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Six Months Ago
“Ella, hun, there’s a delivery out front for you.”
I jumped at the sudden voice in my quiet little bubble. “Jesus!”
Laying my pen down, I took a deep breath, chuckling to myself. I’d been so lost in my work, I’d forgotten where I was.
My finger pressed the button on my phone. “Thank you, Crystal, be right there.”
On my way around my desk, I adjusted my blouse and skirt. My kitten heels were silent on the carpet running down the center aisle between the different cubicles full of hard-working men and women.
Yeah, I said kitten heels. I’d finally given up on real heels because I liked my body parts not bruised or broken. The last time I’d tried them, I’d fallen off the bus stairs—yeah, again. I know, it’s a shame. But I’d been in a rush to get to work on time.
Thankfully, May had helped clean me up when I got inside. I looked like the victim of a bicycle accident or something. I’d felt that fall for an entire week too.
I was a disgrace to women everywhere, but clumsy + heels = sudden death. It just wasn’t worth it anymore. Flats were best, but the kitten heels seemed to be working out in my favor for now. And they were cute to boot.
Smiling at myself, I walked toward the front of the office floor. I pulled the floor’s opaque doors open and came to a sudden stop. There was a gentleman standing at the desk with the biggest vase of multi-colored daisies I’d ever seen. It was gigantic.
“Holy bananas.”
“Ella, these are for you,” Crystal stated, her grin so wide it looked painful.
“Wow. Thank you. Do I need to sign for them?”
“No, ma’am, I just need to hand them off to you.” He eyed me. “Can you carry this or would you like help?”
I looked at the vase and flowers. “Thank you, I can manage; it’s not a long walk.” Or I’d try at least. If I needed help with flowers—I’m sure these jokers would never let me live it down.
He handed them over, and I leaned in to smell them. This was a rainbow bouquet of daisies all for me. Gah. I gave Crystal a sly grin before walking to the doors. I used my butt to push the doors open and took the walk back to my desk slowly. I didn’t want to trip or stumble. The last thing I wanted to do was drop the magnificent beauty in my arms. And then fall in wet glass. No emergency room visits this week, please.
I heard a few whispers following my walk back to my office. May met me outside of my door, folders in her arms.
“Well now, that’s what I call a bouquet of flowers.”
“Right?” I laughed slightly. “It’s almost as big as I am.”
She opened my door and followed me in. I set the vase on the low filing cabinet next to the wall of windows, the hard wood shining with the sun kissing it. This put the daisies eye-level with me now. With the sun shining down on them—it was picturesque.
I snagged the yellow envelope sticking up. Reading the note inside made my heart melt into a puddle of goo.
Today I give you the rainbow; tomorrow, the moon and stars await.
Love, R
Tears pricked at my eyes. It’s not something I expected to happen, but over the last six months, working side by side with Rudy, things started to change. I knew when he was close, it was like I could feel him. The scent of his cologne, God, there’s nothing sexier than a good-smelling man. His voice just set off a fire deep inside of me.
There had been nothing more than flirting—until a few weeks ago. His lips had met mine, and I was truly a goner. He’d also had his driver, Carl, take me home since we were getting out so much later than normal. I could see the look on his face as we hit the rougher side of town. I was used to this. It was a ‘keep your head down, but make sure you’re watching out for trouble’ area of town.
You know it’s like when as a kid, you just knew you couldn’t always count on neighbors. You didn't leave your bike on the stoop. And if you got a delivery, you’d best be there to sign for it.
Waking up every morning since, knowing that Carl would be outside waiting to bring me into the office, was nice. I couldn’t lie; it was a relief to not have to chase down a bus. Or dodge creepy people with questionable hygiene and morals.
I felt a little like Cinderella every morning and in the evening when he would bring me home. I looked at it like Carl was my fairy godfather, except his car didn’t turn to a pumpkin at midnight.
“He’s a good man,” May said, giving me a one-armed hug, bringing me back to the here and now.
“He is…but…”
