You Found Me

Humble Pie

Another four weeks later...

Dear Annie,

Can we please arrange a meeting between yourself and I within the next week or so? It has been a while since we have met face to face and it is imperative that we meet as soon as possible.

I hope you are feeling better.

Please make sure that a PCR test has been done prior to our meeting.

Kind Regards

Walter

I have been back at home with my parents for just over three weeks now and I am greeted with this unnerving email from my manager, Walter. After being unofficially served with my divorce papers only moments from waking up after being in an induced Covid coma, I have another sneaky suspicion that this so-called meeting is no friendly catch up to see how I am doing. I agreed to see him today, mainly to get it over with as soon as possible. I have never been a patient person, especially with the gut feeling I have.

I leave the house just after 8am, desperate to get some cool, fresh air into my lungs. The sky has finally edged itself over the horizon, it is illuminating with gold and pink colors. It is one of the most beautiful sunrises I have seen in a long time. The sun is deceiving though and the icy wind hits me straight in the face like an iceberg. I huddle towards my car, the thick fabric of my turtle neck feels reassuring on my skin, like a suit of armour. I get in and turn the ignition on, the radio blares out the early morning news. "Another 20,000 cases of the Delta variant has been confirmed..." I feel numb and deflated, the day hasn't even started yet and all I want to do is go back inside and hide under the safety net of my duvet. I have had to face the brunt of many nasty conversations about the dreaded Covid word since I was discharged from hospital. Instead of arguing like the old me pre-Covid, I sat there and nodded like a robot. Too weak to even contemplate arguing. I realise now that whatever this thing was that invaded my body does exist. I did as the doctor ordered and got my first vaccine and I have booked in for my second one. I travel down the street, the car suddenly feels claustrophobic and the heat is like being in a furnace. I roll down my window, taking a deep breath in and out. I have been told that due to the damage that has been caused by the disease I will mostly probably have long Covid for the rest of my life. Talk about karma being a bitch, huh?  My breathing is not as it used to be, walking up a flight of stairs is an uphill struggle, by the time I get to the top I am in a state of breathlessness. My doctor told me my left lung is fully functioning whilst the other is only working sixty percent. Needless to say my time in hospital has given me a lot of time to think and reevaluate my life and what I want from it.

I finally park up outside the office, there are a few familiar cars scattered around and I notice that not only is Walters car there, so is his business partners, John. This is definitely not going to end well today.
Making my way to the entrance I shove my hands into my pockets and feign a confident, self-righteous persona. My heart is thumping along in my chest, my hands are shaking with anticipation.
The journey up in the lift reminds me of the candidates in the reality TV show The Apprentice. I feel like I am on my way to meet Alan Sugar and to be subjected to a firm interogation.
The doors slide open and I am greeted by Walter and John midway through a deep conversation at my desk. They are both dressed up smartly in identical navy suits and black ties. I have always thought that Walter resembles the actor Kenneth Branagh and John is like a live action Lord Farquad from the movie, Shrek. They don't initially sense my presence until I move closer, purposely clearing my throat which feels as dry as sandpaper. John jumps up abruptly from his seat and approaches me cautiously, extending his hand out to me. "Thank you for coming in to see us today, Annie. Can I get you a drink?" He smiles tightly. I have never liked John, there has always been a slyness undertone from him and I have never been able to put my finger on it. "No, thank you," I reply nervously. I can feel the sweat accumulating on my forehead. I'm sure they can tell how worried I am about this meeting. "Great, so without further ado let's start, shall we?" Walter joins John's side and points towards the main meeting room at the end of the corridor.