Episode 17

Caique observed me attentively. — Is the job still mine? — I had to ask.

He frowned so hard that I wanted to laugh. As if I had said the biggest absurdity of all time.

"Of course the job is yours. I am the president here and I am not behind this desk for nothing. I told her some truths and nothing changes."

"Thank you."

"How is your first day going?"

"I'm doing well. It's productive. In fact..." I looked around. "I need to clean your office."

"Feel free. I'll be at my desk." Caique pulled back his chair and turned. But before he could continue, I couldn't keep my tongue in my mouth.

"You seem a little down today. Is everything alright?" Caique didn't turn to answer me, he just looked sideways.

"I'm fine, don't worry. You can clean around here, I won't bother you."

I was speechless for two reasons: the simplicity of him, the CEO of the company, to say that he wouldn't bother me and for the blatant lie that he was fine, because it was clear that he wasn't. Was he in pain? I didn't know the life of a wheelchair user very well. In fact, that was a flaw. We should always be well-informed about everything. I made a mental note to do some research.

I went to my cart and soon started cleaning. I went first to the huge bookcase full of books, trophies and other things he had in the room. Caique remained quiet and focused on some papers that were on his desk.

I kept thinking about his mother's attitude and I even wondered how a woman like that could be the mother of a man like him. It was at that moment that I stopped holding one of the trophies and looked at it.

Caique was wearing a navy blue suit today, but no tie. His smooth, slightly long hair was pulled back in a charming way. The wrinkle between his brows was there, showing his concentration or annoyance at something, I couldn't tell. I forgot to continue cleaning the trophy as I watched how he held the pen. But it was a grimace of pain on his part that brought me back to reality and I was at his desk in seconds.

"Are you okay?" Caique looked at me with wide eyes, expressing the discomfort he felt.

"I am." His voice came out weak and a little pained. "It's time for my medicine."

"I'll get you a glass of water" I replied, already heading to a nice table in a corner with water and a thermos.

When I came back with a full glass of water, he looked at me seriously and I was embarrassed.

"I already have water here on the table, Fernando. Don't worry, I can turn around."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean you didn't know, I just wanted to help." Caique ran a hand over his face, popped a pill into his mouth, and drank the water from his bottle.

"I'm sorry too, but I like to do things myself. It's bad enough being stuck in this chair. Not being able to get myself a glass of water would be the end of me."

"I understand. I don't see your chair as a limitation for you." Caique looked into my eyes. "But when I saw your expression of pain, I just wanted it to end." He swallowed hard. "Let me continue my work."

I went to the water table and left the glass on another tray that I saw was for used glasses. I went back to the shelf without looking at my boss anymore and tried to be quicker to get out of that room. I cursed myself inwardly for looking at him, for meddling where I wasn't called and even for forgetting to put credit on my phone before coming here. I started cursing myself for everything. I was disgusted with myself.

When I finished cleaning that huge shelf, I changed the cloth on the cart to go to the coffee table and was startled by him coming up beside me with the glass of water.

"Drink."

"Why?"

"To calm down. You got embarrassed and agitated after my ignorance. I'm not having a good day and I've already started to stress out with my mother, so everything got worse. You are not to blame for anything." I even dried my hand on my clothes to receive the glass from his hands and drank it in one gulp, being watched by him. That water calmed my racing heart a little.

"Thank you. But I was also wrong, I just wanted to help."

"You did nothing wrong, I'm the one who's difficult and you didn't know. You can continue at ease, I'll go to Saulo's office. Feel free to clean my desk." I nodded in agreement and watched him leave the room.

I looked at the empty glass in my hands and sighed.

"What a first day!! I suffer prejudice from my boss's mother and I act like a busybody in his life. God is more!" I talked to myself and went on with my work.

Caique's desk was last. I had even vacuumed the floor. I tried to leave everything exactly the way it was, just picking it up, cleaning it, and putting it back. I was emptying his trash can when I saw him come back in followed by Saulo.