Chapter 8: 1970s
Our little work arrangement though limited our space may be, was effective, working in close quarters, we wasted no time trying to get in touch with each other, any corrections suggested on both ends were rectified almost immediately and most of all, we did not have to keep up with office politics. Away from the gossiping and the prying off the office environment, tucked away in a place everybody was more than content to forget about, and since the amount of workload on our limited space requirement much more time and attention, we were the first one to enter the office and the last to leave. This way we were out of sight out of mind from everybody in the office.
“There you are!” expectedly, Mary Anne was the first to find us just a little short of two days, of course that was because she needed to find as and that she has been searching for us the whole time we have been in our corner. She marched towards us, her face red and her up done hair unruly like she was pulling her hair out before she found us.
“Hey May” Zander greeted with an award-winning grin plastered on her face.
“Where have you been, do you know how many people are looking for you right now? Your phone has been ringing non-stop, the editor in chief has no idea where to find you, and you do not even want to know how many times Sarah Beth passed your office.” She burst out into tears before us, Zander stood wordlessly, put his arm on Mary Anne and gently sat her down the hazardous seat we have been using for the past few days. I grabbed the box of tissue on my desk and handed her the whole box to use as she poured her frustrations on us. Zander stood next to me leaning against the wall behind me with his hands in his pockets as we listened to Mary Anne, or at least try to as her cries began to overpower any coherent words.
Mary Anne managed to calm down after a few minutes of venting at us, I stood from my table to get her a glass of water, goodness knows how much she needs hydration after excreting that many tears.
“I – just-wish- you would’ve-told me-“ Mary Anne said in between gulps of water, I was almost scared she was going to choke on it.
“Slowly Mary Anne, drink slowly” I advised patting her back, while she drank the water carefully this time, I rolled my chair over to sit next to her.
“We’re so sorry we left you out, but after I have been marooned here, this arrangement seems to…work”
“It was my fault, I moved here without much thought of anything else,” Zander stood on the other side of Mary Anne in attempt to comfort her. Eyes swollen, Mary Anne looked at me then Zander from head to tow switching from one to the other before finally sighing and placing the now empty glass on the table. My heart leapt out of my throat when she suddenly leapt to her feet and reached for out hand, before putting Zander and my hands together in hers.
“I get it now, I am so happy for you, don’t worry, I will keep this a secret you can trust me” renewed with tremendous vigor, Mary Anne left us with a skip in her step. Zander and I watched as she completely disappeared around the corner before looking to each other.
“Do you have any idea what just happened?”
“I’ve known her for a long time, but I have never seen her like that,” Zander said returning to his seat, the seat that I was still sitting next to.
“So, shall we get back to work” he leaned in close to me, I rolled my eyes at him just as I rolled back to my original position across him. I don’t trust myself enough in that close proximity with him.
The next day, just like it has been for the past few days, Zander and I arrived in our corner only this time there were a few revisions. Zander’s office phone through a long extension line. The chairs that were just about ready to crumble upon itself replaced with new ones, the desk was no longer the old shaky one and on top of the desk a lone note saying, ‘Leave it to me’. I handed Zander the note as I sat on the chair not fearing that I might fall and hit my head on the floor at any second.
“I think this means she supports the arrangement” Zander said suitcase on the floor as he removed his suit jacket and hanged it on the back of the chair.
“I don’t want to impose, but I have to admit this makes things a lot easier” I smiled, and Zander just laughed at my antics. Mary Anne’s next surprise showed its head to us around lunch time when she arrived in our area carrying what appears to be meals from my favorite deli.
“Here you go, enjoy! And do not worry you don’t owe my anything, I used Jay’s office funds” Mary Anne placed the lunch on our table and left.
“Did you put her up to this” I glared at the man across from me, but he held his hand up in a surrender.
“Trust me, I would love to take credit for this thoughtfulness, but this is all her” Zander countered and resigned himself to simply enjoying the delivered meal, I decided to follow his example because one, this is after a meal from my favorite deli and two, by now I am aware of Zander’s eating habits and his gargantuan appetite, so I have to eat my share before he sets his eyes on it. I am not exactly good at saying no to him.
This setup continued for a few more weeks, weeks of relative peace and sustained workflow. Zander was an exceptional partner, and though he does not miss the chance to flirt every here and then, his work ethic was impeccable. Our little haven of work was kept safe and secret by Mary Anne who was more than happy to make excuses and cover for us, for reasons everybody else were more than happy to accept so long as we get our jobs done. Today, Zander was out on assignment, so I decided to eat out with Mary Anne on a little café not far from the office.
“You know you don’t have to do this for us Mary Anne, you’re covering for us enough as it is” I began as we sat on our table by the window to enjoy our meal.
“It’s not bother, thanks you my workload is now lighter” Mary Anne countered.
“Well, it’s not really that difficult working with Zander, he’s industrious, professional, he is passionate about his work, and he is very easy on the ice” I admitted with a blush making Mary Anne giggle at me.
“He’s always been like that” Mary Anne added, and this piqued my interest.
“How long exactly have you known Zander?” Mary Anne looked at me and suddenly there was a knowing look in her eyes followed by a Cheshire grin.
“A long time, we’ve always been close since we were children, we played together, went to school together, we were inseparable, he’s the reason why I was hired in the company in the first place”
“A long time huh” I bit the inside of my lip, clutching the coffee mug in my hands a little tighter. Then Mary Anne burst into laughter…
“Oh, my goodness you should have seen your face, let me tell you green is not your color” Mary Anne was in a fit of laughter, throwing her head back.
“Green? What do you mean? I am not jealous of your relationship with Zander,” I exclaimed in a shouting whisper, looking around us to find the other patrons of the café judging our manners.
“Really, so you’re not curious at all what kind of relationship exactly Jay and I have?” she laughed back challenging me. Weeks ago, she would not have attempted this charade with me, but since working with Zander, she had grown more comfortable in my presence to the point of teasing.
“No, it’s completely none of my business what you to share between yourselves during your personal time” I answered my lips barely opening as I was already gritting my teeth.
“Alright, suit yourself, it was about time for us to return to the office anyway” Mary Anne said, as she began to fix her purse, already standing up to make her trek back to the office. I copied her movements, leaving some cash on the table to cover our bill and tip following her back to the office.
The rest of day was a disaster. I could not get anything done as the thought of Mary Anne and Zander spending their whole entire lives together and possibly the rest of their lives together too. I admit, I was jealous, and I was not sure how to cope with it. In my long life I was unfamiliar with envy, at least I was unfamiliar with feeling it. I felt awful, I felt like a damp rag wiped on a greasy surface. I hated the feeling, such pestiferous feeling capable of poisoning whatever good there existed.
When the clock stroked five I had long given up on any attempts to work, my mind was to overwhelmed with malice, and there wasn’t exactly a Zander next to me to motivate me, I walked to the elevators in a sluggish manner, almost dragging my feet behind me, even waiting for the elevator seemed like a chore.
At home I threw all my things on the couch and took a shower wanting to see if the water and soap would wash away the green.
It didn’t.
Dressed in my nightgown and robe, I collected my journal from my purse and sat on my windowpane as I have been for the past couple of days. When I opened it a lone paper slid on the ground, groaning I picked up the piece of paper and it read.
‘You still interested? Call me Mary Anne’ I rolled my eyes and crumpled the paper throwing it behind my back before returning to my seat on by the window. I tried to write whatever I can think of, but once again my mind is preoccupied with the thoughts of Zander and Mary Anne, this time of the possible future they may have, a yellow house with white fence, Zander chasing little mini versions of them while Mary Anne sets up the picnic table.
ENOUGH!
I stood up and begrudgingly collected the thrown crumpled paper from the ground and dialed Mary Anne’s number, all the while convincing myself that there was nothing wrong asking about it, it’s a fine conversational topic it’s normal talk amongst friends and co-workers.
“Hello”
“Good evening, Mary Anne, it’s Laura”
“Oh, hey Laura, so nice of you to call this evening, is there anything I can help you with” Mary Anne greeted.
“I called because I just wanted to ask… about earlier, you know about you and Zander and the relationship between you… the two of you” the words seemed to form in my mind slower than they are leaving my mouth, hence I was having trouble making a coherent thought, much less a concise sentence.
“Oh about that, well you see, my mother and his father are sibling”
“Siblings”
“Yes sibling”
“So that makes you –“
“Cousins! Jay and I are cousins” Mary Anne laughed from the other line. I should be annoyed, half of my day lost because I was too caught up with the thought that the two of them may have a romantic entanglement with each other.
But I felt relief, I felt fresh and light. I felt free of the damp rug polished with grease feeling.
“Mary Anne…thank you” I said, and I put the telephone handle down. I went back to my seat and placed my journal on my lap. This time, the pen glided across the pages as words seem to flow fluently.