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“So you couldn’t get tickets to the charity concert then?” he remarked.
I blanched. He had heard my conversation with Penny. Now he was going to lambast me for time wasting. Had I unearthed the real purpose for my visit?
“Uh no, didn’t expect to get any...” I trailed off nervously.
“You like choral works then?”
How did he know about obscure classical musical works? I was quite aware my tastes were eclectic and disparate in nature. Very few people I encountered would be interested in my musical palate. I was rather dumbstruck. I had not expected to converse on personal matters.
“I prefer the Gloria,” he lowered his hands. “This is good stuff, Gemma, I’m impressed.”
He was back to talking about work again. I was disorientated, what did he actually want from me? I was a mere intern working on a low-level project.
“I don’t take many interns on but your CV was intriguing,” he said as if reading my thoughts.
Jason Lucas saw my resume? Is this what the MD normally does with interns?
“I’m glad you did, sir,” was all I could say in reply.
“Tell me about your last job. What did you do?”
I described my basic job description and it mirrored the one I was doing in his own company. Having graduated with a first class degree, I had spent a few months in a menial job before landing a good graduate training post in a respected company. It had be going well for me, not that I told him that, as it would open me up for probing questions. I had been earmarked for promotion and I had been given additional responsibilities right up to when I quit.
I had made acquaintances at my last job though not friendships. By the end of the working day, most people had to face long commutes out of the City to the suburbs. Nobody really wanted to stay after hours for drinks in a pub. Most of my office colleagues had families, children or spouses to spend time with or other interests to occupy their leisure time. I had trudged back to my flat on the bus and did what I did in my spare time - my secret life, which I had avoided talking about to my colleagues.
I never mentioned to my former co-workers anything that gave away my lifestyle choices. I invented an active life based around visiting my family or attending evening classes. Not lies, just embellishments since I had minimised contact with my family and could not afford the cost of a good quality academic course.
My old company had sent me on relevant courses by the bucket load, mainly in the City or somewhere outside the metropolis requiring a train journey in a crowded carriage. From those courses, I gained sufficient grounding in the analytical skills and financial software packages I was using in my demonstration. I did not doubt the quality of my resume, I had worked hard to build my career up and make something of my university education. Whether I wanted it or not, I had to work and bring in the money. Quitting my job had been the right decision at the time and moving on was the next good decision. I did not want him questioning my background in detail. Fortunately, after glancing at his watch, he did not ask why I left my previous job. I would have been flummoxed trying to come up with a realistic answer, after all I had just told him how appreciated I had been by my old colleagues.
He listened to the tailored synopsis of my past life without comment and the attention he gave me was unnerving as he was clearly listening to what I was saying. He was not just being polite, he was absorbing me as if he was a sponge and I was laid out on a petri dish waiting to be sucked dry.
Then the strange encounter was over and with little ceremony, I was dismissed.
“You should get back to you work now, Gemma, I will follow this up with your manager, Andy.”
He rose and I scrambled to my feet too, collecting my laptop. Standing by the door, he opened it and held me in his intense gaze once again. I looked at him. Straight into his bright blue eyes and for a few seconds we paused there. A weird feeling passed over, as if we were in a mutual trance and then I was out of the door. I practically ran to the lift doors to escape from those eyes as they continued to burn into me.
That night I went for a drink and dance with friends. My companions were not from my new job as it was still too early on in my internship for creating personal relationships. I was determined to make friendships based on my day-to-day life and not return to my old haunts. Even so, I tried very hard not to think of Jason Lucas and his blue eyes. I had not felt so entranced since my last long relationship - the one that ended in a nightmare scene.
Back in the office next day, there was an envelope on my desk with my name hand written on it. The small white offering was propped against my monitor. It
had to be personally delivered as the internal mail tray was in a cupboard.
I looked around the room at the others but they were all busy. I tore open the envelope and out dropped two pieces of paper. The first was a ticket to the charity concert on Sunday evening - a box seat near the front of the auditorium. I gazed in marvellous delight. The second was handwritten on a blank piece of company stationery and was succinct.
***
To Gemma,
I still prefer the Gloria.
Enjoy the occasion and relax.
Jason Lucas
***
I was completely gobsmacked. Jason Lucas got me this ticket and left a personal message – relax? What did he mean? What was the CEO doing giving me an expensive ticket? Too many questions buzzed around my head like unwanted flies.
