Strings Attached (On-going)

12. RISING FIRES

I lifted my eyes across the room  through the window, the sky had already turned gold with strays of red across it, decorated with red velvet blanket of clouds. The sun rested peacefully on the horizon spectacularly Criss crossed by the branches of Inglewood's tallest palm trees. It looked fierce and crimson, gleaming lowly but in all its glory.

Yawning, I quickly stacked my files and called Franka in. She strode in minutes later looking exhausted. She tried to look smart and composed, but I knew our presentation earlier and the meetings we had, along with all the documents she had to prepare for approval, had drained her.

"You did a good work today, what would I have done without you, huh?" I said immediately she entered.
She just smiled and looked away, "I'm glad I could help". I reminded her of the proposal we had to submit the next day and gave her some more results I had come across during my research.

I sent a text to Dave letting him know I had closed. After stacking up my files and putting things in order, I sank further into my chair and took a deep breath, trying to relax my head and my nerves, the day had been stressful enough to leave me slumbering in my chair. I swung back and forth in my seat to keep myself awake.

I waited for over twenty minutes and there was no reply from Dave, so I picked my bag, locked my door and said goodbye to Franka, "don't stay in too long, you've got to rest, you know we'll have a lot to do tomorrow"

"Oh don't worry about me, I'll be done soon though, just compiling all the reports we made for this month", she glinted at me and resumed typing. I did worry though, if my secretary came to work the next day with puffy eyes and a weak joints, as a result of lack of sleep and overwork, I would feel guilty.

I walked up to Raya, who was occupied with a file. She looked through the documents with skepticism. She raised her head as I got closer, "you've been up there longer than usual today"

"Yeah, got a little more busy", I lied. I slammed into the furry couch beside her desk, hoping to receive a reply from Dave. "I should get a car soon", I said to myself.

Anytime I thought of getting myself a car, I remembered the very last time I saw my mom holding a steer. The last time I heard my family talk, saw them smile, heard them laugh. The last mutual closure and safety my family had before they got on that plane was a damn car. So I couldn't get myself to drive since then, it had been a year.

It had been almost and hour and Raya had left over fifteen minutes ago, same had Franka. Honestly I thought I was alone in there with Williams, the Security. Tired of waiting, I picked my phone to order an Uber. While on the phone, I was startled by the clicking of shoes on the marble floor. I wondered who was in there with me at this time when it was almost an hour past closing time, only to lift my head to meet an iridescent pair of green eyes.

Oscar walked up to me looking baffled. He was probably wondering why I was still here. "Hi. You're here....Do you need some help?" He asked so full of concern.

"Uh.. nah, I'm good", lied, again.
"You've been here longer than usual, you're sure everything is okay?" he raised a brow at me, like to say -I know you Lisa. I just nodded and to force a smile. As though he already knew the ordeal I was going through, he offered to take me home. I was hungry and tired, there was no time for diplomacy. I agreed, feeling perfectly convinced Dave wasn't going to show up. He never missed a day, so I was cool, I knew definitely, something must have kept him.

Oscar already knew my address, I wasn't surprised, he was my boss, so obviously. We both stayed quite as we passed the fancily illuminated restaurants and bars. Digital billboards displaying unending advertisements and street lights shining wildly upon us like the eyes of God.