Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Janelle glances over at me as I come in. “Ah, look who decided to grace us with her presence!” She pokes Randy in the arm and points at me. “You see, Randy? It’s my wonderful assistant, Wind. That was your name, wasn’t it? Or was it Tornado? Or Hurricane?”
I wait, expecting her to move on. She obviously knows my name. I’ve been working for her for months.
But she doesn’t move on. She simply stares at me, waiting for me to speak.
“Rain,” I finally say.
“Ah.” She snaps her fingers. “That was it. Rain. And when it rains it pours, doesn’t it? She’s late, she comes bearing no latte for me like she knows is her duty every morning.”
I sigh and fight the urge to look down at my feet. Above all, Janelle values confidence and strength. If I show weakness now, it could be the end of me.
“I’m sure she has a wonderful story for why she’s late and does not have my latte, Randy. And I’m sure we would both just love to hear it, wouldn’t we?”
Randy and I have always been friendly, but he’s in a tough spot and we both know it. He gives me a commiserating glance and shrugs.
“We would.”
“There was a fire,” I lie. “One of my roommate’s cables for her laptop or something. Fire and smoke everywhere. I think the fire department might still be there actually. I got over here as soon as I could. I’m sorry I didn’t call. I was just in such a hurry getting everything together.”
I’m sweating.
My womanhood is throbbing.
Between last night and this morning, I feel like I’ve been thrown around like a football during pre-game warmup.
Janelle stares at me, lowers her glasses, then pushes them back up onto her nose.
“Well it sounds as though it’s lucky you weren’t roasted alive like a duck!” She laughs. “Go on now. Take these samples back downstairs with Randy. I’ve marked the ones I like. Make sure he scans them into the computer and I get them onto my laptop so I can take them home with me tonight.”
“Of course,” I reply, feeling a sense of relief flow through me.
I turn and help Randy grab the rack of clothes, and we quickly wheel them out of Janelle’s office and over to the elevator that goes down to the lower design level.
“Don’t worry.” He smiles. “She’s just having an off day.”
“Well, we both know that’s not true. But I appreciate you trying to cheer me up.”
I look up at him, and he looks back at me, and we both start laughing.
“Tell you what,” he says. “I’ve got these. I’ll take them downstairs and get the scans ready. You relax for a few and come down in a half-hour or so. There’s really nothing for you to do until then.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you doing any extra work because of me.”
He nods like the great guy he is. “I’m sure. Take a breather. I can tell you need one.”
“You’re the best, Randy.”
“I know,” he grins. “Say, you got any new designs to show me or what?”
“Not yet. But soon.”
“I hope so. Those last few you brought me were excellent.”
“Don’t kiss my ass, Randy,” I laugh.
“Hey, I know talent when I see it. And you’ve got it, buttercup.”
“Buttercup?” I laugh.
Randy shrugs. “I’m trying it on. Like it?”
“I don’t know. Sounds like a 1950s movie.”
Randy laughs as the elevator doors open and he wheels the clothing rack inside. He smiles at me from behind a few sample dresses and waves as the doors close.
All I can think as I turn and walk off is: Thank god I wasn’t fired.
I find Jasmine at her desk, browsing funny cat videos. She works in marketing, which I’ll never fully understand, but it’s what Jasmine went to school for, and she seems to be doing well with it here.
I slide up a chair behind her and Taylor, who is sitting beside her with his feet up and a coffee in his hand.
“Look at you two,” I remark. “Are you getting any work done?”
“Says you!” Taylor snarks. “Didn’t you just get here? Where have you been?”
“Yeah, what the heck?” Jasmine replies. “Have you ever been late in your life? What’s going on? Are you dying? Should we be concerned?”
“Well, I can tell you one thing on me that is dying.”
I part my legs and point down between them.
Taylor’s jaw drops, and Jasmine starts cracking up.
“Oh my God, girl,” Taylor says. “Are you serious?”
“You fucked him?” Jasmine asks.
I wince. “Well technically, I didn’t fuck him; he fucked me. It was the most insane, intense, unbelievable thing in the world actually.”
Jasmine looks at me, almost in disbelief. “No more v-card.”
Taylor’s eyes widen. “And he fucked your ability to tell time right out of you?”
Jasmine giggles.
“Well, I guess I just completely forgot to set my alarm when I got home.”