Framed Connection

Chapter 4: Disconnect and Coffee?

Roxanna is conflicted with how she's supposed to feel, her body felt a little lighter having gotten a good night rest. However her mind doesn't feel any lighter, she knows she had a dream but couldn't remember any of it. Unsure whether it was good or bad believing the latter. Feeling that if her body felt better her mind would also but that didn't seem to be the case. "Congrats, your problems are now solved. Yet, why am I still here?" She can hear the sarcasm coming from her inner voice having a ball, taunting her first thing in the morning.

It felt as though any energy she had quickly diminishes, "You can't take a day off can you?" Irritated with the fact it wouldn't even allow her a moment's peace.

"As if you're one to talk." Her inner voice finds her hypocritical, forgetting that it's part of her subconscious.

Roxanna feeling a little groggy reaches over for her phone by the night table, having to launch herself out of bed having seen the screen. It was 8:25 am, she only had 35 minutes to shower and get dressed, to make it in time for work. "Now how did you manage to mess that up?" Her inner voice ceasing no time to patronize her. "Shut it you, I have no time for this."

She estimates that she could buy some extra time to catch the second bus if she just skips breakfast. Making a note to herself to stop by the Bakery near her workplace for a breakfast sandwich on the way there. Coming out of the shower she quickly towels off dragging on her pull over knit sweater, tucking it into some pleated pants.

She fumbles around trying to turn on the blow dryer, grabbing a comb to quickly fix her frizzy red locks. With 30 mins left grabs her messenger bag from under her desk, grabs her padded coat by the door and rushes out. Last time she remembered having to run out was in college, when she almost missed an exam for her media studies class. Lucky for her as she got to her stop the bus was just pulling up, she steps on scanning her card.

Finding a seat, she relaxes a bit, taking her phone from her bag to text Celine. She'll meet her at the new cafe around 2:30 p.m. It seems the bus was as far as her plan goes, as the bakery was packed with a swarm of people. Roxanna guesses they must have all come from the equally if not more packed new cafe just a few shops down.

" Well there goes breakfast." Disappointed that her plan had a slight hiccup but that was the least of her problems. As she got to the cafe sprints across to the other sidewalk, approaching the tall glass pane window walls. Sectioned by bricked walling, a section of the building was white washed concrete. The top and bottom columns of the building were also white painted concrete.

The abstract wooden paneling walls, tiles split between a darker and lighter gray. The patterning was a mismatch of geometric vector shapes, walking on a modern art abstract painting. A statue in the middle of the seating section of the lobby. Twisted shapes and curves, suspended around in and over each other.

A round flat base under them, bean shaped curved couches and sectionals where a handful of her colleagues congregated.

Behind the reception desk, a mural was like water colored paint spilled on a piece of paper. Forming a flowing shape, a mix between water and smoke, solid yet intangible across the wall.

Roxanna had switched to leisure, scanning her employee card at the swing gate. Making her way to the elevators, she looks down at her watch having about 15 mins to spare.

Sighing a breath of relief, stepping inside, pushing the button and watching the doors slowly close. Expecting that everything was going to be smooth sailing from there. Becoming startled holding a hand to her chest, a brown leather messenger bag is shoved between the doors with a thud.

The doors open and Roxanna's eyes look up, still stiff from shock, a young man with a wild mess of dirt blond hair. His chest heaving up and down as if he had just ran a marathon. "Sorry if I startled you there." With an apologetic smile he presses the button to his floor.