I love my boss

Ocean keeps looking at her watch anxiously. Nervous for this new chapter of her life, afraid that she might do something wrong in her first day, all the bad feelings start to creeping her soul every now and then. Why is the train late today? From all these days in the world, why must now? Why? She keeps telling herself and almost curse the day. No, I am not going to curse now. It is not good to jinx the day. Let's just be calm and take a deep breath.

She inhales the morning air, but with regrets the smell of the train station stinks so bad that she now has to cover her mouth and nose with her palm, even though she already has the medical mask on. This pandemic situation has forced each human being in the world to wear medical face mask and remain social distancing in public area. It started since the year 2020. Yes, it was a very bad year for the entire world. A disease has put the world in total pause for more than nine months and it is reaching to a year until now. However, there are also some "blessings in disguise" as result for the situation. People are forced to live healthier now, pay more attention to the surroundings, take a break from the hectic situation of their lives and so on. Well, it depends to which perspective you want to see the situation, negative as a disaster or positive as a blessing in disguise.

Having mind play like this is one of the ways to distract my anxiety, she thinks. At last, the train comes. Fully loaded with passengers, Ocean forces herself to fit in a small gap in order to be inside the train. A few minutes later, destination is reached. She stepped out of the train with sweat in her face and body. Gosh, I have to spray some cologne again, she said. Then, the big building is starting to come in her view. There it is, my new office. She checks in with the front office, informing that she is a new employee and need to get to the 5th floor to see Human Resources. She gives her ID card in exchange for visitor card to access 5th floor. After she finishes administration with HR, she is taken to the 6th floor where she is supposed to be working. This floor is mainly for the Board of Directors. She is supposed to be there because she is the new Executive Secretary of the President Director, Mr. Michael Eckardt.

Since this morning, Ocean never stops imagining what kind of boss she will have in this company. She can not find any images of him in the internet search engine. What a secretive person. Although, all information for his professional work can be found and quite complete on the internet. For personal stuff, all that she can get is he has German nationality and she was being accepted by the company because one of her language skills is Deutsch. Ocean can speak six languages; English, Dutch, Deutsch, French, Spanish, and her mother tongue, Bahasa Indonesia. When she got the final interview with the "end user" was through Zoom meeting. It was three parties conference between Ocean, the Head of HR, and the President Director. The last one joined the meeting from Singapore and only using the voice mode, while she and the Head of HR used the video mode. The boss can see her face but not vice versa. Thus, today will be her first meeting with the boss in person and seeing his face.

She was snapped to her conscience by the sudden stop of the Head of HR in front of a large wooden door with the sign "President Director". From the outside, the room is the largest room from other offices that she has seen round the floor. It is not to fancy, perhaps in order not to distinct itself from other offices. Hmm, maybe he is a humble and nice person, she thinks. Then, I can work fine with him. A smile starts to form on her face.

"This is Mr. Michael's office", the voice of Rene, the Head of HR making her heart racing fast.

"Yes, Mr. Rene".

"Just call me Rene, Miss Ocean".

"Ok. Just call me Sean, Rene".

They smile to each other while Rene knocks the door. After a voice saying "Come in", Rene opens it in an instant.

"Good Morning Michael. This is Ms. Ocean, your new Executive Secretary. Miss Ocean, please meet our President Director, Mr. Michael Eckardt".

"Good morning Mr. Eckardt. Nice to meet you in person". Ocean wants to reach her hand to give Michael a handshake, then she remembers during this pandemic situation, they can't shake hand for the time being. "Sorry that we are not allowed to shake hand.." She hangs her sentence.

"Oh, yes I understand. No worries. We do have to keep each other save, right?"

Michael smiles and he is not using a medical face mask. Ocean keeps holding her breath since she saw his face the very moment Rene opened the door. This is dangerous! He is so freaking handsome!! How can I concentrate working for this man and has to see that smile every day? OMG. Damn it. Michael wears a white shirt with a long blue skinny tie. His body is well shaped and his face is like a movie actor that is in one of the Hallmark romantic movies. Well, I do like entering a movie scene right now, Ocean thought. I do expect a handsome boss to boost up my days while working, but this is too much. Be calm my soul, she said to herself and her right hand holds tight her bag in order to distract her fast-beating heart.

"Yes, I agree," Ocean smiles, but only in the inside of her medical face mask. Michael can't see it. I hope my eyes can show my sincerity, she thought. Oh, this damn pandemic!

"Please sit-down Ms. Ocean. We are going to start today by knowing each other".

"Well, I think that is my cue. I will excuse myself now and head back to my office," Rene nods to Michael and then to Ocean.

"Yes, thank you Rene," Michael answers.

"Thank you, Mr. Rene," Ocean says.

"Have a productive day people". Rene walks to the door and close it from the outside.

The job descriptions that Michael gives are exactly the same with her previous job. Of course, the difference is the company that she is working with now is not in the automotive business. She is now working in one of the biggest IT company in the country. It is a German company and the headquarter is in Münich. Michael will be travelling to that city every now and then, therefor one of her tasks is to provide the travel itinerary and maybe if it is needed, she can probably one day need to travel with him. Besides the city, Michael says he will also travel to the United States and around Asia. The summary is this Director travels a lot and he might only stay in this office a few months in a year. I think I am safe after all; Ocean forms a bit smile in her corner lips.

"Anything funny Ms. Ocean? I see you are having amusement with your job details?" Suddenly Michael stares seriously at her.

"Oh, no Sir. Sorry, I was just thinking that these job details are very similar with my previous one. So, I was just thinking how lucky I am to be able to adapt soon".

Ocean forgets that a while a go Michael asked her to open her mask. She is not wearing any lipstick behind that mask, so she thinks Michael won't be starring at her. My face will be unattractive with pale lips, even though she is still making up her eyes with thin mascara and soft eye shadow. Just to feel fresh behind a medical mask. Apparently, she was wrong. Michael is looking at her right now with a serious curiosity.

"Excuse me for interrupting with my smile. Please kindly continue Mr. Michael".

Lesson to myself, never smile when this man is in a serious mode. His stare is piercing. But it is just making him more and more handsome. Ooh...my heart! Ocean feels her palms are getting wet now.

The next hour they are talking formally and very serious regarding office matters. Once a while Michael asks how many siblings Ocean has. Has she ever been in Europe before? How she learns Deutsch? Yes, Ocean has ever been in Europe before. She was pretty good in her University. Her major is Dutch literature and she was chosen to be one of three scholars to go to the Netherlands from her class. Thus, she stayed in Woudschoten, Zeist, The Netherland for one month. During this period, she also went for three days to Paris with some of her friends there. It is safe to say, she has experienced Europe. Seeing her boss talking office matters seriously, Ocean learns that Michael is taking business very seriously, so no joking around allowed, she reminds herself. It's getting near 11 o'clock and soon it will be lunch time. Michael stops their introduction and discussion now due to upcoming conference call with Region office in fifteen minutes.

Ocean is in her cubical now. It is the biggest island compare to other cubical in that floor. Her desk is a long white working desk furnished with big three drawers on the right side of the table. Her chair is an ergonomic working chair, almost the same with the guess chair at the boss office. She happens to know the difference of quality and price with office furniture from her previous jobs. The chair she is sitting now is less expensive than the guess chair at Michael's office, although they seem to look alike. This knowledge is not possessed by just anybody, need experiences to be able to tell the difference. This is one of her skill that she is proud of.

Lunch is usually the time to mix with other colleagues and getting to know your environment. In a normal situation. But this is not normal timing. Due to the pandemic, Ocean is always being careful, even of touching anything around her. Everything needs to be sprayed with disinfectant, her new office desk, the chair, the stationaries, etc. She also brings her own lunch and eating utensils, so there is no need to eat outside the office. When she enters the office pantry, she finds a few people already sitting there munching their lunch. A woman standing in front of the microwave waiting for her food. She is also going to re-heat her lunch, so she is standing behind that woman to wait for her turn.

"Bringing your own food too?" says the woman smiling. She already took off her face mask.

" Yes. My name is Ocean. I'm the new Secretary to Mr. Michael," Ocean introduce herself.

"I'm Jenny. Nice to meet you. And welcome to our company". She smiles again. This person is lovely, Ocean thinks. She is pretty too. I bet she is the "star" in this office. Maybe I can make a new friend this first day.

"Thank you, Jenny. Sorry I can't open my mask yet, not until I am sitting alone and we are at least two feet away. I am terrified with this pandemic situation and I have elder parents at home. I don't want to be a thread to them at home".

"No worries. That's OK, I can understand that. My food is ready now". Jenny opens the microwave when the sound of two minutes has been done ringing from the device. She sits at a table for two with one other colleague. They sit opposite to each other and try to keep their distance while making conversation without their mask on. After heating my meal, I sit also in a table for two behind Jenny's desk. But there is no one there, so I am all alone. Nobody to talk to. In a normal time, I would have drawn a chair and joined Jenny with her friend. In this situation, it is wiser to keep distance like this. Thus, no problem. Eating alone is not a problem now. Taking off my mask and opening my mouth to have my first bite from my spoon, suddenly the pantry's door is being opened. Michael enters the room with his lunch box from a Chinese restaurant. Ocean smiles seeing that box, since it is also her favourite restaurant. Then Michael walks toward her and takes a seat in her table. She is a bit surprised because she thinks maybe her smile looks like an invitation to Michael. Oh no, a few hours talking about works is enough with him, how come my one free time, lunch time, has to be filled with his face too?? Ocean looks around and accidently looks at Jenny's table. That girl is eyeing her boss with intense look. As a woman of 40-year-old of age, Ocean can understand what that look means. It is a no-brainer that Jenny admires Michael. Hmm, now I wonder, how many women in this office have the same look when they see Michael. He must be the idol around here, considering he is almost perfect. Easy to look face, nice well-shaped body, and loaded too. Well one thing I need to find out, is he single? Seeing the fact that Jenny is showing her intension so baldly through that eye staring, maybe he is available?

"How is your lunch?", Michael's voice brings her again back to the earth.

"Ooh, eeh..Yes, my lunch is OK, Sir. I brought it from home".

"I think you can stop calling me Sir if we are not talking about business. Just call me Michael. However, if we are in a business meeting with third party outside the office, I would prefer we go back to formal situation. What do you think?" Amazed with his sudden statement, Ocean looks at Michael with her mouth half open. Need a few minutes to think her respond, she feels like an idiot who needs to think hard to reply a simple question as that. "Yes, Sir, I agree with that. Sorry, I mean yes, Michael". She revised her answer before Michael can correct her word, because she already saw him opening his mouth to say something. Then Michael smiles and eats his meal in peace. He only says a few things now and then, mostly personal questions to Ocean. This man really knows how to separate between business and personal, Ocean thinks. He really speaks nothing regarding jobs and only talks about outside office matter. He is also a nice conversation partner too. An hour of the lunch time can feel like ten minutes with him. Then everyone is back to work.

"How is your first day?" There asks on the phone while Ocean is waiting for the train on her way home. "Nice. Theresia, this is the highlight of the day. My boss is very handsome!"

Ocean almost screams from the excitement and realize a few eyes are staring at her at the station. Finally lowering her voice, she explains everything that has happened that day from beginning until the end of office hour. There knows she is a "detail" woman, thus no need to worry being confused with uncomplete story from somebody who gets excited, because they tend to overlapping their stories due to excitement. But not with Ocean. She can tell you details like a professional writer. Sometimes There thinks Ocean is better pursuing her dream to be a writer rather than being an office worker. She can make a story complete with the mood within, so the listener can imagine that they are being story-tolled by a professional story teller. But a handsome boss?? Hmm...she is in the right place, I think, There murmurs while listening to Ocean's long and complete story.

"Good Morning, Sir". Ocean comes to Michael's office with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Good Morning and thank you for the coffee," Michael smiles.

That smile gives butterfly in her stomach. Damn, this is just the beginning of the day, Ocean murmurs. I have to sit down with this handsome human being for the next two hours discussing our presentation for management meeting this afternoon. The thought of being alone with him behind close door is making her nervous and imagining crazy things. I wonder how it feels to be his lover, kissing him every morning, staring at him with admiration, holding his hands while walking together, feeling his body wrapping my body in his perfect muscular body, and..

"I would love if the management can give the approval immediately". Michael is looking at her smiling.

"Yes, I would love that too", Ocean gives her respond with a weak and whispering sound. The effect of her imagination gets to her so badly. She realizes that her voice sounds weird.

"Are you ok Miss Ocean?" Michael is now looking at her with worried.

"Yes, of course. All good. Please just call me Sean, Sir".

She forces a smile while her chick blushes red. Oh no, hopefully he didn't catch me having my mind somewhere else while he is talking business seriously. She tries to act cool by giving him that respond. This is wrong Sean, she reminds herself. No more crazy imagination about my own boss. He is nice to me and he will be as long as I keep it professional. I don't want to imagine what's going to happen if he knows I am attracted to him as a woman. I like this job and I can't lose it. No way.

The next two months goes with victory for Ocean. She manages to keep her feeling not going further and no more crazy imagination like the last one. Well, at least not in front of the object himself. At home, I am at liberty to do anything what I want. Including going to sleep while thinking about him as my sweat dream and waking up smiling like a crazy person. Haha, at least that I can do. No harm for me nor anybody. She ever told There about this new habit when they were in an café together. Her reaction was giving Ocean almost like a disguise and pathetic stare. Then she said," Well it's definitely you Sean. If I don't know you since we were kids, I would have suggested you to find a psychiatrist". Ocean gave a soft punch to There's hand. And they were laughing out loud together until they realize it was to loud for other visitors at the café.