Lady in Red

"Greta, you are going to make me late! I have a job to attend to, you big idiot!" Catherine barked, slightly fixing her white, collared button up shirt and her pencil skirt. She gently ran her fingers through her hair to soothe it out and looked in the mirror at her own reflection. She was pretty, well-maintained, and flexible.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! See, this is why you need a car of your own!" Greta spoke, grabbing her keys from her purse. Nonsense. Catherine had worst possible things to worry about than ever buying her car when there were cabs and buses out there on the streets. At least, that's what her Boston university's outrageous student loans stopped her from doing. Catherine shook her head.

"You know, I can't do that. I don't have the money for that. And I have you, so that's all it matters! Now please drive me there so I can get back to my work, employed," Catherine winked, grabbing her belongings before walking out the door.

Greta was Catherine's best friend from their college days. Greta wasn't too keen on interacting with her buddies due to all the drama she had been through but Catherine was definitely the greatest exception she could have ever been involved to due to the fact that she had considered her, her very own soul sister from another mother. Greta could do possibly anything for Catherine due to the fact that Catherine was there when Greta was bullied back in their school days.

The car came to life and roared away from the drive way, causing Catherine to knock back against the seat a little. But she didn't care, she had somewhere to be.

____________________________________

Catherine walked into the building with the most successful, richest in Boston's coffee in her right hand. She dinged the elevator's door, walking in casually, and pressed on the 50th floor's button. She waited impatiently while the elevator took her up. She was definitely late today and wondered what mood her boss was in today. Usually, he is a moody type of person. You never know what might happen if his present mood changes shifts.

"Good morning, Catherine!" A squeaky voice from her back spoke, causing her to jump slightly. Catherine looked back.

"Goodness, Camile! You scared me. Good morning, I didn't even see you there."

"It's okay, I'm the invisible one, remember?" She spoke, waving her hand in the air. It was true though. Poor Camile. She was so tiny, so fragile, so little that half the times people wouldn't even know she was even present. She could fit into any box, any size, literally. She wasn't a bad person, just a little---annoying, half the times. Employee's here weren't too keen on talking to her but to me she was an exception. I could almost feel bad for her.

"Nonsense, Camile. Anyways, have you met up with Mr. Dean yet?" Catherine asked, eager.

"Yes, earlier."

"Okay, how's his mood?"

"What do you mean?" Camile laughed.

"I mean, how's his mood, you know? Is he mad today, happy?"

"Oh! No, he's actually in a very good mood today. His meeting with the Japanese folks went a success! With the help of Mr. Jean, they Japanese folks are opening a very successful company in Japan. Jay Dean got a very big profit out of it." Catherine drew out a breathe of relief she didn't even know she was holding on to. A happy boss meant a happy assistant!

"Thank you, Camile! You're a life saver!" Catherine squealed, hugging the petite little girl behind her. Maybe she won't be fired today, after all.

"What did I do?" Camile chuckled. Catherine shook her head with a smile and walked out of the elevator. She rushed to her boss's private office and knocked on the bullet proof, sound proof silver, mirrored door. Yes, silver. Boss loved the color of silver. Shiny, silver that is. His office and everything around him consisted of Silver, and white, and black. Almost like living in a black and white world but she didn't mind. It was her favorite colors too besides turquoise and red.

Her boss waved his hand in the air, signaling her to come in with a grin on his face. Catherine walked in.

"Sir, I brought you coffe--" Catherine was cut off before a squeal slipped out of her mouth. Mr. Dean's hands were on her suddenly and he was spinning her around, grabbing her waist and doing a little tango. Catherine laughed.

"Sir, your coffee is going to spill!"

"How may times did I tell you not to call me 'sir' when you're in my office, young girl?" her boss said grinning. Catherine looked at him closely. She loved this forty-year old man and this job with everything in her. She smiled.

"Yes, sir. I mean, Jay!" She smiled.

"Now, that's my girl!"

"Why so happy today, Jay?" Catherine already knew why he was so jolly today but she dared not to speak of it first. Camile have got to learn this policy to not disclose any matter of personal talk or material things that comes out of this office or she will surely get fired. Poor Camile. I mean, I was actually the one who provoked her. I have got to talk to this girl about it.

"My meeting with the Ouishi folks went a success and I am very happy today! We have finalized our deal we have been working with for months and now it's finally done! I could practically die of happiness right now."

Catherine stopped smiling. This old man had given her a job when she was on the footpath, looking around for almost months for a job before her loans went to her credits. Almost every job offered her only a minimum wage even despite the fact that she had a bachelor's degree. But this job got to her very best and within months, she was the most liking of her boss who had decided to increase her pay by forty percent of what she was making before. Unfortunately, Jay dean is diagnosed with lung cancer which changed everyone's fate around and in Boston. Catherine did everything she could to keep her boss healthy, fit, and away from cancer-causing sticks. She would often buy him coffee to keep him up and energized and even if she knew that coffee wasn't exactly the best choice of a medicine, her boss preferred it otherwise.

"I'm so happy for you, Jay! So what does this mean now?"

"I'll be flying to Japan around next three months and you will be coming with me to join me," Jay grinned. Catherine fought the urge to cry and so instead she grinned back as she nodded. She had never traveled before out of US and somewhere along her long list of places she wanted to go to, Japan was definitely in there.

In the midst of laughs and smiles, Catherine knew Jay Dean had to calm down before he struck his immune system. But he was just so happy she couldn't stop him from being this happy. Ouishi Company meant a lot to him because it profited him as well as all his other companies around the world. Now Jay dean could finally spit in the doorstep of his competitive, most arrogant people in the world, the Johnson's.

The Johnson's were the sixth most richest and famous in Seattle, and Boston, and around other places but they have always been so competitive, and have always tried to reach number one, where which the Dean's stood at. The Deans which were now the richest and famous, very respected people across the globe with their highest gross peaking companies, standing at number one. The Ouishi company that is forming internationally now is going to be the best outcome of Dean's lives.

Jay Dean started coughing almost unexpectedly and Catherine rushed to be his side, patting his back like a mother.

"Sit down, sir. You know you are not well at this point. Can I get you anything?" Catherine asked, rushing to get him a glass of water without his permission. Jay dean watched his personal assistant disappear than appear again, bringing a glass of water with her. He was baffled, amazed, and happy with her in every angle. If he could, he would have made her the heiress of his one of the company's in Boston. He had already considered her his daughter.

Jay Dean gulped the glass of water down and placed it on the other side of him.

"You looked worried today when you came in earlier. Something the matter?" Jay asked, catching her attention.

"I thought I was going to be fired today because I was a little late." Catherine mustered a laugh as she shrugged.

"You were late five minutes. And why would I fire my best assistant for that?" Catherine blushed and nodded, understandingly. She didn't know what to say but smile as she was saved today.

"What would you like for me to do today?"

"I want you to start producing documents, brief papers, reports and presentations for the upcoming meeting with the Smith's that we have later one at 4. Can you do that for me? We have a lot to do today. Also, get in contact with Patel for another appointment tomorrow around noon for me, please." Jay Dean's orders were crystal and clear and although this was a lot of work to do, Catherine nodded and walked out the office without any complains. Wonder what Dr. Patel had to say about his health and concerns tomorrow.

Catherine wanted to hear good news about his health. Only his reports will show and tell tomorrow. She folded her both hands, kissed it, closed her eyes and prayed. Both for today's presentation and tomorrow's appointment with the doctor.