“No,” she whined.
And despite the complete and utter chaos unfolding around me, one truth rang loud and clear. A truth that might inevitably cost me the most lucrative and most confusing job I’d ever taken in my lifetime.
I’d have to call out of work tomorrow on what should have been my first fucking full day on the job.
11
Trey
Iheld my hand up and flagged down a cab as I drew in the cool evening air through my nose. My suit smelled like sex, and I made a mental note to have it dry-cleaned as quickly as possible. The cab pulled up, and I slipped inside, mindlessly rattling off my address before I handed the man some cash. I wasn’t sure how much, though, and I didn’t care, either.
“Sir, are you sure this—”
I sighed. “Just drive. I need to get home and sleep this off.”
I felt… off. Something inside of me had kicked up, and I needed it to settle back down. It felt like the world around me was still tilting. I closed my eyes and paid attention to the blood beneath my skin. It bubbled and sizzled as if my entire body had kicked up a tsunami within my soul that threatened to wash over me. And for some reason, what I felt blossoming deep down in my soul was something akin to… relaxation? No. Relief? I had nothing to be relieved about.
Happiness.
I could’ve sworn what I felt almost resembled happiness.
“Sir?”
I opened my eyes. “Yes?”
“We’re uh… at a gate? Of some sort?”
I cleared my throat. “Pull up to the intercom and roll down my window.”
The man did as I asked, and I punched in my code to open the gate. The gate squeaked and groaned as the driver pulled through, dropping me right off at my doorstep. I tipped him a bit more money for his troubles and waved him off. Then I eased myself through the massive front doors of my estate, where the sounds of absolutely nothing greeted me.
And anger set back in.
“Fucking idiot I was for this place,” I grumbled.
I made my way up the steps, my shoes clicking and echoing off the bare walls that had hardly been decorated since I had the place built. I slipped into my bedroom and walked into my closet before I took a seat and started winding down for bed. With every piece of my nighttime routine, I felt the anger inside of me softly calming the ebbing and flowing of my soul.
My shoes slipped back into their slots.
My suit made its way downstairs for someone to take it off to the dry-cleaner.
Then, everything else went into a hamper before I hopped into the shower.
I closed my eyes and let the hot water rush over my aching muscles. I couldn’t remember the last time I didn’t feel some sort of tension in my body, somewhere. I gritted my teeth as I cleaned myself off for the night and quickly slipped out, allowing myself to air-dry as I enjoyed a piping hot cup of tea on my private balcony. I spread myself out on the lounge chair, watching the steam rise from my lonely cup, even though I had purchased two sets when I saw them online.
And just as I finished my tea, I heard my phone ringing in my closet.
“Goddammit,” I murmured.
I walked back inside and slipped into some flannel pajama pants before I hunted down my phone. I scooped it up, watching as my screen flashed with an unopened text message. It was from Leslie, and I swiped my finger up to open it before my eyes scrambled to devour the words.
But, her words didn’t bring that bubbly feeling that had confused me and enchanted me earlier.
Leslie: I have to call out for tomorrow. Family emergency. I am so sorry.
I ground my teeth together as I quickly shot back a message.
Me: That isn’t how you call out. You need to put it on the calendar, and then I need to approve it and get it tallied. And it won’t be approved. Tomorrow is your first full-time day. If you can’t even make that, then I need to make other arrangements.
