The It-Bitch

When it was his turn to speak, he gave an efficient and well thought out overview of the structures of his conglomerate and an outline of what he expected our software to achieve. I quickly understood that he was fully aware of the impact this project would have on his organisation, both during the project phase and, even more importantly, in the daily business thereafter.

I took over again and gave an indication of the manpower that would have to be supplied as well as which kind of know-how I would need to have in the project committee. We concluded the meeting with a joint dinner in one of the best restaurants in town. If Mr Hallford and his accompanying management team were anything to go after; this would be a very interesting and challenging project in a stimulating environment.

+

Two months later, most of everything was going to plan. That in itself was a surprise as projects of this scope never went according to the plan. Usually, it was a wheeling and dealing trying to get the different parts to fit together but the entire organisation of Hallford Enterprises was utterly disciplined and focussed. When somebody agreed to a deadline, they kept it. If they felt they wouldn't be able to adhere to it, they told me in advance which gave me the option to find support or a different approach.

In coordination with Hallford Enterprises, I had decided to relocate to live closer to their headquarters for the duration of the venture. It wasn't a stipulation but as I would be spending large portions of the project period working closely with some of the highest-ranking members of their organisation, physical proximity was deemed crucial. I had fully agreed that neither a four-hour commute nor a hotel-stay for such an extended period was practical and living closer was reasonable. They provided me both with a nice apartment and an excellent housekeeping service so I didn't have to worry about the laundry, cleaning or grocery shopping. I left a shopping list and an untidy flat in the morning and returned to a clean one with a full fridge in the evening: not that I spent enough time at the apartment to make much of a mess.

One thing that caught me a little off guard was the fact that nobody in the headquarters worked on Saturdays or Sundays. In the beginning, I used that time to take care of the administrative work. When Felix Hallford kept finding emails I had sent over the weekend, he effectively forbade it. 'We work hard from Monday to Friday but weekends are for the family', was his motto. Instead, he gave me access to the assistant pool of the headquarters to help with that side of the project. That allowed me to regularly visit my sister and parents on weekends but more often than not, I didn't return home. Instead, I used the experience to make new friends and extend my network.

With no one of my usual circle of friends around, I started connecting on a personal level with some of the Hallford employees. There was one woman in particular that quickly caught my interest. She was a year younger than me and had an alluring and buoyant character. She definitely wasn't a beauty queen. A bit chubby while still a long way from being fat and with one metre sixty a bit on the short side compared to my one eighty-five. That certainly didn't stop her from always spreading a good mood without coming across as artificial. She was friendly and nice to everyone and generally a joy to be around. It didn't take long until we hooked up but I always worried about the long term of that relationship. While I liked Shelly a lot and the sex was great, I didn't see us living happily ever after.

We had had an honest heart-to-heart even before we made love together for the first time and both understood that we had an expiration date. We agreed on being exclusive but to not standing in each other's way if one of us met somebody we wanted to explore a long term relationship with.

The software project advanced steadily and soon, Christmas rolled around. I went back home and spent two weeks catching up with friends and family.

+

The New Year brought a big surprise but not necessarily a good one. Tamara, Felix Hallford's twenty-seven-year-old daughter, had come back from one of her extended trips to work in her father's company. She was the epitome of an It-girl. No noteworthy achievements of her own but permanently seeking the attention of the glossy magazines for nothing else but being born rich and beautiful. Allegedly, she had a degree in Public Relations but from what I heard through the grapevine, she was totally unqualified for the job Felix had given her. To her, it was more important to be seen partying with some celebrity than being useful at work.

From the few times I met her around the headquarters, I could easily tell that she wasn't somebody I wanted to be around. She may well have been a candidate for the title of the sexiest woman alive but just being in the same room as her made me feel the need to take a shower. It also quickly became obvious that there were only two opinions about her in the company. The smaller group thought she walked on water and pissed champagne while the far bigger part tried to stay as far away from her as possible.

Fortunately, our paths didn't cross very often. Twice, I had met her when I went to speak with Felix on something regarding the project. We had exchanged the usual meaningless pleasantries - it was a pleasure to meet you and yes, we really need to go for lunch one day soon - but nothing beyond that. From the looks she gave me, it was obvious that she thought me well below her social status, being a mere employee in a company her father owned. Not that this was correct but I didn't want to confuse her opinion with facts and I couldn't have cared less about what she thought of me.

In February, I gave in to my sister's constant nagging to play a part in a televised documentary about the anti-racism organisation we supported. I didn't have to do much but recount the incidents I had seen my sister suffer through and how that had influenced me. In the surrounding commentary, my donations and especially the supporting activities were, in my opinion, overemphasised. The publicity following the broadcasting at a national level in March unfortunately put me on Tamara Hallford's radar.

A few times, she tried using the interview as an excuse to start a conversation with me but I played it down. I really wasn't interested in her. She was too shallow, too self-centred and too full of herself.

"That was a wonderful interview you gave on TV. Did you know that I also was at a charity event recently? I met soooo many celebrities and they all admired and envied my new Versace dress."

As I neither cared about who she knew or had met nor what she had been dressed in, my usual reply to this empty talk was something short like 'nice but now I have to leave'.

At the beginning of April, I proudly reported that the project was still both on time and within the approved budget. We had reached an important milestone by finishing the customising and starting the testing phase of the rollout. The next week, I would moderate a meeting with our programming staff and Hallford's representatives. I was putting the finishing touches to my presentation when Felix Hallford entered my office. We greeted each other, exchanged the typical corporate chatter, but as usual, he quickly came to the point of his visit.

"Rick, I'm here to ask you for a favour."

"Sure, if I can help..." I replied, not having any idea where he was heading.

"It's personal, though, not business related."

We had worked well together in the ten months I had spent on the project so far and I had, and still have, great respect for him. He was a natural and charismatic leader and his employees would walk through fire for him.

"That doesn't change my reply. If I can help..."

He smiled at me while I realised that I was just as impressed by him as his long-time employees.

"Tamara needs somebody to accompany her to a customer event tomorrow evening. Originally, her boyfriend should have gone with her, but they just broke up. You don't have to do anything but be there and eat dinner just so that Tamara doesn't sit next to an empty chair."

I managed to contain my groan but it was close. My facial expression was something else though. Felix continued before I had a reply ready.

"I know you don't like her very much, but you're by far the most suitable person I can think of on short notice. You're young, successful, good-looking, have manners and you know how to behave in such circles."

"I'd really prefer if you didn't ask me. I'll do it if you really have no other options, but if there is anybody else..."

I didn't finish that sentence as there was no need to. Felix knew that I didn't think very highly of his daughter. He'd seen me avoid or walk away from her often enough.

"Don't get me wrong. You're my last possibility, but that doesn't mean that you're a stopgap. If I didn't know how you feel about Tam, I'd have asked you first. I did all I could think of to find a different solution. I owe you."

Reluctantly and against my own better judgement, I agreed. My instincts were ringing every alarm bell available.

An hour after he had left, my office door flew open and the WOO barged in. I had caused quite a bit of laughter when I invented the nickname WOO. At first, people thought I was referring to what is commonly known as a woo-girl, the silly girls that scream excitedly at everything. But on some occasion, I mentioned that, in reality, was an acronym. It stood for 'Waste Of Oxygen'.

Over her shoulder, I could see my current assistant Andrea looking at me apologetically. She probably tried to stop her but there wasn't much she could do to deny the big boss' daughter from doing what she wanted.

"Daddy told me you'll be my escort tomorrow. That's so wonderful! That finally gives us the chance to get to know each other a bit better. You know, from celebrity to celebrity."

I almost burst out laughing but managed to control myself. In my eyes, Tamara Hallford was an obnoxious person but that didn't mean it was ok to treat her badly. I would be on my best behaviour, if only as a favour to Felix.

"I'm not a celebrity. But yes, I'll pick you up at seven?"

Out of Tamara's view, my assistant made puking gestures. I understood her. My visitor was so artificial, superficial and boring I could barely stand to be in the same room as she.

"Wonderful. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with you."

She floated out of my office with a repulsive air of self-importance.

I left the office a bit earlier than usual so I could go and find a suitable tuxedo. I had one at home already but driving several hours back and forth just to pick up a piece of clothing seemed ridiculous. I didn't want to go out with Tamara but after having let Felix coax me into it, I decided to make the best of it. It couldn't be a bad thing to have such an influential man as Felix Hallford owe you a favour and I could just as well try and win some of their customers for ourselves.

Following etiquette, I arrived at the Hallford mansion a few minutes early with a bouquet of flowers. I had stopped at a florist, picking up a ready-made arrangement on the way. I had hoped that I could convince Tamara to go there in my own car but that idea was doomed from the start. While we were chauffeured to the event in Felix' limousine, I made a point of repeatedly mentioning my girlfriend but I could see how that information didn't matter to her. I wasn't really surprised when all she talked about were the people she knew and the parties she had attended.

The evening itself was actually great. After we had arrived, it didn't take long until Tamara disappeared from my side, jumping from person to person like a bee in the search of nectar. I couldn't hold that against her though, as I wasn't much different. That's what networking is all about, after all. I chatted with many of Hallford's present clients, promoting the product I was currently installing.

During dinner, I did my best to uphold an easy conversation. I even was nice and polite with Tamara and made sure that she was shown in the best light to the customers of her father's company. Between the main course and dessert, she started to more or less openly flirt with me. I tried to temper it down but had no choice but to play along as otherwise, I would have embarrassed her.

When the event had ended, we climbed into the limousine and almost from the moment the chauffeur started the car, I had to fend off a very ardent Tamara. Fortunately, the drive back to her parents' mansion didn't take very long but that just made the moment of truth arrive sooner. We stopped in front of the main entrance, right behind my own car. After the butler had opened our door, we climbed out.

"Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?" Tamara asked with a voice that clearly indicated that it wasn't coffee she had on her mind.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that would be a good idea. I'm in a committed relationship."

The look of disbelief on her face was almost amusing but mostly promising troubles.

"What?!"

"I think we should end the evening now as I'm in a committed relationship and don't want to cheat on my partner. Goodnight, Tamara."

What followed would have been funny if it hadn't been me who was involved.

"YOU GOD DAMN MOTHERFUCKING SON OF A BITCH! HOW DARE YOU TURN ME DOWN?!"

The first thing that came flying was one of her high heels, soon followed by the second one. Fortunately, she didn't have a very good aim and they both missed me comfortably.

"Please, Tamara, calm down." Right, as if that sentence has ever had the desired effect. "It was a nice evening, but I have a steady girlfriend and therefore it has to end here at the door."

There were a couple of half-truths in there, but it was the only idea I could come up with to defuse the situation. I saw her look around and a quick check showed me that there was plenty of ammunition lying around. Stone figurines and various other decorative objects that could all easily hurt me if she improved her aim. I left her standing and rapidly rushed to my car. I had barely closed the door and pushed the start button when something crashed into the rear window. Luckily, it was shatterproof glass but I would still have to replace it.

Making a quick decision between confronting her and talking quietly to Felix in the office on Monday, I pushed the accelerator and left.

+

I barely slept that night. The whole mess kept turning in my head. The car window was secondary. I had good insurance and would be able to tell them a plausible story. But the situation with Tamara was different and could potentially hamper the relationship between Hallford Enterprises and ALM. I should have known from the beginning that nothing good would come out of accompanying Tamara Hallford, but in an effort to please my customer I had agreed. A wrong decision. An abysmal decision, even.

After spending a couple of restless and fitful hours in bed, I got up and showered. I was still looking for solutions to this dilemma when my mobile rang. Felix. That was sooner than expected and I wasn't really ready for him but I didn't have a choice. I answered the phone. For once, he skipped the preliminaries and came directly to the point.

"My daughter just demanded that I fire your, and I quote, 'impertinent, arrogant, selfish, stuck-up, ugly, gay ass'. She wouldn't give me a reason for it, though. Do you have any idea why she would demand that?"

I gave him a quick summary of the evening and ended with a censored account of what had happened in front of his home.

"When we returned from the dinner, she invited me in and I declined. She had a fit and I left."

That statement was followed by a pause that lasted far longer than I was comfortable with.

"I need to talk to some people. Meet me in my office on Monday morning at eight."

"Sure."

That sounded suspiciously like a hidden announcement to end my employment so after ending the call with Felix, I called Alan and reported what had happened. He was at least as unhappy as I was but promised to be here on Monday to help save the contract.

"If he wants you removed, I'll do it, Rick. You know I have to, don't you?"

"Of course, but that won't be necessary. I'll offer to step down myself without him having to demand it. We have to save the contract. That's all that counts. I'm sorry for fucking this up, Alan. I really am. I'll do whatever is necessary to limit the damage as much as possible."

We discussed some options on how to approach the meeting on Monday morning. By the end of the call, we had agreed that I would pick him up at the airport at seven in the morning and take him directly to the premises.

I needed to burn some of the nervous energy and went for a run. After my fourth five-kilometre round I had to accept that it wouldn't help and went to the fitness studio instead where I massacred a punching bag for the next couple of hours. That didn't help much either. The entire remaining weekend turned into an exercise of trying to exhaust myself to the point where I could sleep a couple of hours before the Monday morning meeting.

It didn't work. Since the fiasco with Tamara on Friday evening, I had dozed maybe two or three hours. The expression on Alan's face when we met up told me that I looked the way I felt. I felt like a dead man walking as we entered Felix's secretary's room.

"Good morning, Rick. Felix asked me to send you straight in. How can I help you?"

The last part was added in Alan's direction when she realised I wasn't alone.

"I'm Alan Gysel, CEO of ALM. I'm here to help sort out this mess."

"Welcome, Mr Gysel. I wasn't told you'd be here as well and Felix indicated that this was a personal meeting rather than a business one. Would you mind waiting for a minute? I need to check back with him."

She picked up the phone, called Felix and told him that Alan was here as well. The swearing I heard through the heavy door confused me and was unlike anything I had ever heard come out of Felix Hallford's mouth. Before I had time to think it all through, said door flew open and Felix came rushing out.

"Mr Gysel, welcome to Hallford Enterprises. I'm so sorry for causing this confusion. I'm still very impressed with both your product and Rick's work. I just realised that my wording during the phone call with Rick was ambiguous. I have no intention of changing anything in the relationship between our two companies. What happened on Friday was entirely my fault as was the misunderstanding that our contract could be at risk. I absolutely insist that you add the cost of your ticket to the expense report."

If I hadn't been such a mess, I would have been impressed how quickly he had reached all the right conclusions of why Alan was here. We must have been quite a sight because both Alan and I stood there with our mouths agape.

"Astrid, please bring Mr Gysel to the board room," he asked of his assistant before turning to my boss. "I'll join him there in a couple of minutes, but I need to talk to Rick in private first."

He then guided me into his office.

"Rick, I'm sorry. I must have worried you to death. That absolutely wasn't my intention. I've spoken with my staff and some of the guests at the event and they all confirmed that you were an impeccable gentleman for the entire evening."

"And I'm sorry for how it worked out. I wasn't at my best when I left. What can I do to rectify the situation?"

Felix just smiled. I couldn't read his face and had no idea what he was thinking. That was part of what made him such a successful businessman.

"For starters, you can give me the invoice for your car repairs. From what I can tell from the security footage, it's rather bad. Then, if it's not too much to ask, I'd be grateful if you let Tamara apologise to you."