"Why did you take them to the park again?"
"For the 100th time, it was an accident. I am sorry."
"Nobody takes their files 500meters away by mistake, June." Mia frowns.
I massage the area between by eyes, "I am begging you here. Please drop it."
I see her sigh. She finally lets it go. There is no way she is gonna believe it if I say that it was magic. Hell, I myself don't believe it. What in the world happened?
I quickly leave the room. Thankfully, the day is still cold. Otherwise there would be a small crowd before this ac room. Everyone wants a piece of heaven. And the heavens in this newly started publishing firm are the air conditioned room.
The moment I step foot inside the editorial department, Cienna greets me.
"Where were you? What happened?"
"There were just some problems. Everything's fine." I sigh, "Can you make me a cup of coffee?"
She happily beams me a smile, "With pleasure." Oh you coffee freak!
Even though I am mainly a translator, I was stationed with the editors. The firm is yet to bloom. So space is limited. I might be the first translator in here. The founder didn't had it in mind when he first opened it. But he liked the idea of translating the novels of incomprehensible language.
Cienna puts the mug on my desk. She, Mia and I are school friends who split up at the beginning of our university life, only to meet again for interview here. God must favour us. Three of us got accepted on our first try.
I take a sip.
"You look tired." Cienna comments.
"Well, only fourty-three pages to go," I try to cheer. But it sounded pathetic and I know she won't buy it. She has those invicible motherly instincts.
"Why don't you take a break? Go visit your grandma. I know you miss her." she says softly.
She is right. I miss her. I miss her so much. Sometimes I regret ever coming to the city. If I stayed with her, could I have prevented the accident from happening?
"Yeah..." I say vaguely. Truth is that, i feel guilty, the more I stay in the empty house. It is strange how one person can change the atmosphere in one's life.
"Oh don't be like that. Mia suggested that too! You can work from home anyways." she nudges me, "I know you feel guilty but you have to get out of that gloomy world of yours. You can't change the fate."
Fate is mysterious. One moment I was laughing the next moment I receive a phone call that the only relative of mine is no more in this world. The feeling I felt is just another one I never wish to feel again.
I look outside. The same smile. The same damn smile.
Should I take a break?
***
Me: I am on the bus. Countryside, here I come!!!
I put the earphones on and play my favourite playlist. Hopefully it will easy the painfully boring journey. They should let the windows open. It's not like air-conditioning is better than nature.
I lean against the window. The rain is not there but it looks like it would come anytime. Not that I mind.
The bus starts to move. There are not many passengers but it sure is not lacking. Thankfully, no children. I close my eyes. Early morning is definitely not my thing.
Five more hours to go.