Something Like Fun

Sighing, I shook my head. ‘Concentrate woman!’ I ordered myself. I took a deep breath and returned my gaze to the papers in front of me. I’d been in Finland for the past eight months in preparation for the designing of the new headquarters for a big communications company, and during that time I had interviewed all 400 employees who were to work in the building I was designing. These people knew what sorts of things were necessary in order to properly do their job, and so it seemed fitting to talk to them.

Despite the fact that my eyes ran over the easy to read graphed and charted conclusions from the interviews, my mind wasn’t processing anything. “Mike, can you turn down the music a bit?” I yelled towards the hallway. Instantly, the thumping of the bass quieted. I returned my eyes to the papers as the sound of footsteps signaled Mike’s approach.

“Sorry, about that Lie,” Mike apologized in his ragged voice. “How’s the basic coming along?” he asked, walking over to the table I was leaning against.

“Almost done,” I sighed, running a hand through my greasy hair, “just checking it against all the employee results.” I hadn’t showered since the day before and the combination of me playing with my hair while trying to concentrate and Ville pulling at it as we kissed yesterday had led to an oily mess today. I sighed, straightening my posture to watch Mike flipping through the prints. I was going to have to shower after I finished this alright.

Mike nodded as he looked over the various drawings I had laid out on the table. He was tall and bulky, not one you’d picture surrounded by computers and breakable equipment all day. All the same, the bull had yet to break anything in the China cabinet and on top of that he was great at his job. Once I was finished with the prints, it would be his job transfer it all onto the computer and produce the different models.

I scrunched my lips, as my thoughts shifted away from work again and back to the previous night. Ville had taken me out for dinner the Monday night after our cookie fiasco. Following a stroll in the park, he had seen me home in a taxi and walked me to my door. Under the most pathetic excuse for a porch light, he told me goodnight with a deep, slow, and passionate kiss that ended when we were rudely startled by a high pitched whistle from a window overlooking the door. I had groaned, catching a glimpse of Deliah who winked before vanishing from sight, as Ville chuckled, leaning his forehead against mine. He’d given me a quick peck on the lips then and was gone.

I sighed, shaking my head. There was no way I’d be able to keep working while he was ever present in my mind like this. In resignation, I turned to Mike, “Here you just take them for now, I’m going to shower.”

“Ok,” he nodded, not budging an inch, “it looks like you’ve got everything set as it is. I just checked the last three marks and they’re good.”

I smiled back at him as I walked out of the room. “Thanks, Mike, you’re a doll.” He chuckled as I lazily turned the corner in the hallways.

Forty minutes later, the house rid of all of the hot water, I emerged from my room lotioned, primped, and insanely comfy in an old pair jeans and a loose long sleeved grey shirt. After grabbing a bite to eat in the kitchen, I casually walked back to the room I had claimed as an office where I’d carelessly left my cell to charge earlier. With the simple touch of a button the phone came to life with a greenish glow. A missed call from Ville. I smiled, mentally thanking Deliah for insisting that I exchange numbers with him. A white envelop icon whirled onto the screen. A simple click revealed it to be a voice mail. ‘Not too shabby, I thought to myself,’ grinning madly.

“Uh, Rosalie?” Ville's smooth, deep voice stuttered, “Well, I hope this is Rosalie. It’s rather difficult to tell as the recording prompt is the intro to Def Leppard’s ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me.’ I giggled, pleased that he brought it up. He continued his voice more confident now, “But I’m digressing. If this is indeed Rosalie, please ring me back, darling. I was hoping we could meet up again later this week. Bye then.” And he hung up.

‘Ah, what I lovely man,’ I mused, smiling widely. My fingers flicked over the keys to return his call just as Deliah’s head popped into the room.

“Hey, babe,” she spoke with a serious face, “important call. Filatov’s secretary Paula is on the main line. She says it’s urgent.”

My excited state quickly dissipated. This couldn’t be good. Otto Filatov was a big whig for my client’s company and acted as messenger between the company’s Members’ Board-who called all of the shots on my project- and I. With the shock gone I took a deep breath and nodded. “Patch him through to me.” Deliah’s head disappeared as quickly as it came and soon my cell vibrated in my hand. After a quick check of the caller: Filatov Office, I answered.

“Rosalie Kavanagh.”

“The Board’s gone haywire,” Filatov’s rough, but endearing voice quickly spoke, “I just left a meeting with the Board, I had Paula call you first thing-“

“Woah. Wait a minute,” I gently requested as I gripped the edge of the desk in anxiety, “Slow down, Otto-“

“First, they want something original, something that would make a big bang in both our worlds. But then Juva had to go and overrule them…” My eyes narrowed as my mind rapidly began connecting everything.

“He might as well have said ‘Fuck blending in,’” Filatov angrily spat, “He wants you to take the conservative route…” I groaned. If they wanted conservative, they should have picked my grandfather as the architect, or hell, even my father. Fuck, this was bad.

“So, where does this leave us?” he quickly prodded, “You need to come up with a new design, yes?” Nodding, I groaned into a yes. “God, Rosalie, I am so sorry,” he said as my breath caught, “Juva wants the same schedule.”

My eyes whipped shut as the worst case scenario was confirmed. ‘Fuck.,’ I muttered under my breath. After steadying my breath, I finally replied. “Alright. Well, thanks for calling me first thing-“

“I’ll let you go. Sorry if this messes up any plans...” I shook my head, disappointed. ‘If only he knew…’ I thought.

“Such is life,” I mumbled back, emotionless. He sadly chuckled.

“Good luck.”

“Bye.”