Coffee

"Oh my God!!!" Claire called Gina on Sunday morning. "Gina! The full extension was approved and apparently, it was just some clerical error!"

"Thank goodness!"

"Yes! Unfortunately, the apartment contract fell through. I was about to have a major breakdown."

"Oh, Claire, you sweet angel. I'm so happy that you have more time to work it out."

"I'm so happy too." Claire started sobbing.

Claire walked in on Monday with a wide smile.

"Good morning, Mr Moore." She welcomed him as she stood by the elevator.

"Good morning, Miss Thompson." He slowly looked up at her and noticed how happy she seemed. He looked back down and smiled himself. Seeing her happy made him happy.

"Did you have a good weekend?"

"Well, we've been to the banquet on Friday and that was quite okay. The company could've been better but the aerial dancers…!"

"Is it wise to keep offending your boss?"

"If I am to get fired, at least I want to deserve it."

"You want to be fired?"

"I just accept the inevitable," Claire said with a shrug. Mr Moore sneered.

"You're annoying."

"I'm surprised that it took you five months to realise. I guess that over your outbursts it's hard to notice others."

"I need your advice on the project you're working on."

"Surely not."

"Surely yes. Shall I remind you that I'm your boss?"

"Okay, Mr Domineering." Claire joked.

"Excuse me?!"

"You've heard me." Claire chuckled.

"Miss Thompson!"

"I know, you're my boss." She rolled her eyes. "You could use some fun. Get someone to suck your d*ck. Maybe that'll help." Claire timed her comment perfectly with the elevator door opening on her floor.

"Miss Thompson, did something possess you?" Mr Moore walked out after her.

"Maybe it's the same devil that possessed you?" Claire turned around. "Why are you following me?"

"I need to discuss the project with you."

"Now?"

"Why? Are you busy throwing obscenities around and taking a mickey out of me?"

"Now, Mr Moore. I have been teasing you. We've known each other for months and frankly, you're the stiffest person I ever came across. Not to mention the anger outbursts. Even though I do appreciate you dialling down on that. I do apologise for acting this way. I was just overly excited."

"May we begin the business?"

"Shortly. Would you like coffee?"

"Sure. I haven't seen your assistant around yet."

"I don't have an assistant. I make my own coffee."

Claire smiled as she put her handbag in the office. "Make yourself comfortable." She pointed at the chair. Mr Moore placed his bag on the chair in her office and followed her out. He put his hands in his pockets.

"Why don't you have an assistant?"

"Unnecessary. I am very organised. Besides, it's a waste of the budget."

"There's a budget allocation for this."

"Not after departmental cuts you have given me a few months back." Claire shrugged. She started making the coffee with unusual focus and carefulness.

"Why don't you have the new model of the coffee machine?"

"Mr Moore, you aren't on the forty-second floor. We don't get the same budget allocations for our employees."

Mr Moore nodded.

"Milk? Cream? Sugar?"

"Black coffee."

"God, even your coffee choice is bitter." Claire smiled.

"What made you so happy?"

"You didn't succeed in reducing the Marble Project extension." Claire smiled.

"I see. I am unsure whether I am too keen on seeing you happy over my failures."

"Why? Are you worried that it is just a beginning?" Claire asked as she put two sugars and milk in her coffee. She grabbed a hidden bottle of coffee syrup and poured it into both cups out of habit. "Shit."

"What's wrong?"

"I do hope that you can accept some vanilla syrup in your coffee. If not, I'll remake it."

"It'll be fine. And is that a threat?"

"Mr Moore." Claire moved closer. "I wouldn't dare to threaten you. I value my life enough. However, I can make your life equally miserable." Claire was barely centimetres away from his face. She spoke now in her serious tone. She didn't know how miserable Mr Moore already was as she was so close to him.

"The devil must've possessed you." Mr Moore leaned forward, so closely that Claire could feel his breath on her face. "You can do nothing to me."

Claire bit her lip so that she didn't say anything about her plan.

"Oh, the unshaken confidence of a man who never failed." She smirked

Mr Moore hasn't moved. He was about four inches taller than Claire in heels, so he hovered over her in the hope to intimidate her.

"The unshaken confidence of a woman who still thinks she's someone."

"Oh no, Mr Moore. I am fully aware of my cockroach status. But, I cannot fall any lower. I have confidence of someone who is nothing. I have the confidence of someone who doesn't have a life to value." Claire said with so much earnestness that it couldn't be faked. Mr Moore backed off. "Now, coffee, are you okay with vanilla syrup?"

"It'll be fine." He followed her into the office and sat down in the chair opposite the desk. It was weird for him to be on the other side.

"Before you try anything, I have pepper spray all ready to go."

"Pepper spray?"

"One cannot be too safe."

"Why do you carry it?"

"Because I don't want to be mugged again for offending my boss."

"You're making assumptions."

"Indeed." Claire nodded as she sat down.

"This office hasn't changed at all since Gary was here."

"No, it hasn't."

"Why?"

"Waste of money and resources." Claire shrugged, slowly sipping her coffee. "Now, which project do you want to talk over with me?"

"It came through your department a few months ago. The customer requested some changes."

"Yes?"

"It's filed under 7346."

Claire searched it up on the computer.

"Customer is Julian."

"Yes, it is."

"What are the changes?"

"They want to change the interior design to single and double flats."

Claire looked across the desk at Mr Moore.

"That's quite a change. Do you know the reason?"

"They want to develop an affordable living estate to bring more workers into the area."

"The project is on the way. Just looking at it now, most of the bearing walls will not need changing. We can add a few hollow plaster walls, and it can be manageable."

"What do you expect as a timescale?"

"It depends. If we manage all the wall-bearing loads we can put up the first flats on sale within two months."

"They're not for sale. It's a rental."

"Hmm… rental gives less transition time but I can squeeze it in 10 weeks. However, I will need to adjust the budget."

"They've said that they want it as fast as possible and they are willing to extend the budget."

"That sounds like a dream customer." Claire laughed, still focusing on the plans in front of her. "That's fine. I can render images by tomorrow afternoon and start adapting plans by the end of the week. If we do floor by floor, we might be able to start the works already next week so that we don't have to delay the contractors."

"Yeah." Mr Moore nodded. He took a sip of the coffee and his mouth twisted and nose scrunched up.

"Mr Moore, I'm going to remake you that coffee." Claire stood up, noticing his disgust.

"It's perfectly fine, Miss Thompson. I'm just not accustomed to its sweetness. It's not as bad on the second sip." He drank it and his face remained unchanged. Claire watched him carefully.

"If you say so, but it's not a trouble." She was writing some notes and writing some numbers down. In theory, Mr Moore had nothing else to say but he waited for her to continue.

"Will there be any issue with the suppliers?"

"No. Actually, one of the projects fell behind and we have availability. Don't worry, the project that fell behind is fully justifiable and it will be back on track soon enough, and we still intend to meet the deadline."

"I'm glad." Mr Moore nodded.

"Now, do you know the numbers of each type of flat and preference?"

"Try to do an even number of two and one-bedroom flats on each floor."

"Sure. That's not a problem."

"Claire!" Gina ran into the office with a smile, which disappeared as she noticed Mr Moore in the chair. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"What's the problem, Gina?"

"I wondered if you wanted coffee…"

"We're sorted, thank you," Claire replied with a smile. "Actually, can you make one for Mr Moore? The plain black one?"

"No problem, boss." Claire smiled and left in a hurry.

"Don't they knock on your door?"

"Not unless I'm in the meeting. They all have a copy of my calendar, and this wasn't a planned meeting." Claire mumbled something. "I share my calendar to allow them to send me meeting invites if they need help during my busy week, or they can pop into my office for minor bits. I always try to keep the communications channels open." Claire's phone pinged with Gina's message coming across: 'wtf, Claire! R u alright?'

Claire smiled at her phone and returned her gaze to the screen.

"Mr Moore, I brought you your coffee." Gina smiled and placed the second coffee mug on the desk. "Shall I take that one away?"

"No." Mr Moore replied shortly.

Gina slowly backed out of the room giving Claire that look of wonder and worry. Claire smiled at her and waved her out. "You're inefficient."

"In what sense?"

"Assistant can organise your diary and day-to-day tasks. And they can stop the intrusions."

"I enjoy the intrusions," Claire admitted. "Maybe, besides this one."

"You don't have to enjoy my company. That's what you get paid for."

"Not enough for what I have to endure though," Claire mumbled which made Mr Moore laugh.

"I'm starting to enjoy it."

"Enjoy what?"

"My presence seems to make you miserable enough without me attempting to wind you up."

"You broke the code, Mr Moore." Claire nodded. Mr Moore laughed as he finished the vanilla coffee.

"May I?" He asked taking the cigarette out.

"Absolutely not!" Claire looked at him disapprovingly. "Either go smoke in your office or outside in the designated smoking area."

"You do realise that this building belongs to me?"

"Will you compensate for another blouse if it's going to stink of that poison?"

"I will."

"And my medical expenses? Can I get a guarantee that all of my expenses will be covered if I get lung cancer?"

"Okay." Mr Moore felt defeated. "When can we review it?"

"I can send it to you or Mark."

"Mark?"

"Mr Pattison." Claire corrected herself.

"I didn't realise that you're both so casual."

"I don't tend to like formalities."

"I see." Mr Moore stood up. "Don't worry about sending it across. I'll come tomorrow afternoon to review it in person. Can you share your calendar with Pattison? With Mark?" He cringed as he said it. "I'll come when you're free."

"It's not a trouble for me to send it across if you're short on time."

"Miss Thompson… Claire, I'd like to discuss it in person."

"Understood, Mr Moore."

"I thought that you don't like formalities? It's Gabriel." He raised his brow.

"It feels wrong with one's boss, though." Claire cringed. Mr Moore smiled and walked out.