Guilty || E.V.

ch 4. day off

Monday morning, i rolled out of bed.

the entire weekend blurred in my mind like a dream. i probably wouldn't have believed that it had happened at all, if i didn't have the feeling of Eddie's tight grip on my wrists and heat of his lips on my jaw burned into my memory.

i was almost too nervous to confront Eddie again after what had happened the night before.

he apologized almost every time he pressed a kiss to my lips, and every time, i told him that it was okay.

obviously, i'd only just met him but god, my feelings for him were getting deeper and deeper every time i thought about him.

i knew i should've felt guilty about it, but it wasn't my marriage that was suffering, it was his. and as awful as that sounded, it still made me feel better to know that at that moment, i was what he wanted more than the problematic woman he married years ago.

what also worried me was his inability to get out of said marriage, because of his concern for his little girl. i'd never been in any totally serious relationships before, but the idea of only being there for him to use behind his wife's back made me feel a bit bad about myself.

it was also a bit scandalous, and intriguing.

after he'd kissed me multiple times, he told me that he had no idea when Willow would be home, so he'd walked me to my car and hugged me goodbye.

i was so worried that he'd make an appearance at the music store.

but, i went to work anyway. i really didn't have a choice.

i pushed open the front doors as the store was just beginning to open, and went to clock in.

"good morning," i said as i towards Mia. she turned to look at me, and her eyes went wide.

"uh..oh, hey," she said. she seemed tense, and she quickly looked away from my eyes.

"what's wrong?" i asked. she took a deep breath.

"don't freak out," she said. "have you seen the schedule for this week?"

i shook my head, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. "no. why?"

"you should go look."

i quickly made my way to the back room where the schedule was posted every week. people like Mia and i, and other full-time employees had been working set schedules since we became fully trained in our departments - meaning, i usually worked the same schedule every week. so, Mia and i rarely had to check the schedule because we always knew our hours.

when i got to the information bulletin board, my blood began boiling.

Jen had taken my Friday away from me, and i was working Monday through Thursday, and had the next three days off.

i grabbed the doorknob of her office door, and yanked it open.

she looked up at me from her desk, and smirked.

"good morning, Katherine," she said.

"i need to talk to you about my schedule," i said bitterly.

she looked back down at the catalog she had open in front of her. "no."

"Jen," i said. "i've had the same schedule at this place for months now."

she nodded. "and now you don't."

"but why?"

she shrugged. "i'm in charge here," she said. "i reserve the right to switch up my employees' schedules every now and then."