Episode 1153: Under Fire

Cal squared his shoulders. “He’ll see me. I’m his in-law not to mention one of the few who truly rate as your boss’s contemporary. It would be in his best interest both personally and professionally to speak with me.”

“I am well aware of who you are, sir, and I have the utmost respect for your accomplishments. I’d like nothing more than to honor your request, however, Mr. Marques is very vehement about adhering to his schedule, he doesn’t care for disruptions or look kindly upon an assistant who pushes for them to happen. I am sorry but I won’t be able to accommodate you right now. I will gladly pencil you in for a later date if you’d like.”

Cal gritted his teeth. He didn’t want to make life difficult for this woman, she was just doing her job as Marques outlined it. But Cal couldn’t just walk away and wait for a more convenient time to deal with this situation. The only reason he’d delayed this conversation was because Ava wouldn’t like him interfering yet it only seemed right that Marques should face someone equally capable of throwing his weight around.

“I’ll wait.”

“You’ll wait,” the assistant echoed with an understandable cringe.

“Yes. I’ll wait right here in one of your undoubtedly comfortable chairs. Sooner or later he’ll have a break in the day that draws him out. I’ll be sure to mention that you were firmly against my waiting here.”

“Great. Just great.” The assistant grumbled before picking up the phone and speaking in a low tone, likely to Marques.

Cal took a seat. The elevator doors parted revealing a pair of teenage girls, one striding out, the other reluctant to join her friend at the assistant’s desk. It took a moment for Cal to recognize the reluctant girl as he hadn’t seen her since Sebastian’s hospital days. The granddaughter. Yet the assistant stonewalled her, too.

Cal urged the girls not to give up sensing that they all might benefit if they made a united scene in Phillip’s lobby. “The more of us demanding to be heard, the more he’ll feel like he’s under fire and can’t ignore us.”

Episode 1154: Lose Things