AS YOU MELT THIS HEART OF STONE

VISIT FROM PAST

"Wow man! I knew it! I knew that you have it in you!"

A blabbering and overjoyed Leonard Beards steped into or rather danced into my office.

I was so used to his immature antics that I didn't bother to pay any attention.

"Rick, I'm talking to you."

No response.

"Okey....." he said positioning himself much too comfortably on the sofa, "So either you're not answering because you're hellbent to hide the romantic side of yours or -"

I opened my mouth to shut him up and show the door, but the next part of the sentence arrested my attention-

"..or Charlotte Thorne has another man in her life who has sent her those lovely roses."

At this, the devil, who claims to be my friend, looked at me with a mischievous glint on his own eyes and a smug smile on his face.

He knew his mission was successful here.

No matter how fast I recovered my reactions, the bastard knew me too well to read the twitch of a muscle on my face.

Yes, he successfully messed up my mood and I was fuming inside.

"But why? What is the big deal here? Someone sent her roses. Don't tell me that you are actually jelous of-"

Enough! Leonard Beards alone is enough. I don't need you to join him now.

"But I am your inner voice. It is my duty to always point out the obvious."

"So, Rick, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

Leonard's question prevented me from strangling my inner voice and my hands were etching to strangle him instead.

"If you have finished going through all the works that were assigned to you, I'll gladly share some of my workloads with you."

He contorted his face in a mock scowl hearing that, "Always so serious man. I came here to fulfill my duty as your friend and you're acting like a dour boss."

I didn't pay him any attention. Instead I pretended to focus on my laptop screen.

Yes, you read right. Pretended. And I, just like you, was greatly surprised.

What was happening to me?

She was no one.

She was absolutely no one.

Just some other employee with a personal life of her own.

Then why?

This was madness.

I knew it.

And yet,

Oh yet, I was falling deep deep down....

*********

My blood was boiling.

Yet my head was turning the gears of thoughts fast.

But whatever results my thought process was giving each time I ran the program inside my head, was unbelievable.

It was an irrational result of a rational thought process.

And no, this time you didn't guess it right.

It was not about the signorina and my ever present inner battle.

It was something of more serious and urgent nature.

Someone has dared to mess with me. And not only once, he is continuing to do so.