Elizabeth

With her back to the door, she took a shot of the whiskey, grimaced and replaced it in the bottom drawer of her boss’s desk. Smoothing her skirt, she returned to her own desk just outside his office.

“Order the wife some flowers, will ya, sweetheart?” The boss appeared behind her starting his morning demands. “Have them write something nice on the card for our anniversary. Use the company account.” He walked through his office doorway, leaving the stink of cigar hanging in the air.

With the phone wedged in the crook of her neck, she flipped through her Rolodex and dialed the number. After ordering a dozen red roses she instructed the florist, “The usual card please, write how wonderful she is, how he can’t live without her. You have the address.”

With the receiver halfway back to its cradle she paused, then brought it back up to her ear. “Hello? Are you still there? Please order another bouquet with the card reading ‘Congratulations on your retirement.’ Are you ready for the address?” She dictated the information in a hushed voice, smiling mischievously.

“Betsy, take a letter.” 

She rose from her modest desk, reaching for her steno pad and pencil. She patted her pocket, nodding slightly.

“Yes, sir.”  She entered his office where he sat leaning back, feet on the desk. He smiled at her, food stuck between his two front teeth. “New skirt, Bets? Makes your legs look nice.”

She flipped open her steno pad and in shorthand started her to do list. 

1. Burn skirt.

“Ready, sir.” 

Taking an exaggerated puff of the cigar he leaned further back in the chair, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and began to dictate the letter.

“Dear Tom. Attached you will find the contract discussed at yesterday’s meeting. Sign and return at your earliest convenience along with the check. Mark your calendar for golf on the first of the month to meet the rest of the partners.”

“Will that be it, sir?”

“For now. Have it typed by end of day. Bring me a cup of coffee, will ya, sweetheart?”

“Yes, sir.” She replied, cheeks burning red. 

Walking through the pool of secretaries typing as one click clacking chorus she reached into her skirt pocket and smiled. Taking the long way to the coffeepot, she strolled past the office at the end of the hall. Slowing her pace, she glanced in and winked.

“I wouldn’t if I were you, Lizzie,” his secretary appeared out of nowhere scolding her. “He has a wife, and you know company policy. I would hate to see you go.” 

Putting her head down, she hurried off to fetch the coffee before she was missed.

***

Moments later she placed the steaming hot beverage amidst the disorganized mess on her boss’s desk. 

“Thanks, honey. You’re going to make an excellent wife someday.” He leered at her and continued, “Hopefully not too soon, it’ll be hard to find someone as pretty as you to get my coffee.”

Her hands turned into fists at her sides, her shoulders straightened as she stood a little bit taller. 

“Thank you, sir,” she replied, turning away.

Returning to her desk she whispered softly “What’s this?” at the small envelope propped up against her typewriter. Her features softened, the angry look in her eyes was replaced with a twinkle, the small lines between her brows disappeared. Reading the card quickly her smile broadened as she folded it in half and put it discretely into her purse.

***

As the clock struck noon, she brought her Tupperware into the secretary’s lunchroom, opened the plastic, and chuckled. Removing a small brownie, she whispered “Well, I’ll be. We both had the same sneaky plan this morning.” Starting to reach her hand into her pocket, she stopped abruptly as a group of coworkers came in. She looked at her plain left hand and sighed, then cleared off the spot next to her at the table.

Amidst the chatter of weekend plans and woes of being on the dating merry go round, she heard a commotion in the hallway. She sat up taller to catch a glimpse of his broad shoulders and blond hair, with just the slightest meeting of the eyes, the mere suggestion of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. Then he was gone, absorbed into the mass of suits and ties.

***

“Bets, be a dear and take another letter,” came the all too familiar voice as she returned from her lunch break to find her boss eating at his desk.

Turning to a new page in her steno pad she poised her pencil, looking at her boss with disgust.

“Dear Mike,” he began dictating, chewing loudly, pieces of his sandwich falling from his mouth landing on his stained tie.

“Boss,” she jotted down in shorthand.

Continuing his correspondences and his meal, “Thank you for the tickets to the show. The wife and I look forward to attending the opening.” 

“Please accept my letter of resignation.” Her pencil flew across the pad while his voice droned on and on.

He glanced at her, “Keeping up, sweetheart?”

“Yes, sir.”

He belched loudly and reached for his cigar before continuing. “Join us for drinks Friday night at the club.”

“Effective immediately.”

“That will be all for now. Hold all calls for the next hour or so and close the door on the way out.” Taking a shot glass out of his drawer he dismissed her.

“By the way my name is Elizabeth. Not Bets, not sweetheart. Elizabeth.”

***

Walking to the end of the hallway, she was blocked from entering the new junior partner’s office. “Do you have an appointment, Lizzie?” His secretary stood with arms folded across her chest.

“I do not,” she replied, raising her chin a bit in defiance.

“Lizzie, please. We have been all through this. You have to stop this flirtation; it’s becoming an obsession with you.” 

“It’s Elizabeth.”

“Excuse me?”  She stared through her horn rimmed glasses. 

“My name. It’s Elizabeth. Not Lizzie. Please be sure to call me by my proper name.”

“You are being rather impertinent, young lady.”

Elizabeth reached into her pocket finally taking out the small gold object that she had kept hidden away every day at the office.

“No, in fact, you are. Now if you’ll excuse me,” she brushed past the older woman and entered the office, closing the door behind her.