???
"Mother, please." I struggled with her hands as she attempted to straighten my tie.
"'Vanni, I can't have you meeting with people and representing my organization looking like a slob, can I? Now sit up straight!"
"I *am*, mother!" She scoffs, and I run a hand through my hair. "There, is that presentable enough for you?"
She nods and sits on the corner of my desk. "Now then, these are very important people to have on your side, so we can't have you driving them off."
"Driving them off? What's that supposed to mean? And get off my desk, I just had it buffed!"
Persian is watching me from the corner by the door. He gets edgy every time mother visits. He doesn't like her, and doesn't like me talking to her. When he sees that I'm looking at him, he turns back to the wall.
"'Vanni! Are you paying attention to me?"
"Not especially, mother. And don't call me 'Vanni, I'm not a little kid any more," I added with a grumble. She knew how to push my buttons, and wouldn't hesitate to do so.
She was about to protest when the phone rang. It was my secretary, telling me that my 1:00 was there. I gave the order to send them in, and hung up. "And mother," I said as I turned towards the woman, "if you bother me even once during this meeting, I'll send you right back to where you came from."
The door opened quicker than I thought it would, while I was still speaking, and my associates entered. One of them looked around, confused. "Sir, who were you talking to?"
(prompt #45--Ghost)