Shit! I have a job to get to!
My phone is dead, and there is no clock in sight to check the time, but by the bright sunlight filling in from the window I can tell that it is far into the morning and I am late for work. I dashed into the door that was meters away. I had no time to admire how nice the bathroom is.
Should I take a full shower, or just wash my face? No. I can't go to work smelling like the sweet rough sex I had. So in that case, I won't wash my hair then because there is no time. I did a few minutes shower and quickly changed into the new clothes. Beige long pants, and a white sleeve blouse. A corporate outfit. It is a little bigger than me, but it's nice. Nicer than all the ones I own. I should probably call and thank him for this, right? Yeah I should. I take out the note from the trash just before I left. I came out to the roadside quickly and hail a cab I saw. On getting in, I see that the driver is someone I know. A man whom I think to be in his early or mid fifties whom I know by Mr Walsh. We had gotten familiar over the course of me always riding in his taxi for nearly half the time that I have began working. He is one of the very few people that I gotten close with since I moved here nine years ago. So great. Now I do not have to go through the hassle of explaining the route to Bill and Julie's Co. I feel the relief. I am a regular in his taxi. "Gweneth. What a pleasant surprise. It's been a while, hasn't it? I thought you moved from here or something."
"I thought the same sir." I smile.
"To your workplace right?"
"Yep. Please speed up if you can. I am quite late and in a hurry." I pleaded.
"You got it." He starts the car and drives off.
He tunes into a program on the car radio, a celebrity music station began playing. My eyes widens in disbelief. "Sir, is that Colton Runners show?" I can tell that it is but I just don't want to believe that I am so late. That show starts at freaking 10am!
"Yes it is. Is there any problem?" He confirms.
"Shit, I am dead." I groan, facepalming.
He chuckles, "We all have a day that we sleep in every once in a while. I am sure that they won't think too much of it. Don't worry."
"Thanks. That is kind of soothing." I replied. Thinking about it, this is the one of the very few times that I have clocked in late. The only difference is that I didn't call in.
We were getting close to the tall skyscraper. I open my bag and brought out a twenty dollar bill and handed it to him but he turns it down. "Think of it as a welcoming gift for not seeing you for so long." He said. I thanked him profusely and got out of his taxi. Oh what a good deed. That was the only money I had left in my purse. Entering the lobby, I placed my employee ID on the metal scanner. I jump over the small glass blockage as it was taking time to open. I rode the elevator and arrived at the 24th floor where I am stationed. The minute I step into the large shared office space, I knew something was wrong. I sensed it at the lobby. The air and vibe feels different today. Busy. No one is sitting. Even the lazy intern—Cassandra, the newest of the team who likes to play computer games and slack off because she comes from money is running about. They all moving about like machines. There is a tense look on everyone's faces. "Gweneth." The directorate manager calls in relief when he sees me. I am strangely gathered by all of them. "I thought you weren't coming." I notice how relief also washes over his tense features. "Thank you so much for deciding to come. Food poisoning is no small thing. Are you okay now?"
"Food poisoning? What are you talking about?" I don't get it.
Surprise etched itself on their faces. "Someone called in and said you wouldn't be able to come to work today because you are sick and hospitalize for food poisoning." Mr Carlson, the directorate manager spoke.
"Where you really in the hospital? Forgive me for saying that, but you are glowing. You don't seem like you were in a hospital." They look at me questionably at Cassandra's words. Annie had called on my behalf. I am not going to prove her a liar. She is so smart. What did I do to deserve a friend like her? Food poisoning is a better excuse than saying I slept in from getting fucked by a stranger in a nightclub. They don't know that. So does Annie. I have to go on with the lie. "It's true. But it isn't that serious." I explain. "The doctors wanted to monitor my condition for longer, but I pressured them into discharging me." That was smooth right?
"You should have listened to the doctors. But I am glad you came." Raymond, a colleague whom I barely relate with spoke. We have a mutual ignoring relationship. Him being like this now is a cause to be surprise. We are a team of seven—including me, and excluding the directorate manager. Veronica, Laurel, Raymond, Kendall, James, Arthur and me.