He hangs his head in resignation.
“Rain check?”
I smirk. “Absolutely. Come find me when you’re free…I’m just an office away.”
We giggle like naughty children as he slinks away.
Once Bash is gone, I turn to my computer, excited to work.
In truth, my focus is still marketing but with a much larger salary.
My phone buzzes, displaying a text from Mrs. Jenkins that a woman stopped by to see me.
Apparently, the woman didn’t give her name, just that she’d be back later.
The back of my neck prickles, but I ignore it. For too long, I’ve always assumed the worst.
And I refuse to keep living my life in that pattern.
Thirty minutes to five, I grab my purse and go over to Bash’s office.
It’s empty but his receptionist is still at her desk.
“Hey, Marcie, do you know where Bash is?”
“He had an emergency meeting.”
“Oh, I hope everything’s alright. I’ll call him later.”
“Have a good weekend, Wyn.”
“You, too, thank you!”
I pull out my phone to call Bash, but note that it’s dead.
The blank screen stares back at me, and I could’ve swore that it was charged.
Not having access to Mrs. Jenkins makes me anxious, and I fidget the entire way home.
To my relief, when I get to my apartment, Jake dashes into my arms.
“Mom!”
“Chi?kší! How was your day?”
“It was good! How’s your new office?”
“Big! I have lots of empty space to put up your pictures.”
Mrs. Jenkins comes into view, clearing her throat.
I can tell something is wrong, so I set Jake down to go back to his Legos.
“That woman is back.”
Before I can respond, a ghost from my past rounds the corner.
The room spins, throwing everything off-kilter, and my vision tunnels.