Page 5 of When in December

“Why are you thanking me?”

“I know that you’ve been here a little longer than me?—”

“It’s all good. I didn’t know you were doing a solo project too,” I said.

“Near South Point.”

“That’s cool.”

“Where is yours?” Alison asked.

“Outside of the city actually,” I said, suddenly realizing how different our projects were going to be, even compared to a stylistic standpoint. “It’s a smaller place up in the mountains.”

Her long lashes brushed her cheeks once in what must’ve been shock. “You’re driving there?”

Everyone was saying that to me, including Hannah, who joked about putting out an alert to all the other drivers that I was heading up that way as the weather started to turn. I might not be the best driver. But I could handle a highway.

“Yeah. It should be fine.”

“I’m sure it will be,” Alison reassured. “I’m headed out tonight. Need to get some sleep before I rethink some things now.”

I nodded. “Have a good night.”

“You too.”

Heading back into my cubicle, I flopped down in my chair. Hannah started to clean up, looping the cord around her headset. Her eyes studied me.

I covered my face with my hands.

“What happened? Did she tell you that you weren’t going to get it?”

I shook my head.

“Wait, you weren’t fired, right?”

I shook my head again. I didn’t even know what to do now. Slowly, I grabbed the food I’d only partially eaten and started to gather my things into my tote bag that single-handedly held my entire life. Pens and printed directions and more paint chips that I continued to go back and forth on rolled around inside, but none of it was what I needed now.

“Finally ready to head home?” asked Hannah.

“So ready.”

two

. . .

Poppy

A hintof light peeked through my curtain facing the street. The sun was probably pulsing off the hints of snow left behind that had come last night?—

Wait.

The sun was up.

My eyes flew open as I bolted upright.

Oh my God.The sun was up.

I swore I’d set the alarm. If I hadn’t set it or if I’d rolled over accidentally and hit the snooze, my phone would have gone off with my backup alarm. Wouldn’t it have?

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