Running away

Chapter 9

"Oh, honey! I'm so glad you're home!" Never has this ever happened to me before. Catherine had me squished against her bosom. "Auntie, she needs air." I stumbled backward and hissed at the pain that spread through my lower back. "Sorry deary, sometimes I forget how hard I hug." She giggled before I was attacked by a flying brown blur. "You scare me!" I chuckled as she cried into my stomach. "Where were you? Why are you bleeding? You got in a fight, didn't you? Go wash and head to bed. Works start in fours and fifty-three minutes. Chop chop." I sighed at him and unlatched Cathlin from my coat, well his coat.

"Come along children, Mrs. Witherspoon is hosting a small get together I must attend tomorrow. Hurry now!" Catherine wondered off with the kids and Mr. Diggle left to his room upstairs. I smiled. "Nothing like Auntie's." I wiped my cheeks, not surprised to feel them wet. "Night mama." I clutched the necklace hidden underneath my clothes and smiled. Something that hasn't been real in a long time.

*

"Follow me." I sighed at the big behemoth in front of me. Working for a guy with thousands of employees. This going to be fun. 

"He is expecting you." I could feel their eyes all on me and it felt weird, not the usual ones that most men would place on a woman. The stares of curiosity, not want. "Great." I sighed again. I looked around the room, adding every detail to memory. I used to sit in the gardens at home and play mind games with Derek. His grandfather made these up saying it will help him work, as memory is everything. I miss that old coot. Rest in piece. 

"Seems you're getting to acquainted with your surroundings." I looked forward to see him staring at me. "I see that you came here on time." He shut close a pocket watch that had a weird marking on the back. "I always keep my promises." He nodded, turning back around. I got a good view of his stature and build. "You will be attending a meeting with me and marking down important details about as you will be reviewing them later on and assessing what they contribute to my current deals, Mr. Tilly." He walked onward, to the stairs of the building. 

I followed suit, realizing that Jesus had disappeared during our brief chat. It was high up, the building. He was walking faster than me, being way taller than me. "You'll need to memorize where my office is, as your will be next door. the meeting will take place for a few hours so you better be well rested and not pass out." I rolled my eyes, something I picked up from Derek's mother.

"Yes. I understand quite well." He glanced back at me before walking through a large oak door. I followed, distinctively smelling the scent of mint floating through the air. "Mr. Lark. Good to meet you on this fine day." I looked or rather tried to look over his shoulder at the clients. Better get their faces committed to memory for future reference.  Oh God forbid! The blasted olf was taller than me by a dozen mountains or so!

"Well yes. I do admit I was wondering why the you had requested me when we do nothing in business that is the least bit alike." I scowled, ready to push the blasted mountain to the side, when he walked forward and sat in a chair. I saw a man with light brown hair and blue eyes smiling at him as well as a frail kid sitting next to him in a chair typing away. "I do not believe I've had the pleasure of being acquainted with this young man."

He smiled at me and I instantly felt rather squeamish. "This is my secretary Mr. Tilly and he will be writing down our key points of this meeting before assessing exactly what we can do to help each other Mr. Lark." I held in the urge to roll my eyes as I sat one chair away from Mr. Cranston. "Now about the deal you have proposed, I would like to change some of what is agreed, Mr. Cranston. I will sell the dress franchise for less than what you have offered if I get 15 % of the coal mining business. This deal will also include the bakery and the chocolate shops."

Mr. Cranston folded his hands together in front of him as I wrote away on my notepad. "Mr. Tilly. I do believe that 15% of the coal mining business with the bakery and chocolate shops add up to more than the dress company is worth. Am I wrong?" I looked at him before doing quick mathematics in my head with the help of my notepad. "15% of those businesses together is worth more than triple the dress company. I'd advise a great deal plan of only 5% of each as well as 55% of his construction company. That would about equal if we only gave him half of our chocolate shops in the 5% sir."

Cranston looked at me with some emotion other than just clear resentment and coldness in his eyes. Mr. Lark was not happy at the fact he couldn't out smart us. "Very well. What do you say Mr. Lark?" He didn't seem to happy from what I could tell. "Very well but I wish to obtain 10% of just the chocolate shops as well as 3/4ths of the properties." And the deal was done.