TNN ONESHOTS

Katherine? - AFK & AMR & MK

Marjorie's heart dropped. The world around her stopped, and the rest of the conversation just happened around her. It was a Tuesday, and the usual buzz of the nursery was a distant hum. Sunlight streamed through the office window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, but all she could see was the spot of dirt on the floor. The words swirling in her head seemed to mock her, the accent, and cheerful conversation was a stark contrast to the sudden hollowness in her chest.

The words of the conversation blurred as she replayed them in her head, each syllable a fresh stab.

The sentence was a familiar foe, one she had faced before, but never with this level of devastation. This wasn't just a rejection; it was a severing, a finality that echoed in the sudden silence of her own ears. The scent of coffee, usually a comfort, now turned acrid, the aroma of failure clinging to her like a shroud.

She looked up, the faces of the others in the office, but all she could see was a meaningless blur. Their chatter, their laughter, and their casual interactions all felt like a cruel performance, a play she was no longer a part of.

The phone rang, a parent shouted, a child squealed with delight, all while the conversation flowed effortlessly between the three friends. Marjorie was adrift, a lone ship on a silent sea, the storm of her emotions raging within. The world moved on, oblivious, and she was left to pick up the pieces of her own heart.

Her face crumpled, and she mumbled an apology and practically bolted from the room, leaving Autumn, mia, and Katherine alone.

She hated herself for caring too much. She had other friends, so why was it such a knife to the heart to find out that Autumn had other friends. The way Autumn described her circled in her head. "I just talk a lot. I was the one who sat with her at the bar. I was there to get her lunch to meet all her cravings. I know how she likes her coffee or how after lunch she perfers tea." She thought to herself as her eyes glassed over.

Autumn shortly excused herself from her own conversation and, with a growing sense of unease, followed Marjorie's path. She found her in the ladies' room, the door locked. A muffled sob confirmed her fears. Autumn gently knocked, calling out Marjorie's name. Silence, then a shaky, "Come in."

Inside, Marjorie was leaning against the sink, tears streaming down her face. Although Autumn wasn't keen on physical contact, she still wrapped her arms around her, offering a silent comfort. "It's okay," she whispered, "Tell me what's wrong." Autumn told her calmly, to which Marjorie shook her head. "Marj, you are breaking your heart in here, so it's clearly not nothing." Autumn mumbled as she looked at her for a moment before looking away as she watched Marjorie shrug it off.

Marjorie sighed slightly, and between sobs started to explain the feelings that she couldn’t control and the overwhelming feeling of being inadequate. "All you could say was that i talk too much. I do everything for you, and that's all you have to say? I haven't left you alone when you have been down, and all you can say is i talk too much. Clearly, i dont mean as much to you as you do to me."

Autumn listened, offering physical affection of support as a way of reminding Marjorie that she's there. "I wasn't about to lay out all my lore to her just to make you look like a hero." Autumn snapped quickly, but as soon as it left her mouth, she held on tighter to Marjorie. "I appreciate all that you do for me, really, even if i can't show that." She said quietly as she felt the other woman melt into her embrace. "I'm being sensitive,  I'm sorry," Marjorie whispered while allowing herself to relax into Autumn's embrace.

In the quiet sanctuary of the bathroom, surrounded by the harsh fluorescent lights, Autumn helped Marjorie find a moment of peace, a safe space to cry. After a while, Marjore settled down, and her sobs turned to soft sniffles. "Come on, let's get us back to the office. It will be lunchtime soon." She whispered as she felt Marjorie slowly letting go.