2 Baby Steps

Avery Steel couldn't help but feel like an arrow shot through his heart. His little girl was so cute trying to be so grown up and responsible. Unfortunately he couldn't risk her working in any old place. She is Olivia Steel, daughter of Avery Steel, the leading technology business tycoon this century has ever seen.

All he needed was some low life messing up her life and causing her to hurt herself or worse. No he needed to keep his girl safe and sound and if that meant that she would have to work for him then than so be it!

Ever since the lose of his beloved wife Grace Steel, he had gone into deep depression and started drinking. He resorted to avoiding his precious little girl like an idiot just to hide his shame.

If it wasn't for his most trusted administrative assistant and brother-in-law Robin Alegria he would have never come back to his sense. He knew he could never get back those 10 months that he lost. He was chained in limbo between not really living, wallowing in darkness and trying to self destruct. However over the years he tried to make up for his past actions by being Olivia's mother and father.

Now this little girl had to slap him in the face with reality. That she was growing up too fast to his liking and one day she would be heir to his empire, if she chooses. But as he stared at her heart shaped face, beautiful hazel eyes, her deep auburn hair tied up in a messy bun and her full, dark pink lips that were starting to tremble... he couldn't help but hold his breath. His baby had turned into a woman and he didn't like it one bit!

What was he going to tell her! He wanted to provide all he could for her! Shower her with unconditional love and affection. However he knew too much doting would spoil her and he did not want an incompetent child-lady mesh-up living in his house when he became old, withered and gray.

After a few more minutes of silence passed by. Olivia pulled the oldest trick in her book to get her father to yield. She didn't want to do it but she was too desperate and only used it in case of emergencies and this was the upmost important decision she wanted him to make.

Mind you she wanted him to agree no matter what, so she initiated her drama mode. She started off by softly calling out "Daddy?" as her eyes started to widen and her body trembled slightly.

Her father looked at her and "Oh no!" he thought as she locked eyes with her. She slowly batted her beautiful, long eyelashes as she called out once more "Daddy" in her most sweetest, sugar soaked, loving voice. "I can work ... can't I?"

Avery was doomed as he looked at her face. "Damn it!" he thought. This child couldn't be doing this to him, he had to resist, he needed to resist but he couldn't help it! He felt his dad self battling it out with his rational self. One punch, two punches, a swing and a miss. His rational self was loosing in the ring when finally his dad self delivered the k.o. blow.

Her father put one hand on each of her shoulders, looked directly into her eyes and she knew she won once she saw that twinkle. He took a deep breath and smashed her body into his chest as her started rubbing his face into her hair.

"My sweet, beautiful, princess of course you can work! Why would I ever keep you from doing something so adorable! You want to buy your own dress, my goodness you are just too freaking cute!" he said with so much love and admiration it made her feel slightly guilty. Then he started to plant kisses all over that top her head with loud "muahs" making her feel less guilty.

It was embarrassing to have to use this trick and she knew what was coming. Honestly she could tolerate it if it meant she got to work. "...But.." Avery said as he held her tight in his embrace.

'Oh no... there's a condition!' she thought as her body became stiff. The smirk that she was hiding within her father's embrace was frozen in place, as sweat started to roll down from her temples. Her father pulled her out of the embrace and had her face him. "You will work at the Steel head office. You do not get to choose where you get to work or what you get to work on." he said with conviction.

"But dad!" Olivia started to whine.

"No buts! You do whatever job is given to you and there will be rules that you will need to follow! I get that you want to experience life outside of school and home but you need to remember who you are and what you stand for." he said as he narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip around her shoulders.

"Fine! I will do it no matter what the conditions are, I will follow through and prove I have what it takes to succeed!" she said while she puffed out chest and put on a brave face.

"My dear you haven't even heard the conditions and you are already agreeing to them. This is a horrible business move. You should have played coy and negotiated the terms but you want hardship then be prepared!" he said coldly.

Olivia felt stupid. She instantly deflated and turned into a pile of mush. She was so desperate to prove she was up to any task that she failed to see the trap she had just walked herself into. 'Baby steps Livy' she told herself. 'Everyone starts off with baby steps to get what they want accomplished and you are not above the rest!'

....

Finally the first day on the job and so far so good as she has kept to the "rules" dictated by her father. First she had to wake herself up to be able to prepare her meals for the day, she was successful at making her own breakfast and preparing her and her father's lunch boxes mind you she would have been happier if she didn't have to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to do so.

Next she needed to catch the 6:00 a.m. bus at a particular bus stop that was located two blocks away from the house, it was a 45 minute walk and she was not allowed to miss the bus for any reason. Next she was not allowed to reveal her identity to anyone.

She had to use her mother's maiden name to be able to apply for work. Yes apply! He father was not generous enough to give her a helping hand as he stated "You wanted hardship, well now you get it." and of course no one at head office was willing to give any 16 year old an office job so she got stuck with applying for a janitorial job. Her job started at 7:00 a.m. and ended at 9:00 a.m. on week days on weekends it would be the full 8 hour work day of 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at minimum wage.

His last condition was that her job was to not affect her studies, she was still in high school and need to learn and grow into a proper lady of society. Luckily for her class didn't start till 9:30 a.m. and the train was a few minutes away from the office. So that gave her ten minutes to change, 5 minutes to run to the train catch the 9:15 a.m. train and make it to school for 9:25 a.m. mind you she had to run from point 'A' to point 'B' but a lady was always punctual. Olivia made it to the office and punched in for 8:55 a.m. she was ready for hell.