I woke up early the next morning, Max was already gone so it gave me time to get all my things ready for the day. I started by packing me a lunch, much like Eli’s, and jumping in the shower. I had my hair dried and hanging in loose waves by the time Eli stumbled out of his bedroom.
I fixed him some breakfast and then went back to my room. Choosing a maroon skirt and another vest top, I tucked it in and shrugged my gray cardigan on. I made a mental note to get some better shoes with my first paycheck as I slipped my feet into my chucks.
“Eli!” I found him some clothes and went to the bathroom.
“Come on, sweetie, wash and teeth,” I said as I sat on the edge of the bath. I passed him his toothbrush and watched as he brushed his teeth. Grinning widely, he scrubbed at them, toothpaste flowing out the side of his mouth.
“You look pwetty ,mama,” he said once he spat the toothpaste out.
“Aww, thanks, sweetie.” I washed his face and then ushered him to his bedroom to get him changed. “You look handsome.”
“I know.” He rolled his eyes and sauntered into the hallway to put his shoes on. I followed chuckling to myself.
We made it out the door five minutes early.
I pulled out of the preschool parking lot half an hour later; I was right on time.
I pressed the buzzer when I got to the gate and they opened up straight away. Parking in the same place I had last week I reached over for my bag, climbed out my car and started to make my way to the other side of the warehouse. I had to use all my strength to open up the big metal door. That would be workout enough, jeez, why did it have to be so heavy?
Walking in I found the warehouse empty so I made my way to the office and knocked on the closed door.
“Come in,” the deep, gravelly voice said.
I pushed the door open and found Tyson behind his desk. His fingers jabbing at the keyboard, he was practically attacking the thing.
“God damn computer!” he roared and pushed back on his chair, the momentum sent him flying back. He slammed his boots on the floor and the chair came to a stop.
His hands ran over his face and through his hair then he slid his eyes to me.
“Morning,” I whispered unsure.
“Morning.” He looked back at the computer screen, clicked the mouse a couple of times and stood.
“You can put your things in there.” He pointed to a cupboard behind his desk.
I moved forward, slid past him and put my bag in the cupboard. When I turned around he was sitting in the chair I had sat in for my interview.
“Sit,” he said and nodded to the seat he’d just got up from.
“There?” I asked, unsure.
“Yeah, we’re gonna share a desk.”
I sat down in the chair, amazed. It was one of those ones that they have in fancy offices, the ones that had backrests, covered in butter soft leather.
“You’re early.”
“Yes, I wanted to make a good impression.”
He watched me in that way of his but this time I ignored it. Instead, I focused on the pile of things on the edge of the desk. There was a sticky note that had my name on the top.
“They’re for you.”
I stood and reached over to pick up five notepads, each had a label on the front; Meeting, Tyson, Kitty, Luke and Evan. Underneath was a hardback diary, the sort that had a page to each day. Then there were a bunch of printed papers.
“You need to keep track of all our comings and goings. The diary is to be used to book any appointments.” I held up the papers.
“And these?”