KINNETIC - MONDAY MORNING

JUSTIN

It’s my second week and I have to say I am enjoying it. Its long hours, but that’s okay as I like to work hard. I look around our cubicle set and as per usual, I am the first one in. I head to the kitchen and start to set up the coffee machines. When I first got here, everyone was queuing for the kettles and I couldn’t understand it when there were two top of the range machines doing nothing. Turns out that they may have artistic flair, but no concept of the workings of a coffee machine. I was very popular when I came in the next day and set them up, not that I said anything. I just did it and everyone was happy.

I am about to start the machine up when I spot the note: Whomever set these machines up can you please do the same for the machine in Mr Kinney’s office? Neither of us have the time to constantly finagle with it. Thank you very much, Cynthia.

I gulp and look around. I am still the only one here, so I head to the inner sanctum of their offices. I knock on the door and am so surprised to hear someone say that I can come in that I am frozen to the spot.

“Come in!!” They repeat louder and angrier so I quickly open the door.

“Yes!” The pissed-off blonde snaps over her shoulder as she looks in the filing cabinet.

“The no-note on the machine. I’ve come to…” I trail off.

“The coffee machine! Please tell me you’re the coffee machine fairy?!” She whirls around and looks almost maniacal in her desperation!

“Well I am gay, but that doesn’t make me a...oh, I see!” I stammer, blushing deeply when I realise she didn’t mean fairy in that way. “Where is it?”

“Them.” She smiles at my embarrassment. “This one’s mine. If you could set that up first as he’s still on a plane, I’ll love you forever. The other all-singing-all-dancing one is within his office. And if you could email me instructions, in English, not fucking instruction manual, on how to operate both that would be great...oh sorry. My name is Cynthia and you are?”

“Justin. Justin Taylor. Will do. Won’t be long.”

“Nice to meet you. Now could you excuse me? I need to prepare for the pitch.”

I nod and she goes back to the filing cabinet. Soon, the office is smelling of coffee and she is looking a little less stressed out. “Fuck me, I needed that.” She sighs as she takes another sip. “Okay, let me open up and you can do his.”

As I follow her into his office, two things hit me. First is how roughhewn and macho it is and secondly, how tidy it is!

“Has he been away long?” I ask as I head to the machine and set to work.

“Went last night, back early afternoon. Why?” Something in her voice makes me turn around.

“It’s so very tidy that I just wondered who the cleaner is. I could use them over at my place. I’m a disorganised muddle-grub as my mom calls me. She was so pleased when I moved into my place so she could...sorry... rambling. I’ll just finish this.”

“It’s okay. It’s nice to have someone to talk to in the morning. Nobody but him tidies his office. Can that thing be set to come on at a certain time?”

“Yes, they all can be. What time do you want me to set it for?”

“Just put it in the instructions, that will be fine.”

“Honest, I can do it now, set it for a week, different times, so that it’s fresh the moment you come through the door.”

“Okay, this one for 6.30 from tomorrow but 2.00pm today, and mine for 7.00 for the rest of the week. I give him half an hour for him to get his bean on before I do anything with him.” She smiles at me. “Oh and he likes the Blue Mountain coffee very much…”

“Oh me too, shame we ran out of pods.”

“We didn’t.” She smirks. “He moved them…”

“All of them?!” I gasp and she nods with a small chuckle.

“Well, not all of them. There was one box that was left, but by the time he remembered it had been emptied. So could you set that up to be his first cup? He can do the rest himself.”

“Sure. Oh, won’t be a second!” I tell her and rush down to the kitchen.

“Justin! What’s wrong?!” She calls out.

“Nothing, be right back!” I reply and find what I am looking for right at the back. Two wide but deep coffee cups and matching saucers. In fact, there’s two boxes of them so I pull them out and take them back. Cynthia is starting to come up the corridor. “Sorry, but I love coffee and coffee has to be drunk in the proper cups. I remembered these. I use one and get teased, but I don’t care.”

“Oh they are gorgeous, definitely need to be using them.” She takes the boxes and puts them in her cupboard. “So you know where they are just in case you break your one. They are so beautiful; they will suit his Italian side perfectly!”

“Oh wait, let me get you something.” She beckons me inside his office and opens the cupboard under the machine. And there are all of the Blue Mountain pods! She hands me a couple of the strips.

“No honestly, it’s fine…”

“Just take them. He’s not going to miss them. He’d vowed not to have any here until his machine was working; wanted his first cup to be out of there.” We both turn as the office starts to come to life. “You’d best get back to your cubicle. Thank you, Justin. You have no idea what a lifesaver you are! Oh and hide them! You and him are not the only fans!”

I hurry back to my desk and stash them in my drawer along with the other box that I managed to take before he got to it.

CYNTHIA

Now that is so much better! He’ll bitch for all of five seconds before he sits on his sofa and has his coffee. Thank fuck, he took some of the pods home or he would be fucking unbearable!

“What’s that smell?” Ted stops as he comes passed my office. “Your machine is working! Is his?” He looks so hopeful that I have to nod quickly in reassurance. “Thank goodness for that! He has worn her down, I’ll text her. And whoever did those can they do mine?”

“I’m sure, he will. Now you…”

“Oh that’s gorgeous, where did you find that?” He comes in marvelling at the cup.

“The coffee fairy.” I take out a set for him. “Mine has Dharkan in it, want one?”

“Oh please!” He comes in and takes a seat. “I hope the combination of him signing them and his coffee being in place will have him in only a bad mood.”

“Me too. He’s right though…”

“Who?” Ted frowns, but that is soon wiped off his face when he has his first sip of coffee, which he quickly drains with a sigh of pleasure.

“The coffee fairy. It does taste better out of a proper cup.” I tell him as I start to ping an email to Justin. “Want another one and what time?”

“Yes and what time what?”

“What time do you want your machine to start from?”

“Oh, 7.00.”

“Got it. Now he gets here at 2.00pm so let’s make this as pain-free as possible.”

TED’S OFFICE - 20 MINUTES LATER

TED

Oh that smells delicious! I have been gathering my favourites and they are piled in a crystal bowl to the side of machine. We all have crystal vases by our machines with a mix of pods in there. Apparently, the coffee fairy has rules about how things should be stored from a purely aesthetic point of view. Well, whatever. As long as when I hit the office at seven he is in a mellow mood, the coffee fairy can do whatever the fuck he wants!

DINER - FOUR HOURS LATER

DEBS

I tilt my head and wait for him to try and justify why he should have the machine and I can’t.

“It’s too fancy for you.” Michael attempts.

“Then it’s too fancy for either of us.” I reiterate.

“And we don’t drink enough coffee to justify that machine.” Ben points out.

“But we could...” Michael wheedles.

“But we won’t. I barely have two cups a week. And…” He peers at the machine again. “That is top of the line, the pods alone will…”

“There’s pods in here!” He crows and for a second, I start to hate the meticulousness that is Brian Kinney when the door opens and a harassed looking chap comes in. “Can I help you?”

“Yeah, I’m looking for...oh you. I’m looking for you, Debs. I...ah, there it is. It needs to be taken back. The one at work now works and…”

“Wait, who are you?” Michael demands, standing in front of the machine. “You could be a thief!”

“I have a very niche market if I am stealing coffee machines. I work for Kinnetic as one of the post room boys. I was sent here to get the machine and bring it back within the hour. I don’t want to get shouted at, so if I could just box this up, I’ll be on my way.”

“No, we need to check this out. Let me call Brian!” He holds him off, but the guy just shakes his head and pulls out his phone then puts it on speaker.

“Cynthia Moore speaking!”

“Hi Cynthia, it’s…”

“It’s Michael!” He shouts. “Someone is here trying to steal the coffee machine that Brian said we could have!”

Ever thankful that the diner is empty most Monday mornings, I just glare at him and point to the booth. He goes and sits down while Ben takes the pods off of him.

“Cynthia, it’s Debs. Sorry about that, you know…”

“Yes, I know. Look Debs, I’m really busy, so can you just let the guy do what I asked him to do please?”

“Sure honey, you carry on.” He hangs up and starts to box up the machine back up and in less than 15 minutes, what could’ve caused uproar in the diner, is gone.

“Still don’t see why we couldn’t have kept it.” Michael pouts and Ben rolls his eyes.

“We wouldn’t have used it, and eventually I would say we…” He pauses and then observes Michael quietly. “I see. And in the diner, it wouldn’t have worked either.”

“Why not?” Michael has a telling blush across his cheeks. Ben has caught him out in something.

“Because the queens and the fags would be quarrelling over the pods, as in whose turn is it to buy the next lot, and I would spend half my time cleaning instead of serving. So I am glad it went back!” I retort and he glowers at me, but then it hits me. He’d take the machine and use it for a few weeks and then agree with Ben to sell it. I catch Ben’s eye and shake my head.

“Okay, I’m going to work. See you later, Michael.” Ben bends down to kiss him, but Michael turns his face so he gets him on his cheek. He stands, shrugs and with a kiss to my proffered cheek is gone.

“He should’ve backed me up!” Michael grumbles as I place the diner coffee in front of him with great relish.

“What would you have bought?” I ask, sitting down.

“Bought? What do you mean bought?”

“That machine isn't the first thing of Brian’s that you have sold which he’s given to you. No doubt, it wouldn’t have been the last. So what would you have bought?”

“Something for Jenny.” He says and I smile. I love my granddaughter.

“So what did he say when you asked him?” He frowns. “Brian? About helping you pay the support this month?”

“I’ve not had a chance to talk to him about that yet. Ben is not happy about me asking him, but supports my decision to...”

“What does it have to do with Ben? Brian is your best friend! Gus and Jenny are brother and sister. Gus is his son and…”

“Jenny is Michael’s daughter and not his.” Carl’s voice interrupts sharply. “This is one of the many discussions we’ve had before, Debs. Leave it alone. Do not go around to browbeat Brian into some kind of owing you supplication. You don’t know half the stuff you think you do.”

“And since when does the opinion of an ex-boyfriend count?” Michael sneers.

“When the ex-boyfriend knows more than the supposed mother and best friend of the person they are talking about!” He snaps and places his order with Kiki before turning back to us. “The only way you will be happy Debs is to cut the apron strings. Because if you don’t, when he sinks you’re both going to drown. Oh thanks, Kiki. See you later.”

“Bye, Carl.” She calls out as he leaves before glaring at me, but saying nothing.

“What are you looking at her like that for?” Michael demands and I smile at his defence of me.

“Because he’s right, Debs. You have a good 2nd son, but you’re losing him. You had a good man too, but you lost him. You have a granddaughter, whom you don’t see...and who’s the common, very common feature in this equation...your first son.”

“Hang on there!” I bridle. “Michael had nothing…”

“Going to my section. You keep deluding yourself that he’s had nothing to do with anything!”

KINNETIC - EARLY AFTERNOON

MAIN BOARDROOM

JUSTIN

“It’s big.” Murph, my boss says, as we were all called into the huge boardroom for an announcement. We’re all seated facing three, at the moment, empty chairs. The door swings open and first Cynthia comes in, followed by Ted and then we wait.  “Very big.”

“Everyone assembled?!” A voice bellows and I feel it vibrate through me.

“Yep.” Cynthia calls back and takes a seat. Ted takes the other, leaving the middle one empty.

A tall elegant figure strides across the stage and stands in front of the empty chair. He puts his gold cup on the seat and then turns to face us. “For those of you who don’t foolishly know, and if you don’t why the fuck are you working here, I’m Brian Kinney. Your ultimate boss. We signed three major clients over the last three days and while I am an ultimate asshole/bastard/insert whatever fucking description you’d like here, I also am fair. So well done to those who worked on the campaigns and thank you for your hard work. However, special thanks must go out to the coffee fairy, who finally got my machine working. Cynthia knows who you are, but won’t tell me. Well, whomever you are, have the rest of the day off. The others get back to work!”

“Brian!” Ted and Cynthia say at the same time.

“Alright, alright, everyone fuck off then, but be in tomorrow dead on eight.”

As we almost all run back to our desks to get our things, I am just about to shut down my machine when a message comes through on IM from Cynthia; and I quote...I could just kiss the person who did this! Pucker up! Seriously, you’ve made him so very happy! Enjoy your evening.

I chuckle and gather my cup and saucer to wash them up. “I wouldn’t use them if I were you.” Grantham warns. “Only the top lot use them.”

“I…”

“This is not a police state, Grantham. People can use whatever they want!” Cynthia tells him sharply. “And I suggest you spend more time observing your work rather than what everyone else is doing with the crockery.”

“He’s new. I was just trying to make sure he doesn’t make any mistakes.” He says.

“You mean like talking to my tits the way you are doing right now?” She growls and immediately, his head jerks up. “Go home. Try to be better tomorrow.” She orders and as I’m not sure if she means just him or both of us, I’m not taking any chances and quickly rinse out my things and rush back to my desk so I can leave.

BRIAN

I could hear Cyn ripping into someone as I gathered my things and then I see a slim figure, rushing back to his cubicle and Grantham walking out looking thunderous. Cyn comes back up the corridor, looking nauseated.

“Talked to the tits again?” I ask.

“Yes. Loathsome man.”

“Bye Cynthia!” The slim figure calls before rushing out.

“Bye!”

“Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.” I follow her back to her office and wait for her to gather her things. As she does, I look out of the window. Mr Slim has stopped and is searching for something in his pockets and judging by the way his shoulders have slumped, whatever it is, is in here. He turns back to the building and starts running.

“Forgetful.” I mutter.

“Who is?” She asks joining me at the window.

“Mr Slim. He’s forgotten something.”

“Oh I see. You ready?”

“I’m waiting for you, dumbass!” I grumble and bow theatrically.

As we head to the exit, I hear footsteps and Mr Slim is running back down the corridor. He looks at his watch and then slows down to a stroll.

“Missed your bus?” Cynthia asks, holding the door for him and he nods. “Where do you live? I can give you a lift maybe?”

“Oh no, it’s fine. I can...Regent Square.” He trails off in the face of the look.

“Most people don’t get that the first time.” I laugh and he turns to look at me. My eyes are pulled straight to his mouth.

“Pardon?”

“The look conveys a thousand words. Or most likely just the two...fuck and off. Well, I’ll leave you to your evening. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Brian.” Cynthia takes out her keys.

“Good afternoon, Mr Kinney. Have a nice evening.” Mr Slim calls out as I head to my car.

"Good afternoon, Mr Slim.” I call back over my shoulder and he gives me a smile I feel all the way down to my toes.