2. THE NEW BOSS

“Anne

        I felt weird. Everything I saw is so real. It made me think that it is my accident itself. Kemal would say that I am imagining things. But I think they are my memories. Even if you think it is crazy, they all triggered after the word, ‘Jayden.’ When I stepped out of the building, a drizzle hit me. I looked up into the sky and suddenly felt naked as if someone is watching me standing somewhere in the balcony of sky scrapers. I feel like this universe is sending me some message and I can’t understand it. It is 1:00 AM. I couldn’t sleep. It is raining heavily and I still have my windows open. I miss you and I don’t know why I miss Nottingham, especially the river Trent. Maybe, it has to do something with my regular dream in which I stand in a harsh rain waiting for someone. Funny, right?  Bilmezdim.”

      She felt dizzy like she woke up from a long sleep when the fact is Ayla only slept for four hours. Her dairy is under her chin. She started to rewind what happened last night. She doze off after a long time of writing dairy which is more like writing letters to her dead mother. They always start with ‘Anne’(mom). Since it is monsoon, London is decorated with monochromic color. It is dark even in 6 in the morning. Cold breeze hit her as soon as she opened her window. Her lips quivered as droplets of now silently pouring rain fell on her cheeks. She wished she is on some 35^th floor in the middle of earth and sky. Somehow, she is confined to 3^rd floor.

     While her body protests against her mind to go back to sleep, Ayla got ready to her work. It is the only thing that gave her life a purpose. Being a data analyst is not a tough job or an easy one either. It is the only thing she has clarity in her life. If there is anyone called Jayden Knight doesn’t exist, she won’t be doing that work either. He inspired her.

       She looks at her little firm which is now empty because of the losses. Five employees remained at the end. The name of the firm on the wall in the lobby is now being taken down. The cabin of the managing partner is already vacated, the name on glass door are scraped.

     “I’ll miss this place. I’ll miss you too. You are going to have a new boss from today.” Her boss spoke looking at the city, his back turned to Ayla. “I assure. You will be delighted to work with him.”

    “You said a megacorp bought this company and they are moving in. Do you think a junior data analyst like me could be able to work with that CEO?”

    “I left a good word for you, Ayla Sargin. And the CEO isn’t that old like me. He is young. He does business with data. He will be happy to have a girl with an insight like you.”

     Ayla simple nodded agreeing with him. But she knows, whatever the new company is, she will never get to meet that boss. The day went slowly. She has no work to do and the she knows from tomorrow, she wouldn’t have any time to rest. This is going to be a new office with new boss and employees. She played her favorite song keeping her headsets on. The song “Bilmezdim” is playing. She has listened to that for a thousand times till date. Every time she listens, it feels like the first time. May be it’s the word bilmezdim that gave her such a feeling. It meant ‘I wouldn’t know’ in her language, Turkish. If Ayla has to describe herself in word, she would say bilmezdim.

    Since there is no one at the lobby, she got her headphones on before she even got out. She stops as the dainty glass doors opened and she stood a few feet away behind a wall to see the person who enters during this hour.

     The sight before paralyzed her. A young man in his mid twenties entered keeping the middle button of his black suit. His walk shows the confidence and arrogance of his personality, he walks like he owns this damn building, it might be even true. Ayla’s now former boss, shook his hands with the man. He is tall with broad shoulders, the body is simply covered by the suit, but the fact that it is well built and chiseled like it held a six or eight pack is not hidden. He has a thick brown hair which is comb over. That gave him a simple and subtle look.

     Ayla bent a little to see his face assuming that he is going to be her new boss. As if he sensed her, he suddenly looks at her side. She gasped watching his face and quickly hid herself behind the wall. He might have not seen her. Leaning her back on the wall, she took some quick breaths. She can’t believe her own eyes. It is Jayden, Jayden Knight. Jayden Knight is her new boss. The hair on her skin prickled, maybe this is how an aspirant aerospace engineer felt when he met Carl Sagan for the first time or a physicist get a glimpse of Albert Einstein or any fan girl who watched her favorite hero for the very first time. She slowly watched him pressing the elevator while he smiled a little when her boss said something. His gentle smile doesn’t hid his intimidating demeanor. And the song played as if it is meant to be.

Bilmezdim bu derdin, seni yolundan,

Beni solumdan, edecegini.

                                         

 I wouldn't know this trouble

Keep me away from my left part (heart)                                                                                  keep away you from your way.

                                           

Bilmezdim en sessiz yanimdan,

Yagmuruna kan terleyecegimi.

 I wouldn't know from my most quiet side

 The rain would sweat blood

 And I'll sweat in the stormy mornings.

          She quickly ran to the elevator after they are gone. The lift stops at 22^nd floor. Watching the number 22, she smiled widely. He is his boss indeed. Her office is now a part of              Knight & Grey Corporation. She finally got to work with Jayden Knight. She is now thankful for she didn’t get to meet him in the yesterday’s party in that very short dress. Now she understood why her former boss told her that she would be delighted to work with the CEO. At this instant, she really hopes the old man place a good name for her before Jayden Knight.