Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ WALK LIKE A MAN ❯ Chapter 4

Mother said there would be days like this a seemly perfect start to a perfect day, totally destroyed. Mai had just come back for the accounting department to retrieve a list of statements mailed out to clients, shareholders and employees. Mai placed them on Trunks’ desk with a note attached and headed for the elevator to go to lunch. Trunks hated the job of going over them......too many numbers to check and recheck. But he had loosened up to the notion that Mike was efficient.

Nothing got by the young man whom he was considering hiring permanently. It was a good idea, hiring a male assistant. No wondering eye, hemlines that left nothing to the imagination. And office romance to get in the way? No such chance. But in the exchange he acquired a friend, a good friend, and perhaps his best friend. Mike was not only seen as an assistant whose only job was to stand by his side an be his yes man, he often told his boss “no”, epically when he wanted to sneak out before a meeting. He got a confidant, lunch buddy and also and wise advisor. He was truly happy with his choice. With his master list in hand he started checking and rechecking. He was impressed with the number and how efficiently and quickly Mike had arranged to have them sent out. But a scowl came across his face as he went for the master list to the out going list of names.

“Feral, Joan?.......shit!!” He shouted as the windows of his office rumbled. It was the return of Trunkzilla.

The mood of the office had changed drastically since she left for lunch. The glares of the staff as she exited the elevators made her walk to her desk a long one. Small whispering voices seemed to follower her until she was seated at. Then she was buzzed.

“Mike can I see you in my office” his voice wasn't the same one he had when she left for lunch.

She entered to find Bulma, Stanley Fung and Trunks standing at his desk each looking none to happy.

“Sir?” Mai said with a look of confusion.

“We have a situation her” Bulma began “Do you know out policies about accounts?”

“Yes. I’ve gone over them with a fine toothcomb in order not to make any mistakes”

“Well it seems you have” Trunks blurted out barely controlling his temper." You were in charge in the mailing list?”

“Yes and the file in the computer was updated before the summaries went out”
did you check them recently?” Stanley Fung added

“Yea there were a few changes but I took care of them. Checking and double checking”

“Then what’s this?” Trunk thrust a paper into her hand.

“Sir?” She gave a perplexed look

“They were sent to Joan Ferrell , the future ex-Mrs. Ferrell. The separated couple who have been feuding over investments and finances. You do know the ramifications on this?”

“Yes sir” Mai seemly deep voice all but disappeared when it all hit her. Separated couple. Wife should have been deleted from the list. Legal ramifications. Big trouble, big shit.

“We’ll try to straighten things out. But Mr. Ferrell will be beyond upset” Stanley stated taking a copy and excusing himself from the office. Bulma gave a half smile to Mike. She didn’t think he did it on purpose, but it was still a disaster waiting in the wings. Trunks however was hotter then anything. The vein in his forehead could clearly be seen throbbing, not to mention the sensed muscles in his neck.

“I’m sorry sir. I did check the list twice”

“ Twice just wasn’t enough was it? Of all the brain dead........I’ll call Josie and tell her we will be needing a new temp on Monday” Trunks voice could be heard throughout the whole floor bring the production of work to a complete stop.

“You’re letting me go?”

“You’ll receive the pay you have earned by the close of the workday. I suggest you have your desk and belongings boxed so you can take them as you go.” His tone lowered to almost a whisper.

As mad as he was about the situation, he was more upset to be losing his best assistant ever, and a good friend.

Mai backed away looking as if she had been gut punched. She wanted to cry, but guys don’t cry. Instead she bit her lip and removed herself form his office. The error couldn’t have been any bigger than this, private information given out to someone who had no rights to it.

She couldn’t understand how she missed it. Everything was updated in the files recently, even before she come on board. Then it hit her. She was out of a job, come Monday back to hustling odd jobs, returning to being a grease monkey on the side or working the tables at Stones’ Bar and Grill until something better comes up.

She finally though she’d hit the mother load with this job, stability, room for advancement........medical for goodness sakes. And the extra cash would help out her mother and Cassy's medical bills. Her house of cards had all fallen in. She made it back to her desk and all the emotions had fallen in and a sick feeling gnawed at her stomach. Josie would hit the ceiling at this one.

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For the rest of the day the whole top floor was in an almost hush. The workday went on as usual but the mood between the executive and his assistant was if nothing moribund. Although she was being let go Mai had to finish out her day. She tried her best to avoid all eye contact and heaven forbid if she had to speak to the man. The day seemed to drag as tensions only heightened. Trunks would have sent her home earlier, but the need for the days worked to be finished outweighed his wanting to have Mike pack up and leave now. For him it was tough blow. He wanted to trust the young man who did get his office back into shape. Mike was perfect for the job........he did run a tight ship. But he couldn’t forget the breech in confidentiality. It could cost the company lots of zeni if the parties pursuit it.

The sun had set and the day was finally over. Mai gathered her pride and put the last stack of papers on his desk. He barely looked up at her as she sat them there quietly and he in return slid her the envelope with her paycheck in it. Mai too afraid to speak, left the room already packed with the few personal items she’d finally decided to bring in to make her desk truly hers. She headed for the elevator and pushed the button to the lobby. She put down her box and loosened her tie. The binding duct tape was really binding her breast too tightly right now. The suit seemed to shrink onto her body and her shorthair was really an unwelcomed sight as she saw her reflection in the shiny chrome doors.

“What happened today? “ She scratched her head still stunned about the day’s events. Mai didn’t expect her boss to have her back on this one, but she did think she did deserve to find the error and try to be able to save her job. But the commander in chief had spoken and it was his law.

She sat in her car for a while too stressed she wanted nothing more than to go home and hide under the covers for the whole weekend. But she forgotten she had to go to Jamie’s to meet with mom. She pulled out of the parking area and waited for her turning light. Just then Trunks pulled up besides her in his convertible. Neither would acknowledge the others presence. Mai’s glasses sat on the bridge of her nose as she cranked up volume on her radio. The light seemed to be taking its sweet time. Finally she glanced over at her ex-boss. He in return turned to her. The light changed and both took off in opposite direction, both felling bad about the huge mistake that had been made. She put aside the trouble of that day to pick up a new one. Mom.

She got to Jamie’s before her mother, enough time to change out of her disguise and into something less questionable. Ty had made a simple dinner in case anyone was hungry. Jamie paced the floors like a caged animal.

“Jamie calm down. I’m getting nervous for you” Mai said. She was usually the calm one, but he events of her day still had her shaky.

Then the doorbell rang. Ty almost dropped his tray of goodies and Jamie lost a little color in his face.

“I go it you guys” Mia instinctively went to the rescue opening the door “Hi mom”

“Hi honey....you look.....ohmgosh.... your hair?!”

“And good to see you too mom” Mai said back by passing the matriarch and going for Cassy who was holding on to her mothers arm.

“Little bit!!” Mai shouted scooping her up in her arms “you look like you’ve grown pumpkin”

“I did........I'm in the first grade now” the curly haired girl giggled with glee.

Cassy was the spitting image of Mai at that age, she also resembled Jamie big time too.

She was born premature and partially blind. But Mai treated her without kid gloves; she wanted her to be independent.

“Can I stay with you this weekend?” Cassy asked feeling Mai’s face instinctively.

“Sure but we’ve go to get mom to say ok........so put on your best smile”

While the two girls giggled, Jamie stood silent in his own home. His mother only glared at him before speaking.

“Jamie”

“Mom”

Tension was thick tonight, just like every other time she come by. She didn't approved of Jamie's preference........Ty. It ached her heart her only son wouldn’t give her picture perfect daughter in law and traditional family she so desired. Of course not the pressure was on Mai.

Quietly the all sat around the dinner table eating. Jamie not uttering a word, Ty secretly wanting to say something and Mai, still fuming about the loss of employment.

“I want to spend the weekend with Mai momma” Cassy blurted out feeling out for a plate. Mai mother crooked a brow. What was Mai up to? She was to busy last week to have her sister over for a visit now when couldn't wait to have her.

“Planning on something fun this week end?”

“Just girls having fun.”

“Aren't you working now”?

“ Not really we had a layoff”

Jamie looked at Mai who tried her best now to crack under pressure.

“Sure I just have time off”

Jamie held his question in. He suspected something but didn’t want to embarrass his sister by bringing it up just yet.

“I guess. Not too much junk food. And no late nights out”

“Jeez mom you act like I haven’t watched her before. I am her sister and it is my responsibility to spoil her rotten”

It wasn’t that Mai’s mother didn't want the girl to have fun. She always expected the worse thing s could happen to her precious Cassy if she were out of her sight. Submitting to the whims of her daughter. Mai’s mother ate and left. Again conversation between her herself and her son was at a stalemate. Ty could only stand by and give Jamie a shoulder to cry on.

“It’s ok. She’ll come around one day”

“But when?” Jamie's hazel eyes glanced up at his lover who was almost a whole six inches taller then he.

Ty could only wipe the single tear that trailed from his eye and give him a gentle kiss on the lips. Mai had her hands full. Her job was gone, her brother was hurting and trying to be upbeat for Cassy’s sake was going to take all of her energy. Perhaps telling Jamie now about the job was not in the equation right now.

With her sister in tow Mai headed for her one bedroom house on the other side of town. Cassy had fallen asleep on the ride over and she immediately put the girl in her bed for the night. The quietness was sickening. All she could do was reminisce about the loss of her job and they way Trunks had coldly turned his back on her. But she understood it was a business and he did what he had to do. But it did hurt being dismissed.

Showered and relaxed all Mai wanted to do was give a good cry into her pillow. Let out he emotions that she had to hold in to save face. Tears come form nowhere as she watched television. It was funny how the simplest commercial could make her ball out of control. With the tailored pinstriped suit off and the perfectly coifed hair slicked back on her head, the woman came out. As her former boss so many times called it the female factor. Unable to control ones feeling or crying at the drop of a hat” syndrome. But there was nothing she could do tonight. Tomorrow was another day.

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It wasn’t the fact that Mike had messed up. It was the fact that millions could be lost. Millions that they didn’t have to replay right now, in the struggling economy. Trunks had driven to his favorite spot. A hill top over looking the city. Whenever thing got a little hectic or he just wanted to not be Trunks. He came here to unwind. Sitting in his car he let the music play and just watched the close of anther day.

“Shitty day” he grumbled taking off his glasses to put them in his jacket pocket. But apparently his pocket was already occupied. Inside was a slip of paper. It had the Capsule Corp. stamp on it. He opened the paper and read the contents.

//Tuesday’s show was sold out, but i managed to get the manager to find two tickets to the ballet for you and your mother. I hope you both enjoy it//

“Dam it Mike” Trunks rubbed his chin. The ballet was barely the topic of conversation, Trunks mentioning his mother wanted to see the production before it left town. Funny how he remembered a minor detail in a most detailed oriented day.

The cool air whipped around the hilltop, his anger finally slowly demising with each moment he sat there until it had all but gone.

“Perhaps I was a bit too hard” he looked at the tickets and remembering the great time they had when Mike come through with the meeting with the “good ol‘ boys club“, and the great nights he had shared after meetings. The karaoke nights, where he sang off key but Mike put up the front that he enjoyed it.

“I am a business man and I have to kept he best interest of the company in mind” he thought to himself watching the lights of Capsule Corp. go out for the night. His pager went off, the numbers were familiar. Simone’s plane had landed and she was requesting his company at a club on the other side of town.

“Maybe a little outing would be nice" he said looking at the message as it came over the small screen. The roar of his engine echoed in the night air as he cruised down back to the city. He really didn’t want to be alone tonight.