Protect & Serve(145)

“Maybe…”

“What?” She was doing that thing again where she hesitated before telling me something I probably didn’t want to hear.

“Maybe Luke did you a favor.”

“I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention, but all Luke did was get me shoved into the dog house.”

“You were miserable at that place before you guys took the vacation. Then, because your boss sweet talks you one time and you get away for a little bit, everything is good? I don’t think so. The fact is, whether you are a paralegal or a lawyer, you’re still going to be unhappy there in the long run. It doesn’t matter what title they give you, they’re still going to work you like a dog because they know they can abuse you.”

I hadn’t thought about that. I was so excited about getting the approval to take the bar that all I could think about was getting my license.

“And was what he did really that bad? Yeah it was probably bad timing, but he was trying to protect you! All he was thinking about was you.”

“I guess you’re right. I just wish he would have gone about it in a different way. He looked like he was going to kill him.”

“What’s up with Kevin anyway? Have you heard what happened after the fight?”

“I don’t know. I ran down stairs after Luke left but word around the office is that he had to go to the hospital for his broken ribs. I’m sure he needed stitches, too.”

Kaitlyn tried to hide an evil grin behind her hand.

“I know, I know, that’s what he gets. You’re right too, but that still doesn’t make it okay for Luke to go all barbarian in front of all my coworkers. Jesus, you should have seen the look on our clients faces.”

“It was that bad, huh?”

“I think some of them were traumatized…”

“So, are you worried about Kevin anymore? That thing with the gun really freaks me out.”

“I don’t think he’s a problem anymore. The next time he thinks about trying to get in touch with me, I’m sure he’ll feel his ribs and use better judgement. There’s no way he wants to cross Luke again. Anyway, he’s probably going to be all whacked out on pain pills for the next month or two. He kind of had a problem with that stuff in college, remember?”

“Yeah, they turned him into even more of a loser.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Okay, I need to get out of here,” Kaitlyn continued. “If you need anything, though, call me.”

“What are you up to tonight?”

“The bar.”

“Like always,” I said.

“Yep, like always. And you need to call Luke as soon as I leave. Try to fix things because there’s no way I’m going to deal with you moping around this place for the next six months wishing things would have gone differently.”

“It won’t do any good right now. He’s in Vegas for the fight already. They go a couple of days early to get situated.”

“Oh yeah, when is it?”

“The day after tomorrow. Saturday night, probably around nine.”

“Alright, well if you’re not calling him now, you’re definitely coming to the bar with me to watch it on Saturday. Maybe that will light a fire under your ass.”

Kaitlyn gave me a goofy thumbs up before walking out. I set my bowl of ice cream on the couch cushion and let my weary body slide to the floor.

It didn’t take long for me to fall into a fitful sleep in front of the tv. The combination of the stress at work and the personal drama had been taking a toll.

What the hell was I doing?

When the early morning sun cut through my living room blinds it hit me square in the face. It felt as if the sun had some kind of personal score to settle with me.

I felt around on the floor for my phone, hoping against hope, that there would be a text from Luke. But there wasn’t. I don’t know why I kept getting my hopes up. Each day that passed brought with it the same disappointment. Maybe he wasn’t the guy I thought he was.

Could he give up on me that easily?

That morning at work started out the same as each of the others over the past week and a half. As soon as I walked in, Clara bombarded me with files from Mr. Jones’s office. He didn’t even want me going up to get them myself.

“Here you go honey,” said Clara as she shoved a big stack across the counter.

She could see the disdain on my face.

“More busy work?” she asked.

I thumbed through the folders praying that he would throw me a bone. Something, anything, from one of the old projects I was working. Just to let me know that I still had a future here. It was all junk.

“Yeah,” I sighed. “More work to keep me downstairs, out of sight, and out of mind.”