I Remember

CHAPTER 22

Obviously, I had chickened out, at the very last moment.

It would have been too exhausting to fire it up all again, ruining moving day. Also, I didn't want to get into a quarrel with him the first day he moved in. I had decided to let go of the past, and ignoring this should be a start. Anyways, we would always come back to that same thing we had fought over so many times now, that same action, that same feeling of betrayal.

"So, the reason I asked you guys to come here, early, for breakfast today, is this." Emma announced, grabbing my attention.

"You do know that we would have come here regardless to get some of those delicious eggs?" Andrew commented, eyeing the plate of scrambled eggs, giving them a predatory glance.

"Those are mine. You called for the bacon." I defended.

"Guys, this is important." Charlie intervened, rather excitedly.

"Ok-ay." I replied. Even an infant could have figured out something was up.

"I wanted to invite you guys to Thanksgiving, at my country house. I mean, if you'll are free." Emma said nervously.

"Won't it be awkward for you, with your entire family there?" I asked her.

"Well, these past few years, it's been only my father, mother and I. And since Dad is stuck in Texas, again, he can't make it home. And my mother wouldn't mind company. Plus, Charlie's been coming for three years now." She explained.

"I'm down for it." I said, banging my fork on the table for special effects.

"Chill, we're not going to war. It's just a dinner." Andrew said slowly, as if I were a child.

"Actually, not just dinner." Em said quickly, before I could whack Andrew, upside in the head.

"What are you hinting at?" I asked earnestly.

"I was wondering if you'd be all right to spend the weekend there. There's this really beautiful lake behind the backyard. We could go fishing, anything really." She elaborated, fidgeting with her apron.

"Em, is everything alright?" I asked, sensing her nervousness.

"Yeah." She shrugged off.

We all gave her a look that said we knew she was lying.

"Okay, I'm not fine. This is the fourth holiday my dad's missing now, and I act strong around my mom well, because she has nobody else, but when I'm alone, I end up dwelling over it a lot." She admitted, whimpering.

"Oh, Em. It's all going to be perfect. Believe me." It was surprisingly Andrew who said that.

I enveloped Emma in a fierce hug, the boys reciprocating my actions and we ended up in a huge bear hug. I was constantly aware of Andrew's body engulfing mine, which was wrapped around Emma's slight frame. He made me feel safe out of all the emotions I could feel. What a sad paradox.

"Well, I hate to be the one breaking the bubble, but we have to get going." I managed to speak, through pressed bodies.

"Yeah, we should." Charles repeated, everyone peeling off of Em, like the layers to an onion.

This is what it meant to be friends. To comfort them, as they had once comforted me. And to support them like they had for me.

"Count me in Em." I said before leaving.

"Me too, only exception that I may be late. I have to meet up with Lisa and Elizabeth. But I'll be there by night time." Andrew informed her.

"Thank you so much guys." she said wistfully.

"You don't need to thank us." I replied and shut the door behind me.

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I felt panic rise up within me and my ears grew hot as a result of the sudden shock.

I had forgotten to submit the weekly reports, yet again. And this time I was definitely screwed. Though I still had thirty seconds to reach Mark's office to submit them since the exact time of submission was noon. However, judging the speed of this stone age elevator, I wouldn't have had made it even the next day. That's how I ended up running, in my heels, on the staircase desperately trying to reach the 24th floor.

Gasping and panting, I rocketed into Mark's office one second later than I was supposed to. Well, I don't think he would be mad for arriving just one second late, so I calmed down. But not entirely. Not before I saw Chloe, my nemesis, sitting shamelessly on Mark, and exploring down his throat. I could've smacked her right then and there with the bulky files I was carrying, if I hadn't noticed Mark's face. I had gotten some idea from her threat back that day. But the mere expression on Mark's face made it all much clearer for me.

He did not look guilty or remorseful or forced at all. He was actually enjoying this. Now, unlike the majority of the female population, when I see my man cheating on me, I don't get sad. Not then, not ever. I get furious. And you don't want to be near me when that happens.

The two people whom I now hated the most in the world, had still not heard me or noticed me so I took advantage of the opportunity and dumped all the hot morning coffee sitting on his desk on the both of them, in equal proportions. And I knew that he liked it burning hot. Well that makes two, his coffee and my rage.

Chloe screamed and got up, waving her arms about as if fending herself from the hot liquid. Mark, on the other hand, was just hurt ( physically and emotionally, I hope) and shocked. Utterly shocked.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't see you there." I said in the sweetest voice I could conjure.

"Or there." I added after I was done launching the file papers on them.

"Dahlia please, just listen." Mark started.

"Oh no, you listen. I do not want any explanation, and if all you wanted was to sleep with me, you've achieved it, so don't even bother to explain." I said as a matter of fact.

"Or to stop me when I say 'I'm quitting'! I'll hand in my weeks' notice at the end of the day." I added.

Then I noticed Chloe's smug expression, as if she knew this was bound to happen and that she expected my reaction.

It would be hurtful for my ego and my reputation to take back what I'd said to Mark. Plus, I knew there was no excuse for disloyalty. So, when I submitted my resignation letter at the end of the day, I felt oddly satisfied and partially terrified.

The weeks' notice left me seven days to find another job. Maybe this time I'd search for something in close contact with a designer, rather than just accounting. Maybe this was a chance to go after what I really wanted rather than just what the university deemed good for me.

Sometimes, you need the push to achieve. I just didn't know that my push would come in this form. 

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