THIS WASN'T THE PLAN

" I do not understand Josh," I tell Camilla worriedly." But why do you say so my dear ?" She asks me out of concern. "Well! He's been more than busy lately. He barely has time for me even after work. When I come back home from work, some nights, I prepare dinner and eat it myself, since he either comes back late and claims to be too tired to eat or too full to eat. As if that's not enough worry on my plate, he has also become less and less affectionate as days pass by." Says a worried me, narrating to my best friend Camilla. " Celine dear, that is alarming, but from my perspective, I think maybe he does have a lot to do at work since you mentioned coming home late at night. Not to mention that it's almost the 14th, Valentine's Day, he might be working extra hours just to get to surprise you on that day and all this might be just a stunt, to keep you from anticipating such an amazing ordeal he has a plan for you ahead." Camilla's voice is sharp, and her face lights up with a big smile. " Oh well! Maybe I am just overthinking. Let me give it a rest." I sigh while picking up my handbag and laptop bag. " It is almost nighttime and I have to go back home and prepare for my presentation at the staff meeting at work tomorrow. I'll just see myself out. Thank you for being a listening ear to me. I love you, and I'll see you soon. Bye!" while storming out." Bye! Celine" says Camilla, while I close her door behind me. Tired as I am, I took a cab back home. Upon reaching home, home sweet home, expecting to find my boyfriend there so that we can share moments of affection after a long and hard day at work for both of us, but to my surprise, Josh is not home, so I decide to call to ask him what time he is coming back home to me. " Hello my love! I have just arrived home and I thought you'd be home too, since you had told me that you will get off work early today. I miss spending nights together with you on our couch enjoying each other's company, while watching our favorite TV show as we caress. I miss feeling your skin against mine, our bodies intertwined with each other, your tight hand grip on my waist as we kiss. Oh! Honey! I just want you close to me so badly. Please tell me you are on your way back home." I say to him as I sigh the sigh of exhaustion." Celine, I have some news to break to you," he says hesitantly." You are scaring me! My love, please tell me what it is." I say to him worriedly." Today when I told you I was getting off work early, I got off work early to move my things into my new apartment." He tells me in a shaky voice. "But you didn't tell me that we are moving out of this apartment you forgot to take my things too or are you planning on coming back for them later, or should I just come with them right now so that we do not make too many movements back and forth from this apartment to our new apartment. Send me your location I ..." " Celine! Celine!" Josh interrupts, "I am moving out alone. I feel like I need to stay in my own apartment and you in your own apartment. I need some space to think of myself as a man and hold myself accountable for everything I do in life. In other words, I just need to take responsibility of my own life." "Besides, the apartment that I have moved into is close to my workplace. When you wish to see me, feel free to come and see me, just notify me beforehand. I am tired from all the relocating and from the long day I had at work, and it is late right now. We both need to get some sleep to prepare ourselves for work tomorrow. Goodnight, sleep tight, I love you!" as he ends the call. " But, I... I...." I say to him faintly while he has already cut the phone call. Feeling very appalled, I put up courage and write the presentation for my meeting at work the following day. After writing my presentation for work, I take a glass and my bottle of Pinot Noir wine I bought on my way back home in hopes of a romantic closure with my boyfriend Josh again, then went to the living room to play my favorite TV series to watch with him as I drink my sorrows away. " I guess he just doesn't love me anymore! Josh doesn't love me anymore!" I say repeatedly to myself as I continue to gash wine down from the bottle down through my throat. I wake up in the morning and the sun is risen and strongly hitting my living room glass window. Its rays are so strong and bright that they wake me up rather than my alarm. I rush hurriedly to get my phone to check on the time. "Oh my God! I am late! How is it already 8 o'clock? The meeting starts in 45 minutes. I am super late!" I say to myself while rushing to the washroom to groom myself. I do my hair, brush my teeth, wash my face and put on my other pair of washed office attire, take my phone and laptop bag from the dining table exactly how I left them while entering the house the previous night, then I leave for work. While in a cab heading to work, I encounter a slight traffic jam on the road. I begin to panic and the atmosphere inside the car starts to feel and get even warmer as my spine is filled with chills due to fear and panic of not making it to the meeting on time. My heartbeat increases and I can feel my heart almost popping out of its pockets as my mind starts thinking of all the negative outcomes of my coming late to work, especially when we have a meeting. "I am so getting fired today," while thinking to myself. I immediately start praying and asking Jesus to help me get the situation off my sleeves. In less than a few minutes after my small prayer, cars start moving and the traffic jam is over. I tell the cab driver to speed up. I finally arrive at work one minute behind the scheduled time for the meeting, but the good thing is that the meeting was in the meeting room on the ground floor. I enter the room and find everyone sitted and waiting for the meeting to kick off. Mr. Harrison, my boss and owner of the company, stares at me with disappointment in his eyes, but I overlook that maintain poise as I do my presentation. I finish presenting and everyone gives me a hearty applause with smiles on their faces." I have done it, they are clearly impressed." I say this in thought to myself. The meeting ends and Mr. Harrison tells me to stay behind." You have come in late for the meeting. Celine, you do know that in this company we go by rules and punctuality is something that I, as the company owner, take so seriously. Let this be the last time this happens. You can get back to work." He says this in a sharp, serious tone." Okay sir, it won't happen again, my apologies."