Learn To Love Again

Chapter 8

I stirred lazily on the bed as a ray of sun found its way through the curtains and landed on my face. It just couldn't be morning already!

It had been a few minutes past 2am when I had finally made it home the night before and it had been close to 3:30 when I had finally gone to bed.

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes and looked at my alarm clock on the nightstand. I hurriedly tossed the sheets and jumped out of bed when I realized what time it was. It was 8:02. I was supposed to be at the office by 8:30!

I quickly rushed to the bathroom to have a quick shower and brush my teeth and was out within minutes. I then pulled on a simple grey suit and black stilettos then brushed my curls and kept them out of my face with a black headband. As for makeup, I just applied some lip gloss and mascara-- which was practically all I ever used.

I grabbed my purse and keys and took another quick glance at the living room clock on my way out. 8:27. Oh no!

I rushed outside, locking the door behind me, then made my way over to the garage and into my car.

I sped down the driveway and my tires screeched as I turned onto the road without slowing. As I sped down the road I couldn't help checking my watch every now and then.

I hated keeping people waiting, mostly because I didn't like being kept waiting, so I didn't like being late for work.

I was about halfway to the office when I spotted a familiar car in my right mirror. It was a silver Mercedes.

I continued to speed down the road, not giving it much thought: the windows were tinted so I wasn't even sure if it was Detective Sterling ; many people owned silver Mercedes's.

I kept my eyes on the road, switching lanes to speed past the cars that were moving too slowly for my liking, then switching back to the correct lane. After another few minutes, I looked in my mirror and was surprised to see the silver Mercedes was still directly behind me. Before I had time to think, it had switched lanes and was now beside my car. I took my eyes off the road for another few seconds and saw that the window was now down and Detective Sterling was holding what looked like speaker in one hand while the other remained on the steering wheel.

I had just returned my attention to the road when I heard his voice through the speaker.

"POLICE! PULL OVER!"

I looked over again as he put down the speaker and held up his badge.

He cannot be serious!

I looked at my watch again. I was already almost ten minutes late.

Cursing under my breath, I pulled over to the side of the road and waited as he pulled up behind me, got out of his car, and walked toward my window, carrying a clipboard in one hand and what looked like a pen in the other.

As he approached, I rolled down my window and gave him a cold stare.

"Can I help you?" I said-- more like snapped.

"License and registration please," he said in an authoritative tone.

I couldn't believe he was really doing this.

"Do you even have the authority to do this?" I asked. "You're a detective not highway patrol. Besides, I'm very late for work."

"Yes I do, and your being late for work is not my problem. Besides, this is not a highway."

I let out an exasperated sigh as I retrieved my registration papers from a compartment in the car and my driver's license from my purse then handed them both over to him.

I waited impatiently for a few long minutes before he finally handed them back. After hurriedly returning them to their correct places, I started the car again.

"Not so fast," he said before I could start driving again.

"What now?" I said, annoyed.

He wrote something onto his clipboard, then removed the paper and handed it to me.

Hesitantly, I took the paper and looked it over. I gasped as I saw what it was.

"You're giving me a speeding ticket?!" I said in disbelief, as anger took over me.

"You were speeding."

"I was trying to get to work on time," I said defensively. "My apologies for not wanting the poor animals to die before I get there."

"Just doing my job."

I rolled my eyes and tossed the ticked onto the passenger seat, then angrily floored the accelerator and, once more, sped down the road.

I didn't care how fast I was going or if I was being disrespectful. I already had the speeding ticket!

*****

It was almost nine when I finally made it to the office. There were many people in the waiting room, as there always were at that time, and I got right to work.

The crowd died down by mid afternoon and I decided to get something to eat. There was a small café across the street from my office. After notifying Hilda, I made my way over there.

The room was crowded. All the seats were occupied and the line to the counter was fairly long. I didn't think I had enough patience to stand in line but I felt too lazy to go anywhere else so I stood behind the last person in the line. It wasn't too long after, though, that I made it to the counter. I ordered a slice of chocolate cheesecake and a cappuccino.

Since all the seats were still occupied, I went back to the office to eat. However, before I made it to the door of my office, Hilda approached me carrying a bouquet of tulips.

"Someone left these for you," she said with a smile.

Surprised, I took the flowers in the crook of my hand, since both my hands were occupied, then went into my office and took a seat behind my desk.

After placing the cheesecake and the cappuccino on the table, I searched the flowers to see if there was a note. There was. I unfolded it and started reading.

Last night was great; sorry I had to leave you. Are you free for tonight?

Love,
Malcolm.

I rolled my eyes and tossed both the flowers and the card into the trashcan near the desk, then started on my food.

________________________________________________________________________

A/N:

This chapter is kind of a bit rushed, maybe, but I hope you enjoyed it.

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★It's Carmen. Love y'all!★