-=Lauren=-
I groaned out loud when Eon Jin tried to wake me up.
"I give you ten seconds to get the hell out of here Jinnie."
"Looks like someone's gonna throw a tantrum early morning-"
She fake glances at her wrist.
"-well afternoon."
I throw myself out of the bed, a look of horror pasted on my face.
"Af-afternoon? What's the time?!"
Not waiting for her reply, I frantically look at my cell.
=|05.30 am|=
"Bish!"
"Yah! We are running late sweetheart."
"Gotta run."
"Dashi run run run."
I ignore her silly talks to dashi- dash towards the bathroom.
"Am so dead."
I mutter to myself.
***
I look at myself in the mirror, smoothing the front of my skirt down. What a difference six months make. Gone is the extra weight that had been lingering on my petite frame for the last six years, thanks to some cardio at the gym and the fact that I stopped eating. You would think that your ex boyfriend/fiancee leaving you would have you drowning your sorrows in carbs, ice cream, and cheese, but it was actually quite the opposite for me. On the rare occasion I actually have a little bit of an appetite, the second I put something in my mouth, I feel sick. So, I am getting there slowly but surely. I have grown out my hair, adding layers into it instead of just the 'nerd bob' I had been sporting. I also added some golden, honey-colored highlights.
I'm dressed in a tight, grey knee-length pencil skirt that I paired with a light pink silk shirt with a ruffled collar and cap sleeves. I've added my very favorite Manolo Blahnik black Mary Janes, a Mother's Day present from three years ago. If nothing else's left with me, I'd still have my lovely daughter.
I take a deep breath. This is it.
My phone beeps again.
"Okay Stace, 10 minutes to go!"
I watch as the 5 year old throws her cereal bowl on the counter.
I turn my gaze over Jinnie, my jinnie, my sister; who is nursing her second cup of coffee. She sits with her legs crossed, watching it all. Dressed in her yoga pants that mold perfectly to her thin, five-foot-seven-inch body and a loose sweater that falls off one shoulder.
"How do you remember this stuff?", she asks.
"It's magic. Once you become a parent, you'll get a brain," I tell her with a smirk. Instantly regretting it.
She lowers her gaze, her eyes flashing with emotions just to be replaced with blankness in the blink of an eye.
"Then what happened to Jace?"
She smiles back while taking a sip.
"Okay, I take that back. Once you become a mother-figure+when you get cheated one , you get a brain. I mean, I don't think all men are dicks. Look at Dad."
I tell her while I put the milk back in the fridge and pick up the cereal box, putting it back into the cupboard.
My phone alarm sounds again.
"Two minutes, Stace!"
I have my phone set to different times so I never run late. It's another thing I got when I became a mom.
I look over at Jinnie, who is now reading the newspaper.
"Aren't you going to be late?"
I ask her while I grab the lunch box and walk to the door with the Stacey.
She folds the paper in half.
"Nope, I have a client at ten-thirty. We are doing yoga in the park today. Become one with the earth and all that."
She does the Namaste hands, while I walk out with the Stace to go to the bus stop.
I hold her hand while we walk to the bus stop, her brown hair done in a side ponytail with a huge flower headband.
"Don't forget, Mommy Jin will be there when you get off the bus this afternoon, because Mommy June has the new job."
She looks up and smiles at me, one tooth missing.
"I know, Momma, you said it. Twice."
Once she gets on the bus, I wave at her and turn to go home.
Mrs. Flounder, who is my next-door neighbor, comes out with curlers in her hair and a cigarette hanging from her lips.
"Hey there, Lauren, you look fantastic. Is today the day you finally become free of that scum bucket?", she asks while picking up her paper.
The news that Jason cheated on me spread faster than the flames did over the pile of his gasoline-soaked clothes.
Shaking my head no at Mrs. Flounder, I look at her.
"I start my new temp position today."
"Oh, that's nice, dear. Time to earn the bacon."
She shakes her hand and goes inside.
Once I get back inside, I grab my lunch and my purse. I look at Jin, who is now in the middle of my living room doing some crazy yoga pose.
"I'm so fucking nervous. What if I fuck up or cry or, or, or… fuck up?"
I look at her while she moves back to standing instead of balancing on her head.
"You are going to go in there and kill it. And if you don't-"
she shrugs her shoulders
"-then you don't. What's the worst that can happen? You fall face first in your boss's crotch?"
I glare at her, throwing my hands in the air.
"Don't forget, the kid is off the bus at two forty-five. Did you set an alarm?"
I ask her.
"Yup, on my internal clock."
She rolls her eyes at me.
"Stop stressing. It's going to be fine. You are going to be late if you don't leave now."
She ushers me out the door.
"Don't forget to play nice and make friends. Friends who are nice and hot and have big dicks!", she screams after me as I get into my car and close the door.
Mrs. Flounder gives me the thumbs up, clearly in agreement with my sister.
Dear God.
I mumble to myself as I start the car.
I shouldn't use the word 'car', because this isn't a car, it's a minivan. A big, safe, screams it's-for-a-family vehicle.
Making my way to work, I'm stuck in a bit of light traffic. Nothing that is bumper-to-bumper, just flowing slowly. My eyes keep traveling between the clock and the GPS on the center console, as well as the occasional peek at the GPS on my phone, which just so happens to calculate the traffic between where I am and my destination.
I'm singing along to Maroon Five's "Don't Wanna Know" when a call comes in. Pen's name flashes on the screen. Penelope is my friend from college, the only friend who I kept in touch with. She runs an HR firm that specializes in placing temps. She is the reason I have this job right now.
[Hello]
I say while I wait for her voice to fill the car.
[Hey there, just checking in. You ready?]
she asks me.
I hear her rustling papers in the background, so I know she is already at her desk.
[Yup, I'm on my way there now. I'm so nervous, I may puke, though. But I'll be on time.]
I chuckle at the thought of me barfing all over my new boss. I brake for the traffic that is slowing to a crawl in front of me when I feel my van jerks forward slightly. My head flies forward and then snaps back. Looking in my mirror, I see that someone just hit me.
[Oh my god. Someone just ran into me. Fuck me, P. I have to call you back] I say, unlocking my seatbelt and climbing out of the car.
I put my Tory Burch sunglasses on top of my head, walking to the back to see the damage. I don't even have time to get there before I hear a raspy voice ask,
"What the hell is wrong with you? You just stopped!"
I put a hand over my eyes to block the sun and see him. And boy, do I see him. My heart skips a beat when he whips his aviator sunglasses off his face.
He's about six feet tall, maybe taller, with dark hair that's covering his forehead, which almost looks like it was combed back by his hands. His eyes are a dark, almost black with shimmery hazel flecks in them that I can see thanks to the sun hitting them just right. A freshly-shaven face that shows off the strong angles of his jaw and hints at where I'm sure a five-o'clock shadow of delicious stubble will emerge in a few hours.
He's wearing a suit minus the jacket. His dark blue pants are a perfect fit, molding to him like they were made especially for him, and from the looks of them, they probably were. His crisp, white dress shirt is open at the collar and covers his broad chest and thick biceps. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows and show off a big, masculine silver Rolex watch.
He throws his hand up as he angrily asks,
"Is something wrong with you? Are you drunk?"
Oh boy, such a waste of looks.