Three bags stuffed with subs dangle from my hands. Today's lunch. The inner office door opens from the other side and I step back.I peek up from where the bags are cutting the circulation off from my fingers to see Trey stopped to hold the door open. "Here, let me help."He takes two bags from me and my fingers ache as the blood flow returns. "Thanks."Together we walk to the long table on the side wall of the open office space."I'd planned to ask if you wanted to do lunch today since we still haven't made up for Monday, but it looks like you're busy."An undignified noise escapes me and then I follow it up with actual words, "Finn left me in charge of food by myself today. I need to pass it all out."He smiles but is quick to cover it up when my frown deepens. "I'll help. We wouldn't want a repeat of the doughnut incident this morning."Another pft-like noise answers his reminder of the jelly hell from this morning's snack mix up. I should've known there was more to hi
The large lobby clock counts down the seconds and I chart each one as the second hand ticks its way around the circle. Eleven minutes and twenty-eight seconds until the work day ends. Eleven minutes and twenty-six seconds until I skip out those doors happy to have survived this Melvin filled day.I wonder how many people quit because of Melvin? Why does Finn keep him? Ten minutes and fifty-six seconds. Aspen's man comes off as sweet and laid back. Maybe he has a soft spot for Manic Melvin? Ten minutes and fifty-one seconds. Maybe Menacing Melvin has an important job? Like if they created bombs, he'd be the guy with the second launch key. Would anyone trust Melvin with the second key? I wouldn't.At ten minutes and forty-seven seconds, there's movement to my left and my eyes automatically track it. There's nothing on the desk except a few pens and the pop-up calendar. Weird. I hope a spider or some other creepy crawling hasn't tried to make my desk his new home.Ten minutes and th
Time slows and eventually my cries even out. I'm able to gain control of my ragged breathing. Trey doesn't say anything, but he continues to rub my back in small circles. After a few more minutes, I've quieted enough to talk again and the embarrassment over what happened in this closet makes my body tight for new reasons. Trey must think I'm a mess. Who am I kidding? I am a mess.I move my head away from his shoulder and wipe a hand down it even though my palm does nothing to soak up the wetness my tears left behind. "I'm so sorry." I attempt to inch away from him, but his grip tightens keeping me in place. My eyes are tired, but they can't take much in from the black closet. A thin line of light brightens the floor from the bottom and I remember I'm at work."God. I can't go back out there like this," I moan and put my head back into Trey's wet sleeve."Don't worry. Everyone's probably left by now and no one comes out this way anyway. The back entrance is closer to the parking l
I jerk awake. The rattle of Aspen's wooden door jarred against the frame so loud I almost fall off the couch in panic. Please, dear God, not another earthquake. Sunlight streams into the room and pools on the floor from a split where two curtain panels come together. The door rattles again and I sit up on the pull-out couch and bring the covers up to my chest."Aspen! Simone!" The noise carries through to the apartment and I breathe a sigh of relief. I'm pretty sure a robber wouldn't call out for us first.Aspen's bedroom door opens as she fixes her askew ponytail and walks to the kitchen. "I'm coming!" she yells toward the door. "Don't worry. Only Finn, Mar, and my sister-in-law have the code, and only Jake has the meaty fists required to make the door shake with such passion."Her long fleece pajama pants are white with big orange SF logos all over them. They match the logo on her short sleeve shirt. She's seems nonchalant rather than worried why Finn would try to break down he
"No, of course not," he reaches Aspen and wraps his arms around her.In one sudden movement Jake is off his chair. "Well now that it's settled, show us to the boxes."Wait, it's all settled? Jake strolls toward the bedroom where he piled the boxes the first time. He's a man of few words, but when he speaks, people listen because within seconds we all follow behind him.I guess everything's settled. I'd like a few minutes to process the latest development in my life, but Jake, Finn, and Trey all walk out of Aspen's room, each with a box, and head out the front door. I open my mouth to say...well something... but don't. I'm sure when I wake up in a real bed tomorrow, I'll have less reservations about it all. At least I hope that's the case.... Jake drops the last box in the middle of the small living room I now call my own and gives a swift wave as he heads out the door."The places come furnished or not, depending on what the employee needs. So I left everything here for y
I walk out from the bedroom collapsing the last cardboard box. "You know the good thing about my current vagabond lifestyle?"Trey turns around on the couch. "Huh, let me think." His eyes travel up and down and make me feel exposed even in the jeans and t-shirt I changed into this morning. "Hobo food is easy to make?"I toss the flattened box like a Frisbee toward the pile by the kitchen bar and surprisingly it hits the mark even if it lands on the side rather than right on top. "No," I point to the small pile of unpacked boxes, "easy unpacking." The couch sits a foot or so from the wall even though there isn't space for that kind of layout in the small apartment. I stop on the back side of it and lean closer to Trey. "I'm hungry.""Hmm, me too." He leans closer and one hand cups my cheek drawing me closer to him until our lips press together. He pulls away enough to bite my bottom lip and I moan at the contact. I'm seconds away from crawling over the back of the couch when he pu
The Justin Timberlake song starts over again and Trey's eyes narrow at me. I give him my best innocent look to remind him I'm the one tied up here. From one instant to the next his expression changes. Reaching above me, Trey brings the still loose back section of his shirt over my eyes blocking out my light. The bed moves and I still to focus on listening for where he is, but I don't feel him next to me. The pounding of my heart drowns out any other sound in my vicinity."Hello," Trey answers my phone in the kitchen.He's not talking to my sister? He wouldn't dare. Would he? Of course he would, he's Trey. The blue material stops just below my eyes, not being long enough to reach my entire face from where my hands are tied. I try to move my head from side to side to uncover my face, but it doesn't budge. The bed dips again and a hand settles on my exposed stomach as his voice washes over me."No, Elena she's not here right now." He pauses and I tighten my lips, the only part of my
My fingers hammer across the keyboard as I answer Melvin's most recent email. It's his third of the day and like all the others, he's marked it as high priority. This time he's concerned with the light above his desk. It's too bright. I no longer question why it's been so hard for Finn and Trey to fill this position. Melvin. Between the utter boredom of having less than nothing to do all day and Melvin's many needs, they've all gone insane. Finn suggested I bring a book, but at the time a part of me felt it would be wrong. Those feelings ended today."Melvin again?"I pop my head up from my computer screen at Trey's question."Yes, how did you know?" I narrow my eyes at him. I'd be concerned he's tracked my email with all his techy knowledge, but he's the one who sent me a racy email with pictures of what he plans to do with me tonight. I don't think it's a concern."I've noticed the volume of your typing is directly proportional to how scrunched up and distraught your face is.