The Clock Is Ticking – Episode 8

Sequence 8

 

.

 

She opened the door and walked out slamming it shut behind her.

 

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Alice looked up at him, ‘I will be right back,’ she said rushing out of the room and hurriedly ran after Mattie she caught up with her by the elevator.

 

‘Mattie.’

 

‘Tsup.’

 

‘Please don’t leave my boss will be very furious if we don’t do this shoot.’ ‘Why should I, that guy is a jerk.’

 

‘Please! I have to send the Magazine for designing by the end of this week alongside the photos.’

 

‘He needs to apologize that’s the only way this is going to work.’ ‘Mattie!’

 

‘No jokes about it girlfriend, that man is a jerk someone needs to deflate his ego a bit.’

 

‘Fine, let’s go back I will ask him to apologize.’ ‘Great.’

 

They turned and walked back to the office.

 

‘You stand here while I talk to him, I will let you know when to come in.’ ‘Sure.’

 

 

Alice knocked at the door softly and proceeded to enter when she heard a voice telling her to enter.

 

‘Alice, have you decided on what to do next or maybe we are going to have to cancel?’ He asked

 

‘No sir, we can’t cancel, you are our cover and this shoot must go on as planned.’ ‘Have you found someone else to do the shoot?’

 

‘Mattie is outside she will take the photos only if you can apologize to her.’ His eyes widened, ‘you can’t be serious why should I apologize to her?’ ‘Please.’

 

‘Forget it Alice, I am not apologizing to her we can as well cancel the whole thing.’

 

Desperate, Alice got down on her knees, ‘Please! My job depends on this story, if my boss discovers I messed this up he is going to fire me,’ she pleaded

 

‘You didn’t mess this up, the photographer did, please stand up.’ ‘He won’t understand, please.’

 

This seemed ridiculous to him, he was a man and apologizing to a woman would be degrading but then he would never forgive himself if Alice got fired because of this.

 

He thought and thought.

 

‘Alice!’ He said finally, clearing his throat.

 

She looked up at him.

 

‘I will apologize, only because I don’t want you to get fired but you owe me.’ ‘Thank you,’ she instantly stood up, ‘I will go and get her,’ she hurriedly rushed out.

 

‘And?’ Mattie asked

 

‘He is going to apologize please be flexible and let’s get this over and done with.’ ‘Great.’

 

Back in the office he paced back and forth, this whole idea of apologizing didn’t sit well with him he found the whole process humiliating.

 

Initially he had not even wanted to be the cover of the magazine because he didn’t want to call too much attention to himself but the people from the magazine had begged him till he had no option but to accept, apparently having him as their cover would boast their sales.

 

When they walked back in he stood, for a minute none of them said a word or moved. Sensing the tension in the air, Alice cleared her throat.

 

‘So,’ he began, ‘I am sorry,’ he said but his voice was so low that he could hardly hear it himself.

 

 

A smirk crossed Mattie’s lips, ‘That wasn’t a real apology. Please say it like you mean it.’

 

He swallowed hard then he opened his mouth and closed it again.

 

‘I am waiting,’ she said

 

‘I am sorry,’ he said, this time louder and clear ‘For?’

 

‘Mattie!’ Alice pinched her

 

‘I am sorry for assuming you are incompetent just because you are a woman.’ ‘Did that hurt? The fact that you apologized, did it make you feel less of a man?’ He shot her a death stare, ‘Don’t cross the line.’ ‘Can we get started already?’ Alice asked

 

‘Oh ya, we can and thanks for apologizing, can we start over?’ asked Mattie. ‘Sure.’

 

‘I am Mattie,’ she smiled

 

‘Chard,’ he frowned, he didn’t like her one bit he couldn’t wait to get the shoot over and done with.

 

She reached her hand forward and he stared at it for a second before he shook it. ‘This doesn’t mean we are friends thought,’ he curtly said

 

She laughed, ‘I have more than enough friends this is business.’

 

Alice cleared her throat again she was getting so uncomfortable with what was going on, all she wanted was to finish this shoot get back to the office so she could start working on the article, she wanted it to be perfect because this one story was all she needed to get that promotion she had anxiously been waiting for.

 

‘I think we can start, I am sorry for keeping you waiting,’ Mattie said

 

He watched her set up the equipment, she was humming to a tune that he couldn’t make out but it was beautiful.

 

Once she was done she readjusted her lights and motioned him to stand in front of the white washed wall.

 

‘Turn around, ‘she said.

 

She took several shots of him.

 

‘Do you have anything specific in mind for this particular shot?’ she asked Alice ‘You are the photographer let’s see what you have in mind.’ ‘What’s the story all about?’

 

‘It’s basically centered on his role as CEO.’ ‘Great.’

 

She pointed to the armchair near the window, ‘Go sit there and look at laptop.’

 

 

He felt irritated, why was she tossing around like her was her child. Without protesting, he walked over to his chair and leaned back in.

 

She took a few shots but he was still kind of stiff and that didn’t work well with Mattie.

 

‘Relax, loosen up let your eyes focus on your computer act as if you are working on something big. It it’s a Monday morning and you have this important deal to work on, you don’t want to be disturbed, I want that million dollar shoot.

 

Alice smiled she loved how passionate Mattie was about her job she could see that behind the camera Mattie was unstoppable.

 

Mattie could actually make a good cover for their next shoot.

 

Chard tried to relax he looked at his computer and tried to do what Mattie had said.

 

She looked down at her camera and took some more shots.

 

*

 

‘Perfect! Can we remove the jacket now and make that tie loose around the collar?’ ‘Okay.’

 

He removed his jacket and hang it behind his chair then he loosened his tie and undid the top two buttons.

 

‘With this one, I want you to just be you, forget about being a CEO, right now you are just Chard.’

 

‘Are you always this bossy?’ He asked

 

‘When it comes to photography I love to be in charge so yes maybe I am a little

 

bossy.’

 

‘A little?’

 

‘Well could be too much depending on what angle you are seeing it from.’ ‘Bully.’

 

She laughed as she raised her camera again taking some more interesting shoots.

 

‘I think that will be all,’ she finally said after several minutes.

 

‘Finally,’ he exclaimed causing Alice to laugh out loud.

 

He went back to his desk, while Alice assisted Mattie to pack her equipments. ‘This was interesting, thank you so much for your cooperation,’ Alice smiled. ‘I endured all this for you young lady, don’t forget you owe me.’

 

She smiled shyly, ‘I will make it up to you.’ ‘I will be waiting.’

 

Mattie cleared her throat, ‘I better get going.’

 

‘Yes you should, you have overstayed your welcome.’ She shook her head, ‘It was doing business with you.’

.

 

 

 

 

THE CLOCK IS TICKING

 

Ella❣

 

.