Abby and the ceo - S01 E17

Story 4 days ago

Abby and the ceo - S01 E17

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 17

THE CEO

The day after the late night with Mr. Cornell had a few of us preoccupied with close review of the project and verification of what I had identified as an issue. I managed to convince Mr. Cornell the night before not to put too much fault on Steve, assuring him that this experience would be seared into his memory. Instead of using it to make a point, use it as a lesson for him. Sara did talk to him privately, however. Steve came to me after his meeting with Sara and told me he owe me big time. I told him it was what teammates and friends do. I wondered if a talk like that while naked would ever feel comfortable. I hoped not.

Shortly after that, Ms. Benson called and asked to see me. Of course, that meant my going to see her which I did.

After rapping on her door frame, "You wanted me, ma'am?" I wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to me or.....

"Ah, yes, Abby. You spent quite a bit of time with Joe last night from the sounds of it. What exactly did you talk about besides the project?"

"Ma'am?"

"Something must have happened. Joe Cornell is a brilliant man but he is awkward with small talk even with people he knows. It's just not his thing." I just looked at her trying to indicate I wasn't volunteering anything that might have been shared between Mr. Cornell and me. "Abby..." She threw her hands up. "You know what he did? He stood there, right where you are now, and asked me how I was doing. When I started talking about this project and that project, he shook his head and said, and I quote, 'No, Pam, how are YOU doing?" She looked at me, then laughed. "Okay... I respect that about you, Abby. You stuck up for Steve today and you're going to hold in confidence what you guys talked about. Whatever it was, Abby, he listens to you."

It was almost a week later, early enough in the day that I hadn't had my second cup of coffee and I stood to go to the break room when I noticed Mr. Cornell hanging around his doorway. As I wound my way through the desks to the opposite side of the main room, I say him moving along the back in the same direction. He stopped briefly at one of the Director offices, said something there and continued, arriving at the break room with his own mug as I was pouring into my own.

"If you're pouring, Abby."

I smiled, remembering the comment Ms. Benson made about his small talk. After I filled his mug, he looked around the empty room and indicated with his mug to a table furthest from the door.

"How are you doing today, sir?"

"Fine... fine... no, good. Abby, I wanted to talk to you but not in my office. I didn't want people to talk."

"It's okay for me to be in your office, sir."

He shook his head. "No, not really. Our company separation is too much for us to be having a meeting without Sara or Pam there. Then, if it's sex well... you know I don't go into the main group for that. No, people would talk. You don't need that."

I asked him what I could do for him, then. He said he tried what I recommended, to just stop in at his staff offices occasionally. His face beamed. "I did it, Abby. It was great, thank you."

I laughed. "You know, sir, you blew Ms. Benson's mind. She didn't know what to think after you left"

He laughed, then look at me seriously. "She just shared that with you, right?" I nodded and he shook his head. "People respond to you, dear. You have a way with people."

I laughed harder. "Yeah, it's called sex. I've fucked, sucked, or eaten every person on the floor I think.

He argued with me, then seriously asked, "What should I do next?"

Seriously, I thought. How did the newest person on the floor become his confidant and counselor? It's not like he's asking for anything deep, so... "What you're doing is good, sir. I know you aren't the outgoing, small talking schmoozer, so take small steps.

Treat this like anything else, right. Set goals you can manage and continue in steps to achieve what you want." He nodded and looked intently at me. Right, what's next? "Be satisfied with your staff, gain some confidence. Those are the people you are most comfortable with. Speaking of... why did you go to Ms. Benson?" He looked embarrassed. Oh, I thought, he fucks her. File that away and to compare notes. "Next step, I think, include the Directors." He nodded and stood, thanking me.

He took a step, then turned. "Abby... I need to know something. It has to be honestly." I nodded. "The other night... in my office... was that okay?"

I stood, eased his mind by looking at the door, stepping up to him so we were inches apart. "Sir, the other night was very, VERY okay."

He smiled. This was the man who started all this. How? He said, "I would like..."

I took his hand and placed it on my bare breast, "I would like, too."

Three weeks later a meeting of the Vice Presidents and Directors was called by Joe Cornell. The conference room was almost not large enough to handle all the titles assembled in one place. Additional chair had to be brought into the room and the rest of the office was a buzz with speculation of what meeting might mean. Five people appeared at my desk, all looking very concerned and serious. Mary rolled her chair over to listen. Everybody... EVERYBODY... was on edge.

"Abby, what's happening in there?" I assured them I wouldn't know. Hey, I thought, I'm the newest one here. Standing before me were five of the most senior of the group. I still found myself blinking at the sight of two naked women calmly standing in front of me with dress men next to them. "Can't you find out? Talk to Sara. She talks to you." I sagged in my chair. The speculation ranged from the office being broken up, or the naked and sex policy being eliminated, all the way to layoffs.

I pushed my chair back from the desk and sighed. This is what happens when everyone trusts you. Okay, that can't be a bad thing. I pointed at the group, "Stay here." I tried to be firm.

Of course, they didn't. As I rapped on the opening to Sara's cubicle, I saw them gathered about 15 feet away but now the group had tripled. Of course, Sara Insisted she didn't have any better idea. And, I believe her. That wasn't going to ease the anxiety, though.

"First off, let me say that I can't imagine what this meeting is doing to the people out there." Joe Cornell pointed beyond the glass wall of the conference room. "That being said, I want to keep this short, give some direction, and break this up without a prolonging any concern for them. When we leave I want everyone smiling and relaxed. There really no reason for us not to be. Okay?"

One of the Vice Presidents inserted, "Joe, a few of us have commented.... wherever you are getting direction to do what you're doing we think it's great."

He smiled but collapsed into the head chair. "Thanks, but frankly, It's exhausting. Going outside myself is...."

Around the room came, "Exhausting?" The whole room laughed and that caught the attention of those not in the room even if they couldn't hear what was said.

"I've decided to have a personal assistant." A "It's about time' came back to him and the group agreed. "I want to spend more time in the office. I promised Samantha. I'm going to pull back, still mix it up with Operations but leave you young studs to deal with customers and suppliers. I'll be support whenever needed but it's time. The company is getting too big and I have too much respect for all of you. You deserve to take bigger roles and rewards."

He paused, then, "What I need is advice on who. I know we have a lot of very good people out there. Is it filled there? Should it be filled from outside? Dan, as HR, want you to run point on this but I want this group to have some kind of consensus because I won't be the only one working closely with this person."

"Are you sure this needs a lot of discussion, Joe?"

He nodded. "Yes. I don't want this messed up by playing favorites. I know everyone has PA's they like better than others but I want one I can work with and all of you can work with. Working for me, working with all of you, maybe being between you and me.... this could be stress producing. I want a strong person who can work across the board."