The Pretend To Be Agreement

Chapter Seventeen

Grace

"Oh, and she finally picks up!" I say, somewhat annoyed but also very excited to Kimberly.

She waves at me, smiling. "I thought I never see you again."

I let out a low chuckle. "Yeah, sorry about that. I should be coming back to work soon, though."

At my words she bites her bottom lip, her mouth going from a bright smile to anxious frown. She looks around the room, not wanting to look at the computer screen, but even with her head turned I could see a tear rolling down her cheek. This surprises me as Kimberly wasn't much of a crier, but when she did, the situation had to be seriously heart breaking.

"What is it Kim?" I ask in concern of my friend, and she waves her hand at me, trying to tell it's nothing. Using her fingers she wipes away her tears, leaving a thin trail of mascara down her cheeks.

"I-It's nothing, Grace. Don't worry about me." She tells me, flashing me a weak smile.

"You're obviously crying, and I don't like seeing my friends cry." I say, and then she shoots me a glare.

"If you really were a true friend, you'd be here! Not gallivanting off in Hawaii with your boyfriend! If you were here, you know that Mr. Harris is retiring and that he's sick!" She shouts at me through the computer, waving her hands in the air.

It takes me a moment to process what she had just said, and when it did, it felt like my heart had plummeted into my stomach. Automatically my vision starts to blur with tears, that familiar sting at the back of eyes causing me to cringe. I had just been told that the man who had been like a father to me for so many years was sick and most likely dying. My stomach twists and turns, and I felt like throwing up as I could feel vile running up the back of my throat.

I just sit there, staring at my computer keys as the nail polish that's in my hand falls to the ground. It emits a sound when it falls, clattering against the marble floor, and the contents inside spilling out. My eyes trail over to the now almost empty bottle of baby blue nail polish. I should have picked it up, but it was like I was frozen to the seat.

My arms and legs didn't want to move, and every time I tried, it felt like they would break. I hear Kimberly gasp as she realizes what she had just said and starts to mutter apologizes from behind her hands that were clasped onto her mouth. There's a strong, painful pang that hits my heart and I have to divert my attention up to the ceiling just to keep from letting the tears spill.

"Grace, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that." She says and I look up and see she had her own river of tears going down her face.

"No, don't be sorry, Kim. You're right; I shouldn't just be doing whatever the hell I want. I have a life I need to be getting back too." I mumble sadly, adding, "Is there anything I can do?"

She shakes her head, unknowingly. "I should be asking you that. The man thinks of you as his own daughter ... Wait, Grace, did you bring your camera with you?"

I nod, raising a curious eyebrow. "Yes... Why?"

"Well," she starts, "I was thinking that since you're in Hawaii, and we've been trying so hard to get someone out there but didn't have the money in our budget to do so, maybe you can take some pictures while you're there."

My lips turn back into a wide smile, but slowly my heart was sinking as I thought about how much Frederick - a.k.a Mr. Harris - has wanted to come here, but never could.

"Sure. I can defiantly do that. And, will you tell him I say hello and to everyone that I'm sorry I haven't been there lately?" I ask her, feeling absolutely guilty.