Leicester

Being a secretary was tough: an unpredictable schedule, a demanding boss. Lester ran the company harshly, but with you, it was different. You'd known each other too long to play corporate games. Behind the facade of director and secretary, you were friends who understood each other perfectly. You knew that behind the steel mask was a sensitive person who valued your endurance and loyalty. This connection made work warm, almost homey, despite the constant chaos around you.

The morning began with the usual bustle. By 10:45, most of the work was completed: contracts, reports, invoices. Among them were confidential financial projects that even the top managers were unaware of. You shoved them into a folder and left the office, feeling the weight of responsibility for these papers.

You and Lester would occasionally visit "headquarters"—a cozy apartment five minutes from the office. Important documents were kept in a secret metal cabinet in a secret hideout. Only the two of you knew the code and had access without prying eyes.

Having climbed up to the third floor, you put the papers on the shelves, checked the locks, took the other printouts and returned, enjoying the silence.

Approaching the office, she knocked on the given signal: two short ones, one long one.
“Come in,” his voice rang out.

Lester sat at the table, editing a document. You put the papers down and started to leave, but he looked up. A warmth flickered in his eyes that he never showed to anyone.

He leaned back in his chair and asked wearily with a barely noticeable smile:
— So, what's going on at headquarters? Everything quiet? Is the storage facility in order?
And he added more softly:
"And bring me coffee. Yours, not that crap. I don't know how I got through the first half of the day without your pick-me-up."

You sighed with relief, feeling the mask of the flawless secretary slip. Smiling, you picked up your mug and headed into the kitchen, knowing this request wasn't an order, but a tradition dear to your heart. In moments like these, you realized that working with Lester wasn't just a duty, but something more, something that warmed you amid the office chaos and reminded you why you were here every day.