Dad’s firm was in a completely different building from the last time I showed up at his work. That was back when I was in high school. Since then, I’ve never really had a reason to go to Dad’s office.
“Thanks, Clarisse. That sounds great.” She steps around her desk, and I fully take her in. She’s petite, probably a little over five feet, if I had to guess. She’s wearing this A-line black dress that is incredibly similar to my own. I grin as I take in her hot pink ballet flats.
This is something that Liv would do—wear a conservative outfit only to pair it with something flashy.
“Right this way.” She gestures to a hallway hidden by a large wall behind her desk. She makes small talk as we walk down a long hallway, passing several offices along the way.
The first thing I notice is the glass walls connecting the offices to the hallway.No privacy here. My impromptu dance sessions are out.I'm curious about the soundproofing.Will I hear the commotion outside my office? Or whoever is in the neighboring office?I really hope not.
She points out the conference room for the meeting in just under an hour and continues leading me to my office.
“And this one is you,” she says brightly, gesturing toward the large space.
“Thanks so much, Clarisse. See you in the conference room?”
“Yep, see you then!” She leaves me standing there and walks back towards the front of the building. I take in my name already on the glass by the door and smile a little. At my last place, it took several weeks to get the names changed out on the office doors. Even though I’m dreading this, I know Dad is excited for me to work with him.
Walking into the open door, I set my bag on one of the black leather chairs sitting in front of one side of the large L-shaped white desk and slowly take the space in.
It’s minimal with no decor. On the opposite side of the interior glass wall are large, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook downtown Charleston. Ilovethe view.
I turn back to my desk and am startled to see Dad leaning into the open doorway, watching me. He has a massive grin on his face that I’m compelled to return.
“Hey, Kat. What do you think?” He’s wearing his standard black suit, which he paired with a blue button-down shirt, and a black tie.
“Hey, Dad. It’s nice. Larger than my last office.” I look around again and take in the white bookcase that matches my new desk. Someonereallylikes white. “Do you have any issues with me bringing in some pictures and maybe a plant or two?”
He chuckles before responding, “It’s a little too bland for my taste, too. Of course. You can bring in whatever you want.” I make a mental note to bring in my Seattle pictures as soon as possible to bring color to the washed-out space.
“Thanks, Dad. Um…” I gesture at the door, and he steps inside my new office, closing the door behind him. He sits on the black loveseat by one of the walls opposite the desk.
Feeling awkward about sitting in the desk chair, I opt for one of the chairs in front of my desk. I awkwardly shuffle it so it faces the loveseat and sit down.
“What’s on your mind, baby girl?” He shifts uncomfortably.
“Well, you know I love you, and I’m proud to be your daughter.” I take a breath. He just stares at me with a blank expression. “I feel weird about you being my boss and calling you Dad.” I examine his face and watch as it transforms into a huge grin that crinkles the skin around his eyes.
Suddenly, he starts laughing. I just stare at him, trying to understand what is so funny about what I just said.
“I’m sorry, baby girl,” he says in between bouts of laughter. “It’s just that I thought there was something seriously wrong when you gave me that serious face of yours.”
“Iamserious, Dad.” I pout.
“I know. I’m sorry.” He stops laughing and looks at me with a serious expression. “Ethan called me Dad all the time. And everyone here knows you’re my daughter. A lot of the folks working here have kids. It isn’t something you need to feel uncomfortable with.” He looks at me with a bit of heartbreak in his eyes. “But I’ll understand if you want to call me by my first name instead. Please don’t call me Mr. Oaks.”
“I just don’t want everyone to hate me because they know I got this job because of you. I want them to value my work and my accomplishments.”
He sits straighter. “Kat, you think I would have gotten the other partners on my side to hire you if they didn’t know you were more than capable? They know. Shit, I brag about your work accomplishments all the time. They’ve been asking me since you passed the bar when you would be coming here. Everyone is excited to have you.” His pride is written on his face. Hearing Dad’s words makes me feel a lot better. “I know it's still early but just wait. Give them a chance to love you, just as I know they will. I think you’ll find how well you fit in.”
“Ok, Dad. Thanks for the pep talk. So, where’s my computer?” I gesture at the space on my desk where only a monitor sits.
He laughs again. “We do a little orientation here. So, we’ll have an IT guy come and set up your laptop with you. He’ll show you how to navigate some of the systems and make sure everything is working. If you want to set up your phone, he can help you out with that, too. Or if you want a tablet to travel with, just let him know. His name is Conner. He should stop by your office after your tour with Clarisse.”
“Oh. That sounds nice.” My last firm didn’t have an IT person, so this will be a new adventure for me.
My morning goes by quickly, and Dad was right, everyone’s been nice. It isn’t until Conner leaves that I realize it’s around noon, and my stomach growls from hunger. The thought of going out for food makes me miss Liv.
Who am I going to get lunch with now that we live in different cities?
