Lovebeam

Chapter 5

The pic on the side is of Brody <3

It's nine in the morning when I walk into the office on Monday. I'm in a good mood.

"Guys, I bought like, nine boxes of donuts, so help yourselves." I say, grabbing a strawberry with sprinkles.

Everyone immediately gets up to eat.

"I also got like, five gallons of milk and sugar and creamer and coffee." I put them in the break room. I'm balancing my phone on my shoulder and my cheek.
"No Mom." I say.

"Well, did you get the tickets yet, honey?"

"Yes." I say. "I told you I'll be there on the seventeenth." I say.

"Honey, you need to pack."

"Ma, it's only the third." I say. "I'm not packing until the sixteenth."

"Danielle, waiting until last minute is unhealthy." She says.

"Mom, I promise you I'm okay."

"Danielle, if you get too stressed out, you'll have a heart attack! You should pack now."

I laugh.

"Mom, please. I'm not going to have a heart attack if I don't pack in time." I say.

A few people laugh.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." I say. "Listen, I've been putting off loads of shipments and emails and such for like, a week. I've got checks to write. Can I call you later?"

"Yes. Make sure to have lunch! Be healthy and happy, honey! I love you!"

"I love you too, Mom."

"Bye darling."

"Bye." I hang up.

"Your Mom seems cute." Brody says.

"She's adorable." I admit.

The elevator dings.

My boss comes strolling in.

"Danielle, you have a lot of work to get done."

"I know." I say. "I'm eating breakfast, and then I'll start." I say.

"If you haven't started in an hour, I'm going to terminate you."

"Okay." I say.

He walks away. I roll my eyes, opening the blinds.

My phone starts ringing again.

I look down at the I.D.

Jonathan.

I press answer.

"Hey." I say.

"Did Mom tell you?" my brother asks.

"What?"

"She's moving to Florida."

I drop my donut.

"What?" I ask loudly.

"She's been upset because she never sees you."

"No...she-fuck, I'm moving back, Jonathan!"

"I tired to tell her. She told me and Jules that if we tell you, she's going to be dead to us."

"Did she sell the house?"

"No. Not yet."

"And Dad's okay with this?"

"Not really. He wants to be closer to you, but he wants to stay in New York."

"Fuck." I sigh. "I'll say that I used her email for Bath and Body Works and I wanted to see if I got any coupons. I'll tell her while I was on her email, I saw an email from a Florida realitor."