They Will Know

Glancing around my office, I was shocked I had come so far. A man with my background rarely got this high on the world social ladder. Of, course if anyone found out about my real life, I'd be out of this nice, big, well furnished office and back in an apartment on the wrong side of town. My secretary knocked on my door.

"Come in," I called. She had no idea why I was the way I was to her. She thought that I was insane. I wasn't.

"The head honchos are here for you interview to join them," She said. If I could get past this interview I wouldn't have to worry about my secret anymore. I would be the real boss.

"Thank you. Let them in to the conference room please. I'll be there in a moment.

"Of course sir. I hope you can wow them like you did with the other interviews," she said. She had been with me ever since I got my first management job. If I got promoted or demoted again, she'd go with me. I had to keep my secret for both of us. She left with a smile. I put on my suit jacket and looked at myself in the mirror. There was a new ring on my left hand. My fiancé had proposed to me when they heard I had a shot at the promotion. I wore it proudly. It would be my good luck charm in my interview. A few minutes later, I found my self in the conference room, twisting that same ring as they were seated.

"What is your name sir?" The man in the middle said. I put on my business smile.

"I am Andrew Franks," I said. The same man stared at me.

"Mr. Franks, will you please sit down?"

"Of course." I took the seat opposite the three men and one woman.

"Mr. Franks, how long have you been working for this company?"

"About twelve years, sir."

"What have you done in your twelve years here?"

"I was in a cubical for the first two years. Then I was promoted to management at the regional office in Southern Virginia. After that, I moved up in the ranks quickly, until I reached the Central Office here in New York." I also met my fiance here in New York.

"How long have you worked in your current position, Mr. Franks?" The woman asked. She was the only person in the room not making me nervous.

"Three years, next week," I replied.

"That's a long time to be doing the same job, Mr. Franks," The man on the end said. "It's hard to maintain a job for that long in the economy."

"Yes sir. I've been very grateful that I've been able to keep a job."

"Mr. Franks, let's cut to the chase. Why do you think you deserve the CEO position? We have many other well-qualified employees that have worked here for longer and in higher positions that would love to have it," the same man said. I looked him over carefully.

"I may not have worked here as long as others but I have certainly moved up much faster than the others. Also, I have been at the right hand of our late CEO for most of the three years I've been this high." I said confidently. The woman smiled.

"As we all have seen. Now, Mr. Franks, we are all aware of how you're doing work wise, but how is your personal life? Are you married? Do you have kids? Are you dating? Do you like music? Art? Bars? Cigars?" She asked. I had been preparing for this part of the interview all week.

"I am not married, but I am engaged. I don't drink and I don't smoke. I am a fan of the arts of all kinds. If I weren't, I wouldn't be working for a music company."

"What is your fiancé's name, Mr. Franks?" The man in the middle asked. The other two men seemed interested. The woman seemed like she knew.

"Elliot Tenort," I replied carefully. The woman glared at me.

"How long have you been engaged?" She asked.

"We were engaged on Sunday at noon. Two hours later, I found out about my friends passing."

"Thank you, Mr. Franks," The man on the end said. All four of them stood. The woman seemed to shake off her doubts. "We will let you and your fiancé know on the position by Monday."

"Thank you," I said. My secretary met me at my desk.

"How did it go, Andrew?" She asked.

"They don't know," I said. Remeber when I said she thought I was insane? Well, that was before I told her.

"They will know when you're the boss," She said smiling. Two weeks, later I was sitting in my new office, having a private meeting with the four people who had chosen me for CEO.

"Mr. Franks, are we ready to begin?" The woman asked. She was smiling in a strange way. Like she knew what I was going to do.

"Not yet. We're waiting on one more person. He just came in," I said. A man stepped off the elevator and walked up to my secretary. They talked for a second and she sent him in.

"Good morning Andrew, Andrew's coworkers," The man said. I smiled.

"Mr. Franks, who is this?" One of the men asked.

"This is my fiancé, Elliot Tenort," I said. Elliot took my hand. The woman smiled. "In case you haven't guessed, we're gay. We are getting married in three months and I was hoping you would all attend." The men stared in disbelief.

"My girlfriend and I would love to come, Andrew. Congratulations to both of you," The woman said. "I'm assuming this means that you are okay with me and her dating, correct?" I laughed as I saw her wave to my secretary.

"Of course."