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top ten greenest
buildings in South Africa.  Something that was clear from the moment you
stepped inside the cool interior.
    Natural plants and small gardens gave
the impression of an open walkway through a botanical garden.  The lighting was
soft hues, casting natural light over the complete floor, or rather, an
impression of natural light.  She ignored the reception area and headed
directly to the elevators. Even here, she had to familiarize herself with how
they worked, as you had to enter exactly where you were going and be swiftly
carried up to the correct floor, without stopping along the way.
    She hesitated a moment before she
stepped off the elevator, directly into the Executive assistants open plan
offices of the Executives level. All the top Executives were housed on this
floor, and the Assistants their gate keepers. Her hesitant steps carried her
towards her father’s office, which she assumed were still the one in the far
corner, facing towards the center of the city.  She breathed out a sigh of
relief when Gertrude, her fathers’ Assistant did not appear to be at her desk
in the front reception area of his office.  Her steps faltered again when she
pushed through the door and the lights slowly flickered on above her.  Soft,
natural light enhanced the office, and she glanced briefly around. 
    Gone were his dark, heavy wooden
furniture and leather couches he used to favor.  In its place where a massive
glass and steel desk, white leather couches and a glass and steel conference
table surrounded by white executive leather chairs, on the opposite side of the
office.  Try as she might, she could not picture Alexander DuPont in this
setting.
    She walked towards the ceiling to
floor windows and stood staring out to the city spread out below her.  Had he
stood here gazing out while he was thinking out strategies? She was startled
out of her thoughts by her cell phone ringing.  She pulled it from her pocket
and with a start of guilt, recognized her partners name flashing on the tiny
screen.  She had completely forgotten the reason why she was in South Africa in
the first place and never phoned to inform him of what had happened.
    “Hi Charles, how are you?”
    “Samantha, I’m fine, but got worried
about you when I did not hear anything from you for so long. How did the
meeting with Crayon Solutions go?”
    Guilt gnawed at her even more.  Since
she heard the news of her father’s death, she had not taken any action to meet
with them at all. She rubbed her forehead, turned from the window and slowly
sat down on one of the white couches. 
    “I’m sorry, Charles, I have not been
to meet with them as yet.  I ha …”
    “What?”  Samantha, you know as well as
I do how much a merger with them will mean to our business!  It will be our
first big merger with a major International company in the Southern
Hemisphere.  They expected you a week ago already!”
    She sighed heavily and closed her eyes
wearily.  “I know and once again, I am sorry.  As soon as I arrived I heard on
the television news that my father had passed away….”  Her voice glugged up and
she swallowed hard.
    “Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that.
Here I am ranting on about a business deal.  Are you okay?”
    “Yes, but it has been extremely
difficult.  You know I do not see eye to eye with my family.”  There was a
moments’ silence.
    “Do you want me to join you there?” 
Samantha hesitated.  She knew how much comfort she would be able to draw from
him by her side.  He had been more than a partner; he had been a close friend. 
On the other hand, she was afraid that he would get the wrong idea. Over the
past few months she started to realize that his feelings towards her, had
turned to more than purely professional and friendship, however, he had not
said anything to her as such.
    “Thanks for the offer, Big C, but I’ll
be fine.”
    “And Crayon?”
    “A lot has happened in a very short
time that could change my