  And he is less patient than most men.    It was after seven pm when Zach finished his call.  His plan to leave early was out the window so he decided to shower in the bathroom attached to his office.  The bathroom and small wardrobe had become necessary after Zach’s client list grew to include clients from other countries.  Sometimes he would work late and need to shower and change here.  Other times he would have to leave the country for an emergency with a client and needed to get ready without going home.  He had become successful quickly and his success had kept him busy. Lately, he has been busier than normal, and it was taking a toll on him.  He needed to rest.  He was exhausted.  And honestly, he was bored. His life had become routine and he lost interest.   As for his relationships, Zach learned early in his career that he did not need one.  He had his club, the best investment he had made.  He owned Tanner’s.  It was one of the hottest night clubs in Nashville.  To his normal clientele, it was just a night club for drinking and dancing, but for VIP members the club was more.  It catered to wealthy clients with special desires.  Not only could they do what they wanted with willing partners, but they were also pleased to know that all VIP members were anonymous. Their identities hidden by masks. The club offered an escape from the mundane.  He was proud of his achievements and he believed that owning Tanner's was definitely one of his highest.    Macy:   As expected, the ride to the airport was smooth and time was on Macy’s side. She checked her luggage and went through security with her grey backpack quickly. While she waited to board, she looked through the gift shop. She did not have anyone to buys gifts for, her thoughts threatened to become depressing. She decided something sweet to eat would put her back in her happy place. Looking around she decided to get something from the coffee stand, Macy decided on a mocha frappe and a brownie. She sat and enjoyed the chocolatey goodness thinking of how chocolate was her biggest weakness She enjoyed the treats while watching other passengers stroll past.   Macy couldn't focus on her phone and didn't want to pull a book out of her bag until she boarded. This would be the first trip she has taken since her parents passed and she thought a few months in Rome would be just what she needed to get her mind together. Hopefully, she would have an idea of what to do with her life when she returned. The idea of staying in Phoenix did not appeal to her, but it would be a safe decision. She had her house and Sarah. She knew she could find a decent job through her father’s business contacts, but she really did not have anything tying her there. She also did not have friends or family that made the place she grew up feel like home. Thinking about other possibilities made her feel overwhelmed. She scolded herself mentally, taking a deep breath and reminding herself to take it one day at a time.   As she finished her coffee, Macy heard the announcement for her flight. She grabbed her backpack and headed to the gate. The flight would take about 16 hours and one transfer, so she had brought a book, her iPod, and a sleep mask. First Rome, and then she would see where life takes her.   Zach: Hearing his phone buzz, Zach picked up the line knowing his secretary would be on the other end. Jen had been an excellent choice as his secretary/assistant when he started Green Inc. He did not expect the company to grow as quickly as it had, but in the almost five years they had been in business the company had already grossed profits that astonished him. Venture capitalists were known to fail before they succeeded, but that had not been the case for Zach. He had hit the ground running after learning everything he could from David Marshall and within three years become a millionaire. According to Forbes, he was an unheard-of success and at 29 years old he had become one of America’s most eligible bachelors.    His headquarters in Nashville kept him within a few hours flight of all the major cities he needed to visit on a regular basis. Jen, who was a Nashville native, had helped him build the office to run efficiently. She also helped him find his house and introduced him to all the major players in town. He still was not sure how he would manage while she was gone for eight weeks of maternity leave. Finding an assistant to help was at the top of his list, but he had time. Jen just recently announced her pregnancy so it would be at least seven months before she would take her time off.   Jen’s absence was a push, but it was not the only reason he needed an assistant. With the growth of the company, he needed someone to be able to take some of his tedious tasks off his hands. He had offered to let her fill the role and find a new secretary for the office, but Jen said that being a mother would prevent her from working any more than necessary. She also said there was no way she could keep up with his meeting or travel schedule once the baby came. So that left him to look for someone who understood his needs and that he trusted with his business, in less than seven months. He rubbed a hand down his face due to his troubled thoughts.  The need to find an assistant daunted him.  Seven months seemed like plenty of time and he wanted to be casual about it, but his need for control made him anxious to start looking now.  He needed time to find an assistant who would be professional, and discreet.  Anyone who worked that close to Zach would learn about his lifestyle, and he needed to be able to trust that whoever he hired would keep his private life private.   The second buzz from the phone interrupted his thoughts and Zach realized he hadn't actually picked up yet. This time he did, “Zach, a Sarah Brown is on line one. She says you know her.” He thanked his secretary and pushed the button for line one. What could Sarah want? He had taken care of David’s firm until Macy, the daughter, had graduated from college. To his knowledge, everything was in order.  The reports for business and profits were all sent to Macy.  He did not think he missed anything before he let the business go. He sent all pertinent information to Macy and stepped away.  Last week he had officially washed his hands of Marshall’s Consulting. While he didn’t know Macy personally, except seeing the girl around the firm when he had worked there, he knew that she had recently graduated college, and being Max Marshall’s daughter, she had been the rightful person to take over.   He smirked at the memory of Leann telling Macy to call him “Uncle”.  He never felt like an uncle, but he knew Leann was attempting to make him feel like part of the family.  David and Leann were the first real friends Zach had.  After college when they hired him to work in their office, Zach had immediately admired them both.  They were a decade older than him, and a happily married couple. But they had welcomed him and took him under their wings.  David had been a shrewd businessman, and his wife was equally intelligent, but she had an instinct to be a nurturer. Together they had grown a business, raised a daughter, and pulled Zach into their fold.      They taught him well, and when he left to start his own business, it had been with their blessing. Nine months later they died. Because they were the closest thing to family he had, Zach had acted what he thought their wishes were. He had managed their consulting firm until their only child could take over.    He thought that Macy was younger than she must be because her college graduation came sooner than expected. It was Sarah who told him about Macy’s degree in business. The following week he emailed all the information for the firm to Macy, but never spoke with her further. That was less than two months ago. He figured she had it under control. So why was Sarah calling him now? “This is Zach,” he said into the phone. “Zach this is Sarah Brown, I hope I am not disturbing your work, but I wanted to let you know that Macy closed the firm and sold the building.” That got Zach’s attention.   He sat straight while Sarah explained that Macy was thankful to him for keeping everything in order but felt that she did not want to be in the business her parents had built. Instead, she was following her own path.