The Lovely Miss Maine

|| five ||

May 16 2016

6:30 am

Maine wakes up really early from a strange dream, she doesn't exactly remember the details but the dream has given her that feeling she hasn't felt in a long time- happiness, giddiness and it is strange. Because as far as she knows, she is completely contented with her life.

She quickly gets ready for work, opting to not wash her hair today and just tie it in a messy bun. Since summer is approaching, she settles for a denim dress over a black cardigan to protect her from sudden English chills.

As she prepares for her breakfast, the door knob to the front door rattles and the door opens revealing a very drunk Phil who stumbles on his feet. She rushes to him to help him stand up, "My gosh, Phil! Do you know what time it is?" She asks, her voice annoyed.

Phil just grins at her and shrugs, "It's Phil time," he sloppily drapes his arms around her waist, pulling him close as he starts to kiss her neck.

Maine crunches up her nose and pushes him away, "Eurgh, you stink of alcohol and smoke!" she shakes her head angrily. She helps him up and leads him to their bedroom and drops him on the bed.

Phil, too drunk to move just lays on their bed with a smile on his face. "Maine, you know I love you right?" He laughs, Maine just shakes her head and glances at the digital clock on their bedside table. She has ten minutes before her bus is due to arrive so she just gives out a big sigh and leaves their room to finish eating her breakfast.

She tries not to cry, how have they come to this? She and Phil may live in the same house together but for the past week, it seems impossible to have a proper conversation with him. He leaves ten minutes after she arrives from the Day Care and when she tries to talk to him, he is always on his damn phone.

She wants to know if they're moving forward with their relationship. They've been in a relationship for three years now and yet it's the same old routine; she feels they've gotten too comfortable with each other, she doesn't even remember when was the last time they made love.

She packs her own lunch before leaving the house, refusing to check on Phil to see if he needs anything. She's too pissed off of him at that moment to even bother to.

She leaves their flat with a heavy heart, but as soon as she arrives in front of the school gate; she takes a deep breath and exhales the negativity she is feeling. She's mastered blocking negative thoughts and attitude everytime she reaches the gates of the primary school.

"Good morning, Miss Maine," Her former students who are now in Year 2s and Year 3s greet her.

She gives them her most genuine smile as she tells then to have a good day even though she herself isn't having one.

"Hi, Miss Maine." A shy small voice greets behind her, she turns around to see Henry and her smile brightens.

"Good morning, Henry!" She says cheerfully, bending down to Henry's level to give him a hug.

"Good morning, Miss Maine!" Someone with a more matured voice greets her. She looks up to find Richard, Henry's uncle. He looks like he'd aged a few years and had two days old stubble on his chin. "Hi," He tiredly says to her.

"Hi," she greets back, smiling. She stands up and holds Henry's hand. "I see you didn't forget to iron Henry's uniform,"

Richard grins, "You'd be quite happy to know as well that I didn't forget his packed lunch,"

"Excellent!" She grins back, someone her being upset with the whole Phil thing have faded and is now replaced with relief and happiness.

"Anyways, I'll try to pick them up early Miss Maine, but I will call you beforehand if I will be late in picking them up," Richard waves goodbye as he gets in his car. Maine just nods as she watches him leave.

She turns to Henry who is looking at her with the kind of smile she hasn't seen him wear ever since his parents' death. It is a knowing kind of smile, like he knows something the adults do not.

"Let's go?" She asks, cheerfully holding on to Henry's chubby hands.

"You look pretty today, Miss Maine." Henry says,

"Thank you, Henry."

-

May 16 2018

10 am

Richard arrives in his office, thirty minutes late because his train was delayed in Euston station, he decided to commute to Central London because he was too sleepy to drive. He goes straight to the conference room as soon as he arrives at GQ building where he holds a daily progress meeting with his team.

He didn't have enough sleep, since he stayed up til 2 am finishing work the previous night and having to wake up at 5 earlier to fix everything the kids needed for school. The usually twenty minutes grooming for himself became ten minutes.

Everyone in his team seems to be on track and he is relieved, it's the only thing that is going smoothly with his life at present.

He is able to relax in his new office just before lunch, he is able to close his eyes for a few minutes. He dreamt of a pretty lady with a messy bun, big doe-like eyes and full luscious lips with a soothing voice.

He is woken up by the ringing of his office phone. So he almost feel off his chair, wiping the drool on the side of his mouth. "Shit," he curses before answering the phone. "Richard speaking," he greets and then pauses, nods and hangs up the phone.

He wants to scream since he likes his dream but his boss, Walter James needs him to report to his office so he quickly fixes himself and exits his office.

Walter James' office is just right across his, it is the largest office in their floor. He is everyone's big boss and though he has the most authority, he is a chill kind of guy. Walter has a weird sense of humour and has been Richard's mentor since he interned in four years ago. Richard sees him as his father figure since Walter was thirty years older than he was.

"Well, you look like shit." Walter greets him.

"Good morning to you too, Walter." He responds, sitting on the chair in front of Walter's big desk.

"You can go home," he simply says,

Richard looks at him confused, "What?"

"Go home and rest, Faulkerson. Seems like you really need it," Walter looks at him with sympathy. "You're still grieving and I hear you have two kids under your care now?" he asks,

"Yes,"

"Well, that's why you look like shit for the past week," Richard just stares at his boss, dumbstruck. "Go home, Richard. I'm allowing you a week paid leave,"

"But, the layout...?"

"You're doing a great job, it's just you're doing too much. Everything's in order as what Leysam told me. I think your team will be fine without you for a week, they will just call you if they need you,"

"But Walt-"

"I already informed HR and they approved your leave, I told them you're still grieving and sorting out the consequences of your brother's death so they immediately approved." Richard doesn't know what to do, he wants to kiss Walter's shiny bald head for this good news.

Richard feels relieved, he could use a good sleep at that moment. So he no longer argues with Walter. He also wants to cry because of the kindness his boss had shown him, so instead he gulps back the tears and smiles weakly at Walter. "Thank you,"

"Go home, son."