bonding.
While Tessa checked her email, the printer continued to hum. Junk. Always junk. She’d sent out a fresh batch of resumes this week, including one to a tiny theater looking for a full-time financial manager. It wasn’t her ideal position, but it got her closer to the stage and paid enough to cover her bills. More importantly, it took her away from this place. Unfortunately, she’d yet to hear a response to that or any of the other jobs she’d applied for. The job market was a tough one these days.
Screeching out a piercing beep, the printer came to a grinding halt.
Damn . Walking over to the machine, she began the arduous process of opening and shutting compartments, trying to figure out exactly where the paper jammed. When was Mr. Abbott going to get that new printer he kept promising? Never. He was a cheap bastard.
After no less than an hour and a half of printer wrangling, Tessa finally placed the finished reports on her boss’ desk. The charts looked completely different, but the numbers were exactly the same. He’d never notice. Idiot. She grabbed her coat and purse, hoping to get to Ava’s house before Sophie passed out on the couch. All she’d wanted was some quality time with her daughter, and now her entire night was ruined; wasted on trying to please old man Abbott, money-bucks Schilling, and a temperamental printer. Just as she reached the door to leave, the telephone began to ring.
“The machine can pick it up,” she mumbled before realizing she’d forgotten to turn it on. Sighing, she reached for the phone. “Good evening, Abbot & Associates,” she said, hoping it wasn’t her boss checking up on her.
“Oh … hello,” the deep voice said, sounding surprised. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone to still be there. I was just going to leave a message. Is Steven Abbott in by chance?”
“No, he’s gone for the day. Can I help you with something?”
“Yes, this is Nicholas Schilling. Tell Steve I apologize for the late notice, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to cancel our meeting for tomorrow. I’ll be out of town for the next few days and will call to reschedule when I get back.”
Hunching her shoulders forward, Tessa shook her head in frustration. “Of course. I’ll leave him the message, sir.”
“Thanks, and again, please apologize to him for me. I hope cancelling on short notice like this isn’t too much of an inconvenience for anyone.”
“No, it’s no problem at all,” she lied, as she scribbled a quick note on the pad of paper that sat at the front desk.
“Thank you. I’ll be in touch.” He abruptly hung up the phone.
“ Nope, it’s no problem at all,” she repeated as she slid to the floor and began to cry.
Chapter 4
Shortly after nine o’clock, Tessa pulled into Ava’s driveway. She sat for a moment, listening as the crickets chirped amongst the rustling leaves, and rested her head on the steering wheel in pure exhaustion. The sound of a passing car brought her out of her drowsy state. Shaking her head to wake herself up, she grabbed her keys and headed toward the front door.
“Is she asleep?” She softly walked over to the couch where Sophie was curled up with her favorite blanket and doll, both gifts from Tessa’s parents when she was born. Three years later, her daughter never let them out of her sight. The pink and purple blanket, frayed in several places, but soft as anything from having been washed so many times over the years, Sophie had named Biddy back before she could even say Mama. The doll she called Daisy, most likely for the flowers on her dress that were once vibrant, but were now barely recognizable.
“She had no interest in dinner,” Ava said, brushing the hair off her eyes. “And passed out shortly after we got home. Her teacher said she seemed kind of out of it.” Resting her hand on her forehead, she looked at her niece with concern. “The fever just started, but I didn’t want to wake
While Tessa checked her email, the printer continued to hum. Junk. Always junk. She’d sent out a fresh batch of resumes this week, including one to a tiny theater looking for a full-time financial manager. It wasn’t her ideal position, but it got her closer to the stage and paid enough to cover her bills. More importantly, it took her away from this place. Unfortunately, she’d yet to hear a response to that or any of the other jobs she’d applied for. The job market was a tough one these days.
Screeching out a piercing beep, the printer came to a grinding halt.
Damn . Walking over to the machine, she began the arduous process of opening and shutting compartments, trying to figure out exactly where the paper jammed. When was Mr. Abbott going to get that new printer he kept promising? Never. He was a cheap bastard.
After no less than an hour and a half of printer wrangling, Tessa finally placed the finished reports on her boss’ desk. The charts looked completely different, but the numbers were exactly the same. He’d never notice. Idiot. She grabbed her coat and purse, hoping to get to Ava’s house before Sophie passed out on the couch. All she’d wanted was some quality time with her daughter, and now her entire night was ruined; wasted on trying to please old man Abbott, money-bucks Schilling, and a temperamental printer. Just as she reached the door to leave, the telephone began to ring.
“The machine can pick it up,” she mumbled before realizing she’d forgotten to turn it on. Sighing, she reached for the phone. “Good evening, Abbot & Associates,” she said, hoping it wasn’t her boss checking up on her.
“Oh … hello,” the deep voice said, sounding surprised. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone to still be there. I was just going to leave a message. Is Steven Abbott in by chance?”
“No, he’s gone for the day. Can I help you with something?”
“Yes, this is Nicholas Schilling. Tell Steve I apologize for the late notice, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to cancel our meeting for tomorrow. I’ll be out of town for the next few days and will call to reschedule when I get back.”
Hunching her shoulders forward, Tessa shook her head in frustration. “Of course. I’ll leave him the message, sir.”
“Thanks, and again, please apologize to him for me. I hope cancelling on short notice like this isn’t too much of an inconvenience for anyone.”
“No, it’s no problem at all,” she lied, as she scribbled a quick note on the pad of paper that sat at the front desk.
“Thank you. I’ll be in touch.” He abruptly hung up the phone.
“ Nope, it’s no problem at all,” she repeated as she slid to the floor and began to cry.
Chapter 4
Shortly after nine o’clock, Tessa pulled into Ava’s driveway. She sat for a moment, listening as the crickets chirped amongst the rustling leaves, and rested her head on the steering wheel in pure exhaustion. The sound of a passing car brought her out of her drowsy state. Shaking her head to wake herself up, she grabbed her keys and headed toward the front door.
“Is she asleep?” She softly walked over to the couch where Sophie was curled up with her favorite blanket and doll, both gifts from Tessa’s parents when she was born. Three years later, her daughter never let them out of her sight. The pink and purple blanket, frayed in several places, but soft as anything from having been washed so many times over the years, Sophie had named Biddy back before she could even say Mama. The doll she called Daisy, most likely for the flowers on her dress that were once vibrant, but were now barely recognizable.
“She had no interest in dinner,” Ava said, brushing the hair off her eyes. “And passed out shortly after we got home. Her teacher said she seemed kind of out of it.” Resting her hand on her forehead, she looked at her niece with concern. “The fever just started, but I didn’t want to wake
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