Miranda

Chapter Five

"Everybody has the ability to be manipulative, to be hateful and deceitful." -Neil LaBute

~Miranda~

"Happy Birthday Miranda!" one of the girls in Intimates calls out to me.

"Thanks" I wave back at her.

"What are you going to do tonight? Got anything special planned?"

I think about this. No, not really, I scored a TV/VCR combo at a yard sale a few days ago along with a huge collection of Disney movies on VHS for only $15, talked the lady down from $25, my birthday present to myself. My plan was to eat Raman noodles and a cupcake I had gotten at the All-Mart bakery and binge watch the Princess collection in chronological order. Well I could watch some of them, Disney stopped releasing movies on VHS in 2006. I could go crazy and stop back at the All-Mart on my way home for some popcorn, though all my crazy plans would have to wait until tomorrow.

"I am working the overnight tonight, but I have a few idea for when I am off." I say shyly, not wanting to announce to the world that my idea of a great night is staying in and watching cartoons.

"Ohhh, you will have to tell me everything!" she giggles and wanders off to assist an elderly woman looking at a very scandalous looking bra.

I look around and see Justin heading towards the Customer Service Booth, so I decide to check on the cashiers up front, making sure everything is ready to go since we close in a few minutes.

Over the last month I tried my best to stay away from Justin, but whether by his design or my bad luck I always seemed to be on shift with him, even on nights when I stayed late after closing to help stock. I don't know why my insides keep twisting anytime we are alone together, which thankfully, isn't often as the hustle and bustle of the store can always give me an excuse to slip away. He just always seems to be near me. After the incident on moving day, I just get uncomfortable around him, like he knows my secrets now that he has seen my very personal belongings. I am probably just embarrassed and need to get over it since he is one of my bosses and I need to keep a good rapport with him.

I had been promoted to a Customer Service Manager within a few weeks of starting at the new store, it provided me with more hours and in four more months, medical insurance. It also held a wealth of new responsibilities and duties. Including staying overnight to reset a department's displays for this or that sales event. We get the store closed down and the evening crew off before starting on the project of the night.

Tonight, Justin and I are working with the usual night crew to strip the Men's department and reset the displays and items for the fall line that is due in a couple of weeks. I am attempting to reorganize a new display of dress shirts on the back wall, I am up on a tall ladder, a little higher than I should be. My 5-foot 3-inch height is a few inches shy of being able to comfortably reach the shirt hooks on the wall. Frank, a wonderful and sweet man who worked the night shift so his wife, who also worked at the store during the day, could stay home with the kids, is trying to slide between my ladder and a display rack with an armload of belts and socks, while attempting to be chivalrous and not look up my skirt. Not that there is anything to see as I have a pair of capri leggings under it. As he scoots by some of the items he is carrying slips from his arms he bumps me ever so slightly in an attempt to catch them, but it is just enough to knock me off balance. I grab at the wall, desperately trying to steady myself but this only makes things worse, in agonizingly slow motion I watch myself fall from the ladder onto the display rack, smashing into the corner with my right thigh and then being flipped upside down landing on my head and left shoulder. I lay there dazed and confused, the sounds of the ladder clattering to the ground, undoubtedly knocking even more items to the floor, make me wince. I looked up at the tiled ceiling trying to reorient myself to the world. I think I actually see stars.