The Higher We Soar

8. A bad déjà vu

A few days after my talk with Sophie, during a weirdly quiet and Madd-less afternoon, I followed my usual routine and headed to the break room for a cup of coffee. But as I pushed open the door, a subtle sense of unease crept in almost immediately. Maddox was conspicuously absent, his usual spot at the table empty.

Intrigued, I scanned the room. His absence wasn't the only anomaly; the countertop that usually boasted an array of Maddox' tempting treats was empty as well. No cookies, no bagels, not even a crumb from Violet's bakery. It wouldn't have been so unnerving if it was a one-time occurrence. But this wasn't the first day without those snacks. Nor was it the second. It had become a peculiar pattern, one that woke up a subtle sense of foreboding within me. I wasn't planning on asking about it, though.

Sensing a storm brewing, I hurried to pour my coffee, very eager to hide in my office. Yet, just as I refilled my mug and was about to leave, a loud, familiar voice cut through my thoughts.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Maddox stormed into the break room. Katie followed behind, her smile a stark contrast to his tempestuous entrance, her gaze flickering briefly in my direction.

"That meant exactly what I've said, smartass," she remarked with a playful laugh, leaning casually against the table.

"Why are you so damn touchy all of a sudden?"

Her pointed look seemed to beckon me into the conversation, but I decided to stay out of it. So there I stood, cornered in the room, the door too far away to reach without crossing through the brewing storm.

"I'm not. You're just too damn nosy. What I discuss with Sophie is my business," Madd retorted gruffly, his frustration evident as he moved closer to the coffee machine. He gave me a quick, distracted 'hey' before turning his focus back to the contraption.

As he tried to fill his mug, he machine emitted a series of ominous whirrs and beeps, refusing to cooperate. As expected, Maddox's patience quickly waned. He gave it a light smack in frustration, but the machine remained obstinately unresponsive.

"Um, you have to—" I started, using my mug as a makeshift pointer to direct Maddox's attention to the spot for the coffee filter.

"Thanks," he grumbled, snatching my coffee without a second thought. A little shocked, I blinked a few times as he walked to the table and pulled out a chair but didn't sit down.

"Oh...kay?" I muttered, a tiny bit disconcerted by the abrupt turn of events. Suddenly deprived of my mug and coffee, I felt a twinge of annoyance. The warmth that had been soothing my hands was now in Maddox's grip. Before I could voice my frustration or reclaim my beverage, Katie's voice cut through the tension once more.

"So what, then? Are you acting like a drama queen because of Violet? Or Sophie? Or both?"

I didn't know what it was about, but 'both' was my immediate guess.

Katie shot him a challenging look, her eyes daring him to speak his mind. They locked eyes in a silent battle of wills, each refusing to back down.

"What exactly is your damn problem, Kate?" Madd asked, emphasizing each word. He took a sip of my coffee and immediately grimaced in disgust for some reason, slamming the mug onto the table. The contents spilled in a small, sad, brown puddle, slowly spreading across the surface.

Rest in peace, coffee. Rest in peace.

"My problem?" Kate huffed, crossing her arms defensively. "You're the one who's been grumpy and on the warpath with everybody since this morning. It's impossible to talk to you. Damn, you've even managed to piss Sophie off! That's quite an accomplishment!"