Alper was in good spirits as he stepped off the boarding dock toting a briefcase. He had sent his luggage ahead of him, and was not to be concerned with it.
Theodore was there to greet him, and he grinned. "Theodore, my good man! How are things?" Alper greeted along with a firm handshake.
Theodore grinned haphazardly, unsure of how to reply with the ongoings of the last week or two. "Can't complain, sir."
Alper gestured toward the office, and without further adieu they were on their way.
"I hope no other accidents occurred?" he teased Theodore. He knew Theodore was taking the warehouse fire very seriously, but Alper did not think it was nearly as big of a deal as he was making it.
Theodore felt hot in his suit, and guilty for not keeping Alper up to date with events not related to work. He walked stiffly compared Alper's languid gait. "N-No, it has just been busy with orders"A-and the renovation," he stammered.
"Good, then! I trust the office has taken good care of you?" Alper's tone was jovial. He turned to give Theodore another teasing look, but when he caught sight of his strained expression he frowned. "Something the matter?"
Theodore shook his head resolutely, and forced a smile. "Not at all, though I do have a few things to discuss back at the office."
Alper looked at him suspiciously, but refrained from commenting. "How was Beltane?"
His companion groaned audibly. "I forgot to tell you? Maranya was in the dunk tank and I dunked her" and she hit her head on the way down," he started off guiltily.
Alper turned to face Theodore again, his voice harsh and serious. "She is alright' Why did you not tell me sooner"!"
Theodore rubbed his face with his hands. "Ugh, I didn't wish to stress you further...and I'm still beating myself up. Maranya has begged me not to feel guilty...she is fine and she wants you to know that." He was stumbling over his own words as he spoke.
Alper looked relieved. "Well, good. I have to tell her that my father is coming in three weeks time." A dark look as he looked forward again. "And Duci" No troubles, I hope?"
"None that have come to my attention. Xenia or I have been on detail at all times."
Regarding Theodore again, Alper nodded approvingly. "You have been doing a good job, Theodore. I want you to know that."
Theodore smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, sir," he thanked, opening the door to the office building for Alper.
Alper stepped through, only to be harassed by a flurry of blonde curls, papers, and a hug.
"Well, hi there Duci!" he hailed, laughing at her greeting.
"Oh Alper, you are set for an entire day of meetings! And a Ms. Vanayak would like to schedule an appointment with you, and I set one up on Monday for you? It is about that studio. I ordered you a new tux for the Gala, it should be up in your penthouse. Also, Maranya misses you and your father called," she gabbed out all in one breath.
"Woah there, calm down, lady! Give me a few minutes, alright?" he was still laughing.
Duci looked at him dubiously. "Alright, well...there is a teleconference in 15 minutes. I will gather the heads of departments up," she sniffed, giving him the papers and stalking off.
Alper shook his head, walking toward his office. "I hadn't even walked in the door and I got ambushed!" He waved to the receptionist and flashed a grin as he passed.
Theodore snickered as he followed from behind. "Welcome back, I will meet you in the conference room. We can talk later." With Alper's nod, he disappeared down the hallway to the left.
Alper sighed and shrugged his way into the office, dropping the stack of papers and the briefcase on the desk. He groaned as he caught the label of the documents. "Great, pro forma season?" He shook his head and collapsed into his chair, hoping the few minutes of peace would prepare him for the meeting.
A copy of the Gossip GangSTAR was sitting in his desk, and he picked it up with the intention of flipping through it. The first page stopped him from reading any further. A string of very, very unkind swear words erupted from him. He looked murderous, and he tossed the Gossip GangSTAR into the trash.
"How could-Why"-Makes..-That lying scum..-I'll have his head on a-That's libel"She should sue them for-I'll do an independent audit of your face-Why would they accuse?" Alper was so mad he couldn't even finish his sentences.
Unfortunately for him, what he wanted to do would get him arrested or worse. Furthermore, his meeting was about to go up in flames and fireworks.
Duci interrupted his thoughts. "Alper, we are about to start. You should hurry, your father is already on the l?" she stopped mid-sentence at the look on his face. Her eyes widened and she hurried back to the conference room.
He was still seething as he rose and snatched up the folio. Grinding his teeth, he stalked off to the meeting.
Theodore was there to greet him, and he grinned. "Theodore, my good man! How are things?" Alper greeted along with a firm handshake.
Theodore grinned haphazardly, unsure of how to reply with the ongoings of the last week or two. "Can't complain, sir."
Alper gestured toward the office, and without further adieu they were on their way.
"I hope no other accidents occurred?" he teased Theodore. He knew Theodore was taking the warehouse fire very seriously, but Alper did not think it was nearly as big of a deal as he was making it.
Theodore felt hot in his suit, and guilty for not keeping Alper up to date with events not related to work. He walked stiffly compared Alper's languid gait. "N-No, it has just been busy with orders"A-and the renovation," he stammered.
"Good, then! I trust the office has taken good care of you?" Alper's tone was jovial. He turned to give Theodore another teasing look, but when he caught sight of his strained expression he frowned. "Something the matter?"
Theodore shook his head resolutely, and forced a smile. "Not at all, though I do have a few things to discuss back at the office."
Alper looked at him suspiciously, but refrained from commenting. "How was Beltane?"
His companion groaned audibly. "I forgot to tell you? Maranya was in the dunk tank and I dunked her" and she hit her head on the way down," he started off guiltily.
Alper turned to face Theodore again, his voice harsh and serious. "She is alright' Why did you not tell me sooner"!"
Theodore rubbed his face with his hands. "Ugh, I didn't wish to stress you further...and I'm still beating myself up. Maranya has begged me not to feel guilty...she is fine and she wants you to know that." He was stumbling over his own words as he spoke.
Alper looked relieved. "Well, good. I have to tell her that my father is coming in three weeks time." A dark look as he looked forward again. "And Duci" No troubles, I hope?"
"None that have come to my attention. Xenia or I have been on detail at all times."
Regarding Theodore again, Alper nodded approvingly. "You have been doing a good job, Theodore. I want you to know that."
Theodore smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, sir," he thanked, opening the door to the office building for Alper.
Alper stepped through, only to be harassed by a flurry of blonde curls, papers, and a hug.
"Well, hi there Duci!" he hailed, laughing at her greeting.
"Oh Alper, you are set for an entire day of meetings! And a Ms. Vanayak would like to schedule an appointment with you, and I set one up on Monday for you? It is about that studio. I ordered you a new tux for the Gala, it should be up in your penthouse. Also, Maranya misses you and your father called," she gabbed out all in one breath.
"Woah there, calm down, lady! Give me a few minutes, alright?" he was still laughing.
Duci looked at him dubiously. "Alright, well...there is a teleconference in 15 minutes. I will gather the heads of departments up," she sniffed, giving him the papers and stalking off.
Alper shook his head, walking toward his office. "I hadn't even walked in the door and I got ambushed!" He waved to the receptionist and flashed a grin as he passed.
Theodore snickered as he followed from behind. "Welcome back, I will meet you in the conference room. We can talk later." With Alper's nod, he disappeared down the hallway to the left.
Alper sighed and shrugged his way into the office, dropping the stack of papers and the briefcase on the desk. He groaned as he caught the label of the documents. "Great, pro forma season?" He shook his head and collapsed into his chair, hoping the few minutes of peace would prepare him for the meeting.
A copy of the Gossip GangSTAR was sitting in his desk, and he picked it up with the intention of flipping through it. The first page stopped him from reading any further. A string of very, very unkind swear words erupted from him. He looked murderous, and he tossed the Gossip GangSTAR into the trash.
"How could-Why"-Makes..-That lying scum..-I'll have his head on a-That's libel"She should sue them for-I'll do an independent audit of your face-Why would they accuse?" Alper was so mad he couldn't even finish his sentences.
Unfortunately for him, what he wanted to do would get him arrested or worse. Furthermore, his meeting was about to go up in flames and fireworks.
Duci interrupted his thoughts. "Alper, we are about to start. You should hurry, your father is already on the l?" she stopped mid-sentence at the look on his face. Her eyes widened and she hurried back to the conference room.
He was still seething as he rose and snatched up the folio. Grinding his teeth, he stalked off to the meeting.