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Chapter 7

I got off work early to visit MC. I took a taxi to her place. Her life is going as bad as mine. Her father keeps coming home and picking a fight with her mother and on top of that she still hasn’t made up with her brother. Like I usually do I started complaining about my ignorant boss. MCs’ mom walked in around seven when I was about to walk out. I remembered that tomorrow is Ice cream night so I reminded them.

“Mrs. C, don’t forget tomorrow is Ice cream night.” Both MC and I smiled at her mom but at a tired her mom said “Oh, I don’t think I can make it this month. Sorry girls.” She went up stairs. That was weird. She has never missed an Ice cream night so we went up stairs to see if she was fine. She had closed her bed room door. We got closed and we heard her on the phone. What she was saying wasn’t really clear but the one word we heard coming out of her was “My love.”

Both of us looked at each other with our jaws dropped. We quickly ran to MCs’ room and shut that door. We sat for few minutes without saying anything to each other until MC asked me what was that we had heard. I couldn’t give her any answer that would satisfy her. But after a while of confusion, we understood that her mother is dating.

“No, there is no way that mom would start a relationship and not tell Me.” she said with her eyes wide open.

“I don’t think she would tell you right away though. I mean you don’t really talk to each other anymore. The only time you guys really talk is at Ice cream nights and maybe the reason she doesn’t want to come is because she doesn’t want to share that yet.” I tried to calm her down but it only made it worse.

“Bull shit.” she yelled at me. “You know what, I am going to go in there and confront her.”

I grabbed her and talked her out of it. “Come on. MC she has a reason. Just give her some time.”

After I calm her down I went home and then to bed hopping for a better tomorrow. I got up and went to work. I took the stairs and reached my office in exhaustion. I worked until lunch hour without hearing from Shawn. I had my lunch and while eating my apple I went to my office. As soon as I sat down my phone rang. It was as if it was waiting for me. I answered and it was Shawn. He asked me to come to his office with a cup of coffee.

I can’t lose my temper on him so I did as he asked. But this time it was more than coffee he wanted. After I gave him the coffee he told me to bring the box filled with old paper at the door. When I did he told me to take all of it out and organize it by date. Like always the only work I could get out was “Excuse me!”

“The file is all messed up and I need it for tomorrow.” I just stood there and stared at him. He looked up at me and said “You are going to want to start right now, because those papers date back to 2003.”

When I tried to take the box to my office he said “Ms. Jona, I want you to organize it here.” I turned around and looked at him with wide eyes.

“Take a chair and do it here. I don’t want any file to get lost.” I took a chair as he said and started to organize the papers by date. It was very tiring considering the number of files in that box. While I was working I looked up for a moment and locked eyes with Shawn. He had a piece of paper covering half of his face. But as soon as we saw each other, he quickly covered his face with the paper. He was either playing “pick a boo.” all by himself or he was looking at me for no good reason.

I went back to work but I can still see him at the corner of my eye when he stares at me while covering half of his face with the piece of paper in his hands. I shook my head and whispered to myself “Oh dad, what have you brought me too?” He heard me say it “What?” he asked.

“It’s nothing.” I answered while having my eyes on the papers. He didn’t want to let any conversation go so he asked again “You said something about your dad.”

I looked at him “Yes. If he hadn’t pushed me to business management…” I stopped and went back to organizing. “Your dad pushed you to business?” he didn’t want to let it go.

“Yes.” I answered with frustration. “What was your dream then?” he asked. So I gave him an answer. “I wanted to be an archeologist. It is my moms’ specialty but my dad swore he would disown me if I don’t go to business. And I didn’t think it was worth fighting for at the time. But now I really regret it.” When I looked at him, his face had turned blue, sad. He looked away for a while “Everything happens for a reason.” then he gave me a huge smile.

By lunch hour I finished organizing the papers and got off work. I had a session with Dr. Goodman so I head there. I got in, we did our usual talk. I would complain about something in my life and she tries to give me an answer. I went through the day and after two hours I set my road to home. On my way I picked up a chocolate Ice cream for ice cream night.

When the clock hit nine pm MC arrived at my place. She had her Pajama on and flip flops. Me and my mom slipped in to something comfortable then started the complaining, cursing, mocking and gossip. MC told my mom about the situation at her home and that her mom might be dating. And my mom told her the same thing that I told her. “All Lily needs is time. So for the time being it is better to leave her be.”

We got passed her crises so it was my turn. I told them how much Shawn is making work hard for me and the whole time I can see those two looking at each other. After I was done complaining MC laid out her theory.

“He likes you.” her theory was short and unsatisfying. Then my mom continued “I agree. The only reason he is going out of his way and giving you files to organize is to keep you close.”

At this point I am thinking that these women are crazy. “Are you guys insane. Did you hear anything I said or is what you are eating alcohol flavored ice cream?”

MC answered to me “First off, that is not funny. And second Mrs. J and I have more experience so just listen to us.”

“Yes.” mom continued “When men try to make you do stuff that doesn’t concern you, it is when there are trying to get under your skin. And as you are telling us this Shawn guy is already under your skin.” she took a big scoop of her ice cream and placed the spoon in her mouth.

“What do you feel when you see him?” MC asked me.

“I don’t know. All I know is that when I see him now all I want to do is slap him.” I answered. “Don’t stress yourself honey.” my mom tried to comfort me.

MC took a bite, looked at me and said “I wonder. Is it fate or coincidence that brought you two together in that elevator?”

She made me wonder. What if it was fate? If you believe such type of thing exists…

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