Last Night

Part 20

My fingers typed ferociously on the keyboard, line after line inputting itself as simply as possible. Yes, this work was dry, but it was nice that there was no room for misinterpretations or alternate meanings. Simple sentences. No adverbs. No need for a creative twist. Usually, it bored me with the simplicity, but it gave me plenty of time to think.

A fluttering in my chest started and a smile crept across my lips. I did not mind thinking today.

There was a knock on the wall of my cubicle. I spun myself around to find Tiffany and a black haired guy standing there, both looking a bit haggard, but Tiffany's eyes caught my smile and her exhaustion seemed to vanish immediately.

"Hey Nic, this is Leo." Tiffany casually gestured in his direction.

"Nice to meet you. We were planning on heading out now. How much later are you gonna be?" He asked, leaning against the wall and noting my notes spread across the wrap-around desk.

"I was just going to finish this page and close up." I replied, looking over at him, but keeping an eye on Tiffany's ever-rising eyebrow.

"I don't know what his excuse is for working until seven thirty, but I was sick. Nicole, I didn't hear about you getting sick. Are you okay?" Her head nodded towards Leo when she spoke, but those watchful eyes never wavered from their target.

My smile flipped into a slight frown. "Oh, I just had a tough week so I've been distracted. It'd be nice to have part of a weekend so I figured staying really late once would be worth it."

Her eye twitched and Tiffany smiled broadly. "Well, I can't in good conscience let you walk out of here by yourself. We, women, have to stick together or bad shit happens as I've been so kindly reminded."

She winked at me before walking over to Janiel's chair and sat down. Her hands were already rapid-fire clicking away.

"Then, I guess I can hang out a little bit longer. It would tarnish my reputation as a gentleman if I left you ladies here without a proper escort. You know somebody stole parts off one of the cars in the parking lot two weeks ago, right?" He stepped out of my space and sat in another neighboring cubicle.

"Wait, you guys don't have to..." I said, but neither one popped back in. "All right, all right, I'll be done in a few minutes."

With a couple glances over at my notes, I typed up the remaining few lines for the page and saved. A few more clicks and the computer was shutting down while I collected my bags.

"Sorry about that. Thanks for waiting." I stood up and waited for them now.

Tiffany smiled at me as Leo guided us out of the building and in the general direction of our cars. He waved us off and headed away for his own.

"Are you hungry? I'm famished and the kids are getting ready for bed now so shall we get something together?" She shrugged and gazed out at her car. "I've got a good 30 minutes to burn and know a really good Indian place around the corner."

I checked the time on my phone and then back up at the sky. "I don't know. Don't you want to see your family before they go to sleep?"

"I spent more time with my children last week than I have in months. Nathan already knows where I am and with whom. Unless you already have some plans with someone."

The way she said that sentence, did she know?

"Come on, Nic. Let's go and you can tell me all about him." She grabbed hold of my hand and tugged me towards her car.

"Okay, okay. But I'll drive separately over. This place is a bit spooky with the lights starting to flicker on." I squinted as I surveyed the empty lot. The back of my head tingled. "I don't want to have to come back here for my car after dark. You heard what Leo said."