Saturday off the Clock
1377 Words
Saturday came with gray skies.
Not the “oh it’s just drizzling” kind. Chicago rain. The kind that hits the lake and comes back sideways and makes the L trains run late.
Marley woke up at 10am to her phone blowing up on the nightstand of her tiny studio in Hyde Park.
7 texts. All from Benjamin.
_Benjamin 8:12am: You up?_
_Benjamin 8:30am: It’s nasty out_
_Benjamin 9:05am: Girl wake up_
_Benjamin 9:47am: I’m bored af_
_Benjamin 10:01am: Come thru. I got Portillo’s_
_Benjamin 10:03am: Please??_
_Benjamin 10:04am: I’ll even give you a hug if you want lol_
Marley smiled and tossed her phone. Her apartment smelled like coffee and damp laundry. The heat had been acting up since last night.
She typed back:
_Marley: It’s raining Benjamin. Go sit down._
Reply in 2 seconds.
_Benjamin: Rain is for couples and people with no 9-5 on Saturday. Which one are you?_
_Marley: The one with no 9-5 and no umbrella._
_Benjamin: I got 2. Be at your place in 30._
---
By 11:30 the rain had turned into that misty Chicago drizzle. Benjamin pulled up in front of her building in a black Honda Civic. Not his boss’s BMW. His own.
He hopped out in dark jeans, a white tee, and a Chicago Bulls windbreaker. Hair still wet. Holding two umbrellas and a brown bag that smelled like Italian beef and peppers.
"You look like you’re about to go to a job interview at Bank of America" he said when she opened the door.
Marley was in sweats, an oversized hoodie, and slides. Hair in a messy bun.
"At least I’m comfy. You look like you’re going to Lollapalooza" she shot back.
He held the umbrella over her. "Let’s go before this rain decides to get worse."
They didn’t go far. Just to his place in Logan Square. A 2-bedroom apartment on the 2nd floor above a coffee shop. It wasn’t fancy, but it was his. Basketball posters on the wall. A small bookshelf. And a PS5 under the TV.
"I wasn’t expecting this" Marley said, looking around while kicking off her slides.
"Expecting what? That I live in my mom’s basement?" Benjamin dropped the Portillo’s on the kitchen counter. "Sit. Eat."
They ate Italian beef sandwiches, drank Sprite, and watched the rain hit the fire escape from his living room window. No talk about Gastric Tech. No Zendaya. No boss.
"You never told me why you really took this job" Benjamin said, wiping sauce off his hands.
Marley looked out the window. "I said I couldn’t be unemployed."
"That’s the bare minimum answer."
She laughed. "You and your ‘bare minimum’."
She sighed. "My uncle. He paid for my college. Then he passed last year. My family’s house in Indiana... it’s complicated. I need to get on my feet. Fast. On my own."
Benjamin didn’t do the whole "I’m sorry" thing. He just nodded. "Bet. Then we make sure Zendaya doesn’t run you out by Friday."
The rain stopped around 3pm. Sun came out and turned the streets into steam.
"You like movies?" Benjamin asked.
"Depends. Not the ones where the girl cries the whole time."
"Good. ‘Cause I only got action and comedies."
They ended up watching a Marvel movie on his couch. Marley laughed at all the wrong parts. Benjamin kept pausing to explain the references she missed.
At one point he got up to grab more drinks and slipped on the rug.
"Yo!"
Marley grabbed his arm before he hit the floor. For a second they just stood there. Her hand on his forearm. His eyes on her.
"You good?" she asked.
"Yeah" he said, quieter. "Thanks for catching me."
"Group hug for it?" she joked.
He didn’t laugh. He just stepped in and hugged her. Quick. Tight.
He pulled back first. "Come on. Let’s get out. I’m tired of staring at these walls."
---
They went to Millennium Park. It was packed even with the weird weather. Tourists taking pics with The Bean, street performers, food trucks.
Benjamin bought Garrett popcorn. Marley got an iced tea.
"You’re really a Chicago dude huh" she said, watching him argue with a vendor to get an extra napkin.
"South Side raised" he said. "There’s a difference."
They sat on a bench near the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
"So what’s the plan, Miss Secretary?" he asked.
"Survive Monday. Avoid Zendaya. Don’t get fired."
"Still bare minimum."
"Fine. Plan: Be the best assistant Gastric Tech has ever had. Save enough for my own place. And..." she stopped.
"And?"
"And not catch feelings for my boss’s right-hand man."
Benjamin choked on his popcorn. "Who said anything about feelings?"
"You brought me Portillo’s. You hugged me twice. You text me at 8am on a Saturday."
"That’s called being a decent coworker."
"Decent coworkers don’t do that."
"This one does."
They sat quiet for a minute. A sax player started doing some R&B cover nearby.
"You dance?" Benjamin asked.
"No."
"Liar."
"I said no."
Next song was something upbeat.
Benjamin stood up and held out his hand. "Dance with me, Marley."
"People are watching."
"It’s Saturday. Who cares."
Marley rolled her eyes and took his hand. They danced. Badly. Laughing. Stepping on each other. A tourist even recorded them.
Walking back to the car, Benjamin’s phone rang. Boss.
He answered. "Yo Mr. Johnson... Yes sir... 9am sharp Monday... I got her."
He hung up and looked at Marley.
"Meeting Monday. 9am. New client. He wants both of us in there."
"Why me?"
"Because you told that guy you don’t make choices to fail. He remembered."
Marley groaned. "Great. More pressure."
They got back to Logan Square around 7pm. Traffic on the Kennedy was a nightmare.
At her building, Benjamin didn’t get out. He rolled the window down.
"Saturday was cool" he said.
"It was alright" Marley shrugged, but she was smiling.
"Hug before you go?"
"Benjamin—"
"Please? Last one. For the road."
Marley sighed, leaned into the car window, and hugged him. He smelled like Italian beef and laundry detergent.
"See you Monday, dummy" she whispered.
"See you, dummy" he said back.
She went inside. He waited until her light came on before pulling off.
She was glad that they were getting close but not to capture him though because she was beginning to like his company a bit
---
Sunday was slow.
Marley cleaned, did laundry, and tried to prep outfits. She steamed her one good blazer three times.
At 8pm her phone buzzed.
_Zendaya: Heard you’re in the Monday meeting. Don’t mess it up for us._
_Marley: I don’t take notes from girls who use LinkedIn to gossip._
_Zendaya: We’ll see._
Marley blocked her and went to bed.
Monday came fast.
She wore her white button-down, black slacks, and the blazer. Didn’t matter if it was borrowed.
Benjamin was waiting downstairs. Same Civic.
"You look ready for war" he said.
"I am."
The office was tense. Zendaya was at her desk with sunglasses on indoors. Williams wouldn’t look up from his monitor.
The meeting was at 9. Conference room with glass walls.
Marley took notes. Answered when the client asked about shipping timelines. Voice didn’t shake.
After, Mr. Johnson called them to his office.
"You did good" he told Marley. "Benjamin, show her the rest of the system."
"Yes sir" Benjamin said.
Walking out, Zendaya cut them off by the elevator.
"So now you’re teacher’s pet?" she asked Marley.
Marley looked her in the eye. "No. I’m just doing my job. You should try it sometime."
Zendaya lifted her hand like she might swing.
Benjamin stepped in front. "Don’t" he said. That low, serious tone. The one that said he wasn’t playing.
Zendaya dropped her hand and stormed off.
Back at her desk, Marley let out a breath.
Benjamin set a bottle of water on her desk.
"You good?"
"Yeah."
"Good. ‘Cause we got work. And I’m not doing bare minimum today."
"Going above and beyond?"
"Exactly."
He grinned. She grinned back.
Later, packing up, Benjamin texted:
_Benjamin: Saturday again?_
_Marley: If you’re buying food._
_Benjamin: Deal. And maybe another hug._
_Marley: We’ll see, dummy._
She got into her Uber and watched New York City go by. Loud. Fast. Cold.
*End of Chapter 3*
- Writer
