Crain's Landing by Cayce Poponea

go back around the floor. Dwight winked at me and I fought, with everything in me, not to flip him off. However, the sight that made me stop in my tracks was of Brittney standing outside my office door. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and her usually curly blonde hair was now dark brown and pin straight. Her face was absent of her normal excessive makeup and her clothes were...well, not her usual. She had on a skirt that went to her ankles and a sweater that looked to be at least a size too big. The cosmetic glasses that sat on her nose completed the one eighty she had done with her wardrobe.
    With a shrug, Brittney began, “I figured I’ve tried to catch Grant’s attention for years looking sexy. You turned his head in less than two seconds looking like...you, so I figured you’re his type. And, well...you don’t want him so why not give this a try?” The normally confident Brittney was now acting shy and reserved. I decided to give her a break and help her out. All right, yes, what I was about to do was totally selfish, but...
    “Brittney, I actually have an important job for you that would involve you seeing Dr. Crain, are you interested?”
    She looked at me with total confusion. “You want me to go see Grant?”
    Her lack of common sense was comical. This would be so much fun. “Yes, I have this item I need returned to him. I just don’t have time to wait for him, so could you go over to his office, sit and wait for him to get in and then give it to him?”
    By the look in her eyes, the light bulb had finally gone off. I held in my laughter as she grabbed her purse and began typing on her cell phone. I handed her the now-sealed box, giving her strict instructions to give it only to Dr. Grant Crain personally and no one else. She nodded her head frantically, assuring me she would stay there until she gave it only to him.
    I made my way to my desk where I took time to answer my awaiting emails. Ashley came in and took her usual seat as she waited for me to acknowledge her. “Yes?” I mused, unimpressed.
    “Oh, nothing, just wondered what you were doing?”
    I stopped my typing and placed my glasses on the desk as I looked at her. “It’s this little thing called a job, you should really try it.”
    Ashley guffawed as she stood and left the room.
    What in the world was that about? I hit the send button on my final email and decided to break for lunch. I had my cursor hovering over the close button for my email when the chime indicating I had new mail began sounding continuously. At first, I thought it was just an error. However, when I opened the new mail file, my eyes became huge as I saw my inbox was filling up. When my text message alert began to sound on my cell phone, I buried my hands in my hair. I looked at line after line of new email, all from the same person; one Grant Crain.
    I couldn’t take it anymore and closed my computer completely and shut off my cell phone. I grabbed my purse and headed over to the daycare center. I took my aggravation out on the metal buttons of the keypad, entered my code, and then headed straight for Peyton’s room. However, the second I stepped foot into the center, I noticed every employee and every child was wearing a pink T-shirt with the same caption.
    Ms. Natalie, say yes to Dr. Grant!
    Lily was standing over a table of children, filling up glasses of juice. She noticed me and pointed at her shirt. I rolled my eyes as I crossed the room and kissed my daughter’s head. She was too busy talking with Savannah to pay me any attention, so I left without saying a word. I crossed the parking lot and was getting into my car, when I noticed Brittney had returned. She now had a large pink bag in her hands. Her smile was huge and she was bouncing on her toes.
    “Natalie, I did what you said and he gave me this to give to you.” I looked into the bag only to find the box I had tried to return as well as a large note that stood out. I pulled out the eight-by-ten-inch