Chapter 13. An unexpected visit
Johnson Enterprises
Jackson
I flipped through the pages again and again without paying attention, then went back to the first image and mentally scolded myself for needing to focus.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Johnson?" asked the head of the advertising department. I shook my head without looking up. I finally finished reviewing and slowly nodded in approval.
"It's perfect. Send it to print," I looked over at Melissa, "Make sure everything is ready to distribute starting next Monday." She nodded.
"Yes, sir." She took the advertising portfolio and left the office. I stood up in one motion and loosened my tie. I walked to the other end of the office, where there was a beautiful panoramic view of New York City.
The phone on my desk rang, so I walked over and answered it.
"Yes?" I said.
"I've been informed at reception that Mrs. Johnson has arrived at the building."
I closed my eyes for a moment. What was my mother doing at my workplace now? I hoped it was something really important.
"Fine, let her use the private elevator, please."
"Yes, sir," Allison replied.
I grabbed my jacket that was hanging on the back of my chair, straightened my tie, and waited to receive my mother. Moments later, there was a knock on the door. I opened it, and there she was, with a big smile from some emotion I didn't yet understand.
"I didn't know you were coming to the company." I leaned in to kiss her cheek.
"It was a last-minute decision."
"I don't believe that, Mother." I invited her to sit on the minimalist couch on the other side of the office. She sat down, and I sat across from her in the single armchair. "Would you like something to drink?" She shook her head.
"I just came because it was on my way to the club." I narrowed my eyes.
"The club is on the other side of the city."
She raised a perfect eyebrow.
"Your company was the one nearby; I'm heading to the club from here."
"Oh, fine. And... what's the reason for your visit? I hope it's not about the date from a few days ago."
"The one whose name you don't even remember?" she complained subtly.
"I'll just say I don't recall her mentioning it, Mother."
"You should have asked her first when you introduced yourself."
I frowned.
"Well, tell me your reason for visiting. I don't want to sound rude, but I have a lot of work."
"I just wanted to see you. It's been a long time since I stopped by here..." She seemed genuinely interested.
"Are you serious that you came just because you wanted to see me?" I asked, somewhat confused. Since when did she do that?
"Yes, I don't understand why you're so confused."
"It's just strange that you come out of the blue, without a purpose."
"My purpose is to come see you. I wanted to..." I interrupted her when I saw her tense up.
"Wait, what are you up to?" She raised her eyebrows.
"What am I up to?" she said, irritated. "I better leave. I'll say hello to Maxine first," she stood up and composed herself. "She won't make me feel like I only came for something," I stood up immediately.
"Wait, wait," she looked at me intently. "We're good, right?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"Good with what?" she asked, frowning afterward.
"With the dates? I did my part by attending, she was the one who wasn't interested."
"And?" she asked.
"So, we've dropped your obsession with blind dates."
"Oh, that." She looked away. "Yes, even though you don't know her name..."
"I didn't catch her name!" I exclaimed, unable to contain myself. "She left, and I stayed. She didn't tell me her name when we were introduced. In fact, there wasn't even a handshake! So I didn't know her name, and I didn't care to know it. And I don't care right now!"
"Jackson, calm down. It's not that big of a deal," my mother began to say in a calm tone, completely opposite to mine.
"That's what you say now, but I know you. You'll remind me of this every chance you get!" She shook her head slowly, turned with her purse in hand, and then walked towards the exit. Before leaving, she turned in my direction.
"If you had more sex, you'd be... more relaxed and less paranoid." I couldn't believe my ears. She said nothing more, pulled the doorknob, and left the office, leaving me in the middle of the room with my eyes wide open.
"What did she just say to me?" I stayed there until I calmed down, unable to believe my mother had said that. I imagined she would go to Maxima, and the two would sit and talk about me. "No. No. And no." I left my office. The last thing I wanted was for her to ambush me using Maxima.
I anxiously pressed the elevator button. The elevator doors opened, and inside was someone else. To my surprise, it was her. Her brown eyes met mine. What kind of joke was this? I had just ranted in the office to my mother about not even wanting to know her name, and now, here she was in front of me.
"Oh," she said, fluttering her eyelashes too quickly. "It's you."
I frowned.
"Yes, it's me. What are you doing here?" I asked, hiding my genuine surprise at seeing her here and stepping into the elevator. She was carrying folders in her arm. We looked at each other in silence, as if trying to figure out what was happening.
"I, I..." she couldn't form a word due to the unexpected encounter. "I'm looking for someone, but I got lost on the floors," she frowned, and then I pressed the floor where Maxima worked. "What are you doing here?" she asked, almost at the same time as me.
"I ask the same, what are you doing here?" I repeated the question. "Do you know this is a private elevator?" I couldn't keep hiding my surprise, and the irritation my mother had left in me surfaced. "What are you doing here?" I repeated the question harshly.
"Stop asking the same thing when I've already answered. I'm looking for someone, and I got lost."
"It's my private elevator," I said in a tone filled with coldness, but she seemed not to care at all.
"So what? Are you the owner to say it's your elevator? You're much ruder compared to the other night." The doors opened, and we looked ahead. I saw it was Maxima.
"There you are!" she said, seeing the woman next to me. I looked at her, and she stepped out of the elevator, handing over what she had under her arm. "I was just about to come up and look for you, but since you're already here," she said in my direction. "Let me introduce you to the new administrator, Lilly Bradley." Then she looked at her. "Lilly, this is Jackson Johnson, the owner of this conglomerate." She couldn't help but open her mouth and gasp in surprise. A triumphant smile appeared on my lips.
"And yes, I am the owner to say it's my elevator."