A Penny's Worth (Completed)

Friday: Five Cents

The following morning when Norah commuted to work, she felt a strange excitement growing inside her. Maybe it was the fact she would see Cole in the elevator? Despite her conflicting thoughts over him, she liked giving people the benefit of the doubt. Plus she still clung to the hope of being in a relationship with him. He was her ideal guy, right? Tall, handsome, successful, smart and charming but was he right for her?

As Norah climbed up the stairs from BART and made it to street level, she concluded that yes, he was right for her! Yet as she reached the building where she worked, she remembered that she and Barrett had to finalize the artwork for the ad they were working on. Which meant spending time with him all morning until it got done. That feathery feeling against her tummy returned and she walked into the building with a wide grin. She didn't even notice her smile until catching her relfection in the smooth gold plated doors of the elevator. As hard as it was for her to admit, she couldn't wait to goof around with him again... and flirt... just a little.

When she finally walked into the office, Trixy was already there. It dawned on her how she didn't even notice that her friend hadn't been in the elevator. Or that Cole hadn't been  either... her mind had been so wrapped up in the ad she and Barrett had to finalize. She was so stumped by the realization that she was frozen in her tracks, about to greet Trixy. Ripping her from the moment, the girl eagerly grabbed Norah's hand and rushed her over to her office. Closing the door behind them, she leaned against it with a sly grin.

Norah removed her coat and eyed her suspiciously. "What is it?"

"Tah-daaah." Trixy said as she motioned her arms over the hook on the door.

Norah paused and looked at the garment bag hanging from it. "What's that?"

"I found you a dress for tonight!"

"You did what!" Norah's jaw dropped.

"It's no biggy." She walked the dress over to Norah's desk as if it were a delicate baby. "While you were in a boring meeting yesterday I went on a lunch break and found it."

When she slipped off the shield for the garment, Norah's jaw dropped even further. She caressed the lacey red fabric and then read the label. She nearly gasped. "I can't accept this, it looks too expensive."

Squaring her shoulders, Trixy replied. "Look, I know my personality can overwhelm people but you befriended me with all my quirks. Everyone else here either ignores me or treats me like a maid. Plus... you're probably the only friend I have."

"Trixy, I'm absolutely grateful but there's no way I can afford to pay you back--"

"No, no!" Trixy held her hand up. "Here's a little secret, I'm kinda like this trust-fund kid and my Dad is a Silicon Valley nerd, we're not rich but technically I don't need to work." She shrugged and waved her hands dismissing the thought, "Anyway, my dad always says that since we are so fortunate it's important to give back to the people we care about. So please just take this gift? Take it because you've been such a good friend to me?"

Norah hesitated but accepted it anyway. "Thank you. It really is lovely."

After Trixy returned to the front desk, Norah closed her office door and sat down on the grey couch, eyeing the garment bag appreciatively. Reflecting on the week, she realized how out of the ordinary it was for her. Not only did she make a friend and begin believing that a simple coin could hold some luck, but Cole Collins finally noticed her. Then her stomach tightened with the thought of Barrett. Having feelings for him was absurd... Right? It was Barrett for goodness sake!

As the morning progressed, it was to Norah's disappointment that her boss joined in on finalizing the artwork for the ad. Not that she didn't like the woman, in fact she thought her boss was inspiring. Having started the Ad agency with her husband, working together for eight years and then buying him out when his extramarital affair became public, she was a force to be reckoned with. After the divorce, she moved the agency to a bigger office, hunted down the best employees from competing companies and cozied with investors. It didn't hurt that she was five feet and ten inches of long toned legs, cascading wavy blonde hair and green eyes that grabbed you by the balls when she meant business. Their male clients were also mesmerized by her sailor mouth wrapped in an Irish accent.