I was lucky to complete my tasks on time, I submitted those documents I had to, as Olivia demanded. Her office was on the fifty-third floor. I returned Emma's to her as well. With these tasks completed, I closed from work by 4 PM as expected.
Taking a taxi, I headed home. Right inside the car I was still anxious, disturbed by the miserable boss that was coming to make our stay in Illuminex a living hell. I wondered how I was gonna cope with the strict and burdening rules he'd put in place, to cut it all short I was scared. What type of a man was he to break my spell of evading fear.
In twenty minutes, the driver stopped in front of my apartment. I brought out a dollar note from my bag and handed it to the driver who drove away. Then I searched inside my bag for my keys, I found them.
My apartment stood by the side of the road, it was about eight meters from the edge of the road. The outside of my apartment was painted in white while inside was gray, reflecting the grief I was placed under. It soothed my feelings whenever I remembered the bad times in past years. It was a one room apartment with all the necessary facilities on it, I got it at a rent of $80 per month. If I had much money on me, I would buy a flat of my own.
Inside it, I was relieved from the stress of human life, the normal hustle and bustle of office work. After freshening up and taking the lunch I had denied myself at the office because of work, I stationed myself at the window watching the street. Summer Avenue was busy with different kinds of cars, commercial and private. People walked to and fro like swamps of bees.
A notification sound came up on my phone which I placed on my hips as I cuddled near the window. "Hello dear, have you forgotten about the date we have this evening?" A smiley face followed. I looked atop the name icon and it was Emma, my assistant in the office. Like I said she was my friend but at work I just seemed to be aloof.
We had planned a dinner date, it was a girls date and another of my friends, Olivia, who was my superior at work, would be part of it. We were three friends who shared our joys and sorrow, though we weren't too intimate like best friends.
"Oh! I forgot but I'm coming to the bar now. I'll pay my way there." I typed into my screen, clicked on the send button and sent it.
The next second, I saw Emma typing. "Olivia and I would come pick you up, don't bother yourself." Olivia had a car which she drove to work, she was rich herself and Emma was from a rich family, they barely had worries in life. I had some massive debt to pay for my old aunt whose children rendered her bankrupt and fled, that's why I didn't have enough money on me to buy a car and do other things.
"Ok." I stood up from where I was sitting to go change up, I felt reluctant to do this. All I wished was to stay by my window and stare into the streets till nightfall and when sleep caught me. Solitude was my thing and its moments were more memorable than one I shared with friends. Due to this, I didn't make many friends. Emma and Olivier were my close circle.
I changed into a black fitting gown, applied some make up, dark makeup was my favorite. I slipped into my white slippers which complimented the white Dior purse I held. By the time I was done, a car horn sounded outside my apartment and I knew it was Olivia, she had arrived with Emma. Reaching for my phone near the window, I took one final assessment of myself on the giant mirror on the wall and I looked good.
Satisfied with my appearance, I went out locking my apartment door behind me. "You look so good," Olivia reached out to hug me. I caught her in her embrace before reaching out to Emma who stood behind her.
"Thanks," I muttered.
"We promise to have a great time this evening," Olivia said as she reached for the front door of her car and into the driver's seat.
"It's been a long time since we had such dates," Emma added while inside the car, she was sitting in front with Olivia. She had beckoned me to take the front seat but I insisted on the back. We had a short drive and in no time we were at the Panton Plaza, it was a one-top plaza where you had a restaurant, supermarket, cinema, children's playground, pharmacy and other places inside it. The restaurant was the most famous and it had people throbbing into it like they were going to a stadium to watch a popular match.
The inside was heavenly, the furniture, walls, floor and ceiling. It was a perfect place for an evening date. The tables were occupied by many individuals, lovers, families and colleagues like us. It was really spacious and interesting as Landon Street stretched beside it giving you a full view of what was going on outside. This part of the restaurant was constructed with glass so people inside would also get a clue of what was happening outside.
"Hey," Olivia, who sat opposite me, waved over my face to catch my attention. I was lost in thought and staring aimlessly on the street as I sat just beside the transparent glass wall. I sighed and got my attention into the affairs of things inside.
"You're always looking disturbed?" Before Emma could finish her statement I cut her short.
"What're we gonna eat?" I knew if I didn't do that, the next thing that would have escaped from her mind would've been 'What's bothering you?' I wasn't ready to let my secret to the world, if I will ever do that not now. It's a burden I have borne from childhood and no matter how I share my personal life with my friends, that in particular was a no-no.
"Let's go for deep-fish pizza," Emma cut in sharply. In Chicago, deep-fish pizza was a favorite.
"Ok, fine. Let's go for it." I agreed. Olivia nodded in unison. Since she was gonna pay our bills she ordered for the dishes.
It only took a short while before the waiter approached us with them on a tray, held professionally in the waiter's style, in the left hand slightly above the shoulder. We ordered non-alcoholic red wine to gulp down the meal. It was really refreshing to be enjoying this delicacy with my friends, I knew I wasn't alone in the world after all. I had people that made me feel good even though I made them feel bad unintentionally, with my character some of the time.
"I'm sorry about how I treated you during the day Emma, I acted rather too bossy."
"No problem about that," Emma replied carefreely before gulping down the wine left in her glass. We all heaved a sigh of relief as we stood up to leave after we had eaten, rested and paid our bills. I looked at the clock, it was 5:45 PM and a few minutes to six.
"I need to go home." I said feeling the surge of solitude getting over me.
"Come on, we've got to surprise you!" Emma gave me a wide smile as she made funny gestures with her hand. Before I knew it, I was following them to the supermarket.
I wondered what really was the surprise, anyway let's see.