Page 12 of It's Only Make Believe

“Louisa? Are you ok? You’re looking a bit flushed,” Luke says and of course that does nothing to rectify the situation, and I feel myself flushing even darker.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I manage to say. “I’m just a bit hot, that’s all.”

I fan my face with my hand to demonstrate, you know, in case he doesn’t know what being a bit hot means. Luke jumps up and goes and opens a window. A light breeze blows in.

“Is that better?” he asks.

I nod. It’s a really nice breeze actually and although I’m not really hot enough to be flushed, I was on the hot side, and I appreciate the fresh air blowing in.

“How do you feel like your first two days have gone?” Luke asks me, sitting back down.

“Ok,” I say. “I feel like I’m settling in, and everyone is really nice and welcoming. It would be nice to get the chance to do something IT related though.”

I hadn’t planned to say that last part, but I’m glad that I did. I don’t think it was rude or anything like that and even if it doesn’t happen, at least Luke knows I’m keen to get my teeth into something useful.

“You know what makes a good employee?” Luke says. I figure it’s a rhetorical question and so I don’t even try to answer. It seems I made the right assumption when Luke goes on. “Doing whatever task is given to them that benefits the company in some way. And you know what makes a good intern? Doing whatever task is given to them that benefits the company in some way without moaning about doing it.”

“I was hardly moaning. I was just answering your question. I have done everything you’ve asked of me without moaning so much as once,” I fire back, slightly annoyed now.

“That’s true I suppose,” Luke relents. “And I think maybe you’ll find this next task to be unrelated to IT and therefore not suited to you, but I am going to have you do it anyway.”

“I figured,” I say and is that the hint of a smile I actually see on Luke’s face. No, it can’t be. It must be wind.

“Rachel, my receptionist is on leave until Monday. You will be filling in for her. You’ll be answering and directing calls – any that ask for me personally, find out who it is. If it seems important, forward it to Mel. If not, just tell them I’m unavailable. In between calls, you will be filing and doing whatever Mel asks you to do. Basically, the tasks she doesn’t want to do. Do you think you can manage that?” Luke says.

“As hard as it sounds, I’m sure I can soldier through,” I say sarcastically.

If Luke notices my sarcasm, he doesn’t let on.

“Glad to hear it,” Luke says. “Did Mel explain to you about your timesheet?”

I nod, surprised by the sudden jump in subjects.

“What did she say?” Luke asks.

“To record my start and finish times every day and email my time sheet to payroll on Friday,” I say.

“That’s standard procedure, but I would like you to send your time sheet to me to approve and I will forward it on for you,” Luke says.

“Do you think I’m going to try and claim extra hours?” I ask, shocked that he would think such a thing.

“Not at all,” Luke says. “I don’t think that for a second.”

He doesn’t explain any further and I feel like if I press him for a reason, he’s just going to shut me down, so I don’t say anything else. Even if he does think I would try to claim extra hours, he will soon see that he is wrong. I have nothing to hide, and I would never try to rob from a company who took a chance on me, even if they do think I’m someone else.

I decide then that Luke probably doesn’t think I would falsify my time sheet. After all, he thinks I’m the daughter of one of the major shareholders. Aside from that making me pretty rich in my own right if it were really the case, it would also mean that stealing time from the company would be like stealing from my own father, something he can’t possibly think I would do.

I stand up abruptly.

“Well, I’d best get to work,” I say.

“Who said we were done here?” Luke asks.

I really thought we were, but the truth is, no one said it. I think for a moment and decide to beat Luke at his own game.

“Perhaps if you have anything further to say to me, you could come to my office, because I would hate to waste so much as a minute of company time,” I say sweetly but Luke knows as well as I do that I am being massively sarcastic, and this time, he doesn’t let it go.

“Sit down this instant,” Luke shouts.

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