The One Who Holds It All

Weird

Kylie

It's been a couple of hours and I still haven't heard from Max. Which, let's be honest, I have no idea where he was going or why. And I also have no idea why I really care. I- don't care. I don't even know him. Sure, I've done a few bits of paperwork for him over the course of the day, but to say I am curious because of any other reason than the simple fact that he is my boss is absolutely absurd.

You haven't even met him yet. You have to carry on a conversation with someone, not via text or email, in order to judge if you like them or not.

Right? That's not just me talking, that, well, that's just everyone on earth! The way that my mind has gone down a strange, foreign tunnel is just mind-boggling. My mind should be stewing on the events that transpired last week, not some fairytale from a storybook; that isn’t even happening! I mean come on, who am I kidding-movies are the only place where those kinds of things happen. Wealthy, established bosses do not just up and fall in love with their temps via text message exchange and live happily ever after.

Right?

Right.

So get it out of your head. It's not going to happen. Shouldn't I be reveling in the fact that after three years I was free? Free to be myself and free to make my own choices? I should be trying to patch up whatever wounds I still had from my previous relationship, instead of trying to drum up a new, far-fetched one. But honestly, I'm just not ready for myself to go down that road yet. The emotional healing that I know needs to take place within me has already begun. But it will be a while until it is complete, if ever.

I just want time to be, well, me. And that’s what I’m going to allow myself to do.

Looking around, I remember that Amy’s binder said that unless Max had another duty for me, I was allowed to leave the office at 4. Glancing at the clock, I see it was 3:55. Tidying up the desk and making sure my emails went through to all clients for today, I decided to head out to the front desk to see if Megan might have anything I could help her with.

As I walk up to the front of the building, I take in my surroundings. I notice that all the offices are closed, there isn’t one desk out in the open, besides Megan’s in the front. I really wanted to get the name of the decorator of the place, though. It’s just so beautiful it almost feels like it isn’t a corporate office at all. Whoever made the decisions on the scheme really wanted it to feel like a comfortable place for people to work together.

I am almost to the front, admiring the tiles on the floor when Megan pops out in front of me.

“Oh my goodness!” I yell as I stumble and she grabs my arm for support.

“Kylie, I am so sorry! I heard you coming from down the hall. I felt bad for making you walk all the way up here!” a worried look on her face. “I was trying to save you some steps!”

I start laughing hysterically, and she does too.

“You really just came out of nowhere! I didn’t even hear you coming down the hall!” I giggled. “Ross did that to me earlier too. It must be floors in here or something? I feel like a scaredy cat every time I take a corner now!”

“Haha, yes we have that effect around here…” she oddly states, but I guess she is meaning because they all work together and probably are used to each other’s habits. “Did you need something? It is time for you to go, actually Kylie. Max said he didn’t have any other duties for you to do.”

“That’s actually the reason I was coming down, I wanted to make sure that you didn’t need anything else from me today?” I asked, assuming she had probably talked to Max already.

“They are getting ready to land actually, and they will be settling in for the night at the pa-ahem, corporate office,” she stutters, quite oddly.

“Oh, ok. Well. If there isn’t anything else for me to do, I’m going to head out if that’s OK?” I ask as I bite my lip.

“Of course!” she says, with a smile.

As I turn to go get my things from the office, she seems to stare off into space for a minute before she replies any further. “Oh and Kylie, tomorrow we both get to dress a little more casual, seeing as how the guys wont be back in until later in the afternoon. I just wanted to let you know ahead of time, if you are anything like me in the getting-ready department,” She says with a laugh.

“Oh, awesome thanks, Megan!” I walked back to my office, I mean, Max’s office, and I couldn’t help but walk over to his desk. I walk back behind his desk, and find myself sitting in his chair.

What is wrong with you, Kylie? You are being so weird.

I lay my head back on the chairback as I wondered who Max really was. I rolled my eyes at myself. Very, very, weird.  Just then I heard my phone buzz. Standing up, I headed over to the desk and grabbed my phone to see a message from Max.

‘We just landed. As long as you finish up the emails to the clients, you are all done for the day. Thank you again, Kylie, for filling in for us this week. I look forward to meeting you in person tomorrow.’

My face automatically flushes, wondering what he meant by wanting to meet me.

Kylie, take a breather! He seems like a nice enough guy, he obviously wants to meet you since you are working directly under him for the week.

Sighing at myself,  I grabbed my stuff and headed back out towards the elevator. Megan is still at her desk, tapping on her computer.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Megan. Thank you again for helping me navigate today,” I said with a smile.

“See you, Kylie! I’ll see you tomorrow! I think you and I are going to become very good friends,” she says with a grin, rather oddly, as the elevator doors close.

What in the world did she mean by that?