Second Hand Waitress

Kira Samia avoided Tesah Clover’s gaze as he gave her a long, skeptical look. He could doubt her all he wanted, but she was determined to act like nothing had ever happened—even if it took all her strength.

She had thoroughly practiced calm, professional responses in the mirror, repeating phrases like “Good morning,” “Yes, sir,” and “No problem, sir.” Still, her nerves got the better of her as she walked into the office. Tesah wasn’t there yet, but it was clear he’d stopped by over the weekend—her desk held a Dictaphone filled with emails to transcribe and two manila envelopes addressed to her.

She hesitated before picking up the flatter envelope. Taking a deep breath, she opened it carefully and found exactly what she expected: her copy of the nondisclosure agreement, now officially notarized. Annoyed, she shoved it back into the envelope and tucked it away in her desk drawer. So much for staying calm. One envelope had already thrown her off balance.

Her eyes shifted to the second envelope, which was bulkier but strangely light. Opening it with less caution, she tipped it over, and a piece of paper and a scrap of white cotton fell onto her desk. She stared in disbelief, her eyes widening as recognition set in.

With a gasp and a furious blush, she snatched up the Hello Kitty boy shorts and stuffed them into her bag before anyone could see. Then she picked up the note, which bore Tesah’s bold handwriting:

"These got mixed in with my things. –TC"

Kira crumpled the paper and threw it into the trash. Just when she thought she could put the whole Medina incident behind her, Tesah had to remind her of it.

Trying to shake it off, she started her routine: setting up the coffee machine, watering the ficus, and diving into the backlog of emails. By the time Tesah arrived, nearly an hour late, she was completely absorbed in her work.

Still, Kira felt his presence immediately and tensed. All her rehearsed lines evaporated the moment he entered the room.

“Good morning, Kira,” he said smoothly before she could speak. “I hope the jet lag hasn’t been too bad.”

“It’s…” she faltered, unable to finish her sentence. He waited briefly, then gestured toward her computer.

“Are you almost done with those emails?”

She nodded, unable to speak.

“Good,” he said, rocking back on his heels. “Great.”

He lingered, watching her. The silence stretched awkwardly, and Kira wished he’d either leave or give her some task to do.

Finally, Tesah broke the silence. “Peter Whitman’s assistant resigned, and I think that role might suit you better.”

“Oh,” she managed to reply.

“It comes with a slight pay cut,” he continued, “but you knew this position was temporary, right?”

“Yes, I did,” she admitted, keeping her eyes on her keyboard to avoid looking at him.

“Good, that’s settled,” Tesah said, his tone gruff.

“I don’t know who Peter Whitman is,” Kira confessed. “And when would I start?”

“You’ll work here for the rest of this week,” Tesah explained. “Next Monday, you’ll start with him. He’s the head of HR. I thought about assigning you to accounting, but HR seems like a better fit since you’re good with people.”

Surprised, Kira looked up and met his gaze. His intense stare was unsettling, but she appreciated that he’d considered her strengths. “Thank you.”

Tesah nodded but added, “You know this job is above your current skill level, right?”

“Well, if I didn’t before, I do now,” Kira replied dryly, earning a disapproving frown from him.

“This transfer has nothing to do with what happened a few days ago” Tesah said suddenly, his voice firm. “It was always going to happen.”

“I understand,” Kira replied. “But it feels sudden. Is Megan still on maternity leave.”

“She won’t be back for another six months,” he said. “I need someone who can handle every part of this job, and you’re not quite there yet.”

“Of course,” Kira said, oddly feeling like she’d gained the upper hand. It gave her a little confidence. “Would you like your coffee now?”Tesah hesitated, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. "Yes, please," he finally replied, his voice regaining its usual smoothness.

As Kira poured his coffee, she couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and disappointment. Relief that the awkward conversation was over, and disappointment that their interaction was once again strictly professional. The Medina incident, as Tesah had so clinically termed it, hung in the air like a ghost, an unspoken elephant in the room. She had hoped, foolishly perhaps, that the returned boy shorts and the curt note might lead to something more, some acknowledgement of the charged moment they had shared. But Tesah Clover, it seemed, was a master of compartmentalization.

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He took the coffee from her, his fingers brushing hers for a fleeting second. Kira felt a shiver run down her spine, a stark contrast to the cool air conditioning of the office. He retreated to his office without another word, leaving Kira to grapple with the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her.