"Can I have your attention, everyone?" Lawrence asked as he stood in the middle of the office. Once the other employees had stopped what they were doing and gathered around to listen, Lawrence continued, "I have good news. The new projections are in and it looks like we've turned a corner. We're doing very well. The company's profits for this quarter are ahead and we're doing better than R.J. and Associates. Congratulations. Good job, everyone."
As the other employees congratulated one another, Hector noticed that only Amanda seemed unimpressed and quietly went back to her desk.
He decided to wait a few moments for the excitement to calm down and the others to return to work before he approached her.
After the announcement was made, Andrew followed Lawrence into his office.
"These numbers are very good," Andrew said, adjusting his glasses as he glanced over the papers. "This is just the news we needed right now."
"It's what we've been hoping to hear," Lawrence agreed.
"I think we all owe you congratulations as well. Without your leadership the company might have been lost."
"I don't know about that," Lawrence replied.
"I do. I mean, if Hector had been given the job, I'm sure we'd all be out of work right now. I'm glad the board was wise enough not to elect him to either of our positions. I think we ought to find a way to get him out of here."
Andrew was cut short by the ringing of a telephone, an interruption that Lawrence was grateful for.
"Lawrence Arrendale," he spoke into the phone. "Thank you for returning my call. Could you hold for a moment?"
Lawrence put his hand over the mouthpiece of the receiver and looked up at Andrew. "Do you mind, Andrew? This is an important call. It might take awhile."
"Sure, no problem," Andrew answered cheerfully and showed himself out of the office.
As soon as the door was closed with Andrew on the other side, Lawrence spoke into the phone again, "Is there any news?"
"Yes . . . we've got a problem."
"Amanda, when you have a minute, could you take a look at the coffee maker? It's not working right."
Amanda looked up at Hector, confused. "It was fine this morning. What happened?"
Hector shrugged. "I don't know. I was hoping you would be able to figure it out."
Amanda rose from her chair with a sigh and went into the break room to take a look.
When she entered the room and looked at the coffee maker she didn't see anything wrong. "It's working fine now. What was wrong with it?"
"Nothing."
Amanda turned quickly to see Hector standing in front of the now closed door to the break room. She took a step backwards and eyed him suspiciously. The fact that he was blocking her only way out of the room made her slightly uncomfortable.
"There's no problem with the coffee maker. I just wanted to talk to you a minute . . . in private."
"About what?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her. As far as she was concerned there wasn't anything for them to say to one another. She glanced at the closed door as she spoke, eager to get away.
Hector stepped forward slowly, his posture more relaxed. "I just noticed something recently . . . you really don't like Lawrence, do you?"
"Says who?" she asked, avoiding the question.
"You do. I saw those little snide looks you've been giving him. You don't like having him as your boss, do you?"
"He shouldn't even be the boss," she mumbled.
"I agree," Hector replied eagerly. "But the real question is, would you be willing to do something about it?"
Amanda hesitated, first trying to decide what Hector was hinting at, then considering the possibility.
He waited patiently as the emotions crossed her face while she came to a conclusion.
"I might, except for one thing . . . You're forgetting, I don't care for you either, Mr. Burgess," she said and walked quickly past him and out of the room.
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