“Have a good weekend, Rachel!” Amie waved with her perfectly manicured fingers, and her silver bangles dangled with each movement as she walked past my desk.
“Same to you!” I took a moment to make eye contact with her before turning my attention to the appointment book in front of me. I was pretty sure I made the last of my calls for the week but wanted to double check—just in case.
“The cleaning service will be here in just a few minutes, honey; get out of here. I’m sure you’ve taken care of everything.” She smiled over her shoulder before opening the door to the parking lot.
“I just want to be sure.” I stared at the notes and check marks next to each appointment next week.
“I don’t know what I ever did without you.” Those were her last words before she dodged out of sight.
But she had no idea how thankful I was for this job. It made me happy, and it gave me a purpose. Sure, I just set appointments and answered phones, but I knew it did some good. Even though Amie was the miracle worker, she assured me almost daily that we were a team. But her job really made the difference in those children’s lives. She specialized in helping kids deal with trauma and post-traumatic stress. I watched the changes in their expressions over the months she worked with them. It was a beautiful thing to witness. I only wished I had someone like her to help me all those years ago when I needed it.
But I couldn’t change the past. Instead, I made it my mission to help those in need now. I didn’t have a college degree, and I’d never be licensed like Amie, but I could do my part. And that’s exactly what I felt like I did. For the last year, I gave this job every bit of energy I had while I was here. It was the least I could do. The kids that came through these doors deserved every opportunity to thrive and flourish, and I would help in any way I could. Even if it was just being kind and offering a piece of candy from the bowl I kept on my desk.
But she was right—everything was taken care of and the cleaning crew would be here any second. I knew the last thing they needed was to have me in their way, so I closed the book and put it in the designated spot on my desk. I continued to perfectly straighten everything before standing, pushing my chair in, and looking around the peaceful space that surrounded me. It didn’t resemble a doctor’s office, although that’s technically what it was. It was cozy and warm, with plants and plush pillows. There was a soda fountain and coffee station that I kept fully stocked, and I made sure to keep fresh cookies out also. There was a nook in the corner with bean bags and a shelf of books, which was probably my favorite part of the whole office. It really was a great space.
And as much as I loved being here, it was time to head out for the weekend. I grabbed my cell out of my purse and hit redial so I would know which direction to go. Jackson’s number went straight to voicemail, which didn’t really surprise me. We usually tried to get pizza or Chinese food on Friday nights, so I didn’t have to cook. But the last couple of weeks, he’d been working a lot of overtime, and I hardly saw him. I guess that came along with his new promotion and a salary.
He’d been a little moody lately, and I’d hoped the change would be good for him. I wanted him to be happy at his job like I was and not depend on the bottle of whiskey to get him through every night. But it was a habit he’d developed a long time ago, and I didn’t see it changing anytime soon. Thankfully, he wasn’t a mean drunk. But he was a drunk all the same, and it annoyed me. The way he slurred his words and stumbled through the house late at night got under my skin. But I just tried to ignore it. I kept my nose in a book most nights, which was the greatest escape for me—it always had been. But I also spent time at Sara’s, which was where I would be first thing in the morning.
I decided I would just order a pizza on the way home and pick it up instead of waiting for an answer from Jack. That might be hours, and the rumbling in my stomach let me know that waiting wasn’t an ideal option.
As soon as I got in my car, my phone began to ring.
“Speak of the devil,” I whispered to myself as I jammed the key into the ignition. “Hello.” The hum of my Honda roared to life at the same time.
“Hey, Rach. You still at work?” He sounded a little out of breath as he spoke into my ear.
“Just now leaving. Are you still working?” I held the phone in place with my shoulder as I backed out of the parking spot.
“Uh, yeah. I’m training the new groundskeeper, so I had to wait until after the team finished practicing before I could show him how it needed to be mowed.” His excessively detailed answer caused me to pause. He never went into detail about what he did at work.
I tossed my paranoia aside and refused to feed into that nonsense. I knew Jackson would never cheat on me. I hated that I still worried about such stupid things.
“Oh, okay. I’m just going to grab a pizza on my way home then, sound good?” I knew it didn’t really matter to him, but I wanted to make sure.
“Yeah, that’s fine. Will you stop at the store for me? Just in case they’re closed by the time I get out of here.”
I didn’t have to ask what he needed. I’d thrown the empty whiskey bottle into the trash this morning when I saw it on the front porch on my way to work. God forbid he go a night without it. But I wasn’t in the mood to argue. I just wanted to dive into a slice of pepperoni and black olive pizza and curl up with a book.
“Yeah, I will,” I agreed but was disgusted with both of us for doing so.
“Thanks, babe,” he whispered into the phone before abruptly disconnecting the call.
My paranoia crept up on me once again. I hated when he didn’t give me a proper goodbye on the phone. Not to mention, he hadn’t called me any pet names in at least a year. He hadn’t done a lot of things he used to in about that long. I chalked it up to long hours and the alcohol. But some days, I wasn’t so sure if I was just naïve. Although, he’d never cheated on me before. Not that I knew of, anyway. I couldn’t imagine he would start now, after all these years. At least, I hoped not.