SERENDIPITY

LAYLA Of all the things I dreaded in this life, my monthly flow was one of them. It was in the early hours of the morning, when I heard an abrupt knock on my door. I threw a quick glance at my clock on my bedside table and got up from my bed with an inner grumble to check who had the effrontery of coming to my house at 6:00 a.m. Six freaking a.m.! I picked my keys up from the kitchen table and put them into the lock, alas! as I swung the door open, it was my friend, Ivy, a heavy sigh of relief washed over my face as I turned to leave her to lock the door by herself. ‘Good morning to you too, Layla.’ Ivy said, plopping down on the sofa. ‘Is it your time of the month?’ she asked. At this point, I turned to look at her to understand what she was saying, I was met with a disdainful look. ‘Your shorts are stained,’ she said. I looked behind me and saw it was true, arghhh! I shouted. I was on my way to my room when I stopped right in my tracks to ask what Ivy was doing there so early. ‘Why are you here?’ I said. ‘We are taking the train together, remember?’ she said. ‘Yes, I am aware, I am only wondering why so early?’ ‘Oh! I just thought you could whip up some breakfast before we head to work.’ ‘For who?’ ‘Uhh, the both of us?’ ‘No!’ ‘Layla, please’ ‘Alright then, let me have my bath first, then I will get right into it.’ ‘Thank you’, she said. I went into my room. My sheets were obviously stained. I removed them and tossed them into the laundry basket behind the door. I hit the play button on one of the playlists I curated on my phone while I brush my teeth and move in sync with the rhythm. I turned on the water heater, and opened the shower. Lukewarm water trickles down my body. I remember I was supposed to shampoo my hair this morning, but I waved it off. I stayed in the shower longer than usual today because I had some stuff to think about. I get out of the shower and rub my lavender-scented body lotion. I have always used it since my dad died, it was a way for me to be reminded of his scent. I was jolted out of memory lane by my phone’s ringtone, it was Ivy texting me saying. It was famished. I smiled. I had already picked my outfit from the previous night. It was beige pants paired with a white v-neck sweatshirt. I got dressed, packed my bag and dashed out of the room. I made some eggs and pancakes for Ivy and I, after a friendly tussle about what to eat. I was out of coffee, so we opted to get coffee at the cafeteria two streets from the office. I had just put our plates in the sink when I heard keys jiggling, it was my housemate, KJ, entering the apartment. ‘Good morning’ he says, not looking up from his hood, and goes straight to his room. Ivy was about to give a snide remark when I cut her short and asked that we head out. ‘He acts so uncouth’, Ivy said, stressing each word individually, expecting me to throw in a comment of some sort, but I didn’t say a word, I just chuckled. She glanced towards me to say something. ‘Err… he sometimes shrugs people off, you do know it isn’t every time people want to engage in a dialogue’ I said, stuttering. ‘Why the stutter in your voice?’ she asked. ‘It’s nothing, I am just worried about my supervisor at work,’ I said dismissively. She stresses the life out of me. ‘If it were to be me, I would have stapled her lips together in her sleep,’ she said jokingly. By this time, we had already reached the train station, we got on the train, and we were to arrive at our destination in forty minutes. We chatted all through the train ride from my apartment in Echo Park to Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, where we work, made fun of people’s choice of outfit on the train. There was a man dressed like he was in the mafia, and another man dressed in purple pants, blue shirt and brown shoes. We both assessed him and looked each other in the eye. We immediately burst out laughing. People on the train thought we had gone mad, but no, we were amazed at how one would leave their home dressed like they were attending a carnival on the very first day of the week. We had gotten to our stop and alighted from the train and went up the subway, all through to the cafeteria to get our coffees. I got two shots of espresso while Ivy got a mocha. I honestly don’t know how she takes that, it’s too sweet for me. We exit the cafeteria and walk for about two minutes to the office building; we go in through the auto door, and we say goodbyes. Ivy and I work in the same law firm. She works as a junior associate while I work as a financial analyst for a law firm. Her father owns the law firm, but she doesn’t come to work with him, she prefers coming to pick me up, and we go to work together. Unfortunately, her dad seized her car keys because she didn’t go on a blind date with one of his tennis club friend’s sons during the weekend, which is why we had to take the train this morning. Ivy isn’t cut out for this. She says her father is looking for someone to continue his legacy after he dies. Hence, the reason he’s hell-bent on having a son-in-law as soon as possible. I got to my desk as soon as the clock chimed eight o’clock. I reached into my drawer for the Advil tablets and popped two pills and chugged them down with my remaining coffee until I heard my supervisor, Mrs. Smith called out my name. ‘Miss Green’ she barked. ‘Good morning, ma’ I said. ‘Morning’, she said with a condescending look. ‘I will be needing the paperwork for the meeting with the senior associates this morning. I hope you have already quantified the financial damage in regard to the legal support we will be rendering? ‘Yes, I have.’ I said. She turned and headed towards her office. I sat on my chair letting out a heavy sigh. I joined Harris & Gary LLP in 2022, which was about two years ago. I got the job through my close friend, Ivy. Her father owns the law firm, so it was like getting half of the process done, just the interview left. I was asked to come for the interview two weeks after Ivy spoke to her father about me. The interview went well, hence why I was put under Mrs. Smith, who is now my supervisor as she was deemed fit the best.