GRACE
With speed and roughness, I swerved toward the shortcut that led to my workplace. With the way I drove, it was surprising that no police car was on my tail.
But it is a good thing that did not happen. It would have been tedious to have another reason to be held down.
Soon, I arrived at my destination.
With reckless haste, I grabbed my bag and ran into the two-floor building.
I could feel eyes on me as I raced to my station while I hoped within me that my friend was able to cover for me and that my boss wasn’t around.
Many seconds later, I made it to my office but I was breathing so hard that I had to pause for a minute.
With my right hand reaching for the edge of my desk, I leaned against the wall and slid down until I reached the floor.
“Grace is that you?” I heard the voice of my partner, Samantha, calling from her seat.
Unable to speak as I was still trying to achieve normal breathing, I managed to wave my right hand to answer her.
In no time, my blonde workmate was crouched in front of me, and the bottle of water in her hand was placed against my mouth.
I gulped the water so fast that Sam couldn’t help but amusedly watch me.
Once I finished the whole bottle, a satisfied sigh left me and I finally became normal. I then motioned to the boss’s office and asked if he was around.
“Grace, I am afraid the boss won’t be lenient with you this time around. He has been waiting for you since eight.
I tried to stall but he was already threatening to fire you. I want...”
Samantha’s voice soon became very, very distant as I dejectedly went into my little word of thoughts.
The moment I hoped not to witness was finally around. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I get fired. I kind of deserve it.
But it is still scary that the one stable thing in my life is about to crash.
With lumps of emotions stuck in my throat, I came back to reality and glanced at Sam.
With worry etched in her eyes, she placed her hands on my shoulders and said, “Grace, I know the past few years have been rough for you. But the lifestyle you chose to deal with your pain is destroying you.” Her feet adjusted and she shifted closer. “I don’t like seeing you this way, Grace. Grace, please...”
Sam’s pleading words were soon interrupted by the firm voice of my boss who mercilessly screamed my name from his office.
I hurriedly leaped to my feet. If not for Sam, I would have given in to my weak knees and fallen. But her support assured me and I dusted the back of my trousers.
“Miss Sands! Where the fuck is your ass at?”
Ohh. My boss is madly angry. Shit.
I rushed out of my office and headed to the boss’s, jamming into someone in the process.
“Hey! Come on!” Whoever it was said, his hands in the air in protest.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry.” I kept mumbling as I resumed my rush to the boss’s office. When I made it to his office, I took a moment to catch my breath, then I pushed open the glass doors that were separating him from me.
“Good morning, sir.”
I greeted the figure behind the huge, wooden desk which had paper works arranged at one side, and a laptop in the centre. Two picture frames and his rarely used desktop computer decorated the far end of the furniture.
Adjusting the glasses on the rim of his nose, my boss caused his almond eyes to connect with mine and I just knew that I was screwed. His face displayed calmness but the anger in his silence was of the greatest level.
I read more of that anger when he got up and pushed his chair a bit too hard.
After he swiftly raced his fingers through his hair, he walked towards me. A few seconds later, he stopped and stared at me from that distance as though he was trying to read me.
His stare became so intense that I had to look away and train my sight on the white tiles. Then I began to dread the silence and wished that he would just say something. Anything.
A huge sigh from my boss broke the uncomfortable silence but he didn’t talk until seconds later.
He said, “Look at me, Sands.”
Biting into my lower lip, I lifted my head and urged myself to stand strong. I was starting to feel a slight headache and I didn’t want that feeling to overpower me.
“I am afraid you have taken it too far, Sands.” My boss’s hoarse voice was too calm. “Last time you came late to work, you said it wouldn’t happen again. You have used that statement almost ten times in three weeks and that is not impressive for a top employee like you.”
He blinked furiously and released heavy breaths before continuing, “We had a board meeting today where I was meant to submit the work I assigned you last week but you were nowhere to be found neither was your work.”
As that moment advanced into great suspense, he backed his steps a little more and walked to the grand window behind his desk. He stared out of the window and said, “I am sorry Miss Sands but we can’t condone such an attitude. The board members requested that your...” He sighed and my heart tightened. “... employment should be terminated.”
He whispered the last words, it was almost as though he hated what he just said.
I finally let out the air that I had been keeping in, my body shaking a bit as I did.
Unable to give any reasonable response to his question of whether I would be fine, I just nodded and walked out of his office, unusual heaviness in my chest.
With a fallen face I made it to my office and slumped into my chair like a bag of rice. I heard Samantha approach me and when she made it to my desk, I looked up at her and pouted, my tears threatening to come down.
“I was fired...” I whispered into the room and the pain in my heart filled my voice.
“Oh, Grace. I am so sorry.” Her sort-of-chocolate scent teased my senses as she leaned closer to give me a full hug.
Then, I started to cry. I cried about my life at that moment.
But when I remembered how my life changed nearly two years ago, I began to wail, so much that I began to get cooing voices from Sam who kept running her hand to and fro my left arm.
“I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry,” she said, the tone of her voice appeasing me.
I sniffled, looked up at her through my blurry sight, and asked, “Why are you sorry? I... I brought this u...u...upon myself. I don’t... I don’t...”
Speaking became harder and my crying took over once again.
I cried until my tears refused to come out.
After a while, despite the frequent jerking of my body, I found a way to compose myself.
I wiped the strands of tears off and told Sam I was fine.
Even though her face said that she did not believe me, she released me from her motherly hug.
Then, I grabbed my bag and took out the work I was meant to submit, and dropped it on my desk. Grabbing my phone too, I got up and faced Sam, trying as much as possible to not start another bout of tears.
“Thank you so much for everything, Samantha. But, I should be on my way to fully start my first day of being jobless.”
Her smile was sad and I could tell that she pitied me. “I will help you pack up. So go home and rest.” I nodded and made to walk out of the door but she stopped me by grabbing my hand.
I glanced at our contact and appreciated the warmth I was getting from it.
Sam continued, “I am begging you to stop living a reckless nightlife. Please stop it now. It is killing you, Grace.”
“I know...” I sighed and hoped that my tears wouldn’t come up until I get to my house.
Samantha squeezed my hand to communicate that she was going to be there for me.
Once she eased our contact and reminded me that she would send my office materials over.
Soon, after giving a nod, I walked out of the room and approached my recently changed life while feeling like the zombie I feared that I would see if I had looked into the mirror before leaving my home.
GRACELife sucks.As I parked my car, my lips scrunched into an unpleasant pout and my back slumped into the comfort of my seat.While holding back a sigh that was threatening to drop, I tilted my head to the left and that was when I noticed that my breakfast was still untouched and shielded from straying eyes.I lazily reached for it and the smell of fried eggs and fresh bread hit my nose.As I observed my meal from the plastic packaging it was caged in, the fact that my life has already hit the deepest of bottoms crept into my mind and I finally released the sigh.Since I left the office, all I did was sigh. I sighed so much that I think my shoulders are tired from taking all the grunt of my emotions.Soon, I shrugged and told myself that I had to take care of my growing hunger before brooding over the failure of my life.So, I kicked off my shoes, adjusted the seat till my feet could barely touch the controls, and dragged out a sandwiched pair of my breakfast.As I munched on the v
GRACE‘You what now?’ Samantha’s voice reeked of surprise.I looked out of the fast-moving car as it drove past the Empire State Building, a place that recently causes my heart to ache each time I set my sight on its grandness. I quickly looked elsewhere before my eyes could have a reason to start welling up.“I am looking at getting a babysitter’s job,” I repeated to Samantha who had initially called to apologise for not making it to my place the previous day.‘A... A.. Ba... Babysitter?’ It was as though the words were choking her. ‘Grace, you are one hell of a hotcake in the publishing world. But you want to become a babysitter?’“I don’t want to deal with that life for now. I need a huge break from reading lengthy manuscripts.”‘And babysitting is your option? If you want, you can decide not to get a job, you are that well-to-do.’My sigh ran deep, so much that it sank my shoulders. “Samantha, I can’t sit around doing nothing. You know too well that I hate being idle. I want a dis
GRACESeconds later, we were walking past a huge car park and our feet led us to the rear of the building. We entered through one of the revolving doors and faced an elevator moments later. The fanciness in that space met my expectations and as we waited for the ting of the elevator, I kept my eyes glued on the red rug that ran its length and breadth over the entire ground in that empty room.The elevator opened without wasting much time.“After you, ma’am,” The guard ushered me in before he walked in.Once we were settled and the doors were closed, he pressed one of the buttons.PH 5.That could only mean that we were heading for a penthouse.Damn...This family is without a doubt, rich. Because residing in a penthouse in the great Hotel Pierre can only mean that these people are the true meaning of super-rich individuals.Soon the elevator stopped and vomited us into an open room that had a dark green carpet decorating its floor.As the guard and I stepped out, the elevator adjacent
GRACE“It would be amazing if you got that job!” I glared at Sam. “What?” she asked, her mouth filled with popcorn.“The other day, you were against babysitting. You didn’t think it was so befitting for someone like me.”She rolled her eyes as though I was lying against her.“Of course, it does not fit you. But since you’ll be babysitting in a rich home, it is the best job you could probably have.”“Money does change people’s minds faster than a snake bites.” As I threw some popcorn into my mouth, the movie playing on the television became distant to my ears because I recalled something. “It has been two days and I have not received a call. What if I didn’t qualify for the job?”“You have to chill, girl. Whether you get the job or not, you will be called or texted at least.”I agreed with her with a nod and assured myself to stay calm. I have been acting out of place because I keep worrying about not getting the job.It seems as though I am sure that I will fall into devastation again
GRACEFiona got off the stool and walked towards the exit. “It is almost three o’clock, Ruby should be on her way now.” I stood up and followed her. And when she stopped walking and raised a finger in mid-air, I stopped as well. But I didn’t raise my finger.“Ruby’s father will be back around seven pm so you have to stay till then. But make sure that you resume early tomorrow. You need to be here by seven AM. If you can come earlier, that would be nice.”“Thank you, Fiona.”Our walking resumed and as we reached the grand living room, the front door opened and a little girl appeared.She fully walked into the room, and my entire face lit up with a huge smile.The little girl was very pretty. Donned in a black gown top that carried a pink flower in its centre and blue leggings, the girl made noise with her flip-flops as she ran towards Fiona.“There is my baby.” Fiona hugged her to her bosom, almost burying the girl with her love and... her chest. When she dropped her, Ruby faced me. He
GRACE“Huh?” Samantha did not hide her surprise.Okay, right now, I might be shooting myself in the leg. I need to resume by seven am and I’m yet to be in bed even though it is a few minutes to midnight.I am currently chatting with Samantha and David, empty boxes of pizza sprawled on the table in front of us.The two of them surprisingly showed up at my door a few minutes before eight. Though it took them a few minutes to get used to each other, they were soon bonding over small talk and pizza. And I quickly forgot about my desire to fall asleep.In the midst of all that was happening, I told them about my boss. It was that information that Samantha was reacting to.“The very Dominic Powers?” Samantha was close to jumping off the couch.“Dom, Dom, what now?” I sounded uninterested but my insides were desperate for some information. It seemed Samantha knew something huge about my new boss. But Sam didn’t appreciate my tone and smacked my arm in a flash. “Ouch.”“That is what you get f
GRACEA short laugh and I gave in to her pulls. I hurried after her little figure and as we approached the elevator after closing the door, I wondered what could be so exciting about the pool.And when we arrived at the pool site, I saw what the rave was about.The swimming pool, while having a bit of gold in its features, was accompanied by a freaking huge slide that was positioned at a height I would not dare to reach without the assistance of the attached ladder.As my widened eyes scanned the grandeur of the indoor pool, I began to wish that I brought my swimsuit. The peaceful water was tempting enough to pull me. But so was the largeness.Gosh... This is what I’d like to call a proper display of money.“I don’t think you will shwim,” Ruby commented as she put down her juice box.“I wish I could right now,” I mumbled to myself. And when I realised Ruby was still waiting for an answer, I looked down at her. “I wish I could. But, don’t worry, I’ll roll up the legs of my trousers and
GRACE“I feel like I should prank Daddy.”Swiftly, I faced Ruby who sat still, nibbling on what was left of her cookie as if she just didn’t say something about pranking her father.We were at her ballet academy, waiting for her session to begin.“Ruby, why do you want to prank your Dad?”She clapped her hands to shake off the cookie crumbs, swinging her legs which barely touched the ground.“He doesn’t play with me at all. And I want him to. So, I’ll prank him to get his attention.”Aww. That’s weirdly... cute.“But, do you have to prank him?”She frowned and looked up at me. “Uh?”“Why don’t you try talking to him first? Tell him how you feel.”After looking up thoughtfully for some seconds, she faintly groaned, “I don’t know. Daddy doesn’t talk to me after he comes back from work.” Her gloomy expression saddened me but when it briefly wore some brightness, I became intrigued. “When Fiona was here, I talked to her about many, many things. But my Daddy doesn’t talk to me.”I reached