Back again

Chapter 5: Prep ups

Listen to "Coming Back" by Gotye for this chapter

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It was a Monday, and I had decided to stay at home. Mostly there was a lot of cleaning to do. Vincent would be landing on LA grounds tomorrow. Even if I wasn't on really good terms with him yet, I didn't want him to think I had gotten dirty ever since the last time he saw me in Atlanta.

I had decided to work from home.

Not a good decision really.

I ran from one corner of my flat to another, dirty laundry piled up in my arms, a client's call in my ears. The client screamed into my ears for god knows whatever reason. Apparently, the problem was, they weren't satisfied with the number of samples we had sent them. Point to be noted: They were the ones who had given us the number. Now, they just denied it.

Natalie had offered to go grocery shopping with Jared for me.

As I dropped the last bit of laundry into the washing machine, and sat down on the dinner table on my laptop, the client still in my ears, I was greeted with 10 emails. All from my boss.

10 unanswered emails from your boss and a hot-headed screaming client in your ears, that's an amazing way to stay calm. I cut the client's call and checked the emails.

Files had to be forwarded, calculations had to be made, an estimate to be given and another client meeting to attend.

Oh joy. Fuck my life.

I held my head between my hands and breathed in and out. Calm your nerves down Ashley. It's only Monday!

Just then, the front door banged open, and I knew who it was.

Natalie walked in, followed by Jared. Jared's arms were full of over-filled grocery bags. He came in and deposited all of them on the table.

"thanks" I mumbled from underneath my hands.

Jared sank into the chair opposite mine. "Who the hell is coming tomorrow??? The queen of England?"

I raised my head,"A friend"

Natalie tutted,"a GUY friend."

Jared's eyes widened,"God! Really? You guys staying together?"

"yeah" I said

Jared grinned,"Cool"

Natalie started taking out stuff from the grocery bags and started placing them into the right cupboards.

Trust my best friend to do all of this for me.

Jared's whining became justified when I spotted stuff like Oreos, chips, coke, candy, ice cream, soda and other stuff coming out of the bag. "Why did you get all of these?"

"pfft. Keep it. You'll be needing these cravings some day" Natalie answered.

"whatever. I'm watching Tv" saying, Jared got up and placed himself on the couch and switched TV.

Then, my phone buzzed. Thinking it was Vincent, I took it out. But the name on the caller ID made me frown.

James, my boss

There you go again. Just like the Rihanna song: Work, work, work, work, work, work.

"Hello" I picked it up

"Hey, did you check my emails?" He asked

"Yes, I'm tending to it"

"Good. Why aren't you at office today?"

Great! what do I tell him now?

"Had some important things to take care of in the morning."

"okay. You free for lunch?"

"what?"

"Are you free for lunch, Ms. Ashley Knight? That is what I'm asking you"

"I guess so.."

Okay, where is this headed?

"I know this is awkward. But come on Ashley, even if I'm your boss, I'm your friend too. That is exactly why we agreed on calling each other by our first names and not our lasts"

"uh.. Yeah. But James.."

"There's no 'but's. It's going to be a friendly lunch. Just you and me."

"umm.. Okay"

"Good, meet you at 2:00. I'll pick you up at the mall. I know this good place to get Italian food"

"okay. Cool" I still hesitated to give him a 'yes'

"okay bye" he said and hung up.

I kept my phone down on the table and looked at my laptop screen. 10 emails of grueling hell awaited me.

Then I looked at Natalie who sat opposite to me on the chair, looking down at her phone.

"I'm sorry I can't make lunch today. Can you both... Umm.... Manage?" I said

Natalie looked at me,"yes, but why?"

"My boss's taking me out to lunch"

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