Sentient

s**t. I sigh once more as I tap my right foot rhythmically against the marbled floor, folders of today's work tightly clenched in my arms. Mr. Sandmoore's late. And the only time this has happened was once, when he was dragged by us clubbing. I bet he went again last night, this time might be on his own terms. Forty two minutes late... and counting. I've already briefed him on our schedule for today and it's a wonder he's being tardy on a supposedly busy Monday morning like this. If he doesn't show up, my s**t loads of work would be doubled, probably tripled, but that's not the best part. Everyone would have a party, not literally (maybe), but they'd be slacking the entire day, leaving me another mile-long of work plus I would be needing a plausible explanation to Mr. Sandmoore tomorrow as to why there wasn’t any progress today. The board would be targeting him, and then he'd be targeting me. Don't get me wrong. I love my work. The people are nice and really intelligent too. The hours are good. Even Mr. Sandmoore is a nice middle-aged man. But he could be very fickle, especially when the board and work itself treats him badly, then it's a rainy day for me. But the pay's worth it. I've been here at Linus-Clyde & Cavanaugh for almost two years, and I've well installed into my two-floor condo. Two more months into it and it's mine forever. My parents think I'm doing pretty well and that's a good thing, my sister Patty and my brother Keno for once, don't think that I'm no good and that's an even better thing considering they have beautiful—and I mean really beautiful and stable paying jobs that could support their own families. But that's where the scolding part gets in. I don’t have a family of my own, unlike my sister and brother. The worse part is I'm single, and the last serious boyfriend I've had was high school senior year whom I dumped because I didn't want to have s*x with him during prom. Anyone after that doesn’t even make it to the boyfriend stage. Well, I was a dreamer. I dreamed of having s*x after marriage. Honestly, not anymore.  Why?  Because my siblings and my parents are up on my ass about it all the time to the point that my mind has eluded all men because of the pressure. And everyone in my circle of friends as a matter of irritating fact. I mean, I get that it should be a casual, normal thing for a twenty five year old single, available, capable woman like me but I think it's completely overrated. "You need to get laid, Charlotte." Christie rustles into my desk, carrying a bag of goodies for me. "So you wouldn't have any more of these spacey adventures." See what I was going on about in there? Yup. Ladies and Gentleman, Exhibit A, my best friend Christie. "My boss needs to show up already." I quickly retort, accepting the bag from her. "That's what needs to happen." I put down the folders on my desk with another sigh, ceasing the tapping of my impatient foot on the marble. This should be muffins or Christie is dead. I take a peek at my breakfast and smile in delight. I'm not cheap or stingy or anything. I was just in a complete hurry this morning, looking for a printer because mine at home got jammed and I didn’t have time to make breakfast or stop by the coffee shop downstairs. So I lovingly asked my sweet (note the sarcasm there), beautiful best friend to buy me a muffin on her way to the office—which apparently, she did. One of the reasons why I love Christie was because she gets me... a lot. She gets my weird habits and mannerisms. And makes fun of it most of the time. But the only thing she doesn't get is why and I quote, "a beautiful, capable, kick ass, smoking sexy woman" like me is still single and a virgin. She's a charmer, trust me. She's not some slut, but not a saint either. She's... quite in the middle. Who wouldn't fall for those extremely dazzling looks? Her blonde hair, full lips, nice boobs, and long fit body... she used to be a Victoria's Secret angel until she decided pursuing a real career is sexier. Yeah, that's how she rolls. "That ain't gonna happen soon babe." Christie says. "Word is that he's been forced out of the desk." I put my breakfast down, I'm not yet into breakfast mode until Mr. Sandmoore's here. "He got fired? When?" Christie shrugs. "Who cares? In fact, everyone's been dropping like flies on the other floors, and they base it on last year's performance. I thank God I took this job seriously. But who knows? I might be passing resumes soon. Maybe even both of us." I bite my lower lip. I can't lose this job. If it isn't yet obvious why, sue me. I only have two more months left to pay on my condo, and I can't afford a month's pay if I don't have this job. I'm gonna have to rely on my parents regarding my well-endowed lifestyle, and that's the worst thing I could do. "You can't be fired." I say to Christie. "You're a spork, you could switch teams and quickly come up to speed. They're never letting you go." "And you're better than me... so I think we're good." She replies. We laugh. I sulkingly turned to my breakfast and finally forced myself to feast on it. Mr. Sandmoore's not coming. And hopefully, my new boss will be better than the last. Younger, I hope. Aging people could be really confusing. The office closed at the usual hour. As a bossless executive assistant, I did certain tasks that weren't even in my job description, but who cares? I have to continue making this company run, even in my own way. If they're really dropping people based on their performance, the more I have to pump up and be ready. I can't lose this job. "’You ready to go?" asks Christie. I look up from my glasses and gesture my index finger. "One sec!" Eagerly, I type away on my computer, finishing the last set of today's work. Christie usually sends me home, except on times she has some business to attend to. Unlike me, she invested in a car first when she started working at LC&C. Her apartment's probably one of the best here in lower Manhattan. It was a gift from when she was a VS Angel. Soon, I finished up and went down the parking lot with Christie to her pale yellow Hyundai Genesis. She lives three blocks from me so she drops me off every after work. In the morning... Well, I usually go to work first since I am more needed by my boss... ex boss. Christie invites me for a drink at the bar a couple of blocks away as she drops me in front of my building, but I prefer to rest tonight. I sense a busy day tomorrow. Plus, the pressure of thinking if I'd be having a new boss tomorrow or if I'd be fired is starting to shake me. My part of the building is the eighth floor. And that already includes the second floor of my place. High ceiling, two floors, amazing view. It's quite complicated and I'm one who never understands architectural designs. "Good evening Ms. Figgins." greets Roman, the door keeper, as he holds the door of the building for me. "How was your day?" "Fine. Thanks for asking, Roman." I smile at him as I enter. I get into the elevator without anyone along and soon, I'm already throwing everything everywhere across my apartment. I don't feel like having dinner tonight. Maybe the work of today's office is finally settling in. Having no boss around to guide you is actually worse than having one who constantly orders you around. Surely, they're giving me a new one. If not, then it probably means I need to go get a new job. Mom's name appeared on my caller I.D. somewhere past nine while I'm finishing the sixth season of Supernatural and gobbling up my second tub of Ben & Jerry. I ignored it the first time because I was too tired and frankly not in the mood, hoping she would just leave a message but she's persistent. So I took it on the third ring of her second try. "Hi mom." I say, jumping up to the full-sized window of my place. The skyline is breathtaking. "How's it going?" "All is fine honey." She replied with a probably incredulous smile. "How are you doing?" "I'm great." I assure her. She's a worry-worm. "How's Daddy?" "The same. He misses you though. I do too." I dribble on my foot, biting the inside of my chin. "I know, I know. I'll visit when I can. Work's kind of... unpredictable right now." "I heard from Marcus, they're giving pink slips in your company. Are you alright?" Mom asks. "I'm still employed, if that's what you're worried about." I reply with a laugh. "I just don't know who to. My boss has been sacked." "Oh." Mom says, I could sense her expression was something like what-is-that-sort kind of thing. "That's new. A boss-less executive assistant." "Yeah. I'm still waiting for the pink slip though, if they'd decided to give me one." I explained. "Everyone's been dropping like flies on other floors too, I'm worried they'll drop me too. But I'm more worried if they're even getting me a new boss. If they are, he didn't show up today." "Maybe you're the new CEO." Mom jokes. I laugh silently. Mom's humor has always been off. "God forbid. I'm not ready to run a super huge company."` "Oh you'll do fine." Mom says. "Listen, Patty put a plus one on your name, okay?" "What's that for again?" I ask, racking my brain for what my schedule with Mom was. Apparently, I always forget my family appointments, but never my boss'. "Friday, Patty's engagement party?" answers Mom. "Don't tell me you've forgotten." I shake my head immediately, mentally cursing myself for forgetting my sister's engagement party. "No, no. Of course, I haven't. Ugh... why the plus one?" "Bring your man of course! We're all eager to see him." "Mom. I don't have a boyfriend and you know that." I say flatly. Mom laughs. "Of course. I was just kidding honey. Just bring someone. Bring Christie, I miss her." I let out a sigh of relief. "Right. I'll ask her." "Good. Your cousin Bo's looking for her too." Mom says. "He's wondering if you could fish her number for him." I roll my eyes. "Mom, Bo's a dufus. He could never keep up with Christie." Mom chuckles. "It was worth a shot." I chuckle too. "I'm never giving it to him. Listen Mom, I'm gonna call Christie now and ask her before she could even schedule a party on Friday. You know her. I'll call you, okay?" "Alright, honey. I love you, bye." "Love you too." As soon as I dropped our call I went back to watching Supernatural. I’m not calling Christie right now. Knowing her, she might be in the middle of something I never want to hear of. I just told that to my Mom because five more minutes into that phone call, she would have already set up a date for me for Patty’s engagement party and I need Christie in that party. She’s the only one who could make it less miserable.  The next morning started pretty normal. I made my daily visit to the coffee shop at the foot of the building for my banana muffin and white chocolate mocha with an extra shot of breve and went to welcome my fate.  I’m pretty sure today’s the day my future will be determined by people I didn’t know. Whatever the board has decided, it will either make or break my entire life. Whether they replace my boss or replace me, that’s up to them. Nobody told me it was either one but it sure feels like it since there was nobody to tell me what to do.  I’m welcomed by Christie as soon as I enter the office. She looked frantic. It was a rare moment for Christie to arrive first before me. She always came eight o’clock on the dot so it made my stomach turn to figure out that there must’ve been something that happened to make Christie come to work this early.  “Charlie, you need to see this!” She whispers urgently as she whisks me away. I try my best not to spill my coffee as she did. I didn’t realize what she was referring to until I came close to my boss’ glass office, where a couple of janitors are setting up his office. One man gathered all of Mr. Sandmoore’s stuff in a box while two placed new things all over the room.  I study them with wary eyes, and as soon as I see one guy puts a glass name plate on the desk I hurried inside. I was expecting it to be  a new name plate for Mr. Sandmoore but it isn’t. It says Darren Cavanaugh.