03 - Please Sir

“Willa Danvers?” A young secretary peered around the room, looking for one hopeful face in a sea of dreams.

“That’s me” Willa stepped out of the crowded room, into a large light room. One end of the office was made of glass, floor to ceiling, spanning 4 metres in length, with a height of 3 metres.

A cold stony face was watching her from the left of the windows, watching as she admired the set out of the room. The face waited until she sat down in one of the two hard cold seats in front of the desk.

“Why should I invest my money in your dream?”

“Because you won’t only be funding my dream, you will also be giving my family something to remember me by” Willa looked straight into the eyes of her potential investor. She told him what she hadn’t yet told anyone, she told him what the doctor had told her only days before.

She handed him a file, a file that proved that everything she had said was true. The hard cold emotion dropped from Mr Carson’s aging face, only to be replaced with sympathy and interest.

“You think you can fulfil that dream of yours, in as little time as you say?” He stared at the young girl in hope, this is the type of dream he was interested in funding. Not something stupid like a highschool trip, or another hotel, or even homes for the poor.

This girl was here, asking for money, to complete her dream, selfish whilst also looking out for those she cared for most at the same time.

“That time is a guideline, I think I can be finished before that. That is, with your help. With your contacts, your money, and my skills, there is no doubt in my mind that this will be completed”

“Thank you… I’ll be in touch” Mr Carson looked down at his papers, calculating how many more hopeful potential investees he had to see before the day was out. At best, if each went the duration of Willa Danver’s interview, he wouldn’t be leaving the office till 10pm.

“I’ve already had to listen to 50 odd people, come in here and demand, beg, persuade, and politely ask for my money. I don’t want to listen to anymore people. You think you can handle this, you have two weeks to start the project and prove to me that it won’t be a waste of my time or money” Mr Carson’s words stopped Willa in her tracks.

Mr Carson watched her, expecting a tearful smile and maybe even an attempt at a hug. Willa spun around with a smile, and handed him another piece of paper.

“This is what you will be wanting. Give me two days to organise the people I need, and then I will see you at this address, bright and early on the third day. Nice meeting you” Willa nodded quickly and shut the door behind her on the way out.

The waiting room was no longer crowded with people of all ages, it was empty and Willa could actually see the few couches that were placed strategically on one side of the room. Alike Mr Carson’s office, the waiting room had a large window on one side of the room, allowing the scenic views to grace the eyes of those lucky enough to enter the room.

“Congratulation Miss, I hope you do well in your task” The young secretary spoke up from behind her large desk with a bright smile on her face.

“Call me Willa, I’m sure we'll be seeing much more of each other in the next few months. What is your name?” Willa stopped beside the desk to introduce herself, hoping to be on the good side of each individual that worked for Mr Carson.

“Okay Willa, my name is June. Mr Carson asks if it is okay for me to know all the details about your case, or if you would like to keep me only in the need to know circle” June looked at Willa in a way that made Willa put a few walls up internally.

June’s gaze seemed to peer right through the surface and into the deep depths of Willa’s thoughts. Willa stood a little straighter before answering the question in a way that didn’t offend June.

“You can know all apart from what is in the blue file. Nothing personal, it’s just something I would prefer to keep between me and Mr Carson. Have a good day now June” Willa flashed a friendly smile before leaving the secretary to do her work in peaceful silence.

Willa stood at the back of the elevator deep in her thoughts. Slowly the elevator started collecting more people as it made it’s way down the large tower. Most of the people were dressed in suits, with briefcases and serious looks set upon their tired faces. In any other circumstance, Willa would find herself wishing that she wouldn’t end up like these people. Tired, old, not looking at the good things in each day. But this week, Willa found herself wishing that she could end up like that, because at least she would make it to a decent age in which, she would have experienced things, the type of things that causes the optimism to fade, and to arrive at work only to wish the day was over already.

“Hey” Willa blinked twice before focusing on the voice to her left. It was a small boy, maybe the age of seven or eight.

“Hey there” The boy smiled upon hearing Willa respond.

“What brings you to the elevator machine today?” The boy looked at her innocently, like Simon used to.

“I had to see a scary old man. Why are you in here alone?” Willa checked the small space to see if anyone was paying attention to the little boy.

“I’m not alone silly. I have you with me” The boy grinned baring his teeth at her. Willa chuckled softly whilst shaking her head.

“I’m going to see my daddy. Grandpa said someone would be waiting for me in the lobby. Except they won't be there for another ten minutes. Will you wait with me?”

“Only if you tell me your name little man” Willa extended her hand to shake his.

“I’m Max. And you’re Willa. Nice to meet you” Max grabbed her hand and shook it furiously. Willa looked at him in surprise and floundered for something to say.

“I heard you telling Junie your name. She works for Grandpa” Max held onto her hand, like a child would a mother. He held nothing but trust in his eyes, having seen how nice she was to June, his friend.

Willa followed him out of the elevator and over to the couches in the foyer, listening to his chatter with a smile on her face. His sentences were jumbled, and he kept changing the topic mid sentence, but he held a smile the whole time. He was showing this girl who he was, and he was making her happy.

“You remind me of my mum” Max mumbled with his nose squashed against the glass.

“Your mum?” Willa cast her eye over the boy picking up all the differences and similarities between the two.

His black hair was a contrast to her light brown hair. His dark skin compared to her light skin, his chocolate eyes against her cornflower blue. Willa had barely anything to go by personality, as there was a high possibility that Max was nothing alike his mother in that way.

“She hides things too. And she always looks at me like it's the last thing she will ever do. My mum lives in the hospital, and she always pretends she isn’t sick. But I’m not dumb, I’m nine now. Are you sick too Willa?” Max peered up at his new friend, unaware of how unsettled his words were making her.

“I’m not sick Max, I’m blessed with a chance to fulfil a dream. Not everyone gets to achieve their dreams. I’m a lucky girl Max” Willa wiped a tear away as she tried to think of her situation in a positive way.

“Hi, I’m sorry, he often does this. Max likes to make friends, one day I’m sure it will get him into trouble. I can take him from here” A tall man watched her with a wary smile. Some of Max’s friends had been dodgy, he never trusted those Max found in the office building.

“Bye bye Willa” Max leaps from the soft black chair and grabs the hand of the patiently waiting man. Willa smiles and waves, waiting, till they are out of sight, to move.

His childlike enthusiasm inspired her, it also scared her. If a little boy, technically a stranger, could tell she was hiding something, who knows what her family could tell.