Rachel had a reputation as a no-nonsense businesswoman which she'd worked hard to maintain so as to succeed in a male dominated industry. Although in truth she was as fun loving as anyone else, if not more so as she had an abiding love of slapstick humour. Now, having climbed to the top of the corporate ladder she was keen to amend her image and reveal her true self.

So, Rachel decided to arrange for a very special meeting of her top executives. When she'd told her personal assistant what she had in mind, Kim didn't believe she was being serious. Rachel had had to spend quite a bit of time convincing her otherwise and persuading Kim to play her part. In the end Kim had agreed to the plan and even seemed to look forward to it.

"I can see that working for you is going to be a lot of fun" Kim said.

The meeting itself was planned for first thing the following morning which gave Kim time to acquire the necessary props. It also gave Rachel more time to review the records of her executive management team. She spent most of the afternoon examining the first two.

Martin was the director of finance and had been with the company almost since its inception. Reading between the lines, it was clear that Martin had been good friends with the company's previous chief executive officer. Adrian was the vice president of sales and marketing and was a recent appointee. He'd already sent Rachel numerous messages asking for a private appointment to discuss some of his ideas for a new marketing campaign.

Rachel took the other profiles home with her. After changing out of her work clothes and enjoying a tuna pasta bake, she returned to her studying. Vanessa was the head of human resources and someone Rachel had worked with previously on several occasions. Stuart, the operations manager, rounded out the team. Other than working for the company for the past fifteen years there wasn't much to note about him, he seemed to be fairly uninspiring.

So, after a good night's sleep Rachel was more than ready for her first meeting. Adrian arrived first followed almost immediately by Vanessa. Martin and Stuart arrived together shortly afterwards and lastly Kim made her appearance wheeling in a covered hostess trolley.

"Before we officially start," Rachel began "I have an exercise to build up trust between us."

Kim uncovered the trolley to reveal four custard and cream pies resting upon it. She then picked up the pies one by one and placed them in front of each of the executives. The four of them looked confused and turned to Rachel for an explanation.

"Now pick up those pies and smash them into your own faces" Rachel commanded.

The four executives were shocked by Rachel's instruction but without a second thought Adrian reached for the pie in front of him and thrust it into his own face. Vanessa and Martin followed his example moments later. Stuart glanced over at his three pie faced colleagues and his stern looking new boss, reluctantly he picked up the final pie and slowly pushed it into his own face. For a moment there was silence in the room, then both Rachel and Kin burst out laughing.

"I can't believe you all actually did that!" Rachel exclaimed.

Rachel apologised for her trick and about wanting to change her image. She stated that she wanted to make the company a fun place to work, and that included at the top. She then challenged the four executives to publicly get their own back on her within the month.

* * *

The following day after the meeting Rachel had received a call from Martin asking if she could pop over to the finance office so that he could introduce her around. She was a little suspicious about the reason but was more than happy to play along if Martin was going to get his revenge.

The finance office was located two floors beneath Rachel's, so she took the stairs downwards with five minutes before the scheduled time. Martin was already waiting for her at the office entry and he proceeded to spend the next fifteen minutes showing her around and presenting her to his staff. Rachel was impressed that Martin knew not only the names and roles of all his staff, but also had an interesting anecdote to tell about each of them.

Then with all the introductions complete, Martin assembled everyone together in the large open area that interconnected all the smaller offices. A long trestle table had been set up along one wall and was currently covered by a white cloth. As Martin led Rachel over to stand beside the table, she assumed the moment of payback had now arrived. Martin gave her a friendly smile before taking hold of the tablecloth with both hands.

"And now the moment we've all been waiting for!" Martin announced.

With a flourish, Martin pulled the cloth off to reveal a buffet lunch laden with small triangular sandwiches, things on sticks and savoury tartlets. Rachel was surprised, and if truth be told a little disappointed, not to see a custard pie or other sweet dessert waiting for her on the table.

People started grabbing plates and loading them up with food. Martin handed a plate to Rachel and the pair of them loaded up some food for themselves. They continued chatting as they ate and began mingling with the others. Rachel had finished eating and was talking to one of the accountants when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Turning around she was immediately hit in the face with a cream pie delivered by Martin.

There was a moment of stunned silence in the office before Rachel broke out laughing and everyone joined in. Martin explained what had happened at the executive meeting and the challenge Rachel had issued. Everyone agreed that he'd certainly got his own back.

* * *

Rachel had kept getting messages from Adrian about his marketing campaign and so had finally agreed to meet up. Somewhat oddly he'd suggested that she and her assistant come to him, rather than the other way round which would be more typical based upon their relative positions in the company. Rachel could only assume that she was in for another revenge pieing.

At the appointed time Rachel and Kim made their way to the marketing department. Rachel noted that it appeared her assumptions were going to be proven true as there was a caterer waiting at the reception. Beside her was a trolley containing four shelves all of which were laden with cream pies. Kim gave Rachel a knowing smile, but the receptionist seemed a little flustered by her arrival, especially with all those pies almost certainly destined for Rachel's face very much in evidence.

"I'm sorry, we weren't expecting you quite so soon" the receptionist apologised to Rachel.

Rachel gave the receptionist a reassuring smile and did her best to pretend not to notice the nearby trolley of pies. After a brief wait Adrian appeared and escorted Rachel and Kim through into the office area and gave them a whistle stop tour of the department.

Being fairly new to the company Rachel didn't expect Adrian didn't have the same familiarity with his staff as Martin had. But she was disappointed that he didn't even attempt to introduce his staff to her. However, Rachel was impressed by his enthusiasm and the extent of the department. For example, she hadn't known they had their own team of web designers. In fact, she was so taken with the tour she almost forgot about the pies until Adrian led them into a meeting room.

It looked as if most of the marketing department had already gathered in the room. On the far side was an area of clear space beside which the trolley they'd seen arrive had been placed. Adrian took Rachel over towards the sweet desserts whilst Kim stayed back.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please" Adrian called out.

He went on to explain about what had happened to him and the others at the executive meeting and the challenge that Rachel had issued. The tale provoked smiles and nervous laughter from those present, including Rachel herself. Adrian then selected a pie from the trolley and held it aloft for all to see. Rachel could guess what was about to happen next so was surprised when Adrian turned to face the gathered audience once again rather than planting the pie in her face.

"Now, you did challenge me pie you" Adrian questioned Rachel.

"Yes" Rachel confirmed.

"But being new here I think it's only fair that I leave that honour to my staff" Adrian stated.

Adrian took the pie he was holding and passed it to one of his staff. The young woman in question stepped forward but then hesitated a moment despite her colleagues' enthusiastic support. She took the time to introduce herself before gently pushing the pie into Rachel's face. Next up was one of the graphic designers who after getting his pie quickly shouted out his name before thrusting it into Rachel's accepting face.

This set up the pattern for the rest of the staff, as one by one Adrian handed them a pie and after first announcing themselves, they unloaded their creamy ammunition on Rachel. Pies were smashed, shoved, smeared and even slapped into her face constantly for five or six minutes until all the staff until there were just two pies remaining.

"Together?" Adrian suggested to Kim.

Adrian and Kim took up the final pies from the trolley and sandwiched Rachel's head between them. Adrian thanked his staff and they began to file out the room whilst Kim grabbed a towel and passed it to Rachel who began to clean herself.

* * *

Rachel left work late as usual on Friday and drove home to an empty house where after changing out of her work clothes she ordered a pizza for delivery. Waiting for the food to arrive she contemplated her first week and also the challenge she'd issued to her top executives. She'd been pleasantly surprised with Martin's quick comeback and by Adrian's full on retaliation and was now eagerly awaiting to see what Vanessa and Stuart would do.

She was shaken from her musings by a knock on the door. She'd already paid for the pizza but that didn't stop her hunting for her handbag so she could give the driver a decent tip. Taking a tenner from her purse she opened the front door and was shocked to discover Vanessa standing there.

"Oh, I was expecting the pizza guy" Rachel explained.

"I can do better than pizza" Vanessa stated.

And with that Vanessa produced a cream pie from behind her back and hit Rachel in the face with it. Vanessa then reached into her jacket pocket, pulled out a phone and took a few photos of her pie faced boss which Rachel assumed would be shared around at work. It was at that moment the pizza delivery guy arrived and both Rachel and Vanessa couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

* * *

The month was almost up, and Stuart had yet to take his revenge on Rachel and she doubted he ever would. At their initial meeting he'd been the most reluctant to put the pie into his own face and had only done so after seeing his fellow executives do it. And his company record wasn't particularly inspiring, although Rachel knew that didn't always tell the whole story.

Rachel was very tempted to engineer an opportunity for Stuart, perhaps by inviting herself to one of his coffee breaks. But she didn't and accepted that she was going to be disappointed. However, there was still one chance left as Rachel was scheduled to tour Stuart's section at the end of the week.

So, the day before the next executive meeting, Kim accompanied Rachel down to the factory floor. Stuart had sent Rachel a notice beforehand stating that as she'd be near machinery, she needed to wear sensible clothes and tie her hair back. Luckily, Kim had already warned her about the health and safety policy and so she was appropriately dressed in a pant suit with flat shoes. Kim waited by the entry doors whilst Rachel strode over to join Stuart.

"Glad you could make it" Stuart said.

"My pleasure" Rachel responded.

Stuart then proceeded to show Rachel around the factory floor. He introduced her to the workers on the production line and got them to demonstrate the machinery. This meant that Rachel got a much better understanding, and more importantly appreciation, of the various aspects of the manufacturing process. It was all a lot more complex than Rachel had previously thought.

And then to show how the various processes fitted together into a seamless whole, Sturt suggested they take the raised walkway which overlooked the entire floor. The walkway was a steel construction with railings along both sides and was about ten foot off the ground.

"You will need to wear a safety harness" Stuart explained.

Stuart had two leather harnesses, one of which he handed to Rachel. Rachel followed Stuart's example by first putting her legs through the stirrups before pulling the hardness up over her shoulders and clipping a buckle across her chest. They then ascended the stairs to the walkway.

Rachel could see so much more of the factory floor from her elevated position. That included both the machinery she had seen and glances of some large round object over the far side of the floor. As Stuart led her across the walkway, Rachel could see more and more of the mysterious object which appeared to be nothing less than a giant custard pie. Stuart clipped a rope to Rachel's harness and suddenly she was hoisted unexpectedly up into the air.

"What the...!" Rachel yelled in surprise.

As Rachel dangled above the giant pie, Stuart called all his staff over and explained about Rachel's challenge. They began to cheer and laugh as Rachel was slowly winched down lower and lower towards her messy fate. Then with about a foot to go, the rope went loose and she plunged into the waiting dessert.

Rachel fell through the creamy top layer and into a pool of thick custard beneath. She floundered around in the thick yellow substance for a moment or two before being raised up out of it to the exuberant applause of the watching workers. Rachel laughed along with everyone else, especially when Kim joined Stuart and suggested that her boss be dropped back into the giant pie.

* * *

Rachel was in a cheerful mood as she made her way into executive meeting room. As she entered Vanessa was in the process showing the others photos of a pie faced Rachel on her phone. Martin, Adrian, Stuart and Kim were all chuckling and even Rachel could but help but smile as she sneaked a peek at her messy visage.

As Rachel went to stand next to Kim, Stuart got up and made his way over to the large monitor hanging on the wall. He took out a flash drive and inserted it into the side of the screen which sprung into life showing a video of Rachel being repeatedly dunked into the giant pie. Rachel was the first one to burst out laughing as she watched herself getting totally covered in cream and custard until she was barely recognisable.

"You've all risen magnificently to my challenge," Rachel announced "but there is one person who I think deserves a special reward."

Rachel pulled a custard pie from under the table where she'd hidden it earlier and turned to confront her assistant. However, it appeared that Kim had had the same idea as she was now also holding a pie. The two women grinned at one another before taking their pies and smashing them into each others faces.

The end.