Mr. Lawson's Assistant

Chapter 15

I woke up the next morning, earlier than normal, and when I started fumbling around for my clothes from yesterday, I realized that I still had to go to work.
"No, no, no, no, no!" I chanted, dropping all my clothes, and rushing into the bathroom to check my lip. Slapping my hand down on the counter, I groaned to see that the swelling had gone down but the split still protruded from my lower lip. It was very noticeable.
Obviously it wouldn't heal overnight...
"Honey, what's wrong?" My mom mumbled walking slowly into the bathroom. I shook my head and backed away from the mirror, turning to her.
"I have work-"
"Oh honey! You don't have anything to wear!" She exclaimed, and I dropped my chin. That wasn't my only problem.
"I guess I'll have to call in and ask for the day off." I bit my bottom lip, wincing when I did so.
Mom shook her head. "You have some time, why don't we hurry up and go get you a nice shirt and some pants at the store across the street?" My mom clasped her hands in front of her, and I rolled my eyes.
"It's not worth it-"
"Of course it is! Besides, we haven't gone shopping in forever!" She smiled, her blue eyes lighting up.
I glanced at the small watch that sat on the hotel counter.
"We don't have time to shop mom, I have to be there in two hours." I groaned, and she shrugged.
"If we don't make it, we don't make it."
*
"You're sure you can't see them?" I asked my mom, refering to my bruises, as we crossed the street and headed towards the front of the Lawson building. My mother glanced down to the sheer material of my newest top, and shook her head.
"Positive." Smiling, she tucked some of my hair behind my ear and turned to where I was glancing at the front doors. "You work here?" She asked surprised, her eyes trailing to the top of the skyscraper.
I laughed, "It's pretty big, isn't it?"
Mom nodded, checking her watch and dropping her eyes to me again. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears this time, and she opened her arms.
"I'm so proud of you," She whispered, as I stepped into her embrace, "you're certainly going places." She laughed. I breathed in her soothing lavender smell, and did my best to refrain my own tears.
"Mom...?" I murmured into her brown curls.
She hummed.
"Don't go home until he takes his meds, ok?" I breathed, stepping back to look her in the eyes.
She inhaled, before she gave me a small smile and nodded.
"You can't see my lip, can you?" I asked her once more, wondering if her little bit of smeared make-up was going to hide the wound.
Mom shook her head, "You'd better go, honey. I'll see you tonight." She glanced at the building behind me and smiled back at me again. I returned the favor, before squeezing her hand and turning to go inside.
*
I had managed to avoid Mr. Lawson today, up until it was time for lunch, when he called me inside his office before a meeting. Of course he noticed my lip, even with the make-up in place. When he asked what happened, I had to make up a story about running into something. He appeared to have believed me, because he didn't say another word about it. I wondered if Damon had told him about the bruise on my temple from the other day. I suspected that he hadn't, for if he had, there was no way Mr. Lawson would have believed me about my lip.
I served the water and took notes for Mr. Lawson's meetings until lunch, then after as well. Eventually, my nerves about seeing Damon, or getting asked questions about my injuries, wore off, and I settled into the work, bustling my way around both offices and working vigorously. Around three in the afternoon, I heard someone enter Mr. Lawson's office, and hearing the voice, I realized that it was his brother. For a while, the two of them talked in their office in low tones, and I was almost positive I heard my name at least twice. Trying to stay focused, I organized the remaining paper files in my office, and scanned over the newest additions that Mr. Lawson had given me today. After that, I typed up my notes from the earlier meeting.
The hour and a half that I had left to work flew by, and eventually, the voices in Mr. Lawson's office quieted. I assumed they'd settled into their last bits of work, or perhaps they'd even left. So I began wandering around my office, cleaning up a few things before I left. I hummed a quiet tune to myself as I did so, and wondered if Mom and David had gone home yet. I also wondered if my father had gone. If he had, where was he? If he hadn't- I didn't know what we were going to do. Subconsciously reaching up to rub my shoulder blade, I grabbed my jacket off the wall, when I heard a knock. Turning, I called for whoever it was to come in.
"Oana, are you leaving?" Mr. Lawson asked, stepping into my office. Behind him, I saw Damon sitting at his desk, writing something.
"I was, did you need something?" I asked him and he smiled, his blue eyes lighting up his even-skinned face. Today, his blonde hair was slicked relatively back against his head, which darkened the top a little, off-setting his brilliant eyes.
"I was going to ask you if you would mind to drop something at the hospital for me?" He raised his eyebrows. I nodded, and he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box. "It's a get-well present for Amy; whenever you get around to it." He told me, handing me the small box.
"Of course! I'll take it over there right now."
As I spoke, Damon raised his head from his work and looked at me, smirking when I met his eyes. Pulling my eyes back to Mr. Lawson, I showed him a small smile. "I've been meaning to visit her anyways."
Mr. Lawson nodded and opened my office door for me. "Thank you, Oana. I'll see you tomorrow."
*
"Oana! What are you doing here?" Amy exclaimed, pushing herself into a sitting position as I ventured into her hospital room. I grinned, holding back a giggle. She was a sight! Her orangeish-red hair was sticking up in all directions, as if it hadn't been brushed or washed in days, and she had a huge lumpy bandage wrapped around her neck. Not only that, but her face was pale and it looked like she still had a bit of smeared make-up around her eyes.
"Visiting you." I laughed. I walked into her room, holding out the flowers I'd bought her, before digging in my pocket for the box from Mr. Lawson.
"Aw, how sweet!" She grinned, but her face settled when she saw the box. "From you?"
I shook my head, "No, its from Mr. Lawson." Her eyes lit up, and she laughed, taking the box from me.
"I already know what it is." She glanced up at me.
I frowned. "You do?"
"He always gives his sick secretaries a necklace of some sort when they miss more than two days of work." She shrugged, wincing quickly. "I keep forgetting not to do that." She let out a breath, and I laughed.
"I know the feeling." She frowned in confusion and I realized that she must not have known about my injury. Reaching up, I gently pulled down the left shoulder of my shirt and showed her the small bandage. Amy's eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her left hand, looking from me to my shoulder.
"The glass hit you too?" She asked me, shocked.
"Not really," I pulled my sleeve back up, "a bullet grazed my shoulder." I told her, smiling at how tough those words sounded.
Amy gasped, "Oh my gosh!" She covered her mouth again, and her eyes bulged. "Thank goodness you're ok!"
I shrugged, thinking of something else to say, eager to switch the subject. Amy talked with me for over an hour, and by the time I was ready to leave, she was half-asleep. On my way out to the parking lot, I checked my phone, and saw six texts from David, and three from Mom, all asking where I was.
"David? I'm on my way home now, I stopped by the hospital to check in on a co-worker." I spoke to my brother over the phone.
He told me that he'd checked the apartment, and that Tony was gone. I asked him if he knew where he'd gone, but he said Mom wasn't talking about it. He said that I should head home to talk to her.
Hanging up the phone, I sat down at the bus stop, and reached for my purse.
I'm an idiot.
My purse wasn't on my shoulder. Thinking back to the hospital, I couldn't remember having set it down there- or even carrying it in for that matter.
Well, crap.
I stood up, ironically, just as the bus pulled in, and began walking back towards the Lawson building. It was a good mile back to my office, plus two back to the apartment, so I text David and told him I would be late.
When I reached the Lawson building, I made my way inside and up to the correct floor, back to my office. Once inside, I saw my purse hanging on the hook where my jacket had been. Shaking my head, I grabbed it from the hook and started back down the hall. I didn't want to wait for the next bus, so I decided that I would just walk home. I'd already told David I would be late anyways.
Outside, I was half-way back to the first crosswalk, when a black Range Rover pulled up beside me.
"Need a ride?"

My apologies on the suuuper late update guys! But all's well that ends well, right? The next update will be much sooner, don't worry😊