*Josie*
"Josie, take these to the top floor." I nodded at my boss's request and placed all the four buckets of mail onto my cart. I quickly went to the elevator and waited for it. Right as I walked in, a man joined me. He was the man who had bumped into me yesterday. It was just him and I. I kept to myself but studied the man next to me. Even in his winter coat I could tell how skinny he was. He was on his phone so he didn't notice me. He had dark hair and sharp features. He was kind of cute and the big ears poking out of the sides of his head were priceless. All the way up till we reached the top floor did he leave. I pushed my cart out with him and I watched as he made his way with large strides down to the last office on the floor. I made my round, dropping mail on every desk.
The holidays were at hand and I hadn't noticed a single Christmas decoration in the entire office building. What kind of man runs this business? Who doesn't like Christmas? I've been working here for two weeks now, and still nothing. Christmas was only in a few days.
I got to the last desk but two peoples' mail was left in my buckets. "Um," I began, "do you know where I can find Harry Robinson? There seems to only be one desk here." The beautiful brunette looked up at me and I swallowed hard. She looked just like Ryan's lover. Or I was just imagining it. Lately, almost every tall, gorgeous brunette reminds me of the girl who stole my ex boyfriend's heart.
The woman pointed to the door across from her. On it read. Mr. Robinson.
"Oh, thank you," I heard a snicker come from her but I ignored it. I plopped her mail on her desk then I walked right into the office. I heard the woman stand up and gasp but I ignored that too. I walked right into the room not knowing that with the door wide open every eye in the office was on me.
I simply plopped the large stack of mail letters on the man from earlier's desk. He looked up at me and for a second, as cliche as it sounds, his golden-brown eyes sparkled, and my green ones couldn't look away. He suddenly stood up and I gripped the handle of my mail cart.
"Can I help you?" I asked. The man vigorously nodded. My eyes widened as he walked across the room and shut his door.
"You're that girl, aren't you, from all those years ago?" I narrowed my eyes.
"I don't know," I racked my brain for a memory of this man but nothing was coming up.
"Cambridge, England, about five years ago." He came closer to me and slipped his hands into his oversized slacks' pockets. I squinted my eyes and turned my head. "I've lost some weight since the last time you saw me." He grabbed the sides of his shirt and held them out sideways. I nodded in recognition. Dang, the man had really lost weight. I wondered if he was still wearing the same clothes from five years ago.
"I remember now. You were lying on the ground for some reason and I tripped over you—oh! I remember now! You were watching the clouds dance." He shyly smiled down at his feet and nodded.
"I was in my last year of school when I met you."
"And now look at you!" I held up my arms in praise. He blushed again.
"Well, I remember that you were down in England for a college trip ... " he trailed off and looked me up and down. Obviously I hadn't become as successful as him as the name tag on my blouse read Mail Room Employee.
"Yeah, funny story," I bumped fists with my thigh and chewed on my lip. "I've never been to college. I only said that because a Cambridge student was flirting with me."
"Flirting?" He chuckled. I folded my arms in a sassy way.
"Come on, no one can deny these curves." He chuckled again. His smile was so cute. I wonder if he's dating anyone. Not that he would ever go for a girl like me but still, what woman caught the heart of a man like him?
"What were you doing in England then?"
"My ex boyfriend at the time took me on a date there. He always wanted to go."
"You were flirting with a Cambridge boy when you were on a trip with your boyfriend?"
"Well, we did break up on the trip." Harry's accent was different then what it was five years ago.
"Your accent, it's different."
"Yeah, I've been living in the states these past five years. I haven't lost it or anything but if you stick around through out the day, you'll notice I stutter a lot."
"You're not stuttering now." He blushed and shoved his hands back into his black slacks.
"Have you always lived in Washington?"
"No, I was born and raised in New York." He nodded. "Have you been here in Seattle these past five years?" He nodded.
"I've always wanted to live in the states and Seattle was the closest city to being like London." I nodded.
"Why the states?"
"Capitalism." He smiled. I smiled back. We stood their awkwardly for a few seconds then he grunted.
"Um, it was really nice meeting you again ... "
"Josie." He smiled.
"Josie. I have a lot of work to do but I'd love to catch up some time. I know we weren't friends or even acquaintances back in London but it'd be nice to see you again." This time I blushed.
"Yeah, sure." I scurried out of the room and ignored the looks I got from every person I passed by. I got into the elevator and blew out of my mouth. I rubbed my stomach.
"It's all good. It's not like he likes me or anything." I looked down at my flat stomach. "Besides, I won't let another man into my life unless he accepts you, too." I smiled at my unborn baby then thought about names the rest of the way back down to the first floor.
*Harry*
Josie. So that's the girl in my deam's name. Cute. She is much more curvier than I remember. She was about nineteen or so when we met. But she has gotten a lot prettier. Her blond hair was curled and longer than the last time we met. Her green eyes gave me warmth as she stood in front of my gray window in my office. They were so bright and reminded me of grass. And her golden hair was like the sun. Maybe it's strawberry blond. Yeah, strawberry blond. A tint of red to it.
What a coincidence that we meet again in Washington State. I mean, what are the odds?
I did paper work throughout the morning then had a meeting at 11:15. It was lunch time but I normally skip it. Today was different. Today, Josie was here.
I went to the meeting then excused everyone for lunch. I had two cafeterias built in the building so that those on the highest floor didn't have to commute so far and so that visitors didn't have to take the elevator up to a middle floored cafeteria. All in all, if my employees wanted to go to a restaurant, that was fine, too. I caught my blondie on the floor I had my meeting and purposefully went up to her.
"Josie," I said, only a few feet away from her. She had a cart full of mail bins and she was matching names on the packages and envelopes to the people's name tag on their cubicles.
"Harry," she said back with nonchalance. Her smile made me happy—who am I kidding, I've been happy since I saw her this morning.
I noticed the glances around us when she called me by my first name as if we were good friends. Everyone in the office was instructed to formally call me their boss or Mr. Robinson. The only people in my life who called me by my first name was my mother, father, and a few friends from college. Who I haven't actually seen for five years. So yeah, just my parents. And I guess now Josie.
"Were you in a meeting?" I nodded.
"Are you heading off to lunch?" She nodded this time. "Oh," I dumbly noted.
"Let me guess, you eat lunch in your office?" I chuckled.
"No, I don't eat it at all."
"Hah, that explains a lot."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I unconsciously began walking with her down the cubicles and as I tried to listen to Josie, I picked up the whispers of my employees as well.
"Is that Mr. Robinson?"
"Who is that girl?"
"She's from the mailroom."
"I don't think I've ever met the guy."
"Why would he be talking to such a low employee like that?"
"Does he talk like that to those on the 34th?"
"Is he up for grabs? I thought he was married."
"I just mean that you've lost a lot of weight since the last time we saw each other."
"Yeah, when I'm stressed I don't eat."
"Are you stressed a lot?"
"Of course, a company like this doesn't build itself in one night."
"Something tells me that it did." She smiled and I blushed. What is this feeling I'm having? My palms are sweaty and I can't help but smile! Once Josie was done with the floor she turned and asked, "Do you want to have lunch together?"
"Uh—su—sure! Yeah,"
"Sweet. Let's go!" I walked with her to the elevator then waited with her.
"Do you have to return the cart?" I asked.
"Oh, no, I can leave it on this floor if I want." I nodded with acknowledgment feeling stupid for not knowing something so simple in my own building. The double doors slid open and I smiled to myself when no one else was in it. We climbed in and I racked up subjects to talk about.
"What made you leave New York?"
"I caught my boyfriend cheating on me and was just done with life there. So, I packed up and drove until I ran out of money for gas."
"Wow, I don't think I've ever done something like that. Especially without a plan."
"You're a schedule keeper?" She teased. I blushed again!
"Well, it keeps me organized. Like I said earlier, this company didn't build itself over night." She kept her cute smile plastered on her smooth face. "Soooo, you don't have a boyfriend I'm assuming?" She shook her head and didn't add anything to it. "Sorry he cheated on you. I could never do that to a girl. If I knew I didn't like a girl anymore, I would tell her, not try to satisfy myself with another."
She smiled kindly at me and nodded her head. "Thanks, I'm over it though. I have another person in my life that I'm trying to look after. I don't want any distractions anyway. But I will be honest, if the opportunity arises for me to get a man, then I'll take it."
Another person? But she just said she doesn't have a boyfriend! What other person could she be referring to? A sick relative? A pet? A parent? A friend?
I just simply nodded and waited for the doors to open to the seventeenth floor. We walked together to the food court and I received more stares. I began sweating from anxiety. Hard to believe when you're the top dog at the office. But I'm actually really shy. The only people that I have ever been able to not get nervous in front of, not including my parents, is Liza and now Josie. I guess sometimes I skip out on dinner parties and galleries because I don't want to speak to people unless I absolutely have to.
"What are you going to order?" Josie asked. I shrugged. "On the first floor, they have a really good BLT sandwich."
"I don't know much about these places. I'll order whatever you do."
"You have any food allergies?" I shook my head. "Sweet!" We ordered BLTs and I offered to pay for both of them. Then we sat down at a secluded table. "I don't know how people can skip lunch. It is such an essential meal of the day." She said with her mouth full.
I chuckled. "I thought breakfast was the most important meal of the day." She waved me off and took a sip of her soda. I bit into my sandwich and my eyes closed for a few seconds, savoring the taste of food. When was the last time I had something more than just beer, coffee, or an apple?
"It's good right?" I opened my eyes and quickly swallowed out of embarrassment for most likely making a fool out of myself.
"I was just thinking about the last time I actually ate food." Josie narrowed her eyes.
"Come on, Harry, you can't keep dieting after becoming as skinny as you are now. We need to fatten you up. Do you skip breakfast and dinner too? Of course you do. I'll at least be making sure you get your lunch from now on until the scale tips for you." I smiled and looked down at my plate.
"Yes, ma'am." She smiled and bit into her food.
After lunch we walked back to the elevator, and it was crowded now that everyone was making their way back to their cubicles, and Josie suddenly asked, inside the elevator, "You're the CEO of the company right?" Everyone looked at her with surprise in their eyes. I bet they were all expecting me to yell at her and chastise her for not being more respectful to the boss man. I nodded instead. "Then why is their no Christmas decorations?" Everyone shifted awkwardly around us and Josie felt it too.
"I don't like the holiday." I simply answered.
"Oh come on! Everyone loves Christmas!"
"Not after their parents tell you they're divorcing." Again, another awkward shift. I have nothing to hide from my employees. And this knowledge of some unsettled childhood memories can hardly be used against me. Can you blame a man for avoiding something that only brings sadness and anxiety back into his memory?
"Oh," Josie took in our surroundings. "Sorry for asking."
"It's fine." We made it to the floor she was originally going and I waved goodbye and got a wave in return. Then it was to the top floor for me.