Orlando

TWO

Gladys' cleaning services, cleaning was the last job Diamond ever thought she'd take but given the circumstances that finding a decent waitressing job or doing admin in some office was difficult, cleaning those offices she sought work in was another option and to her amazement, it paid really well, so well she managed to move out of her old apartment and found another one where Marcus would not find her and paid her own rent. The man has proved to be a nuisance and calling every chance he got, promising to find work and making an honest woman out of her and marrying her as he had promised before.

Three months later, he still wasn't working and still was not receiving the message that Diamond was through with him. She wanted nothing to do with anything that included men and romance. That was not where she was in life. All she wanted was to grow financially, emotionally and maintain her fit body. She just wanted to lead a peaceful life without worrying about a man cheating on her and toying with her feelings. Before Marcus, her heart was broken just the very same way but the pain did not change her. The five years she has spent with Marcus, she was so used to having him in her life that there was no her without him.

They were always together and when they got engaged her family, mother and father had to know and they were happy for her. Except for Mr Barry, he did not appreciate the lad's tattoos but if his baby girl loved the fella and was going to get married to him, he'd bend a little and accommodate him. Imagine the anger that soured through him when she called them to let them know she and Marcus had broken up because he cheated with her colleague and someone she regarded as a friend, a sort-of-friend.

Her life was just looking a little bright except the ladies she cleaned the Logan towers with, a company that dealt with gold mining, owned by the York family. The salary was good, the work was hectic but she found cleaning very therapeutic and her co-workers hated her for it. She always received praises from their supervisor and they were jealous of that. They spent time gossiping about those who worked in offices than actually cleaning the very same offices.

It was a Friday and Logan Towers was holding a small party as to thank their employees for their outstanding work and Diamond was on duty for the night. Dressed in a cleaning black uniform that consisted of black pants and a pocketed shirt with the Gladys' cleaning services emblem on the pockets, Diamond went to the restrooms to refill the detergent and replace empty air fresheners. The company really cared about their health and their spaces. Everything was posh and well.

"Listen Leticia, all you have to is pour a few drops of this in Orlando's drink and draw him to his office there you set the whole plan into motion. We have to make him believe that this baby is his and that there was no condom used on him. Then you will have covered two babies with one blanket." A woman said in the next stall as Diamond set to work. She couldn't help but wonder who the poor guy that they were trying to pin a baby onto was.

"What if it doesn't work Stacey? Then what? What if this thing you got doesn't get him drowsy to a point where we can sneak off into his office? Or what if it does work but then he falls and we can't even do anything about it? This is dangerous. I should just tell him the truth." The other woman with a timid voice spoke, sounding unsure of whatever their plan was. Poor Orlando.

Diamond finished adding two-ply toilet papers in each stall and replaced the bottles of fresheners that were empty and left. She couldn't help but wonder why those two were scheming and trying to drug someone, that was just appalling and borderline a crime. She declared inwardly that when attending any sort of event, she'd never accept any drink form anyone. Clearly this lady who was supposed to seduce the said Orlando knew him on a personal level to initiate such madness. Trying to act like the man impregnated you, that was just a stretch.

She was then instructed to clean the elevator as someone had thrown up in there. Cleaning windows and scrubbing floors, she did not mind doing that but cleaning up someone's vomit that was something else, that was one thing she did not mess with. With a face mask covering her nose, gloves on her hands she stopped the elevator from moving and set to work. She almost puked in her mouth. It was really disgusting but she managed to clean the vomit out, mopped the floor and sprayed with berry flavoured fresheners. Taking a whiff of the scent she was pleased with herself, the elevator was now clean and smelling good. She just prayed no one else would throw up in it again. But she was close to knocking off, just thirty more minutes.

Working night shifts sucked but it paid the bills. It gave her comfort and allowed her to sleep in during the day to avoid people. Her friends still asked about Marcus even when she has asked them to stop which was why she enjoyed the time she spent sleeping during the day and only going to work at night.

As she reached the top floor, checking if the office rubbish cans were emptied she found a man in his office, eyes dilated as he clutched on his neck trying to get his tie off. He looked like he was chocking and needed air. Rushing to his aid, another lady emerged out of nowhere, dressed in a very short black dress and screamed in horror at the image presented before her. The man was on the floor, with Diamond taking off his shirt and tie, phone pressed to her ear as she called for help. From what she could tell this was the CEO of the company, his office said so. It has its own bathroom and it was more spacious and the chair at his desk was for the high and mighty.

"I don't know what to do. I can't tell if he's chocking or having a heart attack. I don't think he can breathe..." Diamond spoke realizing she was not alone and the lady was just behind her not moving an inch. The man who had a nice fade, a five o'clock shadow with a nice boyish hair cut was rattling on the carpet, shirtless.

Diamond could feel relieve was over her head to her toes when a medical team burst through the doors and shoving her to the side. She watched as they lay the man on the gurney and wheeled him out, already making a few diagnoses as they provided him with oxygen.

"What the hell just happened in here?" an older man asked, if Diamond did not know any better, she'd say the old man was the sick man's father. Too much resemblance.

"Sir, Orlando was rushed to the hospital. He seemed to have a problem breathing." A lady replied. Her voice was so familiar to Diamond. The woman then went to hug the woman who was in the office the same time as Diamond. It dawned unto her; they were the ladies planning on seducing him and pinning a baby on him. She was angry at their selfish act and wanted to punch them square in the jaw for almost killing the guy.

She looked at them and shook her head. They knew she knew about their devious plan. With her uniform they knew that she knew their secret. Cleaners and security guards always knew other people's secrets.

She had to go. She was a threat.