Fire her
1215 Words
Chapter 2. Fire her
The CEO from hell graced me with his presence again. What was he doing here? He circled the table and stood beside Mrs Ratliff. Marylin beamed at me. “Nora, this my son Max Ratli..”
“ What is she doing here?”
A deep hostile voice inquired. Marylin glared at her son. “ What? Max behave please, this is Nora Reidy, my new employee.”
Max stared daggers at me, “fire her.”
His mother looked at him askance, “why would l do that? l don't meddle in your affairs, don't meddle in mine.”
Max drummed his fingers on the smooth surface of the table, his intense black eyes bore into mine. “ She is a mess and clumsy, she will cost you customers.”
Mrs Ratliff's gaze moved back and forth between Max and I. “ You two know each other? Perfect.” l kept quiet.
“ Mum, were you listening to anything l said? She is not fit to work for Ratliff Restaurants.”
As the duo argued about me as if l was not there, l took the opportunity to study Maxwell Ratliff thoroughly.
He was a sixfooter, his broad shoulders filled the suit jacket nicely. His jet black hair shone with good health, his neat trimmed beard had me fantasizing about nuzzling my face against his. I had a thing for bearded men. His symmetrical face a sight to behold. His thin straight lips begged to be kissed, l watched as his even white teeth gleamed when he opened his lips to try and sabotage my chances at a job.
“ Look at her, she is ogling me like a fool, she is absent-minded, she is going to mix up the orders. Mum fire her. She hasn't signed anything yet, right?.”
l blushed as two pairs of eyes observed me curiously. I slapped myself mentally for daydreaming.
Marylin glared at him,“ get back to your own playground, leave me alone.”
Max raised his hands, “OK, don't come running to me when she starts to cost you money.”
Max pinned me with a stare before he sauntered to the door.
“ Hold on, come back here.” His mother called him back.
He came and stared down at her,“ what now mum?.”
Jeez what a rude jerk.
“ You know your grandfather has been on your neck about a grandchild. We waited and waited, but you failed to deliver. I have a solution for you. Her.”
Marylin Ratliff pointed her manicured finger at me.
Max snorted and started to leave, “ stop right there young man, l'm serious, so is your grandfather. Take this seriously too. You know the consequences if you don't, grandfather is running out of patience.”
“ Mum, you are killing me here, she is a ruffian. You should have seen her after she poured water on me, instead of apologising she went on a rant. She will disgrace me, if l marry her.”
“Come on baby, it was a small tiff between you, forgive her.”
They went back to talking about me as if l was a commodity. I became irritated, f**k the job.
I stood up abruptly and pushed the chair out of my way. “ I'm sorry Mrs Ratliff, l don't appreciate you and your son talking about me as if l'm a thing. Yes i spilled my guts to you but l was looking for a job not marriage.”
Mrs Ratliff sheepishly rubbed her nose, “ see, l told you mum, she is a sniper.”
Marylin turned on him, “ shut up, she is right, we discussed her as if she was invisible. Nora l'm sorry, please forgive me and my son.”
Max walked rapidly to the door, “ bye mum” he waved before he exited and closed the door behind him.
There was an awkward silence between us. I cleared my throat, “ Mrs Ratliff, do l still have a job?.” Marylin smiled at me, “ of course you silly child, you do. You didn't do anything wrong, instead l wronged you. You can go home now, we will tackle the paperwork tomorrow, l suddenly have a headache.”
I stood rooted to the spot, there were so many questions in my mind. “ Mrs Ratliff, can l ask you a question?.” She nodded.
“ Is Maxwell handicapped somehow? Why doesn't he find a wife for himself?.”
Marylin threw her head back and laughed, her shoulders shook in merriment. “ Nora,my son is more than capable, the problem is his grandfather is seeking a particular woman for him. Max's circle of females are vain and snobbish. We don't want that type in our family. You are exactly the type we are looking for.”
I raised my brows, “ why? Because l'm poor and wretched?.”
Marylin got to her feet and halted in front of me. “ Listen daughter, don't ever look down on yourself like that again, you have achieved so much against all odds, hold your head high, be proud of your accomplishments, ok? I'm a good judge of character, l marked you good as soon as I laid my eyes on you”
I nodded my head vigorously, tears clouded my vision, no one had ever praised me for my achievements and l felt in my heart her praise was genuine.
Mrs Ratliff wiped off my tears with her soft hands, “ stop crying, give me a smile.”
I gave her a wobbly smile. “ That's my girl, come to work at eight o'clock tomorrow, my driver will take you home now. Greet your grandmother for me, ok?.”
I sniffed, “ yes Mrs Ratliff, l will.”
“ Come on, stop with the Mrs thing, it makes me sound so old, l don't have a grandchild yet you know.”
She winked playfully at me. I said my goodbyes and the Ratliff driver took me home.
My granny was so happy when l told her l got a job. Her wrinkly tired face split into a wide smile, hope returned to her eyes. I decided to withhold the marriage nonsense from my granny.
I rested in my room the whole day, thinking about what happened at the restaurant.
I liked Marylin so much, she was down to earth despite being so rich. Her son was another problem.
I shot up from bed, unlocked my phone and searched for him. I was not active on social media, l basically knew nothing about Max Ratliff.
The tabloids described him as a 31-year-old multi-billionaire who owned an airline business and held shares in the family construction business and many other business ventures. They also mentioned he went through women like an electric razor. What a sleazeball.
On Saturday morning l did my routine, then decided to sweep the yard. Afterward, l rested on the rickety chair on the porch.
At around ten o'clock, a fleet of armored black SUV's sped in to my yard. I watched as the middle one opened and the last person l expected at my house stepped out and strode towards me, his sharp black eyes intent on my face.
- Writer
