Office Desires

22. It's Over

Debbie had made the decision not to go into work that morning, and, surprisingly, she found herself relieved by this choice. It wasn't the typical feeling of satisfaction that came with a day off but rather a deep sense of apprehension and an inability to gather the courage to face Lou just yet.

As the morning sunlight filtered through her bedroom window, Debbie lay in bed, unable to shake the lingering ache in her chest. The memories of her time with Lou, their secret rendezvous and the profound intimacy they had shared, played over and over in her mind like a bittersweet movie.

Debbie couldn't deny the magnetic pull she felt towards Lou. Her striking presence, her charisma... But why was she in so much pain ? Yes she liked Lou, very much but she wasn't in love with her... No she wasn't in love with her.

In the afternoon, Debbie gathered her resolve and went to the office, prepared to face a potentially angry Lou. She expected a confrontation, a conversation that needed to happen, no matter how difficult. But to her surprise, when she arrived at the office, Lou was nowhere to be found.

Her heart raced as she scanned the familiar surroundings, her eyes searching for any sign of her. She wondered if Lou had taken the day off too.

As she settled into her office, Amita entered with a worried expression on her face. She seemed unsure and perplexed, making Debbie wonder what was going on.

Amita hesitated for a moment before finally explaining, "Debbie... Lou quit this morning. She packed up her things and left."

"She... quit?" Her voice was laced with disbelief.

Amita nodded, her expression still reflecting her concern. "Yes, I'm not exactly sure why, but it happened this morning."

"What do you mean?"

Amita explained, her words revealing the startling truth. "She came to the office this morning with a resignation letter, gathered her things, said goodbye to everybody, and left."

"What?!"

"I thought... you knew... but I guess you didn't..."

"Yeah...I'm okay...thanks for letting me know."

***

The rest of the week for Debbie unfolded in a strange dance of trying to appear unaffected by Lou's absence while grappling with the palpable void she left behind.

Each day, as Debbie navigated the routine of office life, a habit formed in the muscle memory of her actions. She found herself absentmindedly dialing Lou's office number, only to catch herself before pressing the final digit, Lou wasn't working here anymore...

The elevator rides became a subtle ritual of hope and disappointment. Each time the doors opened, there lingered a fleeting anticipation that Lou might step in, as if the universe would momentarily align to reunite them. The reality, however, was a reminder that Lou was no longer part of the daily ebb and flow of the office. The empty space beside Debbie in the elevator echoed the absence she felt deep within.

Passing by Lou's office door became a bittersweet act. Debbie found herself instinctively stopping in front of it, as if expecting to see Lou immersed in work or catching her eye with a shared secret smile. But the reality of the empty room struck Debbie anew each time. The subtle reminders of Lou's absence were like echoes in the silence of an abandoned place, reverberating through the familiar surroundings.

During meetings and discussions, Debbie's gaze would unconsciously drift to the vacant chair where Lou once sat, a visual void that mirrored the emotional gap left behind. She masked her feelings with an air of nonchalance, participating in conversations with practiced ease, yet the echo of Lou's laughter and the memory of shared glances lingered in the spaces between words.