My eyes pop open and I'm immediately engulfed with disappointment when my head turns to the side of the bed that's seemingly empty.
He left without me.
I don't have to get off the bed and search the house to confirm this. He threatened to do it a few times before but I didn't think he would actually do it. The man jokes about everything, or at least that's what I thought.
I've been waking up late lately but it's not like I don't have a reason. He's been keeping me up late at night with love-making sessions, not that I'm complaining - but I get tired, and consequently, I wake up late.
I have to switch off my alarm when I'm with him because it's too loud and he's a light sleeper, this means I have to depend on him to wake me up since I'm the opposite of a light sleeper.
Somebody has to throw a bucket of ice-cold water on my head to wake me up, otherwise I'm sleeping 'till next Sunday.
Our unspoken arrangement was easy, it worked. Yet, here I am, worried about whether or not I'll be able to find an Uber ride in this bougie neighborhood where everyone has at least 5 cars.
After letting out a loud frustrated sigh, I pick up my phone from the side table then practically jump off the bed when I see the time.
I'm 3 hours late. How could he let this happen?
I blame him, it's all on him. He's supposed to wake me up. He complains about it every time, which is fine, but he's still supposed to do it. That's what partners do.
But now my amazing boyfriend decided to be petty and leave me behind, and because of that, my even more amazing manager will be glad to add another incompetence instance to his growing list titled, 'Why Izzy shouldn't be working here.'
The man still won't let me catch a break, but I guess in his defense, he made it clear he wasn't going to.
You'd think dating the boss would make him reconsider his toxic plans, but nope, he seems even more determined now to prove I'm unfit to do my job.
So I expect the worst from him today as I get ready for work. I manage to send a quick text to my ex-husband as I do that, confirming that Zoe's with me tonight.
I can't wait to see my baby girl, that's my only consolation today. Everything and everyone else sucks.
I rush around the house after taking a quick shower and then finally find myself in the living room where a note seemingly awaits me.
I scoff at its presence as I request my ride to work. There's nothing he can say to make the fact that he left me behind seem tolerable.
He could've left me for literally anything else, but not my job - he knows how important that is to me. I know he's the boss but I still want to be in my best behavior. My reputation is on the line.
So I open the letter with a determination to roll my eyes at its contents. I don't think anything can turn my frown upside down this morning. I'm already having one of those days.
'Morning love, see you at work'
The simple words occupy the simple-looking letter, and as expected, my eyes roll to the back of my head. I've truly come to love the man for his simplicity, and while I usually find it cute, I don't today.
I open the envelope to put the letter back inside but I'm surprised by its heavy weight, so I dig into it and pull out a device crafted from black leather and encased in a shimmering gift box.
The familiar circle logo in the clear-topped box tells me what's in store but I still open it to confirm my theory.
Unsure of how to feel, I take the box with me outside, and there it is;
The harmonious power of blend and sophistication.
Even though I'm still upset, I can't help but admire the beauty before me.
The brand-new Mercedes Benz AMG GLE 63 exudes an aura of sportiness and elegance. Its sleek and muscular silhouette commands attention, with every line and curve meticulously crafted to enhance both style and performance.
The rose-colored machine adorns a golden bow on the hood, matching the highlights on the gift box. This confirms to me that the two are related.
I may have studied this exact model a few times while I was with him and I assume that's why I'm currently looking at it. I didn't think he noticed.
I'm hardly ever impressed by anything materialistic but even I can acknowledge the elegance of the girl parked confidently right in front of me.
I take out the key from the box and then continue to press the button to open it. I keep my feelings at bay as I enter the car, still disappointed that he left me behind.
My ex tried to buy me with cars before and our marriage still ended in tragedy. Perhaps I'm ungrateful but I would've preferred he waited for me so we could go to work together. I always looked forward to our drives.
I pick up the second note placed strategically on the dashboard, the words read,
'I couldn't figure out another way to surprise you. Please don't be mad I left you behind. P.S. Look behind you.'
I do as the letter instructs and I can't help the smile that spreads across my face when I see the Mercedes Benz Car seat with Zoe's name on it.
All traces of my earlier unrest disappear.
The first thing that pops into my mind is my daughter's angelic smile when I pick her up today after school.
Her father insisted she go to private school, which I'm ok with, but I'm not a big fan of how the kids and the parents seem to compete and pressure each other.
Every time I Uber to the school meetings it's like a car show. I never cared for it but I know Zoe's experience is different.
She'd been getting dropped off by the school's transport arrangement system on my alternating weeks and I know she didn't like that very much as she had to wait while other kids got picked up.
Having a car means I get to eliminate that specific worry in my mind. None of the other kids will pick on her because her mom doesn't have a car.
I send a quick text to my boyfriend, letting him know I'm on my way to give him a few many big smooches for the surprise, and then I ready myself to leave in my new whip.
Upon arriving at work, I'm not the fan favorite with my colleagues and I don't have to ask to find out why.
I'm very late, and if I wasn't sleeping with the boss, I'd be in trouble. But of course trouble is the last thing I'm in right now. If anything, I seem to have gotten a reward for my lateness.
The same pleasures don't get extended to my colleagues and even I can admit that's unfair.
As much as I love my gift, I have a long conversation to have with Evin about rules and boundaries, especially at work.
I greet my less-than-impressed colleagues as I pass through the open restaurant, intentionally dialing down my excitement so they can sense I'm not impressed with my lateness either.
I walk straight into Evin's office, still maintaining my fake disappointment for my audience, and when I close the door behind me, I finally reveal my excitement to my new audience.
Evin lets me throw myself in his arms as soon as I walk in.
"I love you."
I whisper to him in between kisses.
"Best gift ever!"
I follow up.
"However."
I finally stop the kisses, ignoring the disappointment on his face.
"I know you meant well babe, but you can't keep openly favoring me at work, it's not fair."
As much as I love the car, I wish he would've surprised me after work so I didn't have to miss half of the morning's duties.
At this point, I understand Amos' reservations.
"I'm not going to apologize for loving and caring about my girlfriend."
His sentence is no stranger to me.
Knowing I won't get anywhere with my argument, I decide to let it go, if only for today.
My boyfriend just got me a Benz! Are you kidding me?
"If you're referring to everyone's mood today, I don't think they're side-eyeing you because you're late. It's likely because of the Amos situation."
"What Amos situation?"
"This morning he came to me with another complaint."
Of course he did. He's Amos, that's what he does - he complains about everything and everyone. Those complaints end up being resolved, proving that he's good at his job.
"About you."
Oh.
I guess that's not a shocker either. He's been complaining about me since before I became permanent.
"I'm sure it's been a lot with us now openly being together. It's fine, Evin. He has reasons to believe I'm unfit for the role. The last few weeks haven't exactly proven to be my best."
Let's just say this is not the first time I've been late. Most times I have to force Evin to stop cuddling me so we can go to work.
"No it's not. Especially not when he's making up lies about you just to get you in trouble. So I fired him."
My lips and eyes open up in shock. That was the last thing I would've expected to hear from him.
Even though Amos has his endless issues, he was the most trusted person Evin knew. And he was darn good at his job, despite him being a massive asshole half the time. He was devoted and was always ready to sacrifice anything for the good of the business.
I can't help but feel this is my fault. If I hadn't come into the picture, Evin would still have the man who would probably give his life for him.
"I know you said I should try to be fair, but you're my girlfriend, and it's my responsibility to protect you. And protect you I will, even if it's the last thing I do."
He defends and I give him a shy smile in response.
"I couldn't trust Amos anymore, not with you and not with my business. If he felt so comfortable lying to me every time about you, what else could he get away with? I didn't want to test that theory."
As bad as I find myself feeling for Amos, Evin's reasoning is valid. The man has always been on my case but he took it to a whole new level after I exposed his feelings for our boss a few weeks ago.
He was getting sloppy and making up very obvious lies about me. He was just trying anything and everything to get rid of me and it showed.
A part of me understood him. Love makes people do silly and potentially dangerous things sometimes out of fear. He was afraid of losing Evin.
I feel like Amos could sense what was coming from a mile away when I started working here.
He was protecting his peace. However, actions have consequences and I guess he just met his fate.
"Where is he now?"
"He threatened to sue and then stormed out. It was pretty intense and I'm glad you weren't here. I don't want him ever taking his anger out on you."
I suppose that explains the tension in the restaurant today.
"On a more urgent note, I need a new manager."
He stares at me suggestively as he says, and I respond immediately,
"No!"
The last thing this place needs is an inexperienced restaurant manager. I don't even know where I'd begin.
Seemingly sensing the reason for my response, he defends,
"If I remember correctly, you ran a very successful pet store that had a diner."
"That was different."
"Was it?"
"Yes. The diner had its own manager."
"But you were the founder and CEO of the biggest and most successful pet store our neighborhood had ever seen. My daughter worked there, remember? Don't think I don't know how amazing you are. You have to stop doubting yourself, Izzy."
Not to toot my own horn here but 'pet store' was the immature label we came up with to fit the establishment into a category.
A pet world was the idea and I owed that to my ex-husband.
Even though I didn't run a restaurant, I had a staff count of over 50 and I did a pretty good job. If it weren't for my divorce, my business would've flourished beyond what it was.
So yes, maybe I am being harsh on myself. And I think I'd do a good job managing the restaurant. I certainly wouldn't be as mean and sarcastic as Amos was.
My smile confirms my sudden interest in the offer and he mimics it.
But before I accept, I have to ask,
"Hey, does any of this have to do with our conversation last week?"
I suggested that I needed to find another job. For many reasons really, one of which was that I wanted to start applying for bigger roles.
I also didn't think it was wise for us to keep working together. Evin won't ever leave my side on purpose and maybe that'll start putting pressure on the relationship eventually.
"What? No, of course not. This was entirely coincidental."
He says as he walks back closer to request another kiss.
Distance makes the heart grow fonder, doesn't it?
I suppose not so much. One of the biggest reasons my marriage ended was because my ex-husband barely gave me the time of day. So maybe it's not so bad that Evin wants to spend each waking moment with me.
We have the best time together. So,
"Ok, then. I'd be happy to probationally manage your restaurant. But if I'm bad you have to promise to fire me."
"You're gonna be great. And you're not going anywhere."
We seal the deal with a quick office lovemaking before I finally head to work.