No Escape

Chapter 3: Training Week

The next day, Laura is on the plane interstate to the city of Mell, to arrange training for her new teams whom she had her assistant HR manager hire at their sister branch.

Laura arrives at her hotel, checks in and then goes straight to the training venue located in that city and began the training sessions. After the training had ended, she returned home back to the city of Bourne a couple of days later and reported back to her boss on the conclusion of the training.

“Welcome back, Laura, how was your trip?” her boss asked her professionally yet, kindly. “Yes, it went well, the presentation of the training was well received by the audience. I am due to follow up with them once we receive approval of the budget from next week’s board meeting. Has Adrian from accounting put together the financial reports, do you know?” Laura asked concerned.

“He has been working on them since you left, I must say, his work ethic is second to none, other than yours…” her boss smirked. Laura went quiet for a moment, almost feeling competitive at this young man. “I see…well, if he does his job well, I may not need to fire him after all…” Laura smirked looking down as she discussed this with her boss, glancing at him as they walked side by side, as they laugh and chuckle together walking through the company building, drinking their morning coffees on the way in to the office.

That afternoon, Laura has a meeting with her team and Adrian, “tomorrow, is our meeting with the board, once we receive approval from them for the budget, we will be in a position to obtain new computer software for the new training of our new recruits next month.” Laura opened the meeting with those comments. “What if we don’t receive approval from the budget?” Adrian asked her in front of the team, putting her on the spot, “then we will need to propose another budget to have approved, but then that will take another month, as the members of the board are not easy to schedule in at the same time….” Laura responded professionally. “No pressure” Adrian said in sarcasm, drinking his coffee. “No pressure indeed…” Techy Tom Chuckled.

Laura sighed, “that will be all for today, Adrian, I need those reports on my desk by 5pm today so I can collate the documents we need for tomorrow’s meeting.” Laura requested from Adrian. “Sure thing, boss…” Adrian responded as he smirked at her. Laura looked down for a moment, “thanks…” She said and got up to walk out of the office.

“She’s a little off, today?” Jennifer commented. “Maybe she’s tired from her trip?” Tom commented. Adrian was quiet for a moment, as he got up to go and talk to Laura to see if she was alright.

Laura is in the coffee room making coffee, “boss?” Adrian asked her as he walked into the coffee room, to make some coffee. “Oh, Adrian, you startled me for a moment there haha..” Laura chuckled, trying to keep things professional, not to let her frustrations get in the way of working between them. “I tend to have that effect on people.” Adrian smiled and responded in sarcasm in a casual, light-hearted manner. Laura laughed slightly at his sarcastic remark.

“Uh… you ok? You seem a little off today…?” Adrian asked her softly yet kindly, not making it obvious that he was worried about her. Laura was quiet for a moment at such a question as she looked down and smiled as she finished making her coffee.

  “Yes, I am fine, just a little tired from the trip.” Laura smiled at Adrian for a moment. “You know, that is the first time I’ve seen you smile like that” Adrian teased and smirked.

Laura blushed for a moment as she looked away, “I had some good sleep on the plane coming back home, sorry to have worried you…” Laura replied professionally.  Suddenly, Ashleigh happened to walk in and hug Adrian from behind, not knowing Laura was in the office. “Oh….” Ashleigh blushed in front of Laura, “Boss ….” Ashleigh blushed as she looked at Laura. Laura looked down for a moment keeping her cool as she tried to control herself not to blow them up for indecency in the office, holding in her temper,  “Laura…” Adrian said, when suddenly, “I don’t care what the two of you get up to outside of the office, however when in the work place, keep things professional…as your boss this is a verbal warning to the both of you…” Laura glared at them in a serious and professional manner and walked out of the coffee room suddenly.

“Touchy, isn’t she?” Ashleigh commented as they both watched Laura walk out of the office. Adrian looked at Laura walking out, feeling a curiosity. “Laura….” He thought to himself.

That night after work, Adrian and Ashleigh went out, and then spent the night together at Ashleigh’s apartment. When Ashleigh was sleeping, Adrian just embraced her face tenderly, yet feeling somewhat lonely and empty within his heart, he could not get the look of Laura out of his mind from earlier that day. “I don’t care what the two of you get up to outside of the office but keep things professional within the workplace!” Laura commanded them. “Was she… jealous?” Adrian thought within himself.

Meanwhile that night, working back late at the office, she glanced on her office desk, “the reports I asked Adrian to get me… are not here…” she thought to herself. Out of frustration, she got up and took both of Adrian’s and Ashleigh’s files and made notes that she warned them verbally to keep things professional in the office, as the company did not forbid colleague relationships, but to keep things professional in the office and whatever is done outside the workplace, was their private business.

“At least I’ve covered myself for legal reasons…” she thought to herself. “and for any misconduct… I have evidence here….to get rid of either of them…” she thought to herself as she securely locked the files away.