Clear

Clear: Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Abrasions

Friday

The rest of the week flew by because I didn't have to see Mr. Leoné. He was out visiting clients or working from home. But my peace of mind vanished on my last meeting on Friday afternoon.

I sat in the meeting room beside Renee and Chris. On the other side of the table sat Baddone, Willoughby, and Leoné on the other side. Mr. Leoné chose the seat across from me.

I checked the time on the dock on my desktop. I waited for the next minute to tick, assuming and counting down how many seconds until the next minute. There was still half an hour left of the meeting. Too long to be sitting across from the man I could still feel on my wrist. This was ridiculous. I rubbed my lower lip and floated my attention above the screen.

Damn. Mr. Leoné looked away from my mouth the second I caught him. Being a woman, I was no stranger to a man's lingering eye. But I didn't see what I did. Surely, I over thought it. I couldn't trust my mind while I failed to sleep regularly. With a general fog around my head, I imagined more deceptively. Mr. Leoné was not interested in me. He was merely assertive and tactile. And I felt my exhaustion catching up with me.

At the start of the afternoon, Renee walked back and forth and fast down the cubicle aisles. She was excited over a recent package delivery. I curved around and glanced into her office to see her and Ms. Ruth hovering around a decent size box. I eventually overheard it was full of phones and tablets for testing.

"Ada!" Renee called from her office.

I entered, and she smiled, "First, we have testing devices now, which means YOU have testing devices. Second, I need you to do me two lazy favors."

Excited, I asked her what she needed.

"Can you make a couple of copies of this invoice to Mr. Leoné and Ms. Baddone?" Then she waved a manilla folder. "And then give this to Mr. Leoné. He's been especially waiting for this today."

"Sure, no problem!"

No! I almost went the rest of the week without having to talk to Mr. Leoné face-to-face after our last encounter. I told myself over and over it meant nothing, but it still confused me. I held my fake smile until I turned my back and veered to the right for the above waist high copy, print, scan, and fax machine. Then I proceeded down the office hall. I swayed to the right, checking if Mr. Leoné was behind the slender window. I couldn't tell, but I did a double-take on my immediate left. Mr. Willoughby's left his door cracked open with the light on. But he wasn't inside. It was a non-issue to me until I continued and saw him inside Baddone's office. He paced with one hand on his hip and the other waving around as he spoke with fervor. Baddone sat at her desk, typing as though Willoughby was not there. Truthfully, her general nonchalance was humorous from this far. But I had to disturb the safety of my distance with a knock.

Baddone's eyes darted to the window, and Willoughby skirted to a halt. She gestured I enter, and I held up the paper.

Quietly, I announced, "I have an invoice copy for you."

I inched past Willoughby's flat stare, and Baddone took the paper. She glanced at it. "Merci (Thank you.)"

"De rien. (You're welcome.)" Eager to get out of there, I pointed my heels to the door.

"Est-ce que tu parles françois? (Do you speak French?)"

I swirled back around, and murmured, "Un peu (A little.)

She bit the inside of her lip and "Trés bien (Very well)" she nodded. "You may go."

I closed the door behind me and exhaled with bugged eyes. That wasn't as awkward as I thought, but it was still intense. My curiosity peaked, remembering how dismissive Mr. Leoné was with her. Surrounded by him and a canker sore like Willoughby, I'd wear a hard mask too.