Capture Me

Waiting in Uncertainty

Thalia

"Thalia!"

I jumped a little when I heard my name.

"Y-yeah?" I turned my head from side to side to look for the owner of the voice.

"You might wanna un-press the copy button," Jillian, one of my co-workers pointed at my steady finger on the big red button of the photocopy machine. "'cause I don't think Litzer wanted that many of a copy." She giggled.

I pulled my finger back with an 'oh' and a mortified face.

I gathered the papers I needed and put the rest of the copies in the shredder.

"Welp, I came to say that I will be going before you this time. Good luck on the big day tomorrow!" She smiled and waved her hand as she exited the office.

After seeing her figure disappear in the hallway, I walked back to my cubicle and checked if I had all the documents right and readied them for filing.

I am now a regular employee of the renowned Blackett Group, an assistant of Mr. Evan Litzer, general manager of the Public Affairs Department.

It was a tough job at first with all the meetings and events that needed to be cramped in schedules but still leave Mr. Litzer a day or two to take a break. And then there was Ryder, I was sure that he left that same night, since I woke up alone. No calls, no message, no nothing, it was like he disappeared into thin air with our communication cut off.

But I got used to it, the job, not Ryder leaving for his assignment. Every second of the day I pray that my husband was safe wherever he was and that he would come back to me all well.

These past months, my life was just work and home, a few events attended with my boss and that was it. After that, I go home and miss Ryder.

It was worse in holidays, I spent Christmas and New Year drowning in wine and beer when Ryder's parents invited me over to spent it with them. When Valentine's Day came, there were couples everywhere and I just wanted to walk between them or punch them in their faces for all the sweet gestures they were doing. I couldn't also deny the jealousy I was feeling and wishing that my husband was with me celebrating these little happenings.

The past company I worked at never bothered me since the shootout at our old house and thank God I didn't have to look over my shoulder every time I was walking alone or anywhere for that matter. I never heard from Jesse too, but I hope he was safe somewhere.

I stayed at the office late, I had to double check everything for tomorrow's opening event. The company recently finished a five-year-project-mall they named BoxStock which was approved by the chairman-Ryder's dad-to open this next day. And as people in the PA dep, we were the busiest, from organizing the program and the theme to hiring staffs and performers. We also had to ensure that everyone on the guest list were sure to attend.

I stretched my stiff limbs from my work-chair, finally done after a month-long preparation. Let's pack up and go home.

My eyes gravitated towards the numbers on the lower right side of my computer's screen. 11:59 PM it said, one more minute and it would be exactly six months since Ryder left.

The giddy energy I was feeling hastily depleted. Will he be there waiting for me at home when I got there this time?

One way to find out.

I cleared my things, saved my data, turned off my computer, and left the premises.

The way to the unit was like a ticking bomb, the traffic was very heavy and the cars were barely moving.