The Meridians

Three

You sit in the large office staring blankly out the window as your boss, Ed Sharpeman, continues to offer you his condolences, you don't want them and wish he would just stop talking. He does but only to take a sip of water and straighten his already straight tie. Then he starts talking about company policy. You exhale sharply through your nose. You just want to go back to work and take your mind off yesterday's events. You focus your attention on a small antique clock that sits on the shelf above Ed's head. You and Dagen had given it to him for Christmas two years ago. It was a replica of the large dormant grandfather clock that sat in your living room. Dagen had insisted on getting the bigger one, even when the owner informed him that it was broken, that only made him want it more. You tried to protest but you knew once he made up his mind about something, there was nothing you could do to change it. When you asked him why, he just smiled, it was the smile he always wore when he hadn't the faintest idea. After few days of tampering with it opened it up and found a stash of old love letters. He took them back to the original owner, an older woman who told you they belonged to her mother and father, and promised you he would fix the clock. But life went on and he never fixed that clock.

"Rune?" The sound of your name being called drags you out of thought. You blink and refocus back on Ed.

"Sorry Ed," You murmur as you straighten yourself in your chair.

"No, it's fine, you're mourning." You try hard not to roll your eyes, going as far as to bite the inside of your cheek. Yes, you were mourning, but you didn't need someone to remind you. "But in traumatic circumstances such as yours, we advise our employees to take a leave...with pay of course. We also recommend seeing a therapist at least three times before returning back to work in a month."

"By recommend, you mean I have no choice." You watch him lace his fingers together and nod slowly. "And if I don't?" You could feel your mouth tugging into a frown. You hoped that he would say something that didn't include the words mourning and fragile.

"Well if you don't seek professional help, w-we will..." He fumbles with his tie again. "Uh...we will have to let you go. W-which we don't want to do especially in your current state!"

"I see..." A part of you was glad he didn't use those words, out of the sheer fact that you might have told him where to shove his recommendations. You stand up and smooth out your dress. You need something to do with your hands or you were going to get violent.

"I'm sorry, Rune, but your history of mental complications, especially after—"

"Can I leave now, Ed?" You quickly motion to the door already walking away.

"Uh, yes." He stands up to shake your hand. You look down at it for a few seconds feeling him getting nervous with every passing second. You eventually extend your hand wrap it around his tightly pumping your arms with a false smile. You then let do and turn back to the door quickly.

You could not get out of there fast enough. You can feel the eyes of everyone in the office on you trying to extend their condolences even when you try to push them out. Earlier someone stopped you and hugged you for about five minutes, telling you to cry on their shoulder. You tried separating yourself from them but that only made them hug you tighter. There were often times where you wonder how Dagen would have reacted. He was always such a charmer, he probably would have remarried quickly. Someone who could give him everything you could not. You shook your head, scolding your low sense of self-worth. When you finally made it to your office you stop in front of the secretary desk hoping that there was something to do before they tossed you out on your ass. Ryan looks up at you and smiles weakly. You frown, you already know where this is going.