A Child Of The Fallen Angesl
by
Victoria Cannon
SMASHWORD EDITION
A Child Of The Fallen Angels © 2011 by Victoria Cannon. All rights reserved.
Except for use in promotional review, the reproduction or use of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, by technologies now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Dark Roast Press, Calumet City IL, 60409.
The story is fictional. Names, places and any similarity to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Smashword Edition, License Notes
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Chapter One
Benefits
The shiny, laminated floors of the office hallways complemented the bright blue walls that were lined halfway up with patterned wallpaper. Expensive art hung at the midpoint of the walls, evenly spaced. Not a speck of dust lay on any of the metal frames. Oversized plants in huge ceramic pots framed in both corners of an average sized window at one end of the hallway. The dark green leaves stretched toward the world surrounding the building.
The glass protecting each masterpiece caught the reflection of Diana, a young, slender woman, as she came walking down the hall. The clicking of Diana’s red three-inch heels echoed in the otherwise quiet hallway as she struggled with another messy stack of reports. After turning a corner, she walked by the open doors to several roomy offices. Plush swivel chairs sat empty behind executive desks, made with commercial grade wood, in front of oversized windows overlooking the vista of sprawling buildings outside. Screensavers flashed or swirled across forty inch flat screen computer monitors. Bright lights shone down on the glossy desk finishes from elaborate fixtures that Diana thought might cost more than her biweekly paycheck. Folders here were neatly organized, and clutter was nonexistent on the shelves that lined the walls. Steam cleaned thick fiber carpeting covered the offices’ floors.
A petite co-worker, Erica, rushed out of the office at the far end of the hallway. Her wrinkled shirt was unevenly pulled out of her skirt. Through a forced smile, she said, “Good morning.”
Glancing at the time, Diana smiled. “It’s not even 9 o’clock yet. What’s the rush if you’re not late?”
A loud, nervous laugh roared from Erica’s mouth. “So, how’s Sandra?”
Now Diana felt an uneasy turn in her stomach. “Oh, uh, we broke up.”
“What? Oh, no, I’m so sorry to hear that. What happened?”
Diana knew Erica wasn’t very sincere because of the way she exaggerated the word “so”. “She wanted me to stop seeing other people.”
“Men and woman alike, huh?” Erica headed down the hall in the opposite direction from Diana. “I should get back to work.”
Pointing to the office, Diana said, “Oh, that’s not what you were doing?”
“We’ll talk later, girl,” Erica said from down the hall.
The office door at the end of the hallway closed.
I wonder who’s in there, Diana thought.
As she turned into another office at the opposite end of the hall, Diana’s footsteps were muffled when she stepped onto thin, dingy carpet. She flipped on a dim light before throwing her reports on top of another shuffled pile of papers in a silver wire bin marked “to do”. An open, yet empty button of pills sat next to the bin. An expense report document was on the fifteen inch computer monitor that took up the entire corner of the desk. The clock on the lower right hand corner of the computer screen read: 8:55 a.m. A miniature fan occupied the other corner. Empty mint wrappers littered a small glass candy jar.
“I got here an hour early, and I still can’t get caught up,” Diana thought.
After nearly collapsing into her worn chair with its flattened seat cushion, the seat fell a few inches under her. “Urgh,” she said, and fiddled with a lever underneath the chair to adjust the height of the seat. Her foot accidentally kicked the processor that monopolized much of the empty space underneath her desk, causing a thin layer of dust to disperse into the air. Satisfied that her chair was as comfortable as it was going to get, Diana ran the palm of her hand over her ivory stockings down to her heels, meanwhile, brushing off any stray particles of dust that had blown her way.
Staring at the four off-white walls of her eight by ten closet of an office, she kicked her left leg up over her right leg and flexed her ankle. If these walls were white at one time, I wonder what color the carpet was, she thought while staring at the worn, ragged, gray gaps in the carpet fibers. And it’s amazing these heels have not been filed down to flats after all that walking I did in the last hour alone. Rolling her head to the side, she tried to relieve the tension mounting in her neck before she attempted to pull out her stuck keyboard tray.
The office manager, Mark, knocked on the open door. Turning around in her chair to face him, Diana watched Mark’s eyes fall to her tight black skirt as she swung her legs out from underneath the desk. She couldn’t help but let her eyes wander over Mark’s body too while he walked toward her. Every hair on his head was perfectly in place. Her gaze fell from his bright blue eyes to his tight, muscular arms in that lightly starched, perfectly ironed short sleeved blue button-down shirt. That shirt really brings out all his best features, she thought, but as usual her gaze was halted by the wedding band on his ring finger when he moved over to her keyboard tray and effortlessly pulled it out from underneath the desk for her.
Oh, right. The wedding ring. Damn!
After a brief pause, Mark slowly looked back up as Diana stared into the bluest eyes she had ever seen.
“How’s Angel?”
“The wife and kids are good. We have a meeting in five minutes,” he said.
Pointing to her work, Diana asked, “Any way I can get out of it? I really have a lot of catching up to do now that finals are done.”
“How’d you do?” Mark leaned on the small copy machine.
“Graduated with honors.”
“No surprise there. Does this mean I’ll be losing you soon?”
“Not if my interviews keep going the way they’ve been going. Everyone wants a specific type of experience, and it’s not this. No offense.”
“None taken. Believe me, I wish I could have offered you something full time when you transferred, but we had an unexpected expense arise in our budget.”
“It’s all good, Mark. Just give me that recommendation when I need it.”
“You got it, so no crying about the meeting. Come on.”
“Aw, are you serious?”
“I promise it won’t be long. The company has a new benefit package, so the meeting is mandatory for everyone.”
“But I’m only part time. I’m not that important.”
“And I made sure we included you. There are some new benefits for part timers too.”
“Who else is part time?”
“It’s the least I could do for you.” Mark winked and left.
Feeling herself blush, Diana turned back to her work and rubbed the tips of her fingers across her cheeks. I guess this can wait, she thought, but these benefits probably aren’t worth squat..
Pulling open her top drawer, Diana pushed down the various items in order to pull out the entire drawer before she scanned the contents for her compact. Then, tossing empty aspirin bottles and torn over the counter pill packets onto her desk, Diana dug deeper into the drawer. After searching through papers, pencils, markers, and miscellaneous office supplies, she at last pulled out a soft mint. She quickly ripped open the plastic wrapper and popped the mint into her mouth. Taking a moment to let the mint melt between the roof of her mouth and the top of her tongue, she enjoyed the taste that overtook the lingering flavor of stale office air.
“Nothing beats the flavor of mint,” she said aloud, in a quick moment of ecstasy.
Turning back to her drawer, Diana pulled out her compact and a tube of lipstick. She quickly powered her nose to hide her pink cheeks and pulled off the cover to her lipstick. Twisting the lipstick up, Diana revealed a shade that was mauve with a hint of brown and a sparkle of gold. Diana slid the lipstick once across her upper lip and twice across her lower lip before she gently pressed her lips together. Before she tossed the cosmetics back into the drawer, she looked into the mirror of the compact. Satisfied her make-up was successfully applied, she headed out her office.
Diana walked back down the hall, following the aroma of coffee. Her footsteps echoed as she walked into the conference room across from the executive offices.
Steam rose out the full coffee pot. Several of her coworkers sat around the table holding paper cups. A couple of glass candy bowls sat in the center of the table. Donuts, pastries, orange juice, and hot coffee lined a back table. Mark opened the blinds covering the sliding glass doors revealing a large balcony and the view of the city’s skyline. Rays of sunlight shot through the room.
One of their coworkers, Melanie, laughed as she headed over to the donuts and said, “I knew it was you, Diana. I can hear those heels clicking all the way down the hall.”
“Shut up,” Diana jokingly replied.
“Mark said to go ahead and help yourself to breakfast,” Melanie said while she placed two donuts and a red strudel pastry on a napkin. “This meeting must be important if he’s bringing us food.”
“No thanks,” Diana replied.
“Suit yourself,” Melanie said. “More for us.”
Leaning forward, Diana grabbed a small mint out the glass candy bowl. “I already had breakfast this morning,” she politely replied. Nestling into the luxurious soft, padded chair, she added, “Besides, who wants to get up out of this?”
“Okay, we’re going to get started,” Mark said from the front of the room while he closed the door to the conference room.
Groaning, Melanie returned to her seat between Erica and another co-worker, Belinda.
Loosening his tie, Mark said, “I know everyone is just so excited to be here first thing in the morning, but I have good news.”
“We’re getting raises?” Tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder, Erica’s brown eyes looked up from her coffee and opened wide. Steam trailed up from her cup.
“Not quite,” Mark said. His eyes quickly looked back up from the skirt that clung to her thighs.
“Bonuses?” Melanie asked while taking a bite into the pastry. She quickly licked the corner of her mouth to remove the piece of red pastry filling that clung to it.
“Oh, that smells so good. What is it? Strawberry?” Belinda whispered to her.
“Cherry, I think,” Melanie whispered back.
“Oh, we know who likes that.”
They both giggled.
“Sorry, no bonuses.”
Melanie and Belinda stopped laughing. More groaning came from the group. As Diana ran her hands across the back of her neck, trying to ease the tension, a couple of male coworkers’ eyes turned to the form fitting blouse that outlined her flat stomach and perky breasts.
Mark held up some papers. “Benefits!”
“We have those already,” Melanie said.
“Actually, these are new benefits. I went to the regional meeting last week, and there have been several changes.”
“What?” two male coworkers blurted out one after another, while slamming down their breakfast choices.
Belinda stood up and yelled, “Aw, no!”
Holding up his hands, Mark said, “Belinda, sit down, please.”
“Oh, right.” Taking her seat, Belinda mumbled to Melanie, “I don’t have any legs to show him.” She was dressed in a pant suit.
Mark eyed them when they both giggled again. “And don’t worry. I said it was good news. We are now adding a life insurance policy for both full and part time employees.” Mark slid stapled sets of papers to everyone around the table. After several seconds of silence, Mark sarcastically said, “Now, Belinda, you can jump up. I know the excitement is hard to contain.”
All eyes stared at Mark. All mouths were silent. The door to the conference room opened. All heads turned to the woman attempting to sneak into the room.
Breaking the awkward silence, Mark said, “Nice of you to join us, Amy.”
Amy nodded toward Mark and quickly sat across from Diana. Amy was casually dressed in slacks and a white collared shirt. Mark slid Amy a set of the papers as she grabbed a pen and focused on the information in front of her. Her hair was various shades of blonde, but Diana thought that it might actually be her natural color. It shone with health in contrast to the matte beige walls of the conference room.
Amy looked up from her papers and nodded toward Diana. “How are you?”
Realizing she was staring, Diana smiled and nodded back. “Good.” Turning her attention to her own set of papers, Diana massaged the back of her neck again while she read the terms of the policy. The policy stated that in the event of her death the selected beneficiary would receive $50,000. Looking over the possible choices, Diana thought, I’m single… no children… guess I’ll leave this to my brother, Doug. After all, we’re several years apart. I watched him so much growing up I feel like a second mother to him anyway. I’d want him to be taken care of. Like I worked for something...
Diana began to fill in the required information on the life insurance application, but the ink in the pen ran out. Fiercely scratching the pen on the corner of another piece of paper, she was unable to get the pen to write any further.
“Here you go.” Amy tossed her pen to Diana.
Catching the pen as it came toward her, Diana smiled. “Thanks.”
“The second paper is the new health insurance plan,” Mark said.
“What?” most of the coworkers simultaneously yelled.
“No, how high is this deductible?” Melanie yelled over the crowd.
“Relax,” Mark said as he flipped through the papers. “Read the fine print. We switched policies because it was the exact same coverage with FEWER premiums to pay.”
Cheers erupted.
Mark looked at Diana. “But, unfortunately, only full time employees are eligible.”
The two male employees high fived each other. “And we’re full time!”
“And we used the money we saved to get a dental plan!” Mark paused. “If you’re full time.” Pointing to different lines, Mark said, “I just need your information here and signature here, here, and here.”
Claps and more cheers erupted from everyone around the table except Diana, who was slowly writing in all her information for the life insurance policy.
“I told you this was going to be quick,” Mark said. “Once you’re done with your forms, hand the papers back to me, and you are free to return to your work.”
Chatter broke out around the table as Mark was bombarded by completed forms. After all the other employees made a mad dash to the door, Amy handed her papers to Mark, just as Diana finished filling in her information.
Dropping the pen, Diana shook her hand out and rubbed her right thumb into the center of her left palm. “I’m so used to computers I think I forgot how to write. Handwritten words don’t even look right anymore. I even sign everything with a stamp.”
Grabbing Diana’s paper, Amy laughed, stood up, and handed the papers to Mark for her. Mark moved over to the side of the table where Diana was sitting. Walking up to the nearby copy machine, he pushed a few buttons, but before he even looked at what the copy machine was doing, he watched Diana scoot her chair back and uncross her legs to stand up.
“Back to work,” Diana said to Mark while she stopped to watch perfectly printed color copies spit out into the copier’s tray.
Mark held out another stack of papers. “I need about fifty additional sets of these copied for the VP in forty-five minutes.”
“You’re the boss.” Diana grabbed the stack of papers with both hands. Looking back at Mark, she said, “Wait a minute. We have a VP?”
“Don’t worry. I still run the ship.”
“We weren’t worried,” Amy sarcastically said.
Turning back to Amy, Diana was stunned at her tone. Amy’s eyes slowly traveled back to her and she found herself looking into another set of bright blue eyes, but this time Diana thought, There is something very different about her eyes - a light almost whitish shade of blue, but there’s an intriguing spark in her stare.
“Make sure you’re on time for the next meeting,” Mark replied mildly.
Giving him a quick salute, Amy said, “Yes, sir.”
Amy pushed Diana’s chair underneath the table and put her hand behind Diana’s back to guide her out the room. “I’m Amy, by the way.”
“Diana. I just transferred from another department a few weeks ago.”
“Can I help you with the papers?”
“Thanks, but I got it. I’m used to this.”
“Used to it, huh?”
“Oh, yeah.”
They headed out the room. “Dare I ask… How do you like it here so far, Diana?”
“It’s work.”
“Have you taken your break yet?”
Holding up the papers, Diana said, “No, I have to get this done.”
“Usually, I’d insist we take one, but you’ve literally got your hands full right now.”
Amy followed Diana back to her office. Walking over to her copy machine, Diana set the stack of papers aside. She set the first page on the glass plate, closed the top, keyed “50” into the number of copies, and hit start. The first page immediately jammed.
“Oh, damn!”
Walking over to the copier, Amy said, “You gotta love technology.” She opened the paper tray and pulled out a crinkled paper. Closing the tray, she said, “There.” She hit the start button, causing the copies to resume. A couple of spots appeared on the copies, but the papers were otherwise legible.
“How long have you been working here?” Diana asked.
“Five years. It’s hard to believe sometimes that I survived under a boss like Mark.”
“He’s not that bad.”
“Yeah, well, you’re cute,” Amy said.
Looking away, Diana glanced down.
Amy continued, “I’d expect you to say that. I imagine he probably gives me more work than you since I don’t play on his team.”
Looking back toward Amy, Diana said, “Oh, I hate all that team building bull shit they try to force on us in company meetings…”
“That’s not what I was referring to.”
“Oh, oh..” Quickly waving her hand, Diana said, “I get more than my share of work. I imagine it’s because I’m the new hire, though.”
Smirking, Amy said, “Well, give him time to feel you out… or up and I’m sure he’ll ease off... or on.”
Smiling back, Diana added, “And FYI – I play both teams. It’s not a big secret around here.”
“Oh, I see. Well, look, I don’t want to hold you up from your work.”
Diana nodded. The copy machine jammed again. Opening the paper tray, Diana pulled out another crinkled paper and closed the tray. She hit the start button to resume copies, but the machine jammed again.
Crumbling the paper in one hand, Diana grabbed the empty pill bottles and torn pill packets with the other hand. Dropping everything in the trash, she said, “Not a good time to be out of these.”
Amy opened the tray and removed yet another crinkled paper stuck far back in the machine. “But since you’re new, there’s a really cool place I want to show you at break. Maybe tomorrow, some time when you’re not as busy.”
“I’m always busy, but you know where to find me.” Diana grabbed another prescription pill bottle with a label that read “Muscle Relaxer” out of her bag.
Hitting the start button for her with one hand, Amy said, “Great.”
The copies resumed printing.
***
Walking into her office at 8:05 a.m., Diana fought back the raging frustration and anger that swam through her veins as she looked at the mountains of new paperwork on her desk. It seems like the harder I work the more work I’m given.
Flipping through the papers, she breathed a sigh of relief. Oh, good. Belinda must have put this stack here by mistake again. This is for Melanie’s department. Steadying the papers with two hands, Diana headed out her office.
As she turned the corner, a tall man with a thick build and dark hair, bumped into her. Grabbing her arms to prevent the papers from falling, he said, “Whoah.”
“Nice catch,” Diana said. When she looked up from her papers, Diana felt a calm come over her while she felt his strong hands holding her.
Slowly letting go of her, he said, “I’m surprised to see anyone here this early. Most people don’t get in until 9.”
A few inches separated them, but neither one backed up. “Yeah, I, uh, like to stay on top of things.”
“That’s a good work ethic to have. Not too many people have that.” Nodding to her papers, he said, “So, I’ll let you get back to it.” He finally released her arms, smiled and turned the corner.
Damn, she thought. She turned around, but decided against peering around the corner to catch another glimpse of him. Who was that?
Heading over to Melanie’s desk, Diana set the papers in her paperboard box marked “to do”. Glancing at a company memo sitting on the desk, Diana read the first lines: Written Warning – multiple call outs. Any additional call out within the next three months will result in disciplinary action.
Diana closed her eyes, shook her head and thought, None of my business. Now empty handed, she headed back out to the hall.
Pressing the thumb and one finger into the palm of the opposite hand, Diana soothed the slight trembling in her palms. As she returned to her office, her curious eyes studied her surroundings a little more closely. She wondered if she might possibly bump into that beautiful man again. Each time she turned a corner she held her breath, but she let it out again as soon as she saw there was no one there. She thought that maybe if she walked a little more slowly she would increase her chances of seeing him, but the halls remained empty and silent… aside from Diana’s clicking heels.
Attempting to distract herself, Diana returned to her office and pored over her work. She sorted through the remaining mountains of papers and organized the work by importance and time required. Deciding to complete the stat reports first, she saved the longer paperwork for after lunch. Lunch being a protein shake, but it is lunch nonetheless, Diana thought, smiling.
Poking her head into Diana’s office, Amy asked, “Have you taken your break yet?”
“Who has time?”
“No one. You have to make time, or else everyone here will reap the benefits of you running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Let me show you the break area, because trust me - whether you take a break or not - everyone else around you will.”
As they walked down the hall, they passed by the lunch room. Pointing over her shoulder, Diana said, “Isn’t it right there?”
Shaking her head, Amy led Diana around the corner, down the stairs, and out a back door into an enchanting courtyard. A few stone benches were set off to the side. Stone statues were strategically placed in various corners of a garden adorned with brightly blooming flowers. A bird bath sat in the center of a planting of roses and daffodils. Two tiny birds splashed around in the water. Squirrels swirled around the tree trunks before they ran up the trees. Tree branches extended into the sky, but several branches also reached out over the courtyard to provide the perfect amount of shade. The smell of pine and fresh flowers filled the air.
“When you need to get away, this is the place to come,” Amy said.
“Wow, it’s beautiful out here.”
Rearranging small stones around the garden, Amy said, “Sometimes I come out here to meditate, just to get through the stress of the day.”
“I hear meditation can be very relaxing.”
“Have you ever tried it?”
Sitting on a bench near Amy, Diana said, “No, it seems like more of a spiritual thing, and I’m, well, not a very spiritual person. Tense and stressed, maybe, but not spiritual.”
“Ah, I noticed that yesterday. How often are you popping pills for headaches?”
“All the time.”
“It doesn’t seem like it’s working then, if it’s all the time.”
“I don’t know what else to do. It’s my workload; and life, I guess. Plus, my whole body will tense up sometimes. The back pain is the worst.”
“Sometimes it helps to take a step back from the world – clear your mind of everything. That’s the most crucial part anyway.”
“Clearing your mind?”
“Yes! I bet I can totally loosen you up without one pill, without one medication, without one worldly solution. Sometimes you just need to go back to the basics. Can I show you?”
“Please.”
Standing behind her, Amy began to rub Diana’s shoulders. “You’re one of those work-o-holics. If anyone needs a little relaxation, it’s you.”
The stiff muscles in Diana’s shoulders loosened up. “Ooooh, that feels so good.”
“That’s the idea.”
Amy’s firm grip immediately dissolved the tension that had been sending cramps throughout the region around Diana’s shoulder blades.
“You should be a massage therapist.”
Amy slowly worked her hands down to the small of Diana’s back. “I think everyone is spiritual in one way or another. Sometimes they just haven’t been shown what’s in front of them all along.”
Diana’s muscles clenched, straightening her back up. “Uh oh, you’re not going to start reciting scriptures to me, are you?”
“No.” Amy laughed. “I believe very much in God, but I don’t worship him.”
Letting out a sigh of relief, Diana relaxed her back again. “But I thought you said you were spiritual?”
While running her hand slightly underneath the side of Diana’s blouse, Amy replied, “I am.”
Closing her eyes, Diana said, “That feels really good.”
Amy’s fingertips kneading through the knots reached beneath the waistband of Diana’s skirt. “I believe in spirits that guide me through everyday life.”
“What kind of spirits? Wow, my chiropractor can’t even knock out my knots that quickly. You’ve definitely got a magic touch.”
She was feeling Amy’s hands slip around her waist. Diana slowly opened her eyes to find Amy now sitting next to her. Before she could process another thought she leaned in toward Amy until their lips met. Diana closed her eyes again, gave in to the kiss as she felt the soothing touch of Amy’s soft, full lips. Amy’s hand ran up Diana’s side and cupped her face.
As Diana opened her eyes back up, she gently nudged her face against Amy’s grasp, reveling in it. “Now if that wasn’t magic, I don’t know what is,” Amy said.
“I don’t know if I believe in magic.”
“The proof you need is a tickle in the back of your throat.”
All at once Diana felt a feather-like tickle brush across the back of her throat, but despite her attempts to massage the skin of her neck, she was unable to soothe the itch. “What? Are you like a witch or something?”
Amy shrugged. “Some people might call it that, but don’t worry. I’m bound by the laws of do no harm.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can only use what I know for good. If I use it for harm, it could come back on me ten fold.”
“So, I’m confused. If you don’t worship God, than who do you worship? Satan?”
Amy laughed. “No; neither one, really. I think Satan’s real, though. God’s real, but the spirits that guide me, I believe, might have followed, or some say fell with Satan at one point, but it’s a misconception to say they are all evil. They just sought out their own kingdom, separate from God, separate from Satan, and they teach me to do the same. I mean, damn, Christopher Columbus was hailed when he discovered a new world and declared independence from England. Same difference. Just because you create a new world doesn’t necessarily make you an evil being. To say it’s either God or Satan is a Christian myth.”
“That’s an interesting way of putting it. So, instead of being a child of God or a devil worshipper, you’re a child of the fallen angels?”
“Never thought of it like that, but I guess you could say that.”
Mischievousness filled Diana’s eyes. “Have you ever cast a love spell?”
Amy’s face suddenly became tense. “Love spells are generally frowned upon. True love will love you regardless. It conquers all… or is supposed to, anyway.”
“I guess that makes sense.”
“Not to mention, sometimes love spells can go haywire and backfire into an obsession. But I’d be lying if I said I never tried one.” Amy smirked and looked at the stones in the garden.
Tapping her watch, Diana remarked, “Ah, we should probably get back to work.”
They walked back to the door. Amy held it open and motioned for Diana to go first. “After you.”
Chapter Two
Cast Them
As Diana walked through the door, Amy grabbed the cell phone from out of the leather case clipped to the side of Diana’s skirt. She added herself as a new contact and returned the phone by slipping it back into the case. “Give me a call when you get off of work.”
Adjusting the case at her side, Diana said, “I’ll do that.”
Walking back up the stairs then by the lunch room, Diana glanced in. Melanie and Belinda sat next to each other at the table. Their eyes and faces were red from tears of laughter. Pausing by the door, Amy looked into the lunch room pointedly. As soon as Melanie and Belinda looked up, their laughter and chatter ceased. Only the sound of Diana’s retreating heels filled the air.
Looking behind her as she entered her office, Diana glimpsed anger creeping across Amy’s face as she followed Diana to her desk. “Those bitches were talking about me.”
“Excuse me?”
“Did you see how quiet they got when I came around? Melanie and I were once lovers. I came home one day to find my clothes tossed across her front lawn. She didn’t even bother to give me an explanation except to say, ‘Get out!’ She and Belinda have been inseparable ever since.”
“And you still work together? How long ago was this?”
“A couple of years back, and yes. Some days mediation was the only thing that got me through the day. You would think by now this gossiping mess would stop.”
Shrugging, Diana turned to face her work. “Don’t let it get to you.”
Amy laughed. The tone in her voice completely changed. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself with all that work?”
Plopping down in the chair, Diana stretched out her long, toned legs. “I’m sorry.” She readjusted her sitting position. “Ouch.”
Sarcasm filled Amy’s voice. “You must not smile in Mark’s direction enough, to have a workload like this.”
“Ha, ha, very funny.”
“I try, but at least I know you have taste.” Placing her hand on Diana’s shoulder, Amy said, “Call me after work. I need to teach you a thing or two about taking it easy.”
“Oh, really? ‘Cuz just a minute ago, you looked like you needed to take it easy.”
“That is something completely different. I’m talking about work – not…them.”
“How do you suppose I can take it easy with this much hanging over my head?”
“You can let the work run you, but not over you. You need to learn how to still get things done without working yourself so hard. I think we both could use a little relaxation.”
Still staring at her work, Diana nodded. This is a sign I need to not give up on the post college job search, she thought. I work too damn hard to have the smallest office in this building.
“What time do you get off?”
Holding her eyelids closed for a second longer than her usual blink, Diana said, “Um, in a couple of hours.”
“How about I just meet you back here?”
Poring over her work, Diana replied, “That works-- too.” She grinned wryly.
“Okay; well, I can’t wait to see you again.” Amy kissed Diana on the cheek before she left.
***
The stack of papers on Diana’s desk was gone by the time Amy returned. “Damn, you are a little workhorse, aren’t you?”
A few final documents printed off the black and white printer. Slouching in her chair, Diana shut down her computer. “I can’t look at any more order forms or expense reports or budgets.”
Seeing Amy hold out her hand, Diana paused for a second before she grabbed it.
“Let me show you the right way to let go of this place,” Amy said. “And leave work where it belongs…at the office.”
Amy helped pull her up from the chair, Diana flipped off the lights, and they headed out.
“I only live a block away,” Diana said. Her walk was much slower through the hallway and down the stairs than it was earlier. The clicking of her heels wasn’t as sharp.
“Let’s see your place. I could use a drink or two.”
“I make a mean margarita.” The breeze and fresh air felt good to Diana as they exited the building.
“Do you now?”
They crossed the street, and Diana led Amy to her house. It was a tiny house nestled in between two larger houses. The front lawn was small, but the grass needed to be cut. A chair and table sat out on the front porch. Empty water bottles, fat free snack wrappers, and junk mail littered the table.
After she unlocked the door and threw her bag to the side, Diana began to head to the kitchen, but she was stopped by Amy’s grasp. Turning halfway around, Diana’s face was cupped with both of Amy’s hands. The piercing color of Amy’s eyes turned a lighter shade of blue.
“There is a fire in your eyes that is almost irresistible,” said Diana.
“That’s the god and the goddess.” Amy kissed her again.
As Amy slipped her tongue into her mouth, Diana turned completely around. Pulling her closer, she ran her hands up Amy’s back. They gently fell onto a nearby sofa. Diana gripped the side of the end table. A few form letters that read “Thank you for your interest in our company…more experience required... We wish you the best in your job search…” got scattered onto the floor. A loosely closed bottle of pills spilled onto the floor as well.
Wrapping her leg around Amy’s waist, Diana turned away from the mess and brushed her lips across Amy’s cheek and began kissing behind her ear. She felt herself become seriously aroused as Amy kissed back, down her neck and across her chest. “That feels so good,” Diana whispered.
After she unbuttoned Diana’s blouse, Amy ran her hands over Diana’s breasts. “You are so beautiful,” Amy whispered as she reached around and unhooked her bra.
Feeling the warm, wet sensation of Amy’s mouth over her chest made Diana’s nipples hard. Unable to hold still, Diana pushed up Amy’s shirt and nudged her back. “Let me go down on you.”
While Amy pulled off her own shirt, Diana unhooked the front clasp to Amy’s bra with her teeth. Then she crawled on top of Amy and slightly opened her mouth near the base of Amy’s neck. Dragging her lips between her breasts, she teased Amy before stopping at her stomach and gently sucking on the soft, smooth skin around her navel. Diana’s tongue continued to travel south, below Amy’s belly button, as she unzipped and slid off Amy’s slacks. Diana kissed up and down Amy’s inner thigh before she ran her tongue underneath the seam of her panties and around her clit. Amy’s thighs began to quiver as Diana stopped teasing her and focused all of her attention on pleasing her. Amy tugged on Diana’s hair; she became very wet.
“Damn, baby, you’re about to get me off,” Amy said between heavy breathing.
As Amy’s hands suddenly fell to her side, Diana steadied her tongue directly on top of her clit, tasting the juices that poured out of her during orgasm.
Moving her hands back up to Diana’s hair, Amy caressed the side of her face.
In response to her touch, Diana worked her way back up to Amy’s lips.
After indulging a few more seconds in kissing, Amy went still before she said, “You feel so good to me.”
Sliding out from under her, Amy licked her finger, rubbed the tip over Diana’s nipple, trailed it across her chest, and then fondled her other breast. It felt so wonderful Diana’s eyes slitted closed in bliss Once Diana closed her eyes, Amy’s fingers fell to the zipper of her skirt and unzipped it. Twisting her hips back and forth, Diana helped Amy slide the tight skirt down her thighs to her ankles. Then Diana opened her eyes, and Amy tossed the skirt over her shoulder while she tenderly kissed her way up Diana’s leg. She lifted the side of Diana’s silky underwear up with her tongue and slid her finger underneath the scalloped lined fabric and into Diana.
“Oh, my god,” Diana whispered as she felt Amy insert a second finger into her and press down on her, deep inside.
When Amy pulled her fingers out, Diana did not want her to stop. Slipping out of her panties, she rubbed up against Amy. Their tongues touched before Amy’s plump lips again embraced Diana’s mouth. Eventually Amy’s tongue fell back down toward Diana’s breasts and then continued moving down.
Placing both of her hands on Diana’s inner thighs, Amy pushed open her legs, so she could run her tongue from side to side until finally circling around the edge of Diana’s clit as she inserted both of her fingers back into Diana.
Diana closed her eyes again and moaned as her legs began to shake. And just as she felt an entire rushing wave of energy move through her every vein, she opened her eyes, to see Amy looking dead at her. As a spark appeared in Amy’s eyes, Diana’s entire body exploded with pleasure.
“How do you feel now?”
Diana answered by pulling Amy’s lips back onto hers. They kissed for a moment and then held each other. Pulling down a blanket that was draped over the sofa, Diana rested her head on Amy’s chest. Closing her eyes, Diana listened to Amy’s rapid heart beat return to a normal, steady beat.
That felt so right. Diana thought.
****
Sitting at her desk the following day, Diana sighed at the new pile of papers stacked in her “to do” bin. After twisting off a bottle top, she dumped a pile of pills into her hand and swallowed them with a gulp from her bottled water. If I hadn’t just gotten here, I’d take a break, she thought.
Flipping open her cell phone, Diana was surprised to see two text messages and one voice mail. All three were from Amy. The first text message read “Good morning.” The second text message read “Thinking of u.”
“Wow,” Diana said to herself as she pressed a few numbers to play back the voicemail. “Already three messages this morning. I hope this doesn’t mean my phone is going to go off all day long.”
Resting her hand over her stomach, Diana listened to the voicemail. “Hey, I had a really good time last night. I was just calling to make sure you got to work okay. I’ll be in a little later, only working a half day today, but maybe we could go to my place after work. See you soon.”
After booting up her computer, Diana grabbed the first paper and looked it over while she waited for her computer to load. Once her software self started appearing on the screen, she began to feverishly key in information into her database.
When the stack was about two thirds complete, Amy stormed into the room. “Those fucking bitches. I’m sick of this.”
Looking up from her papers, Diana swung around in her chair, pressing her knees against one another and rubbing her navy patterned stockings together. “Whoah!”
“Every time I see them they’re talking about me.”
“Are you sure? I’ve never heard…”
“Yes, I’m sure. This has been going on forever, and it stops now. I’m going to cast them. They’ll be sorry they ever messed with me.”
Rubbing her stomach again, Diana asked, “What about do no harm?”
“It’s about protecting me. All I’m responsible for is throwing back the energy they sent out – speeding up karma, allowing it to hit them all at once, so they learn their lesson and feel it. Speeding up the inevitable.” Rolling a stone between her fingers, Amy said, “You’d be surprised the power of energy locked up in one these. I’ll need more than this for Melanie alone, though.”
Dropping her stare to Diana’s legs, Amy’s raised voice softened. “Cute stockings.” Amy tossed a red and white bag onto Diana’s desk. “These are for you.”
Diana picked up the bag and read the label: Soft Mints. “Um, thanks. How’d you know I like these?”
“I never reveal my secrets.” Amy pointed to the empty wrappers on Diana’s desk. “Well, okay, I saw you were out. I prefer hard candy myself. Cherry’s my favorite.”
Diana’s attention promptly shifted from the empty wrappers to Amy. Recalling Belinda’s words “Oh, we know who likes that.” Diana thought that Amy’s paranoia might actually be justified. Amy’s lips were on Diana’s as soon as she finished the thought.
Once she pulled back, Amy said, “I know, as crazy as it sounds, you believe me.” Before Amy left, she turned and said, “Mark decided to put me at the eastside building today on the other side of town, so I’ll just meet you at my house after work. I just wanted to stop by here before I headed over there.”
“Okay, sure, but can you do me one favor?” Staring at the stone Amy continued to roll between her fingers, Diana told herself, Need to choose my words carefully. I’m not sure I want to piss her off.
“Anything, sweets.”
Feeling her cheeks heat up, Diana plowed through the lie anyway. “I, uh, don’t have a lot of minutes on my phone.”
Amy cut her off. “You need to switch plans then. There’s a new company out called Critter. Their plans are unlimited.”
“I know. I’ve heard of them, but I don’t like bills and contracts, so can we just keep the texts and voicemails to a minimum?”
Smiling as she walked out the office, Amy said, “Anything for you, babe. Oh, and before I forget--”
Walking back into the office, Amy pulled out a yellow rose from her back pocket. She placed it in an empty vase Diana had sitting on her desk. “A little spritz of my special potion and this flower will never die, like my love for you. Plus, you needed something to liven this place up.”
An uncomfortable smile crept over Diana’s face. “Um, I don’t know what to say,” she mumbled, avoiding eye contact with Amy,
“You don’t have to say anything.” Amy left.
Taking a deep breath and turning back to her work, Diana remarked to herself, “That was way too many emotions in such a short period of time…” After touching her index finger to the tip of her tongue, Diana rubbed the top of her finger to the tip of her thumb before separating another paper from the stack.
While she resumed inputting information into the computer, she jumped at the sudden touch of someone grabbing her shoulder. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Mark said, looking Diana up and down.
Placing her hand over her heart, Diana breathed a momentarily sigh of relief. When her attention turned to the papers in Mark’s hand, she cringed. “What is that?”
“I know. I know, but look…”
“Mark, I’m supposed to be off in a couple of hours. It’s taking me all day to get through this stack of papers.”
Rubbing the back of her neck, Mark said, “I know, Diana, but I really need this favor from you .” While Diana leaned over to grab the papers, Mark’s hand fell back to her shoulders.
“These reports are all messed up. The presentation is in three days, and we have to get this fixed. I really need your assistance right now. I don’t want to wait until the last minute. I would usually ask Melanie, but I’ve already got her assigned to help me with the opening presentation.”
“I’d rather take the opening presentation. Going through those reports will take a lot longer. Maybe someone full time would be better suited for it, like Erica.”
“Erica has enough to do.”
“Like you?” Diana wondered.
“Diana, I came to you because I know you can do the job right. I’ll make sure to mention that on the letter of recommendation.”
Diana stared at Mark in disbelief.
“Or not…”
“All right. All right.”
Clicking onto another computer program, Diana said in a joking tone, “Whoever messed these reports up should be fired.”
Before he walked out the office, Mark patted her on the back. “Thank you.”
Diana began to work on the reports. Her phone vibrated, but she turned it off without checking to see who it was. Not now, she thought. I’m working full time hours for part time status.
Reaching for a clear blue pill packet, Diana stopped her hand in mid air. Maybe an alternative is not such a bad idea. If I pop any more pills, my stomach is going to explode.
Still staring at the pill packet, she suddenly stood up, causing more muscles in her back to cramp. “Oh, I’m taking a break.”
***
Diana walked out into the courtyard and studied the colors that surrounded her: the blue sky, the flawless red rose petals, the yellow flowers, and the green leaves. She walked over to the bench. Sitting down, she swung her legs over the side of the bench and took in the smell of all of the fresh plants that surrounded her.
Noticing some stones and mulch scattered around the edge of the garden, Diana walked up to the mess. She kneeled down with one hand on her back, she put the stones back in place. Using her hand, she also swept the mulch back into the garden. Rearranging the stones so three stones made up points of a triangle, Diana looked at the other two stones. “They still look misplaced.” Centering both stones between the top and two bottom points, Diana pushed the stones out a little bit more. “There.”
She listened to some larger birds singing in the trees and watched a few smaller birds splash around in the bird bath. The tension in her back, shoulders, and head began to fade. The wind blew through her hair, but Diana’s concentration broke when the door to the courtyard opened.