The sunlight flooded the room, rousing me from slumber. I missed my alarm, and with it being so bright, I leaped out of bed to check the time. Oh no! I forgot to set it, and now I'm running late.
I hastily headed to the bathroom. Last night was enjoyable; the girls and I had a great time out. Now I'm regretting my decision to go along. While it was fun, I returned home exhausted and ended up oversleeping, leaving me late. I'm sure Mr. Charles won't take kindly to this. Ugh!
I quickly shoved a slice of bread into my mouth, grabbed my keys, and dashed out.
********
I stood in the elevator, waiting for it to arrive at the third floor, "Mr. Charles' Office." The elevator paused at the second floor, and someone stepped in.
"Mrs. Mia!?" I thought she had retired.
"Ahh! Ms. Blossom, it's wonderful to see you," she said, embracing me.
"Great to see you too, ma'am. I kind of thought you were retired." She smiled while releasing me from the hug.
"Sure, but I received a call from Mr. Charles. It sounded like he genuinely needed my assistance, so I couldn't say no." She gently nudged my shoulder. Thank goodness she's back; at least there's someone here who won't judge me.
I found Mr. Charles tapping his fingers on the desk, looking both stressed and uneasy. I had never seen him like that before—was he upset about my late arrival? Mrs. Mia greeted him and then left. I stood there, unsure of what to say or do, and quickly bowed my head to greet him. "Good morning, Mr. Charles. I sincerely apologize for being late." I glanced up at him, feeling nervous.
He looked up and noticed my awkward stance in front of his desk. He quickly tried to smile, but it wasn't very convincing, even to him. "Oh, Bloom, good morning. No need to apologize for the delay; let's focus on today's agenda."
I nodded in agreement.
"Absolutely, sir!"
**************************************
After concluding our previous meeting with the home appliances company, we made our way to the car.
Throughout the day, Mister Charles displayed unusual behavior, markedly different from his typically erratic demeanor. He appeared deeply troubled, which sparked my curiosity about what was bothering him.
He instructed the driver to pause at a restaurant, and I accompanied him inside.
As per usual, I took my seat beside him, outlining his schedule of meetings and appointments for the day and their expected outcomes.
"Ms. Bloom, I have something I'd like to talk to you about," he interrupted my summary.
"Please, go ahead, sir." Not that I could decline to listen to what he had to say. I sensed that his message might not bode well for me.
He straightened up and took my hands in his.
Well, this is taking a different turn.
"I aim to keep things brief and straightforward. Having you as my assistant for the last month has truly made my job more enjoyable and a bit easier. I admire your diligent work ethic. However, I regret to say that our time together must come to a close." I initially thought he might be joking or playing a prank, but his expression appeared quite serious.
A sudden headache hit me.
What on earth! This has to be one of his jokes, right?! This simply cannot be real!
"Excuse me, sir, could you please repeat that?!" I needed to confirm that this wasn't just a nightmare.
He nodded, his expression suggesting he felt burdened by the words he was about to speak.
"Bloom, you won't continue as my assistant at Nest Nook. You're being moved to another company—Vincent's. The man I introduced you to last Friday." His tone was icy and grave.
Absolutely not!
I always suspected that he was trouble; just from knowing a little about me, he aims to derail my life.
Why does it have to be like this for me? Just when I feel like I'm finally finding my footing, everything crumbles, and I'm left to begin again.
I shook my head in defiance. "I'm sorry, Mr. Charles, but I won't be transferring to that company."
"If you decline this offer, you'll be without a job altogether!" He appeared serious, with just a hint of concern.
"I'd prefer to be unemployed than work as that wicked man's assistant!" I cleared my throat.
"Thank you for everything, sir." I stood, grabbed my purse, nodded, and walked away.
**************************************
As soon as I got home, I called Lisa and filled her in on all that had happened.
"Wow, that sounds intense! Who is this Vincent guy you seem to dislike so much?" She sounded both interested and perplexed.
"Lisa, it's the guy I mentioned when we attended that party—the one Rion was tailing. He turned my life upside down in just a few weeks! I always sensed he wasn't a good influence."
Lisa fell silent for a moment.
"Lisa? Are you there? What on earth is going on?"
"Oh, I'm so sorry, hehe." She sounded a bit anxious.
"No problem. Anyway, as I was saying, I need to look for another job." She still seemed somewhat uneasy.
"Yeah, Samantha and I can figure something out for now. Bloom, I'm really swamped; I'll call you later. Bye!" And just like that, she ended the call.
What's up with her? Regardless, I really need to find a small job to occupy myself for the time being. Job openings are incredibly scarce, especially this time of year.
I picked up the newspaper from the table and started looking for job openings in the area. Unfortunately, most were too far from home, and the nearby ones didn't match my qualifications.
Flipping to the next page, I stumbled upon a little opportunity that could keep me really busy! A big mall was hiring for a cashier, and I'm definitely a fit for that role.
I'm not sure whether to feel sad about losing a well-paying job or to celebrate this new side gig. It's just how I tackle things; instead of wallowing in disappointment, I focus on finding the next small joy.
Anyway, it feels pointless to cry over it.