Found

Chapter 6

You're seated at a table in a fancy restaurant, the waiter just poured something bubbly into your glass, you look around the room and recognize the place but can't remember how. There's a meal in front of you and one across the table.

"Who am I here with?" You ask yourself as you lower your head into your hands.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be gone so long but there was a line." Says a very familiar voice and you raise your head. But your eyes are watery from a few tears so you can't make out the face.

"Are you ready to dance handsome?" Says this gorgeous silhouette standing over you who takes your hand and leads you to a dance floor.

Your eyes seem to refocus now and you watch other couples dance as your partner holds you close, her head buried in your shoulder. You don't dare lift away to see for fear of ruining the moment.

You do however notice the most distinctive smell of lavender as you hold her tighter to you in what seems to be the most perfect moment ever.

You are filled with an overpowering joy that shows in an uncontrollable smile on your face. Feeling so relieved you close your eyes and just move to the music.

It's not a familiar song but you are enjoying the sound that the band makes and the beat is easy to dance to.

Just as the band is going strong for a few minutes, some idiot in the distance forgot to silence his phone and you can't help but feel he is ruining everything.

So you shout, "hey can you turn that damned thing off?" in the direction you think it is coming from. This jerk says something slick that you didn't exactly hear. So you step away to confront him.

This is unlike you to be so aggressive but it has been a long time since you were in the company of a beautiful woman and you weren't going to let some jerk spoil it.

As you get closer to him you feel something grab at your foot. "What is this?" you say out loud as you begin to fall to the sound of his phone going off again.

"What the hell?" you say in a defeated tone as you hit the floor. A painful thud jars your whole body.

Your eyes open only to realize you are back in your apartment. And it hits you that it was all a dream.

Finding yourself on the floor next to the sofa where Trisha left you the night before.

Feeling even more alone now  you think "Crap, what time is it?" as you scramble to your feet all too fast only to fall again. "Oh my head!" follows.

Still a little drunk from the previous night and your first hangover in years is not the way to start out your day.

There isn't much time to get yourself together and get to the office. All the way thinking, never again on a week night.

"Good morning Carla..." as you head for your office. An entire box of coffee under arm. "Can you join me in my office in 10 please?"

"If you need Sir" says Carla with a rather worried look on her face.

You seat at your desk to discover a list in front of you. Names, but for what? You take your first drink of coffee and immediately spit it back out, just as Carla enters.

"Sir, are you alright?" She asks trying to hand you a napkin from your desk.

"No I'm not.

And she quickly rushes to the door to latch it shut and lock it.

"How can I help?" She adds trying not to laugh at your rather rough appearance.

"What? What is so funny?" You ask, now with a little frustration in your voice.

She can't hold it in and blurts out a short laugh.

Now seriously heated you stand up angrily and spill more coffee onto your trousers.

Feeling defeated you look up at Carla who is now in full laughter, and upon looking down at yourself  realizing it's not worth it to be so angry you blurt out a short laugh of your own.

"Carla, I'm a mess and I don't know if I can handle what is going on with me."

"I'm here to help Sir, but you've got to get changed, you have to interview your temporary replacement today. There's 12 applicants." She adds.