How Long Will I Love You?

Chapter 20 - Home Is Where The Heart Is

                It wasn’t usual for Taylor to miss work, even if she was sick or there was something important that came up. She valued her work so much that she wanted to give her all to the job that had given her so much. If she had no other choice but to miss it, she would call Jenji to let her know and make up for it as soon as she could.

                But when she woke up that day, a day that she was supposed to have a table read for the next episode of OITNB with the rest of the cast, she had no desire to leave her bed or even move at all. She did not reach for her phone to tell anyone that she couldn’t make it to work. She wasn’t planning on talking to anyone today, or the next few days, however long she needed to get her shit back together.

                After about an hour after she was supposed to be at Jenji’s office, she had about 20 missed calls and a ton of text messages from people she didn’t bother to know who. She wasn’t sure if Laura had already told them about what happened, but knowing her, she probably still had not. She didn’t really care. She was void of all emotions.

                She had spent the past two days crying, and thinking of how to get over this damn thing. And she was exhausted. She wanted it to stop... the pain that was eating her up. She just wanted to curl up all day and tune out the rest of the world from her.

                When her phone had rung again, then again, then again, she got so pissed that she took it and answered it without bothering to see who was calling. “You know, when someone doesn’t pick up, it kind of means she doesn’t want to talk,” she said, annoyed.

                “Hey, Taylor?”

                When Taylor realized who had called her, she suddenly felt bad that she had snapped at her. It was Uzo. “H-hey, Uzo. Hi. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...”

                “It’s okay. What happened? Why didn’t you come to work today? Laura isn’t here, too. Did something happen between you two?” Uzo said without any pauses.

                Taylor was surprised to know that Laura didn’t go to work, too. Like her, she never missed work. “Uhh, nothing. Everything’s fine.”

                “I know it isn’t.” If there was another person that knew her enough, it was Uzo. “Look, I’ll just tell Jenji that you’re sick so you missed work today, okay? I’ll come to your house after this is over. We’ll talk about whatever’s happening to you.”

                She felt grateful that Uzo was concerned about her but Taylor really wasn’t in the mood to talk today. And she wasn’t ready to recall everything that had happened yet. It was too painful and she didn’t want to feel the pain again, even just for today.

                “Uzo... thank you. I appreciate it. But I’d really like to be alone today. I hope you understand.”

                Uzo kept quiet at the other end of the line for about a second before deciding to let Taylor be. “All right. But if you need anything, you can just give me a call, okay?”

                “Yes. Thank you. Love you. Bye.”

                Just as Taylor was supposed to put her phone down, it had started ringing again. It was her mom. She considered ignoring the call but decided against it.

                “Mom...”

                “Taylor, can you come over please?”