Not In The Cards

As the wind gently stroked the cheeks of Victoria Lance, she was lost in thought. She stood unfazed before the city chaos by managing to muffle all the big city noises. She could hear the leaves brushing against the wind as the wind took joy in the harmony of their dance. She could hear the distinct sounds of birds melodically singing in the distance while the tune touched her soul. Surprisingly, she could make out the buzzing of bees surrounding her as they headed to pollinate the next flower. The noise continued to crowd the city, but beauty could be found within its walls for those who listened. Victoria opened her eyes, taking a heavy step into the city with all the city noises rushing back in. “Here goes nothing,” Victoria mumbled as she turned back to gaze upon her makeshift dungeon only to find her lonely reflection painted on the window. The assumption that her life was perfect could easily fool anyone. While self-reliance graced the surface of her round brown eyes, her internal struggle was taking the stage. But with no worry wrinkles insight, she hid it well. Victoria had always been successful in all aspects of life. Until a series of unfortunate events occurred, launching her life in a downwards spiral. Yes, she still had an astounding career, but a feeling of emptiness filled her soul. As she continued to focus on her reflection, a gentle breeze caressed her smooth mane forward, partially blocking her image. From under her untainted brown hair, the sun bounced off the endless walls of glass, forcing her to face the city once again. Surrounded by a wall of towering mirrors, it was surprising she made out the sound of nature. It was rare to see green sceneries as they were restricted to humble patches within the city. The monotonous sounds of the city continued to fill her mind as she pulled out her phone. She could see drivers viciously honking at each other. She saw strangers nearly collide with one another as they rushed past each other. It did not surprise her when she came across a young girl heaving half her body out of a window while waving a fist in the air. The city was full of chaos but she continued to watch it unfold, giving her a familiar sense of her internal struggle. “I did it, I left!” She cried into the phone as soon as it picked up. “Oh my!” She heard a thump before the voice spoke again. “I’m sorry, I have to go. A mad man is breathing down my neck about the marketing reports for this quarter.” She heard another thump before a voice spoke again. “This is big news; I’ll call you back. Okay, bye.” Her heart dropped when she heard the phone give its last breath. She began walking down the paved stone staircase, staring at her phone blankly, in hopes of it coming back to life. She drummed away in hopes of finding someone else to call. Defeated by her hesitation to contact anyone else, she quickly typed away. “I’M FREE!!!” Realizing her message would be left unanswered, she quickly tucked her phone away. In her defeat, she took a seat on a nearby bench at the bottom of the staircase. She took several breaths as she wondered if she was heading in the right direction. With no set destination, she hunched over in dread of the idea of returning to this moment in the future. She had been deep in thought; not hearing the footsteps approaching her. In her defense, there was plenty of foot traffic in the area to even notice Steven. “Tory, are you okay?” Steven had been on board for several months; he had asked Tory on several dinner dates during that time. Tory knew he was kind, but she did not find herself ready to begin dating again. Tory shocked herself to an upright position by attempting to convince herself this was the best decision for her. She had given her resignation at a very prominent and well-known hotel chain. Success and direction had always been engraved in her as a young child by her father. Now that she had left, no clear path stood before her. She wondered if she would succeed on her own. “I’m fine,” she finally said as she watched his pulsing cerulean eyes hesitate but did not pursue any further. “Alright, I’ll see you inside?" He smiled with a wave while she only replied with a head nod. Of course, Tory would not be returning, at least not anytime soon. She watched as the sun bounced off his butter blonde locks; it was not long before he vanished into the building. She sighed in relief, believing the chaos would remain inside its walls. As she returned her gaze to her path, she found herself before the same traffic with different faces, the chaos of the city continued to rage. Free to do what exactly? While remaining petrified in place, she assessed what had transpired in the last hour. She had reached her boiling point and impulsively quit her job. Her resignation had been more expressive and public than Tory had hoped. She knew that she could have carried herself more professionally. She also knew there was nothing she could do about it now. She had marched into the CEO’s office as if the building had caught fire. Slamming the door open while she blurted out with no remorse. “I’m done! I can’t do this anymore! I’m leaving and you can’t stop me!” Frustration and anger engulfed Tory. Tory herself had been shocked at her outburst. It was not what she had planned to say moments ago. She attempted to calm herself down to no avail. What has taken over me? Although Tory was disrespectful, kind eyes only met her on the other end. The CEO commanded respect; it was clear Victoria had not provided it. He did not waver or flinch at her outburst. He stood as he took off his glasses, gently scraping his well-aged wrinkles in the process. Talks of retirement had been heard around the office, but he still had many years in him to go. Even at his age, he stood tall and confident. Experience had made him a strong advocate in any situation that presented itself. Although, when it came to Tory, he always seemed to fail. Even so, he could be intimidating if he desired. In this specific case, he was a gentle giant. He took a deep breath before speaking, trying to find the right words. “Tory, please take a seat, let’s discuss.” He said as he looked around the room at the other company associates. He kindly gestured the others to concede the space, but before they had the opportunity to leave. Tory blurted out. “No, I will not take a seat!” she said with the ferocity of a lion. Calm down, take a deep breath. You are making a spectacle of yourself. “Tory, I understand what you are going through. Take some time to reflect before you throw everything away.” He said with a calm, controlled, but authoritative voice. His presence alone would command the attention of any audience. Tory took a moment to reflect on these words as she gazed at the rest of the room. They had remained petrified in place, unsettled about what to do. Tory had been blocking the entrance to the office, even if they dared to move. She closed her eyes for a moment, hoping for guidance. Tory paused, inhaled, exhaled, and realized no mystical creature would come to her aid. An unextinguishable flame appeared when she opened her eyes. How could you possibly understand? Tory roared in her mind, hating that he tried to make it seem like he understood her. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.” she cried as she swiftly left the room. Everyone in the room remained in place, unsure of what to do next. Before Tory was able to leave the hearing range, she heard a commanding voice speak. “This meeting is over; everyone has to stay in this room for a moment. Margaret will be in shortly with further instructions.” Tory turned to find the CEO towering over his assistant. The echoes of his voice began ringing in her ears. “Have Mr. Sawyer in the conference room immediately,” Tory picked up her pace to avoid hearing anything else. Now Tory found herself taking in the chaos of the city, forcing herself to take another step forward, then another until she was on a set path towards her car. She knew she had to start with an initial destination, so she set a course for home.