Working Earnestly

Start writing here… “Today’s the day.” Benny smiles into her coffee cup as her roommate Luke enters the room.

“You said that six months ago.” He says with an eye roll.

“No, she has said it every day for the last six months.” Her second roommate, Kyle, corrects him.

“But today I mean it.”

“Benny, you know we love you but aren’t going to quit.”

“Yes I am.”

“No, you aren’t. You should, don’t get me wrong. Your job is shit and you are officially over qualified but you work ethic is too good.” Luke explains.

“She has a conscious.” Kyle adds as though she isn’t even in the room.

Benny sighs. They are, of course, both right. Bernadette ‘Benny’ Carroll came to the city with all these hopes and dreams that have been well and truly squeezed out of her by her boss, Alexander Bennett. Alexander, the Billionaire and CEO, is the oldest of the Bennett tribe and the reason behind the success of the Bennett Corporation. Benny has worked for the company for five years basically coming aboard as The Bennett Corporation found its footing. Five years ago Benny thought the position, as Alexander Bennett’s personal assistant would be temporary as she gained her law degree online but she finished six months ago, even passed the barre and is yet to hand Alexander her letter of resignation.

“Stop thinking so hard.” Luke orders. “If you are really going to do it then, get to it.” He pats her on the back as he walks back towards his bedroom.

“We are both working late tonight. Will you be ok?” Kyle asks.

“Yeah of course.” She smiles. She really is lucky to have these two. Luke and Kyle have been friends their whole lives. Luke is a nurse and Kyle works as a Bouncer at a few different places across the city. She found their ad online and they boys happily accepted the innocent California girl into their lives.

Benny picks up her phone, her handbag and travel coffee mug.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” She calls out with a smile.

Kyle comes to the door with a familiar envelope in his hand. “If today is the day, you better take this.”

Benny blushes as she shoves the envelope into her handbag and hurries out of their Brooklyn apartment and towards the subway. Before she reaches the stairs her phone pings with an all to familiar message tone.

AB: Breakfast meeting. Twenty minutes. Bring pastries.

She sighs checking the tie on her phone. Twenty minutes to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan and it is only twenty past six in the morning.

Who on earth is he meeting with this early?

She replies with a quick ‘yes sir’ and spins on her kitten heels in the direction of the best bakery in New York. Dalton’s Bakery is famous, oh so scrumptious and thankfully for Benny, open at twenty past six on a Wednesday morning. Benny steps inside smiling as the smell of freshly baked bread greets her nose. She begins scanning the cabinets trying desperately to make a quick decision.

“Benny?” She looks up and comes face to face with Rosemary Dalton, who she met yesterday while she was out with Alexander.

“Ms Dalton.”

“Rose is fine.” Rosie miles at her, “What brings you out so early on a Wednesday morning?”

“Mr Bennet has advised me of a breakfast meeting I’m due at the office in, well, thirteen minutes.”

“Shit. Oi Mama!” Rosie calls and an older looking version of Rose appears from behind the counter. “This is Benny, can you box up a few dozen pastries for her? Put it on my tab.”

“Oh no-” Benny starts but Rose cuts her off.

“Come on, we will share a cab.” Rose takes the boxes off the older woman and ushers Benny out onto the street and into a waiting cab.

“Thank you.” Benny says finally. “Oh my gosh.” Benny gasps looking between Rose and the direction of the Bakery. “I don’t know how I didn’t realise this before. Dalton! I love this place. So, are they your parents?”

“Yep, Brooklyn born and raised. You live around here?”

“Just one block over.”

“Does Mr Bennett realise how far from the office you live?” As Rose asks Benny’s phone pings three times.

AB: You are late.

AB: Thomas and I are waiting.

AB: Coffee black.

“Man of few words huh?” Rose asks reading over her shoulder. “Does Thomas work for Mr Bennett?”

“No. I believe Alexander offered him a job five years ago when the company was taking off but he declined. Thomas prefers his party lifestyle. Do you know him?” Benny asks and she watches Rose begin to fidget.

“We were at NYU at the same time but I doubt he remembers me. We actually met officially last night. My boyfriend introduced us. Eric Holst.”

The weasel. Benny thinks to herself but she schools her expression trying not to give away her disdain for the man. She nods unsure how else to act.

The cab pulls to a stop and Rosie throws a few bills towards the driver. The two women hop out and Benny smoothes out the imaginary wrinkles in her pencil skirt.

“Good luck.” Rose hands over the boxed pastries. “I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

Rosie waves and heads off in the direction of the Art Gallery as Benny stares up at the huge Bennett Corporation building, her resignation letter feeling like a heavy weight in her purse. With a few deep breathes Benny steadies herself and steps towards the entry, Rocko, the building’s head of security greets her with a smile and a wave. Mr Bennett’s private elevator takes her to the top floor where her desk is waiting for her outside Mr Bennett’s heavy oak office doors.

“Ok, you can do this.” Benny starts to give herself a pep talk. “Today’s the day.”

A scoff sounds behind her and Benny freezes mid removing her jacket.

“Well it is certainly not the day you arrive on time.”