~After a week~
Stephanie got to the office with the same puffy eyes she had yesterday. She wasn’t sure she wouldn’t be able to get rid of it anytime soon, so she didn’t bother doing anything about it. All she needed was a good night's sleep and how to forget Sebastian totally.
Danielle and Thomas had arrived at the office, and when they didn’t see her, they called her but Stephanie didn’t answer the phone because she was close to the company already. Dr. Peter stormed into their office in anger, he stared at Danielle and Thomas before speaking.
“She still hasn't arrived?!” He spat in anger. An important client of the company was waiting in his office, and he had asked to see the marketing head which was Stephanie. “He has been sitting for twenty minutes now, waiting for her! Didn’t she check the time?” Dr. Peter was angry and equally frustrated. He was beginning to grow tired of Stephanie's incompetence that she had developed in the new year.
Danielle stood up in great worried and said, “Dr. Peter, I believe something very crucial must have come up this morning. She is never this late to the office. We are very sorry, sir.” She bowed. “Don’t be sorry for her. She is beginning to jeopardize her stay in this company! What kind of attitude has she developed this new year, hun?” Stephanie walked into the office with her head bow, but when she heard Dr. Peter’s raging voice, she raised her head.
Dr. Peter turned back and looked at her. “And why in the bloody hell are you just coming?!” His annoyed voice filled Stephanie’s ear, and she responded with a sigh. “I’m sorry about that, Dr. Peter. But I was doing some important things at home, sir.” Dr. Peter scoffed in unbelief and paced in front of her. “Important things are home? So work isn’t important? You have been keeping a client waiting for minutes!” He smacked, pointing at her, and Stephanie flinched and closed her eyes.
“I’m sorry about that, Dr. Peter. I want to let you know that as from today you won’t have to complain about my competence anymore, because I would love to resign,” She said, and all of their eyes popped open. She pulled out an envelope from her beg and stretched it to him. “Really? You want to resign! Well, you wouldn’t have to drop a resignation letter because I prepared your letter of termination two days ago!” He responded and stormed out of the office.
Immediately he was out, Danielle and Thomas sprang to their feet and hurried to where Stephanie stood. “Stephanie, are you crazy? You were supposed to apologize heartily, not threaten him with a resignation letter! What is wrong with you!” Danielle yelled in a whisper. “I wasn’t threatening him. I am really resigning. I don’t think I can keep apologizing anymore. I need a break. I need to figure out where my life is headed, and I can’t do that if I’m still in New York City.”
Danielle and Thomas exchanged looks and then looked at her again. “What do you mean?” Thomas asked. His voice sounded cooler than everyone’s voices. “I am leaving. I am going back to California, Los Angeles. New York City has brought nothing but bad experiences and memories. Since I got here, I have always been hurt. I need to leave. This place isn’t for me.”
Danielle’s mouth dropped in unbelief. She took a few minutes to process what Stephanie had said and before she could fully process it, Dr. Peter barged into the office again. He turned to face Stephanie and threw a paper to her face. “Now get out of his office and never come back!” He spat. Stephanie looked at the paper which had fallen to the ground.
She uttered no words, neither did she make any attempt to pick the paper. In great sadness and pain, she turned and walked out of the office. Her eyes produced excess fluid and they uncontrollably rolled down her cheek. She brushed it off with her palm as she headed out of the company.
Danielle wanted to follow behind her and maybe talk some sense to her, but she couldn’t. Not in the presence of her raging boss. Dr. Peter looked at Danielle and this made her swallow hard. ‘Please, don’t terminate me too.’ She silently prayed. “I believe you are good and familiar with Stephanie’s work in this company,” He said, and Danielle furrowed her brows.
“Sir; it isn’t my specialization, I’m not so good, sir.” She responded and lowered her head. “I know it isn’t your specialization but I need you to talk to this client now. I need one of you to take on that task and fill the vacuum she has left. I would be doubling your salary at the end of the month. Both of you should think about it well and give me feedback as soon as possible. I’ll be waiting in my office.” After he finished talking, he walked out of the office.
Thomas exhaled loudly and looked at Danielle. “I wasn’t expecting such drama this morning.” He walked back to his desk, while Danielle stared at him. “Thomas, you should take that offer. You are way better than me when it comes to Marketing. I’m content with where I am for now.” She also walked back to her chair.
Stephanie got back to her house. Her face said nothing but sadness. She looked at her already packed travelling bags which she had put in the living room. ‘You need to make new memories, Stephanie. Coming to New York City was a mistake. I shouldn’t have stepped foot in this city at all.’
She headed to where her two traveling bags were and grabbed their handles. As soon as she lifted the first bag that was pink, her phone beeped inside her handbag that was hung on her shoulders. She exhaled loudly and dropped the pink bag so that she could get her phone. She pulled out her phone and saw the caller was Sarah, her mother.
“Hi, mother.” She answered the phone and spoke in a cold manner. “Hey. How are you today? I feared you would be at the office, but my instinct still told me to call you. Are you okay?” She asked, and Stephanie answered, “I am not at work, mother. I am heading out of New York City now, Mother. I’m coming back home.”
“What? You are coming to Los Angeles? What of your work? When did you even plan? Did they give you the opportunity to travel at work?” Sarah was confused, excited and worried at the same time. She tried to figure out the reason why Stephanie was coming home, at the same time, she was happy she would be joining the family again. But then, she was worried about how Stephanie sounded. She sounded sad.
“Mother, I will explain everything when I arrive. Just so you know, I won’t be returning to New York City anymore. I need time to clear my head and be the Stephanie I used to be.” “What happened to the Stephanie you used to be? Stephanie, you are scaring me.”
“Mother, I will explain, okay? I can’t lose my flight, I have to go now. Bye. Love you.” She hung up the call and threw her phone in the bag. She picked up her two bags and drew them with her as she walked out of the house. She walked down the porch, lifting her bags with her. When she got down, she turned and looked at the house one last time. A deep exhale escaped her mouth as she turned to leave.
‘I leave New York City, leaving all memories of you behind to start a new life. I promise myself not to think about you anymore.’