The Better Woman and Her Boss.

I do not give my permission for any of my written stories to be altered or reproduced including this one; The Better Woman and her boss. I reserve the rights to all my written works and stories on this website and others, to myself. Kate POV I sat in my empty apartment’s lounge room, on the only piece of furniture left to me, the couch. I held in my hand a final notice for 2 months of unpaid rent, a $900 bill for electricity and $550 for unpaid water bill, and finally the letter I’d found when I returned from the movies last night. “Hey Kate, Sorry I didn’t say goodbye, but I must confess. I haven’t been working the last 3 months, the bills have gone unpaid and you’ll probably lose electricity 11am tomorrow. Water’s to be turned off Thursday and the landlord said you have until the end of the month to catch up. In the last 3 months, I took up drinking on the money that you’d did give me, and that’s when I met her. Lauren, I didn’t know it at first but she’s become everything to me, and you’ve been so busy working, I fell out of love with you. Yesterday Lauren and I, got our apartment’s settlement, I moved all my furniture out, but have left you leather couch as you paid for it. Best of luck, Tom.”   I growled, scrunching the letter, I threw it in the corner. “Great you left me a couch and my laptop, took my bedding with the bed, all the kitchen utensils I paid for and the fridge and contents. But at least you left the cereal but then you took the bowls!” I screamed at the empty apartment, I slumped, falling against the couch. I felt so defeated, a tear escaped my eye, as silent sobs wracked my body, my nose began to drip. I looked around for the tissues, but it seemed Tom had taken them too. I grabbed my jumper off the arm of the couch, wiping my nose and face on it. “Gross..” I grumbled throwing it on the ground. “What do I do now?” I whispered brokenly to myself, I’d slept on the couch last night but it had been uncomfortable. It was brand new, I knew what I had to do, hanging my head, I stood clearing the junk off the couch. Aiming my phone at the couch I took 3 photos, from different angles and wrote up an add; For sale. Finally I pressed done, watching it load and confirm the For sale adds publishment, I sat down to wait. Checking my bank account, I found I had $182.00, my week’s pay had come in short again, I was about to call my boss when I received a message. “Hey there, Interested in you couch, Is it still available?” It read, it was from a woman named Megan. “Yes it is.” I replied. “Great, I saw the same one in the paper, they were asking $2,860!” She texted. “Yeah that’s what I paid about 3 months ago.” I replied. “Oh, Would you take $2,000?” She asked, I thought for a moment, truth was I’d take 500, but I needed the money and I had nothing else to sell. “$2,150?” I asked in return. “Ok! You got me! $2150 it is! My boss will be stoked! He wants it for job interviews Monday!” I read the text and thought for a moment. “What’s the interview for?” I asked, I needed a new job, a well paying one. “My boss needs a new assistant, the new one quit, she lasted one month.” She replied. “I’ll do the couch for $2,000, if I can apply for the job.” I texted, she didn’t reply for a long moment and I was worried, she’d changed her mind about the couch. “He said yes, I’m at work at the moment, as long as you have a year 8 pass and good typing skills.” Megan replies, I can’t help but giggle in excitement. “I finished school to the last year, I can type quite well, what time?” I ask. “Great! Bring a resume, 9am sharp, 67 Kidman Towers, Level 13, You’ll be directed on arrival, you’ll be number 7 to sigh up, so you’ll have competition.” She replies, my heart squeezes. “Ok! See you then!” I reply. I send through my bank details and 5 mins later the payments in my account, I’m jumping for joy. I shower happily, at least I found that either Tom had left one towel or forgotten it and it was clean. I dried, dressed and grab my phone and handbag. I had one towel, my laptop, my clothes and a stove because that belonged to the land lord, now that I sold my couch I owned no furniture. But at least I had some cash, a job opportunity Monday, it felt like a start. A knock was heard on the door, I headed to it, opening it, two men stood in the doorway. “Hello we are Grey furniture removal, we are here to pick up a leather couch for a Ms Megan.” The older mans says. “Oh yes! That’s the one there.” I say pointing to the couch. “Wouldn’t have been hard to guess, nothing else in here!” The younger man exclaims, earning an elbow in the gut from the older man, he apologises at my embarrassed expression and they take the couch away. I sighed, looking around the apartment I suddenly realise that it would be unwise to spend the money on furniture, I don’t have enough to pay all the bills but I should try. First I call the electricity company. After an hour long discussion explaining my situation they agree to lower it to $650 if I pay today, I do so quickly, and receive a conformation email of payment. The water company were not as lenient, Still I manage to save $50, paying the lot $500 gone. Now the rent, I paid $350 a week, I couldn’t catch up over night, I rang the land lord, he was annoyed with me, explaining I had till then end of the month 11 days to catch up. I explained that Tom had told me he’d been paying it, he in fact lost his job 3 months ago and left yesterday with another woman, taking all the furniture, but I could pay this weeks and would try to catch up. Finally he said if I paid $500 today he’d give me an extra month to pay the full amount as he had a bill to pay, I agreed sending a receipt of payment, he said goodbye whilst adding Tom didn’t deserve me anyway.  All the bills were paid, or at least stalled, I’d been left with $530, I got on my laptop, then realised I had no internet, Tom had taken the modem too. At least that bill was in his name not mine. I grabbed my phone and bag for the second time, I headed out locking my door behind me, I had nothing that would suit for an interview as an assistant, I’d only applied for bartending jobs or supermarkets since I’d left school because Tom said we needed jobs I might actually get. I hated him now, thinking about all the times he had belittled me for being to dumb, to plain or not educated enough. If I don’t try I’ll never know I suppose, I thought to myself, any job must pay better then the café I currently worked at. Walking down the stairs, I smiled, I could do this, I would do this, I would aim high and rise! I walked down the street, my converse slapping the pavement as I walked, I looked either side of the street for an open clothes shop, that might have a nice outfit. That’s when I saw it, A women’s navy skirt suit in the window of a shop, I crossed the road quickly, waving at cars as I crossed, running up to the window I admired it closely. It was a deep teal up close, a pencil skirt finishing mid thigh with a matching jacket and a crisp white shirt. The mannequins hair was styled like a 40’s woman’s with a navy cap pinned off center to her hair. “Perfect!” I clapped, the door chimed as a woman exited and I entered, the shop was small and well lit, with wooden floors, and soft blue wall paper, it smelt like French vanilla and sandalwood. I smiled striding to the counter, a petite woman stood upon seeing me, her ivy white skin glistened under the yellow light of a lamp sitting on the counter, her black hair was pinned back and she stood barely 5’0 ft even in her high heels. “Welcome to the Vintage Mistress! How may I help you today?” She asked, he smile pleasant and eyes alight with a cheerful warmth. “Hello, I’d like to inquire about the teal skirt suit in your window.” I say as politely as possible. “Ahh good choice! It’s called the superior woman!” She smiled. “What size were you after?” She asked, as she walked around the counter. “I’m not sure a medium?” I replied. “I think we can get you into a small with a corset if you like, you have a beautiful figure.” She smiled, I nodded. “Ok, I’ve never worn a corset.” I replied. Within ten minutes, I’d found out what a corset felt like, mildly uncomfortable but good for standing posture and was dressed in the teal suit, it fit perfectly, doing wonders for my hour glass figure. “I feel…sexy.” I said at last blushing, I’d never worn anything so fitted and it made me look older and professional. “You look sexy, all you need now it a good hair day.” The assistant exclaimed. I smiled at her, then it hit me. “Umm how much is it?” I asked, the assistant gapes at me. “The suit?” She asks back, I nod. “The Suit it a set and on sale at $300 and the corset is $79.95 and the heels that match are on sale for $149.” She smiles, But I nearly faint. “Oh that’s a bit more then I can afford.” I blush, starting to remove the jacket. “Stop a moment, How about we come to an arrangement?” the woman says in a assuring voice. “An arrangement?” I ask “Yes, the woman you passed on your way in has been my clothing model for 3 years, and quit after getting a job with a local magazine as their model, if you agree to become my model for the website and window posters, I’ll give you the whole ensemble.” She says, a urgent tone in her voice, I’m dazed for a moment, I’m pretty enough to be a model? “Yes! Of course, I’ll be your model.” I say quickly, grinning with excitement, I swear she sighs with relief. “Perfect! I’ll get you to fill out this form of information and then I’ll call you in 2 weeks for a photo shoot!” She claps her hands in excitement and so do I. I fill out the form, signing the bottom, I smile as I head back into the change room. I redress in my clothes and watch as the shop assistant ‘Anna’ packs my clothes into a beautiful pale pink and black bag, I thank her, assuring her I’ll be waiting to hear from her. I walk outside, the afternoon sun’s warm and welcomed on my cheeks, a soft smile spreads and I close my eyes for a moment. Maybe Tom leaving would be a fresh start for me, although we’d been together since our first year of high school, I’d begun to notice his dying interest in me. At first I’d been panicked but right now, in this moment I felt…free.   An hour later I sat at the furniture store check out, I’d ordered a bed and mattress, they agreed to deliver by the end of the day, I paid writing down my address then left receipt in hand. I’d been lucky to get the mattress for $200 on sale and a second hand bed frame for a $100, it was rough looking but study and would do me for a while. “Ok Kate, we’ve got almost $50 dollars left without touching the $182.00 from the café, we’ll need that for food.” I mutter to myself. As I walk I notice a sign ahead on the footpath. “$50 foils and a haircut.” It reads. I pout, I’d really started to let myself go, I was a little overweight, despite the corset squeezing me into a small, I should of needed a large. A hair cut really wouldn’t go astray, exhaling I pushed the door open. “Welcome! Are you here for the $50 deal?” a bouncy woman asks her white teeth gleaming. I nod nervously. “Fantastic! Take a seat there..” She points “And I’ll be with you in a moment!” She cheers before finishing up with another customer. A little under 2 hours later, I left the hair dressers feeling brand new, my waist length hair is two inches shorter, layered perfectly with golden highlights through the chestnut and bronze browns of my natural hair. “perfect!” I whisper, I bounce with glee on the way home. I’m about to push the door to my building open, when I hear a voice that stops me. “Kate?” My heart stops, turning slowly I find Tom standing frozen in place with an arm slung around the shoulders of a beautiful black haired women with piercing hazel eyes. “Oh hi Thomas…” I say awkwardly, my mood souring, and my heart squeezing as the fresh wound re-open’s upon seeing him already so comfortable with another woman. “Yeah hi, It’s ahh.. I’m sorry but this is Lauren.” He says gesturing to the woman under his arm, she nods but looks down her nose at me. “Nice to meet you, Lauren.” I nod, offering a strained smile. “Well I won’t keep you, my days been the best one in years.” I say confidently, watching as Tom frowns in reaction, I nod, leaving them behind, I enter my building. My heart beats against my ribcage, I’m close to tears but I keep telling myself. “It’s for the best, you won’t feel heart broken forever.” I whisper over and over as I reach my door letting myself. It’ll get easier I say to myself.   Tom’s POV I’d been shocked upon seeing Kate, she hadn’t looked like that girl I’d know since high school, her face a radiant smile, her hair styled and dyed with golden streaks, she had a few bags in her hand. Where had she found the money to go shopping? I frowned did she have another man on the side, as I had Lauren the last 2 months or so? No I didn’t think so. She’d had a heart broken gleam in her eye, when she’d seen me and Lauren then had quickly escape and yet, my curiosity was perked. Did I want her back? No, would I regret leaving her? I hoped not.