Taming of the Shrew - Chapter 1
© 2008 Switch Blayde. All Rights Reserved. Copying, Duplicating, Downloading, Reposting, or use in any way other than for the reader's personal enjoyment is STRICTLY prohibited without the written consent of the author.
Hetero, Dom/Sub, Mdom
Huge panes of glass, seamlessly connecting two adjacent walls, made one feel like a bird looking down on New York Harbor. The office filled one top corner of the downtown skyscraper, and on a clear day Sue Holloway had a breathtaking view of the Statue of Liberty in the distance, not that she gave it any notice. What she preferred to stare at were the wide eyes and open mouths of people sitting in her visitors' chairs gaping at the sight. She had literally made it to the top.
But even now, alone in her office, Sue wasn't staring out the window. She opened and slammed drawer after drawer in her massive oak desk, rummaging through the contents. Where the fuck is it? her mind screamed inside her pounding head. Goddamn that asshole! He'll pay mightily for screwing up again! Her hand darted to the intercom.
The door opened quietly and a young man appeared. Trevor shifted from foot to foot, his eyes fleetingly meeting his boss' glare.
"Where's my fuckin' aspirin?" she shouted.
"In your right upper drawer." The response was soft, timid. His eyes dropped to the toes of his brightly polished black shoes peeking out from navy cuffs like a pair of turtle heads. At that moment he envied turtles, wishing he could pull back into the safety of a shell.
"No they're not, moron! I looked there! Why can't you--?"
"Ms. Holloway, the intercom."
Annoyed at being interrupted, Sue's eyes nevertheless shifted. The area around her polished fingernail was a pinkish-white. Lifting her finger from the intercom button, she withdrew her hand.
"May I?" Trevor continued in his soft voice knowing his coworkers had heard her yelling and the annoying buzzing. No other assistant's desk was equipped with that damn device.
Trevor walked slowly towards Sue, stopping momentarily when she stiffened. Taking a deep breath and letting it out silently, he stepped around her chair and opened the top right drawer. A knot formed in his gut, his heart pounded, and the clammy feeling in his palms that he hated so much appeared. Stooping, he peered inside, not daring to glance to the side. He had seen that look too many times. Wiping his hand on his pants, he carefully shifted some papers and other objects, reaching toward the back of the drawer. His slightly trembling hand reappeared with the green bottle held delicately between his index finger and thumb. Placing it noiselessly on the desktop, Trevor stood and scurried back to the other side of the desk. He stood there with fists clenched behind his back.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get out!"
Spinning on the ball of his foot, like a soldier doing an about-face, Trevor took the few steps and shut the door behind him, collapsing against the solid wood. The whoosh of air from his loud sigh blew the lock of hair dangling on his forehead as he glanced around the room, seeing what he hated most, the pity in his coworkers' eyes. His gaze dropped to his shoes once again. Like so many times before, the recent graduate wanted to storm into his boss' office and yell, "I quit!" or more accurately, "I quit, you mother-fucking, scum-sucking bitch!" But there was a recession and someone with no experience stood little chance of finding employment. He'd put up with anything not to move back in with his parents.
"Is Shrew in one of her moods?"
Trevor's chin rose from his chest and he turned to the desk next to his, at the cute redhead. It was said in a whisper, but just loud enough. Nodding, Trevor's shoulders slumped as he walked slowly to his desk and plopped into the chair. When he had first heard the play on his boss' name he had chuckled, but it was no longer funny. The reality of Sue's behind-her-back nickname was too painful. Sighing again, Trevor returned to work.
In her office, Sue Holloway's fingers ruthlessly twisted the plastic cap, squeezing more tightly than necessary to overcome the childproof mechanism. Dumping the white round tablets onto her palm, her hand crashed into her open mouth as her head tilted back. One loud unladylike gulp began the healing process; at least she hoped it would. Lately her headaches were coming more frequently and were more difficult to dispel.
With a groan, Sue's body slumped forward, her open hands catching her face, her elbows digging dents in the black leather desk pad. She closed her eyes and sighed. She was proud of her success, but it came with overbearing responsibilities. Difficult decisions had to be made every day, all the time. One mistake and she'd tumble from the ladder of success much faster than it took her to climb it.
Sue had always been driven, always competitive. As a child she failed at sports, her petite girlish body a great disadvantage -- and Sue Holloway didn't like losing! So she competed academically, becoming an A student, captain of the debating team, captain of the chess team, editor of the school newspaper, and so on. She finished at the top of her class at every level, reveling in her success. But it came at a price. Even when she was little her peers called her names -- back then to her face -- such as, "nerd the turd," "ass-licker," "teacher's pet," "Suzy losey." As she got older and her body molded into a luscious woman with striking dark wavy hair and bright blue eyes highlighting a face destined for Hollywood, for Sue Holloway it was the same. She could have been popular -- captain of the cheerleaders and prom queen -- but the earlier name calling deeply scarred her. She became a loner, not needing anyone. Some boys couldn't resist her beauty, but after she viciously humiliated them in public no one else dared approach her. Sue had had no social life -- no friends, no dates, nothing. To her, the others were bugs ready to be stomped on. And after completing her degrees she competed in the workplace, doing whatever it took to reach the top -- working harder than anyone else, working more hours, lying, stepping on anyone and everyone in her way. At 33 years old, Sue Holloway was the youngest Executive Vice President the firm ever had.
But success came with responsibilities and never ending decisions. Gut wrenching decisions. Career breaking decisions. It was so overwhelming that simple, everyday decisions became a burden, taxing her mind and causing her to reach for the bottle of aspirin often.
Sue Holloway looked up when she heard the tapping on the door. The red marks her fingers left on her forehead shifted as her brow furrowed. Who the fuck can that be? Please, no more problems.
"Come in." The door swung open and her eyes narrowed when she saw Trevor. To her he was just another insignificant bug. "What the fuck do you want? No, get out! I don't give a shit what you want."
Trevor's body turned slightly, wanting nothing more than to leave. But he stopped and faced his boss. "Um, Mrs. Anderson called and, um, she said Mr. Willard, um..."
Sue leaned forward. Just the mention of the CEO's name, and that of his administrative assistant, caught her attention. "Well, what does Willard want? Come on, moron, you're paid to take messages and give them to me. Don't just stand there like an idiot."
"She said he wants to know what you are doing about the Universal account."
Sue covered her eyes and slowly shook her head from side to side. Then she reached for the bottle and ripped it open, popping two more little tablets into her mouth. The pounding inside her head increased, sounding like blasts of a tuba, and her thoughts screamed to be heard over it. I don't know what the fuck to do. It's not my fault Jack's plane got grounded. Shit, we can't lose the Universal account. We just can't. What am I going to do? I'm brain dead. A blank. Shit, I gotta tell Willard something. But it has to be right. I can't make a mistake. Why do I have to make all the decisions?
Trevor swayed from side to side, two fingers inside his collar tugging it. He stared at his boss. It was the first time she looked helpless. Her elbows were on her desk and her face buried inside her hands. Her breaths were as ragged as his. He thought she might even hyperventilate or -- something totally inconceivable -- cry?
"Ms. Holloway..." Trevor waited, holding his breath. And then Sue's palms slid partway down her face, dragging the skin under her eyes down with them, exposing the red blood vessels normally hidden. Her distorted eyes stared blankly at him as if she forgot he was still there. "Ms. Holloway, Mr. Flemming is in St. Louis winding up his meetings. I'm sure he can swing by and meet with the Universal people."
"Flemming? Who needs Flemming? I need Jack Wondling. It's his account, idiot!" Sue's eyes closed, her fingertips pressing on her temples.
"Yeah, but Universal used to be Mr. Flemming's account. He knows all the players. He--"
Sue's blue eyes popped open, now sparkling with hope. "You're right! Jesus, why didn't I think of that? Get out, I gotta make some calls. Oh, tell Mrs. Anderson I'll get to Mr. Willard in a few minutes."
Trevor retreated, almost slamming the door behind him in his haste. His shaking finger slipped under the knot of his tie and pulled it loose, and then he undid the top button of his starched white shirt. His chest rose and fell, his tongue moving within his mouth seeking moisture. The others saw his paled complexion, but not his sweaty palms.
"Are you all right?" the little redhead at the desk next to his asked.
"Yeah, I just need a drink."
Trevor staggered to the water cooler. It took three tries to pull the plastic cup out, and that one fell from his slippery fingers. His trembling hand pulled out another and held it under the spout, feeling the dryness in his mouth even more as he watched the clear cool water. Bringing the cup to his lips he tilted his head back and gulped the cool water down, some dripping from the corner of his mouth into his open collar. He refilled the cup and drank, and then did it again and again. Crushing the cup, trying to feel powerful, Trevor tossed the cup at the trashcan and watched it hit the side and bounce to the left onto the floor. Shit, I can't even do that right! Stooping, his hand grabbed the cooler as dizziness swept over him. Ignoring the litter, Trevor straightened up and turned, his feet dragging along the carpet as he returned to his desk. His head began pounding, almost the same time Sue's headache vanished.
Two hours later, the buzzer blasted once more. Trevor jumped from his chair and entered his boss' office.
Flipping a twenty onto her desk, Sue said, "Get me something to eat."
"Um, what would you like?"
"Do I have to make all the decisions around here? What's the big fuckin' deal? Just get me some lunch that's edible."
As soon as Trevor left, Sue sighed and smiled without realizing it. It felt good not to have to make another decision.
****
Life for Trevor changed subtly. He was being summoned into Sue Holloway's office more often, but not always to be yelled at. Fetching lunch was a regular occurrence for Trevor, with him no longer bothering to ask Sue what she wanted. She'd bark over the intercom, "Get me lunch!" and he'd jump from his seat without uttering a word and run the errand. But it went beyond lunch. Since Trevor's suggestion had resolved the Universal problem, Sue began calling him into her office on other occasions as well.
"Who do you think should go to China?" she'd ask.
"Um, I don't think I'm in a position to--"
"Nonsense! I just want your opinion."
So Trevor gave it to her. And after each session he saw tension leave her face. The questions started off rather simply, but then she'd expect him to make important decisions. His MBA afforded him some insight, but Sue had major responsibilities that could make or break the company. Although he didn't know the business anywhere near as well as Sue, he was able to ask the right questions. She didn't realize it, but when he gave her his opinion he was often reiterating her decision.
And then one morning, Trevor arrived bright and early, and as usual Sue had been there for two hours already. As soon as he settled in his chair, she stormed out of her office.
"Where were you yesterday?" she screamed.
Trevor's head shot up. "I ... uh ... I had a vacation day. I helped a friend move. I told you about it--"
"Get in my office right now!"
Trevor looked around. Only a few people were there that early, but those who were looked down when his eyes met theirs. Closing the door behind him to mask his humiliation from his coworkers, Trevor stood quietly, fists clenching and teeth grinding.
"You should have been here yesterday," Sue hollered.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Holloway, but I had to help my friend. This was planned weeks ago."
"But something came up and I needed your help." Sue's voice was soft, almost pleading.
Trevor stood aghast. Did she say she needed my help? he thought. The Shrew actually said that? He looked at his boss, for the first time seeing her as a woman -- at that moment a vulnerable woman.
"I'm here now," he said with more confidence than he ever displayed before her. "Just let me know what you need and I'll take care of it."
For the first time in the four months he'd been working there, Trevor saw the ends of Sue's mouth curl into a smile. Although he physically towered over her 5'5" frame, emotionally she had intimidated him. But now he felt powerful; and she looked like a little girl. He watched as she opened her top right drawer, her hand reappearing with the little green bottle.
"Ms. Holloway, that stuff is going to burn a hole in your stomach if you take so much of it."
Sue's eyes rose and stared at Trevor. They were big and blue and -- lost. "I have a headache. What should I do?"
Taking a deep breath, Trevor walked towards his boss. She tilted her head up and back watching him step behind her. Sucking in a lungful of air, Trevor placed his hands on the sides of Sue's head, positioning his fingertips on her forehead. He pressed and kneaded, using the skills he had learned at a massage parlor summer job.
"What are you...? Oh, that feels good." Sue's body softened and her hands dropped from Trevor's forearms to her lap. The tension left her neck, allowing him to move her head at will.
"How do you feel now?" Trevor asked, dropping his hands and stepping around Sue.
"What? Oh, I feel much better. You have wonderful hands."
"Is your headache gone?"
"What? Um ... wow! It is."
"Is there something else I can help you with?"
"Yes, I need a resolution on..."
Trevor spent the next hour in Sue's office going over several issues. When he left, Sue noticed the bottle of aspirin on her desk, shrugged, and flipped it into her top drawer.
Trevor now spent almost as much time in Sue's office as she did. When she wasn't at meetings, the two went over the "problem of the moment." When Sue didn't have a lunch meeting, Trevor would knock once and enter, depositing on her desk the lunch he bought for her and, without a word, turn and leave. It was Trevor's job to replace the bottle of aspirin as it ran low, but lately there was no need.
It happened less often, but the old Sue -- The Shrew -- surfaced and yelled at Trevor, sometimes in her office with the door ajar and at other times at his desk in front of the others. At one such incident he was standing inside her office staring at his shoes, his shoulders slumped, his hands in his pockets, his fists clenched. Finally, his face turned red as he looked up and spun around, kicking the door closed. The slam caught Sue in the middle of a word, stunning her, but she soon regrouped.
"You fuckin' moron," she began after the shock wore off, "what the fuck are you doing? This is my office!"
"Ms. Holloway, I've had enough."
"What did you say? Get your things and get out. You're fired!"
"Fine. You can find someone else to buy your lunch," he said as he turned, his hand grabbing the doorknob ready to rip it off.
"Wait!" Sue screamed. "My lunch? Who's going to buy my lunch?"
Trevor turned, his face red. "I don't give a shit! Go buy it yourself."
"But I have too many things to think about. I ... I ... I need you to do that."
"You're insane, lady. You're telling me you can't buy your own lunch?"
"I ... I think I... It's more than the lunch. You help me."
Trevor stared at his boss. She had that little-girl-lost look once again. He gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Okay, you want me to tell you what to do?" Sue nodded. "You have a hard time making decisions and want me to make them for you?" She nodded again. "Fine, get over here!"
Sue immediately pushed her chair back and leapt from it, rushing to where Trevor was standing.
"Lean against your desk." Sue looked confused but backed up until the back of her legs bumped into it. "No, turn around and lean over with your hands on the desk."
Sue turned and pressed her hands on the edge of the desk, lowering her upper body to do so. Her head shot up when she felt the stinging slap on her butt.
Before she could speak, Trevor was walking toward the door saying, "If you want me to make the decisions, I will. But that means you do what I say."
Looking over her shoulder, Sue stared blankly at the back of the door.
THE END (not yet) go to Chapter 2
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