Fiercely independent Genevieve had her whole life planned out until her fiance dumped her and her finances fell apart. Living with her friend Janet until the college semester ends, Genevieve is offered an internship that could solve all of her finan...
On the way to Janet's, I stopped in my favourite cafe to pick up a coffee and sandwich for lunch. I had a long day ahead of me, bringing a group project up to my standards, and my favourite food would go a long way toward keeping me going.
I took my sandwich to go and walked back to Janet's, easily passing through the gates at the edge of the property with a nod to the security guard. I walked up the steps and pulled open the front door, calling out her name.
"Yes?" she shouted back from upstairs, "I'm just grabbing my laundry. I'll be down in a second."
I settled into a stool at the island to eat my sandwich and drank my coffee, flipping through a trashy tabloid while I did so.
When Janet finally made it down the stairs, she was hardly visible behind a giant pile of dirty laundry. She dumped it in the middle of the living room floor, sat down beside it, and began sorting.
"Sorry it took me so long," she sighed. "Work's been keeping me so busy these past few weeks with making schedules and coordinating events. There's just a lot going on."
"It's okay." I took my sandwich over and sat down on the floor beside her. "You want some help?"
"Once you finish your sandwich, I'd love some." She threw a shirt into a pile of brightly coloured items destined for cold water.
"That's fair." I shrugged. "Do you have to work today?"
She groaned and turned the pants she was holding inside out with more force than the task required. "Yes, even if I wanted to drag you out this afternoon, which I do, I wouldn't be able to. He's gone and stuck his foot in it again so boss man is making me put together the most hectic schedule known to humanity and-" she cut herself off. "Sorry, I'll leave it. Let's just say, we'll go out tonight to celebrate my birthday and you getting that internship."
"Your cousin is the actual worst." I laid down on the floor. "And I wanted you to drag me out! I have to do this entire project that's due tomorrow-"
"No." She shook her head at me. "You don't have to do it. You could just trust other people with things, you know."
"Remember what happened the last time I did that?" I finished my sandwich and got up off the floor to face her.
"The last time you did that was like fourth grade!"
"Precisely," I countered, "and it was terrible. So from now on, I'm doing what needs to get done." I picked up my bag and turned towards Janet's spare bedroom.
"You'll burn yourself out that way faster than my cousin gets himself in trouble!" she called after me as I walked down the hallway.
"Yeah, yeah." I waved my hand to dismiss her. "Thanks, Mom."
I closed the door behind me and locked myself away, finishing the project until late into the evening. At 8:00, Janet knocked on my door to ask if I wanted supper. She had it all prepared, so I waved her in but kept my eyes on the final stages of my project.
"I'm almost done," I said before she could talk to me. "I'll be out in like half an hour." I looked at the supper she brought me. "Well, maybe an hour after I stop for food."
She smiled and backed out of the room. "Okay, no worries. Just thought you should eat." I could see why she had that job as a personal assistant. She was good at it even when she wasn't getting paid to do it.
I stopped to eat the dinner she brought me and then turned my exhausted eyes back to the computer to finish the conclusion and pretty up the graphs before hitting send.
I ran out into the hallway in celebration. "Janet! I'm officially done! I finished that stupid assignment and I don't have any more!"
I was dancing in the hallway to celebrate and then realized Janet hadn't answered me. I crept into the living room and still didn't see her, so I headed up the stairs, hoping she was in her room. Halfway up the stairs, I heard a noise come from the kitchen. Feeling my heart leap in my chest, I turned towards the source of the noise. My phone slipped out of my hand, crashed to the ground, and bounced down the stairs until it landed at the bottom with a sickening smack.
Janet yelped at the noise and fell to the ground as all of the clean laundry she'd been carrying was now spread all over the kitchen. And it wasn't limited to just the floor, either. A shirt was dangling from the light fixture.
"Sorry." I rushed down the stairs to make sure Janet and my phone had survived the trauma. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just came to celebrate finishing that stupid assignment." I helped her pick up the laundry and put it on the table.
"No worries." Janet winced when she tried to sit down. "I'm fine."
"Can I at least help you fold?"
When she nodded, I sat down beside her and focused on the task at hand.
"I didn't know you started wearing suits." I held up the dress pants I was folding. "Doesn't seem like the kind of thing your boss would like you wearing."
She furrowed her brow. "Suits don't seem like work attire?"
"No." I smirked. "He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would appreciate a woman wearing pants."
"Yes, well." She stood up to fold the dress she was holding. "Old Money does tend to move at a glacial pace."
"You're telling me!" I laughed. "When do I get to meet this cousin of yours? You've only been talking about him for three years and I've never met him."
"That's because you don't spend enough time at The Sandoval." Her laugh was tinged with bitterness. "I swear if I see him there one more time, I might flip my lid."
"Oh, my gosh!" I looked up at the large clock over the fireplace. "We can still make it! It's only 9:30."
"Make it where? The club?" She looked at me. "You're still wearing a dragon suit and I'm in pyjamas and folding my cousin's laundry. We are not going clubbing!" She shook her head very violently.
"Are you trying to distract me from your birthday celebrations?" I pulled on her arm to get her to stand up. "Oh, no. We're going. Plus, I want to meet your cousin."
"It's a bad idea!"
"Well, I'm going." I let go of her arm and walked back down the hallway. "If you want to come, you can."
"I was hoping you'd forget." She trailed behind me.
"Then you shouldn't have let me keep my party clothes in your spare closet." I stuck my tongue out and closed the door behind me.
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Author's Note: I hope you are enjoying Genevieve's story so far. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my writing. 💖
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