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11.Takeout and Tutorials
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Better In Every Way 12. Just Because
Walking into this Monday morning, I feel refreshed. I feel like I’m slowly starting to adjust to everything. Having George popping in and out of my apartment this weekend helped to make everything feel a lot less lonely. Not to mention, we had finally managed to figure out how to place those large rollers on my head; so now I have the extra benefit of a perfect hair day to kick off the week.As usual, Liliana was ready to greet me at my door with my schedule for today. This week, however, she did not hold back.Today was supposed to be my first official day back; so there was a lot that I needed to attend to.After giving me the rundown for the week, Liliana left my office. Only to, like last week, return with a bouquet. “Another one came for you this morning. Still no card; and this time it’s just the flowers, so no package.” She said.“Oh, okay. Just put them on the coffee table.” I point to the flowers from last week that had begun to wilt. “You can throw those out.” I say.“You
Better In Every Way 13.Our Professional Relationship
“I was just making an observation on the nature of our relationship and how it will change going forward. I guess I have to get used to calling you ‘Miss Caldwell’ myself.” He says, grabbing a sugar packet and mixing it into his cappuccino.I barely have time to decipher what he said before my phone starts buzzing. I pull it out of my pocket to see Rachel was trying to call me.“Just give me a second.” I say to Alec. I get up from the table and move to take my call outside. “Where are you?” Rachel immediately says, forsaking greetings and formalities.“You mean Liliana didn’t snitch on me?” I joke, remembering the slightly less than dignified way I was dragged out of the office. “I need you to be serious for a minute, Dar. We have a lot to talk about. So where are you?” She repeats.“Uh, I’m at a bistro close by if you need me to rush back to the office?” I asked, pensively. I couldn’t properly gage her tone through the phone so I was confused as to whether the things we needed to ‘
Better In Every Way 14.Can You Believe It
I made my way back to the office alone, feeling more optimistic than I have in over a month. I tried to ignore it, but the last few weeks had me in a sort of state of emotional limbo. The experience of having a part of my life plan ripped away and significant aspects of my world view altered had truly emotionally and mentally exhausted me. The only time I wasn’t at an emotional flat line, I was riding the very deep dips. But not right now. Right now I find myself on an upward trend. I allow myself to revel in the hope that my life didn’t go to complete shit a month ago. Maybe everything didn’t go as planned; I may not get the full package where I’d return to the ranch style home, family, and doting husband after a long days work in a fulfilling career. But I can still have the fulfilling career.And goddammit, does it feel fulfilling right now.I make a beeline for Rachel’s office. As I walk past her assistant, Micheal, he gives me a nod to indicate that she is available. I do not wa
Better In Every Way 15. A Quick Detour
The past few days have been a rollercoaster of emotions for me; caught between feeling excited for the new business opportunity and sad about some of the things that came with it.Not talking to Rachel for the past few days has been a relatively easy task to accomplish. It was hard, emotionally, having our last conversation play in my head over and over like broken record; not allowing me to escape all feelings of that day. But both of us were genuinely busy during this past week, so there was no ducking or diving around the office to avoid each other. Neither of us just made the effort to reach out to the other, and that seems to have worked out best. We both needed the space.However, that comes to an end today.Today we were supposed to be meeting with the team from HephaesTech to discuss the specifics of the contract and for them to give us an actual project brief.I was in the main boardroom, going through a final round of checks to make sure everything was in order before every
Better In Every Way 16.How did you even get in?
I am woken up close to noon on Saturday morning by the sound of someone knocking at my door. I try my best to ignore it, choosing to cower under my sheets where its warm rather than going out there and facing the world that is becoming increasingly colder and colder. It may be mid-autumn; but the weather, especially in the mornings, was a biting prelude to winter.Besides, I am exhausted. This last, very busy, week had taken a lot out of me. Outside of the physical toll, everything that had happened had also emotionally exhausted me. Old feelings and very confusing new ones had my head in a spin by the time Friday rolled around. So much so that I couldn’t even make it to Melody Line.I wasn’t in the right headspace to be interacting with everyone, especially Rachel.I still very much needed that space that I asked her for, and I didn’t think it would be fair to subject Emma and Rory to the awkwardness that undoubtedly still exists between us.I just wasn’t in the mood for celebratio
Better In Every Way 17. Neutral Lip
The last few weeks had me embarking on a slow and tedious up and up. Before that day when Emma essentially broke into my apartment, I hadn’t realised just how much energy I spent trying to emotionally mute myself so I could put up a strong front for everyone else. Including my friends.Emma has known me my entire life. I don’t know why I felt the need for the performance with her. But she let me know that it is something I’ve done for most of the time that she has known me. Emotionally shut down and refuse to acknowledge that I even had them. It is probably a side-effect from growing up in a family like mine. Having everyone around you looking at you, studying you for weaknesses they could exploit or secrets they could sell to the highest bidder if they couldn’t extort you themselves. Naturally that didn’t breed an envrionment that could produce a person that was capable of asking for help.Emotions were a weakness. Just another thing that unsavory characters could use against you. M
Better In Every Way 18. Wonderful
It seems I may have underestimated what is going on between Rachel and Dominic as just a crush on her part. It appears as though the feeling is reciprocated.I have been staring at them for the last ten minutes as they were engrossed in their own conversation that Alec and I were not a part of. Seemingly too concerned with each other to remember that we were even there.“I thought this was supposed to be a meeting.” I say to Alec next to me.“It is.” He says, much too absorbed in the endless options on the dessert menu— even though we hadn’t even gotten our entrées yet— to even notice the two lovebirds at our table.“Then why do I feel like we are third wheeling their date?” I ask just as Rachel giggled at something Dominic said. Full on dainty schoolgirl giggle. A sound I haven’t heard her make since she was actually a schoolgirl.Alec finally looks up from his food quest to look at them and then me. “We don’t have to be third wheels, this could be like a double date.” He smiles.“Yo
Better In Every Way 19. Caldwell’s Conquer
Sunday came way too soon.I found myself sitting in the pews of the very same church I got cheated on in. Sitting in the row behind my parents. Close enough that people would assume the image of a perfect family that my mother wanted to portray, without having to sit next to her and subject myself to her direct scrutiny.Sunday mass has been a requirement that I did not miss fulfilling. Mass once a month and on major holidays; a requirement borne out of my duty to my brother, and no one else.If it were up to me I wouldn’t be here; not in this specific church, at least. I would have loved to completely sever my ties to my family’s public image. But when I tried, my mother absolutely hounded George, demanding he make attempt to drag me to this and that social event by my hair, kicking and screaming, if he had to. He’d always defended me against her, rebuffing her demands, but I could tell it really wore him out; and that made me feel bad. He shouldn’t have to suffer for my social fat
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- Better In Every Way 20. Good Old Days
- Better In Every Way 19. Caldwell’s Conquer
- Better In Every Way 18. Wonderful
- Better In Every Way 17. Neutral Lip
- Better In Every Way 16.How did you even get in?
- Better In Every Way 15. A Quick Detour
- Better In Every Way 14.Can You Believe It
- Better In Every Way 13.Our Professional Relationship
- Better In Every Way 12. Just Because
