Imperfectly Right for Me

Four: They're Dead

Lily

"Gosh darn it." I mumble, trying to push my sleeve down, but it doesn't budge.

Mamma had come back from last night, beat me and left again. I cried extra hard because I didn't understand why she did it that time. I know I did something. That's the only time she hits me. I should have told her about my new job. She wouldn't have hit me then.

I hoped mamma wasn't with her 'friend' again. Every time Diddy went away, she would go visit that 'friend' and come back days, sometimes even weeks later. I wasn't as stupid as everyone believed I was though. I knew she was cheating on Diddy. I wouldn't dare tell him, though, too terrified of the beating she would give me if she found out.

I try to pull my sleeve down one more time before stepping into Mr. Acquires office. He doesn't look up from his desk and I am grateful for that.

He probably won't notice. That's about the only good thing about having a mean boss.

It's been about five days since I started working for him. I now understood why the other assistants quit. He wasn't a very nice person. Not in the slightest. He never looked up from his desk and since I've been here, I've heard the phrase, 'I do not care' leave his lips at least a hundred times.

But I wasn't going to give up that easily. I'm Lily Hernandez, not afraid of a darn thing! Besides chickens, those are awfully scary.

"Mornin' boss!" I say, setting the coffee on his desk.

I take a seat at my desk and pull the shirt down again, and that's when he decides to look at me. His eyes follow my arm and he squints. "What is that?" He asks.

I smile. He's finally asked me a question! Except it wasn't one I wanted to answer. I fidget with my fingers under the desk as I respond, "Nothing." 

Diana had taught me how to lie. She knew I wasn't a very good liar, so she told me to distract myself with something as I lied. That way, I would be paying attention to that more than the lie. It works like a charm.

Diana is a genius

He stares at me for a moment, as if catching himself before looking back at the papers on his desk. He takes a box of cigarettes out of his pocket and my mouth flies open.

"Mr. Boss!" I shout in disgust, "Do you know what you're holdin'!"

He holds the box up slowly. "Ms. Hernandez, are you blind?"

"No."

"Then why the fuck are you asking such an idiotic question? Obviously I know what I'm holding if I took it out of my goddamn pocket."

My head jerks back at his rude response. I don't think I've ever met someone so good looking with such an ugly attitude.

I turn back around, "I was just trying to tell you, those are bad for you. No need to get upset." I mumble.

I glance back and see him already staring at me. He licks those gorgeous lips before taking a cigarette out of the box and stands up. Mr. Acquire walks out of the building and I see him smoke the cigarette through the window. I shake my head as I get to work.

I had managed to find a beautiful ballroom to hold the fundraiser. That was an accomplishment for me, since everyday he doubles up the world. But I didn't mind, that's my job.

When lunch break rolls around, I excuse myself to get me and Mr. Acquires lunch. Diana had let me borrow money for the week, so I was able to get lunch and things. I was almost out of money though because of the expensive lunch he gets.

I had to walk to the fast food place since my car stopped working on my first day. Not even Diddy's trick could get Betsy to start up. I've been taking the bus since.

I say hi to a squirrel that passes by after getting Mr. Acquires burger and my burrito. An ambulance rides by as I step back into the building. I wince and say a small prayer about who's ever in the vehicle. Lord knows they're probably scared out of their mind.

After dropping his burger off, I make my way to the break room. I spot Kelly and smile widely. I hadn't seen her since the interview. Jogging up to her, I give her a small hug. She looks down at me as I am shorter than her and pushes my head off of her.

"I don't like being touched, kid."

I sit down at the table and she joins me. "My best friend didn't either, but I got her to crack. I'll get you too, I just know it."

She sips the coffee she has as I take a bite of my sandwich. "Tell your friend I have a bone to pick with her for giving you this confidence."

I laugh and I begin to think about my friends. "I have a lot of friends, you know."

"You must have paid them, huh?"

"No. Although, I don't quite understand how they could be friends with meh."

"Lily, I was kidding. Whoever doesn't want to be friends with you must be an unhappy person. Which is everyone in this building."

"Diana used to be an unhappy person. I understand her though. She had a horrible childhood. It just shatters my heart, thinkin' about it. But now she's happy. Her daughter will be off to college soon and she's married to someone just like her. "

Kelly nods and sips her coffee again, "Sounds like the girl got her own fairytale."

"Audrey might be a little unhappy, though. She never talks about her life much. She's very private."

Now that I think about it, I don't know a darn thing about Audrey. She could own a bunch of chickens for all I know.

"We love a mysterious woman." Kelly says.

"And Valentina, well, she's more than happy. She's got an amazing doctor for a husband who is nothin' like her, which is a great match."

"And what about you? Are you happy?"

I smile, "Of course I'm happy! I woke up this morning, didn't I? That's all the reason I need to be happy."

Kelly shakes her head and chuckles, "You've got a good heart, Lily. I could never be that optimistic. I've got to have a little negativity in my life." She leans forward, "I used to have friends."

"What happened to them? Did they move away?"

"Nope, died."

My mouth goes agape, "Oh my!"

"I'm joking."

"Oh thank goodness." I reply, holding my chest in relief.

"No, but seriously, I'm not. They're dead."

My mouth flies back open, "Goodness gracious, I'm so sorry!"

"It's all good. I'm turning thirty three in three months and that's when they died, so maybe I'll be next," she begins laughing and I hold her hand sympathetically.

She must be in so much pain

"I'm here if you need someone to talk to, sugar."

She smiles, "That's so nice. Stop it." She replies and takes my hand off her before standing up.

"Alright, you have a good day, Kelly!" I say as she walks away.

I get back to the office and tell Mr. Acquire all about becoming friends with Kelly and about my day. Around five, he stands up and puts his coat on.

I grab my bag and follow him. "Oh and yesterday I forgot to tell you, the worker at your burger shop quit. I know, I know, I was sad too. She was such a g-"

He turns the light off and faces me. "Get out of my office, Ms. Hernandez." He says, and I walk out of his office.

I didn't even get to tell him about her replacement.