Un-Tying the Knot {h.s.}

Chapter 14

"Good morning, Sta...."

I paused, noticing the front desk that usually held my coworker Stacey was barren. I looked down at my watch, noting it was 7:30 on the dot. Stacey was always here before me -- a fact that she not only took pride in, but loved to point out to Eleanor as often as possible.

But, alas, the space still felt eerily empty. Maybe she was just running late? She was human, after all -- and every human loves the snooze button just a little. Even Stacey.

I shrugged my coat off and hung it up on the coat rack, cautiously moving inside the open expanse of the office. The further in I got, the more concerned I became. It was so weird to be here alone this early in the morning with the lights dim and nothing happening, especially given how crazy everything had been these past few days in anticipation of Eleanor and Harry flying to England for the holidays.

If I'm being honest, I'm stoked that Harry and Eleanor are leaving for Holmes Chapel, his hometown. In less than two days, I get to go home and see my family and enjoy Christmas vacation purely because they won't be here. And even though I booked the flight at the last minute because of their crazy schedules, nothing was going to stop me from being with my family. After the last few months of working for Eleanor, I needed it. Badly.

I couldn't wait for my police officer of a brother to pick me up in his squad car, even though my dad promised he wouldn't, before fake arresting me at baggage claim for being a homegrown terrorist. But not nearly as much as smelling the fresh air, seeing the trees, hugging my Mom & Dad, and hearing about my second brothers new baby. I couldn't wait for the boys to fight over who was going to get the rickety chair at dinner, hearing my Dad's booming laugh, or listening to my Mom sing off key while making cookies. It's times like these where you really begin to miss home, especially when you work for the devil in disguise.

Eleanor, on the other hand, had made her disdain for the holidays extremely well known -- but her hatred of Christmas paled in comparison to her hatred of having to head into the countryside of England to see her future in-laws. To be fair, there was nothing about her personality that screamed country -- the south of France or Malta? Maybe. Holmes Chapel? Not so much. Every day was a complaint, and if I'm being even more honest, I couldn't see her stepping foot in the country at all. Thank God I didn't have to go.

Harry, on the other hand, got more and more excited every day. The lightness in his eyes and happiness on his face was more and more evident, and given that I saw him every day to shuttle things between him and Eleanor, I could see how much his family meant to him. Especially seeing his Mum and sister, along with his best friend, Will.

Christmas was coming, and I couldn't be more excited. I could almost taste the freedom.

But what didn't excite me was this empty, quiet office. Trying to shake off the heebie jeebies I had, I went to get the office set up. First stop -- make the coffee, but when I got to the pot, I realize the coffee was already on. As I peered around, I realized that Eleanor's magazines were already spread out for her reading pleasure for when she got in as well, and the office was already set up the way that it was supposed to be every morning. Stacey had to have been here. There's no way Eleanor did this all herself, not with all the work to be done before they left in a few days. Besides, Eleanor was never here this early.

Ring Ring

I was jostled from my thoughts by the ring of my phone, looking down to see Harry's goofy face staring at me. He had stolen my phone one day while I was in the bathroom and made this goofy-faced selfie his contact photo. I didn't have the heart to change it, because it did made me laugh every time I saw it. He was something, that boy.