restaurant line as I tried to get the uniform on.
I was out of breath when Rob answered, “Hello, this is Rob.”
“Rob, it’s me, Adeline. I’m so sorry I’m late. My alarm clock…Cole…my dirty uniform…” I tried to explain as I continued to get dressed.
“Huh? Who’s Cole?” he asked.
“Oh, uh…that doesn’t matter. I’m getting ready right now. I’m not gonna look the greatest, but I’ll be there,” I said.
“What are you talking about, Adeline? You asked for today and tomorrow off,” he said, sounding confused.
“I did?”
“I mean, did you wanna pick up a shift? I could really use another hand around this place. It’s a zoo.”
I could hear the dishes clanging in the background and the distinct sound of a glass breaking. “ Ummm , no…oh, I can’t hear…you…Rob. I think… shhhh …I have… shhhh …a bad connection.”
I hung up the phone before Rob could finish. “But you just―”
I fell backwards onto my bed with my legs and arms sprawled out, relieved that I could keep my treacherous minimum wage job another day. I realized I had another day to try to fix the mess I had created. I popped out of bed and slowly opened the door to my room, the creak making it hard to be inconspicuous as I peered out from behind the door.
Slowly I crept to the living room window to see if Cole’s car was parked on the curb in front of the house. It wasn’t.
Where could he be? Fuck that, I’m gonna give that man a reason to bring his ass home .
I straightened my hair the way I knew he liked it, and put on the same makeup that had left him speechless the day of the ball, and wore a dress he had complimented me on many times before, wanting everything to be perfect for when I professed my love for him.
I wanted to explain myself and hopefully convince him, or even at this point beg him, to give me a second chance. His work was probably not the best place to have this dramatic showdown, but I needed to catch him off guard.
I jumped into my car, and then realized I wouldn’t be able to get on base, but Stella could. I pulled out my phone and called her.
“Stella, can I pick you up to get me on base?”
“Depends…watcha goin’ there for?”
“Cole!”
“Then, hell yeah. Let me close up shop. Be ready in five minutes.”
“I’ll be right there,” I said, making a U-turn to drive to her store.
I pulled up to the store, where Stella was already waving me down.
She jumped in the driver seat, while I ran around to the passenger side so she could flash her ID at the gate. “Girl, this shit is exciting. Gonna go get your man,” she said, slapping he steering wheel.
COLE
There was a knock at my office door. “Come in.”
The door opened to reveal Elijah, holding a large manila envelope. “LT, this came by messenger for you. It just says No Regrets ,” he said, handing the envelope to me.
I laid it on the desk, realizing that the handwriting was familiar. It was Catherine’s. I shook my head, motioning Elijah to leave the office. Inhaling a deep breath, I ran my finger under the lip of the envelope, tearing it open. If this were a big enough package, I would fully expect there to have been a bomb in it, seeing how crazy she had become.
I emptied out the contents on the desk. About twenty or so eight by ten black and white pictures slid out from the encasement. My eyes widened.
“That fuckin’ cunt bitch!” I shouted.
There was a knock on the door.
“What?” I bellowed.
The door opened slightly and Elijah peeked through the small opening. “Everything okay, sir?”
“No, everything is not okay, but it’s none of your concern. Please give me a moment.”
He looked at the pictures still lying on the desk, shook his head, and disappeared behind the closing door. I placed my hand over my mouth and chin, rubbing the slight bristles that had already grown back since this morning.
Picture after picture. Pose after pose.
How dare that bitch. How dare that
I was out of breath when Rob answered, “Hello, this is Rob.”
“Rob, it’s me, Adeline. I’m so sorry I’m late. My alarm clock…Cole…my dirty uniform…” I tried to explain as I continued to get dressed.
“Huh? Who’s Cole?” he asked.
“Oh, uh…that doesn’t matter. I’m getting ready right now. I’m not gonna look the greatest, but I’ll be there,” I said.
“What are you talking about, Adeline? You asked for today and tomorrow off,” he said, sounding confused.
“I did?”
“I mean, did you wanna pick up a shift? I could really use another hand around this place. It’s a zoo.”
I could hear the dishes clanging in the background and the distinct sound of a glass breaking. “ Ummm , no…oh, I can’t hear…you…Rob. I think… shhhh …I have… shhhh …a bad connection.”
I hung up the phone before Rob could finish. “But you just―”
I fell backwards onto my bed with my legs and arms sprawled out, relieved that I could keep my treacherous minimum wage job another day. I realized I had another day to try to fix the mess I had created. I popped out of bed and slowly opened the door to my room, the creak making it hard to be inconspicuous as I peered out from behind the door.
Slowly I crept to the living room window to see if Cole’s car was parked on the curb in front of the house. It wasn’t.
Where could he be? Fuck that, I’m gonna give that man a reason to bring his ass home .
I straightened my hair the way I knew he liked it, and put on the same makeup that had left him speechless the day of the ball, and wore a dress he had complimented me on many times before, wanting everything to be perfect for when I professed my love for him.
I wanted to explain myself and hopefully convince him, or even at this point beg him, to give me a second chance. His work was probably not the best place to have this dramatic showdown, but I needed to catch him off guard.
I jumped into my car, and then realized I wouldn’t be able to get on base, but Stella could. I pulled out my phone and called her.
“Stella, can I pick you up to get me on base?”
“Depends…watcha goin’ there for?”
“Cole!”
“Then, hell yeah. Let me close up shop. Be ready in five minutes.”
“I’ll be right there,” I said, making a U-turn to drive to her store.
I pulled up to the store, where Stella was already waving me down.
She jumped in the driver seat, while I ran around to the passenger side so she could flash her ID at the gate. “Girl, this shit is exciting. Gonna go get your man,” she said, slapping he steering wheel.
COLE
There was a knock at my office door. “Come in.”
The door opened to reveal Elijah, holding a large manila envelope. “LT, this came by messenger for you. It just says No Regrets ,” he said, handing the envelope to me.
I laid it on the desk, realizing that the handwriting was familiar. It was Catherine’s. I shook my head, motioning Elijah to leave the office. Inhaling a deep breath, I ran my finger under the lip of the envelope, tearing it open. If this were a big enough package, I would fully expect there to have been a bomb in it, seeing how crazy she had become.
I emptied out the contents on the desk. About twenty or so eight by ten black and white pictures slid out from the encasement. My eyes widened.
“That fuckin’ cunt bitch!” I shouted.
There was a knock on the door.
“What?” I bellowed.
The door opened slightly and Elijah peeked through the small opening. “Everything okay, sir?”
“No, everything is not okay, but it’s none of your concern. Please give me a moment.”
He looked at the pictures still lying on the desk, shook his head, and disappeared behind the closing door. I placed my hand over my mouth and chin, rubbing the slight bristles that had already grown back since this morning.
Picture after picture. Pose after pose.
How dare that bitch. How dare that
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