2

Laura

The whistling sound of the kettle brought me back to my reality and I sighed.

I turned the stove off and made a cup of coffee as I was going to need all the energy I could get today.

The thought of going to work broke my heart into a million pieces.

Aside from the fact that Peter wasn’t the best co-worker to work with, especially when you are having a hard time with life as it is, working three different jobs just to pay off some loan isn’t better either.

On days when I wasn’t bullied to stay the shift with Peter, I’d be working my ass off as a doordash delivery lady or freelancing when I need to lay my head to rest. Life is tough.

I sipped the coffee, almost forgetting it was scorching hot and ended up burning my tongue and throat.

“Son of a…!” I groaned before dropping the cup and a stomping sound came from my ceiling followed by a voice.

The apartment above me had been empty for God knows how long since the rent was enough to buy a villa on an Island where no eyes meet and no trouble reaches but now, it seems it’s been occupied.

“Some are made rich while some of us are made to work and till until our hands shed!” I shook my head before sipping the coffee again. This time, more carefully.

I stared into blank space as I drank my coffee. My mind wandered on and about nothing in particular. Just foggy thoughts that I couldn't bring together as one.

The letter.

It had been two weeks since I got the letter and there had not been a follow-up as to the delay in response or anyone coming over to claim the letter as a mistake for ending up in my hands.

It in fact was meant to be given to me then. I guess.

But I met no man at a bar. Fuck! I have never even met any man at a bar.

As far as I was concerned, my love life was shitty and so is my social life which I would say my life in general is shitty. I have no friends and no family except if my deadbeat of a brother was to be called my family.

So, why did this letter get in my hands? Who is this other Laura George? Where did this mistake come from? Was it from the writer? Or the delivery man?

I had no idea.

I had questions. Lots of questions but there was no one to give answers to me.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sudden ring of my phone and I hurried to the other side of the kitchen countertop to get it.

The caller was my boss.

Shit!

“You are either the new employer or you’re done working here. Your choice now will be the decision of the management.”

Oh, come on, Rick. There’s no management. It's just you!

“None…sir. None, sir.” I managed to maintain a steady tone when in fact, my heartbeat was racing at 100/mph.

“Then, if I were you…I’d be on the first bus.”

“On my way,” I replied and he ended the call.

I had almost forgotten there was a pattern in my life. A pattern to submit and obey. A pattern to work even when I don’t feel like it.

****

“I’m sorry about that night.”

Those words that night now has a story to them and Peter using it carelessly just pisses me off somehow.

“What night, Peter?”

I was way too tired for his talks. Slipping through free hours and break hours to be a delivery lady while making sure my boss doesn’t catch a glimpse of it and coming back here to tend to customers isn’t telling so good on me. Dealing with Peter would not be added to that list.

“The night I…you know… played dead.”

“You have apologized for the umpteenth time and I have told you as long as you don’t do that with me no more, we’ve got no problem!”

“I mean, you still act cold towards me. You took that young lady’s orders even when I told you I could help you with it.”

I internally facepalmed.

“You have no idea there is no one for us in here. We are the outcast and we’ve got only ourselves.”

“I just want to be on cool terms with you.”

I sometimes wonder if Kate and Andrew were actually the bad guys for ousting Peter and obviously me. Maybe I can see things in their direction now.

“You know you’re pretty annoying?”

“I have been told a lot but I still can’t figure that out yet.”

“Well, I can help you.” I was trying not to be mean but he was calling for it. “You know how exhausted I am and how badly I need to go home and maybe rest if that’s at all possible but here you are holding me back?”

“No. No.” he moved aside as if giving way for me to leave. “I’m just trying to be cool with you, Laura.”

I breathed out before speaking. “Okay, Peter. We’re cool.” I stretched my hand out for a truce handshake and he looked at my hand and then my face with a smile before taking it.

“Now, let me leave before Kate and Andrew get here!” I said and he nodded with a broad smile.

I walked to the changing room to get changed and while I searched my bag for my hairbrush, my hand touched the envelope again.

I brought it out and stared at it for a swift second before grabbing my phone and calling the number in the letter without thinking twice.

“I have hoarded this for too long.”

“Hello.” the masculine voice said on the third ring and I hurriedly dodged the phone away from my ear.

I swallowed hard and let out a raspy breath.

“Hello,” he said again.

“This is Laura George. I would like to meet up!”