On Purpose

~40~

I stood outside the building for what seemed like hours. Why? No idea, maybe because I needed to make sure I had everything I needed. What would that be? I'm still trying to figure it out.
My mind has been spinning so fast I nearly threw up when I got here, I'm still flabbergasted I even arrived.
Kyle texted me a long message I had yet to read, I just had a lot on my mind. From my conversation with my dad to Isabelle to my job.
I walked in and noticed how empty it was. Did nobody come to work today?
I took the elevator to the fourth floor and kept taking deep breaths over and over.
I got this, I know I do.
I'm feeding myself bull crap right now. Why am I here again? I'm fired, so I shouldn't be here, right? What do I hope for when I walk out, a slap on a wrist? Sympathy?
No.
I want an answer, a reason why.
The elevator door opened, and my eyes couldn't have prepared me for what I saw.
Nothing.
That's what I saw. Nothing.
The entire building was whipped clean.
No printers, no desks, no computers, no Lexi standing near the coffee maker and adding three million scoops of sugar.
It was empty, as if the evidence of me working here for three years was put into a shredding machine.
I stepped out quickly when the elevator tried to close and take me downstairs. I wish I let it. I would save myself the trouble of finding out more shit that I feel should be left unseen.
I walk around the empty space. The only thing on the floor were the rings from where desks, machines, and tables used to be.
I kept walking, the soft carpet rubbing against my black converse shoes.
I waked towards the big window that showed the best view of downtown. The sun was peeking beautifully behind a courthouse building.
I had to inhale and exhale.
All of this was gone. No more Billy or Lexus, or Gianni (although I don't talk to her much), no more Boss Man walking into my office with random shit to say. No more running to take a half an hour break to Starbucks and talk to Nicki about any and everything.
No more anonymous clients Boss Man gives to me.
It's all gone. But why? What did I do wrong? Was asking for a break off of work bad? Why didn't he just tell me? Why was the building empty?
I wouldn't cry. I won't cry. But it's hard when you made memories, now those memories are being emptied out, left with small rings on the carpet, leaving back evidence of what used to be.
I balled my hands to my sides and exhaled. I can't stay in here too long. The cleaners might tell me to leave, since I don't work here anymore.
I stared out the window for a few seconds later before I heard the elevator.
I quickly turned around on my heels.
Billy stood in the way of the elevator with a blank expression on his pale face. He looked like Edward scissor hands with a suit on. Yes, even that hair-a little. His hair was really messy, as if he hadn't slept in a few days.
"Hey." He choked out, his voice was dry, like he needed water.
"Hey." I said back, the empty room making my voice sound more louder than it was.
He walked in to let the elevator close.
"You here to get your boxes? They're in your office." He said, his voice still dry, I barely heard him, only words I could make out were 'boxes' and 'your.'
I pretended like I heard him, so I nodded anyways.
He had the hunch that I didn't hear a word he said due to my awkward silence and slow nod. He dropped a rectangular bag, deducing by the shape, it's a computer bag.
He starts to walk in the direction of my old office just down the hall. My name was still on the door; Oliver Stones.
I held in a breath, why was this room going to be the hardest to look in?
I watched as Billy grab the door knob and pushed it open.
Inside, a cleaner was already there, holding the picture of me and my dad. The young version him. The one that got the women weak in the knees.
He puts the picture in the box then looked up at me and Billy.
"Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Stones I heard you were on a little vacation so I thought I'd get a few things packed up for you."
I had to look at his name tag to make sure I knew his name before I said, "oh, thanks Ezekiel, I can take it from here. Besides, it's a Friday, you don't work, do you?"
He laughed a little.
"I wanted to work a little since today is my last day on the job."
I stared at him then turned to look at Billy.
"What? But you've been working here longer than I have." I stated with disbelief.
Ezekiel shrugged it off. "I know, a lot of the workers here have givin' it our all, but that Willmore..." he trailed off and hands me my basket that I use to throw in the hoop connected to my door which is now gone.
Ezekiel runs out while covering his mouth like he's going to throw up, but I know he's going to cry and he doesn't want me and Billy to hear the hard sobs of his hard work being tossed in the trash.
"Willmore?" I asked Billy once Ezekiel had pushed past me and Billy and ran down to the bathroom.
"You didn't know?" Billy asked, slowly walking over to the box Ezekiel was packing. He pays with the flaps, opening one side then closing it.
He doesn't let me finish talking before he says the words I wouldn't think would come from him, "Mr. Adler gave the company to Willmore."
If fainting and shitting on yourself at the same time could be done, I would have done it right then and there. Billy looked at me then, his face more paler than it had been when he walked into the room with me.
"Everybody lost their jobs." Billy looked down, "Adler texted you since you were out on vacation. Tyler and Brenda told him it was a bad idea since you were having a good time..." he paused for a bit to stop himself from crying like Ezekiel.
"Adler went to court to sue Mark for the email."
I waited for him to finish while I still managed to keep my feet on the ground.
"They wouldn't let him, he had a restraining order against him, that was it. But Adler was still worried for his family, so he just gave Mark what he wanted."
I shook my head, I couldn't believe this would actually happen, Boss Man wouldn't sit and do something like that. I can understand his need to protect him and his family, but he could have kept going to court until they finally helped him. On the other hand, the restraining order would do more damage than suing.
"Anyways, I came to see if Lexus was here, she was helping me get a few of her things. It's good to see you man, it really is."
He walked over to me and touched my shoulder.
"I know you're going through a lot right now, but I want to tell you now." He paused, and I just look up at him to lay it on me.
So he does.
"Your client, Stacey Green, died last night."