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‘Yes,’ she admitted. ‘I told Galen I was computer literate, and until now I honestly thought I was, but...’
‘Roula, when I was interviewed for this role I insisted that I wanted the title of Executive Assistant. But, as Galen pointed out, it would be a lie. I have degrees in both business and computer science, and yet I still don’t really understand what the hell he does.’
‘Oh...’
‘He’s a genius,’ Kristina said. ‘And I don’t say that lightly. There are a few of them working there.’
Roula nodded, and there was a quiet sadness as the truth was acknowledged. Galen had been called so many things growing up. Different...odd...damaged... And today she had found out that hisyayahad clearly thought he was too.
‘I run the edges of Galen’s life so that he can do more of what he’s good at. That role will be yours, while I...’ Kristina gestured to her stomach. ‘So, shall we go through everything and then you can decide if you’re up to it or not?’
Roula found that she rather admired Kristina’s directness and, despite appearances to the contrary, there truly was kindness in her, for she had waited until they were well away from the office to address this.
‘Yes,’ Roula said, ready to hear more about the role.
‘Okay...’ They both took a seat and Roula got out a new notebook and pen. ‘Galen has to do corporate stuff for the gaming Tuesday to Thursday—he hates it. That’s when you’ll appear to be busy.’
‘Appear...?’
‘Lots of phone calls, sitting in meetings—just all the usual. There’s a big ball coming up...’ She waved that fact away. ‘But I should be back on board by then. And there’s a new release. The directors are pushing Galen for progress reports, so they can announce it. What you need to understand is that everything corporate and/or family falls in that Tuesday to Thursday timeline. Today is an anomaly. Usually on Friday he has a development team meeting at seven a.m....’
‘Do I need to be there for that?’
‘I’m always there at six. The café delivers breakfast, but you don’t need to stay for the meeting, thank goodness—they eat like horses at the trough.’ Kristina pulled a face. ‘Usually they all go off, and then Galen locks himself in his office and does all his programming and coding.’ She held up her hands. ‘Don’t disturb him foranyreason.’
‘Got it.’
‘I mean it. You don’t have to be in the office, but Galen’s phone lines will be diverted to you, so thatnothinginterrupts him—well, apart from one.’ She fixed Roula with a look. ‘Unless hisyayais actually dead, or very soon to be, just deal with it. The care home will call all the time.’ Kristina rolled her eyes and moved swiftly along. ‘On Mondays Galen is awful—just bring in coffee, put it down, leave. At some point he’ll rise from the ashes... What else...?’ Kristina thought out loud. ‘Sex and food.’
Roula let her pen hover over the paper.
‘He gets food and coffee delivered all the time—I meanall the time. Just take it from the driver, put it on his desk. He won’t look up.’
‘Okay...’ Roula looked at her list.Grow up, Roula. You deal with stuff like this at the retreat.She’d had to find a vibrator for a client once! ‘What about...?’
‘Sex? Oh, don’t worry, he factors that in himself. Thankfully I don’t have to run that.’
‘So I just order flowers and book restaurants and such?’
‘God, no.’ Kristina shook her head. ‘His lovers are as practical about it as he is. That’s the one phone line he keeps open, but if you get a text from one of them by mistake, just text back“PA”.’
‘How will I know it’s one of them?’
‘They’ll say “Bored?” or “Catch-up?” That sort of thing. Don’t worry, there’s nothing lewd.’ Kristina shrugged. ‘Honestly, it’s not an issue. Also, if he disappears for a couple of days, that’s probably why.’
Gosh.
‘Or if there’s an afternoon when you can’t find him.’
‘I see.’
‘Or...’
‘I get it, thank you.’
There was also his doorman, whom she could call if any dire events occurred while Galen was missing!
Roula’s usually neat lists were pages of scribble by the time Kristina was through.
