The Shadow Mate

Chapter 1: Doors Will Open The sun peaked through the dark curtains of the office lobby. A large heart was stapled to the lobby’s dusky brown desk, and flowers wilted over in a shimmering red vase. “I really need to redecorate,” Naomi thought to herself, looking around the office made her think about Valentine’s Day, which for her was the best holiday yet. Which is not saying a lot, it’s just to say she celebrated each holiday with reverence. Charlie had gone out of his way to actually book a reservation at a decent restaurant his year, even got a sitter on his own for Belle, and afterwards they took to Axle’s Axe Throwing for a little friendly competition and some light foreplay. Now that it was March, she couldn’t bare to think of the next holiday Charlie would actually be eager to participate in; he was, after all, a young functioning alcoholic. Naomi put on a track by Anderson .Paak and started to dance around the room, as a part of her morning ritual where she invited good energy into her space, as she waited on her morning coffee. Terric Choi walks in just as she was staircasing around the break room counter. His eyebrows shoot up judgmentally, but his mouth curves into a sly smile. “I’ll have whatever you have in your coffee dear.” “If you have what I’m having,” Naomi replied with a smirk, “you’d have to denounce your beliefs and morals.” Terri’s eyebrows were flying off his face as he shot back with, “ah, but it may just be worth it.” Naomi had only been working with the Lavender Agency for ten months, the longest she’d ever held any position, and though Terri had been with the agency for over 20 years, they became fast friends over their shared love of Broadway musicals and city transportation. In Kannapolis, there were only seven bus lines and three of them went by the local mall. Naomi craved the year she spent in CO. “So, what’d you do this weekend? And by do I mean did you do what we discussed?” Naomi caught her bottom lip and bit down, “he’s a lot more persuasive than your average Joe.” Terri’s eyes rolled all the way up, “So no?” Terri was of course referring to the commitment Naomi had made just last week regarding Charlie. Charlie was great, in a ‘black Mr. Rogers’ sort of way…if Mr. Rogers was a cheap alcoholic. Lately, Naomi had been feeling something off within her relationship. Though to be fair to Charlie, she wasn’t sure the off thing wasn’t some thing going on with her. She shared the former information with Terri, mainly because they needed content to fill the silence during their smoke breaks, and now she was living to regret it. “You deserve more than what he’s offering Na,” he said, all breathy she might add and longing, which made her uncomfortable. Yeah well, right now I’m just thinking about focusing on all these policies before I dip out at 2,” Naomi shot back, chuckling nervously. “I should get to it,” And as if on queue, a tall, young brunette walked in to make a payment. “We’d better get to it, holler if you need me!” She chirped and sauntered, so it seemed to Terri, back to the front desk to assist the woman. She dodged this bullet.