The Summer Anthology ✔

Story #44- Open Your Heart For Me

Written by user ggsperanza

"Genevieve, my dear, a moment before you leave?" Amanda's voice sounded through the doorway to her cubicle.

Genevieve sighed, knowing exactly what this was going to be - yet another after-work 'favor' that had absolutely nothing to do with either of their jobs. Amanda was head of Fundraising and Donations of the St. Justin's orphanage and fostering programs, and ever since she had been recruited from another non-profit eighteen months ago, had casually transformed Genevieve's job description from head of corporate donations to personal assistant. Not even a secretary. Just someone who ran around after her, and around 80% of the time, it was for personal errands. So far, she had done everything from pick up her twin boys, to having to lie to Amanda's husband about her affair, and even went so far as to drive two hours out of town in peak hour to pick up desserts for a dinner party she hadn't been invited to.

"Darling, could you please do me the biggest favor? My dry cleaner called and has informed me that my suit, you know the one, the divine little navy one, for my corporate lunch tomorrow, has been rushed and finished for me. Could you pop down and pick it up for me?" She asked, voice dripping with an over-the-top sweetness. "I'm just swamped trying to make sure everything is perfect for this event. You know how much our homes need this money.'"

She tucked a strand of the perfectly maintained blonde hair behind her ear with a manicured nail. Standing in front of her barely 40, absolutely stunning boss made Genevieve feel so dowdy. Her shoulder length, chestnut hair was half pinned back to keep it off her face, she hadn't had her nails done in gosh knew how long, and her blazer barely showed off her too curvy figure. She entwined her fingers, but rather than just saying no, she suggested, "I'm just on my way out now. You know Monday's are one of my early days, But I'm more than happy to drop it off tom..."

'Oh boo!' Amanda exclaimed, feigning disappointment. 'I had forgotten. Perhaps you wouldn't mind then just dropping it back in afterwards then?'

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Rather than finishing at 3 as she had planned, Genevieve was trudging back home well past 4.30, utterly exhausted as usual. Not only had she carried a suit, but the half of Amanda's closet that had been cleaned, and Genevieve had had to maneuver four blocks back to the office with only one eye to see. She hated this job. Hate wasn't even the right word anymore – she despised it. What once had been a meaningful and purposeful position to her had been casually thrown to someone else in her already understaffed and overworked department, and she had been reduced to an assistant because she was 'so good at her job.' For at least eight months, her days had fallen into a sluggish routine – going to work, going home, and falling asleep wondering why her life was so ridiculous. She had never had many friends aside from a close few, but as she continued to be used at work, she had pushed them further away as she had fallen into her self-made pit of misery. She had even pushed away her family after she had found herself growing agitated with their constant questions and persistence into knowing every little detail of her disappointing life.

As she turned onto the busy street of up-and-coming cafes, attractive stores, and local bars, she stopped in front of a store on the corner that she had passed many times, but had never given any notice to. In the corner of a large glass window, in bold black type with a thick white outline said 'Ink'. She looked inside, and past the front desk held a couch in a room with deep blue walls covered with frames of what appeared to be tattoo work. Beyond that was a table at least two meters long that seated a hunched over figure, and two separate rooms she could only assume were workstations. She looked at the path she took every day, then back at the store, and decided she needed to break routine.