Chaotic

Present Day


RING RING!
Cat reached for the ringing device, opened her little eyes to peek the caller ID.
Shoot! The boss!
She cleared her throat, trying her best to sound professionally awake.
"Morning Samantha!" Goodness me that was awful!
"What? No! I'm making myself coffee right now, be out in 15 minutes." Lie lie!
"Yes I will bring today's presentations and yes I have called the clients for this afternoon meeting." No need for reminders boss, I've been doing this for two years now!
"See you at the office Samantha!"

She breathed in and out, like she does every morning before panically runs around the apartment trying to chase time. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. And the routine started. 10 minutes shower, 10 minutes make up, 5 minutes shoving all make ups into her bag for more later, 5 minutes for a gulp of coffee. And off she went with wet dripping hair.
I'll use the hand dryer at the office.
She entered her old car and drove off to the office. Nothing usual. Just an ordinary office girl.

"Morning Barbara! Looking gorgeous as usual!" Cat greeted the new secretary. She smiled nervously at Cat.
"Cat! Downstairs for real breakfast in 5 minutes, I have a big juicy news for you!" ordered Sophie, her gossip best friend at the office.
"Let me just dry my hair Soph, and be down soon" answered Cat, always feeling blessed to have Sophie around.
She sat in her new chair, the smell of the new building fills the air. She absorbed. Inhale. Exhale.
"Cat! Where have you been! Client cancelled, said they added a bunch of things in the requirements, they will send the new one in one hour, take a look, fix it as soon as you can. And also take a look that new Axel project I sent you an hour ago, they need reviewing. Please please also take care of the newbies, they are useless to me, make them do something, we didn't pay them to sit around. Well, I think that's it. Leave your work at Barbara's desk, I have a vendor meeting, will be out for a day." rambled Samantha in her new tight skirt and high stilletos.
Can't do breakfast. Crazy boss on the loose. Cat texted to her best friend while she slowly sank herself into her new chair, pressing the "Start" button in her laptop.

One word that can describe Cat's job is chaotic. She didn't know why, but she somehow loved this chaoticness, always filled with tight deadlines and crazy demands. The job dissolved and engaged her everyday, that she lost herself into it, ignoring the other parts of her life. Her job was her priority, nothing else mattered.

By the end of the day Cat's head was filled with calculation, planning and designs while she walked down the aisle which led her to the ladies room. As she opened the door, she bumped into Sophie who immediately dragged her inside excitedly.

"Where were you at lunch? You should give yourself a break Cat! OK, give me one minute. The big news I was gonna tell you this morning," started Sophie.

"Soph, please..not..." rejected Cat, pleading Sophie to shut up just for now.

"I'M GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!" screamed Sophie. Then silence. Pure silence. "Say something Cat! You're not happy for me?"

"I'm sorry Soph, of course I am!! Congratulations lovely lady!" Cat forced a smile, hugged Sophie who was spinning and dancing in excitement.

"Ok, going home now, we should celebrate in the weekend! Don't work too hard Cat!" said Sophie as she closed the door behind her.

Cat opened an empty toilet, sat down on top of the closed toilet seat.

Great, another friend voluntary jumping into the black hole. Screwing her life.

She sighed at her bitter thought, then started sobbing. Within a few seconds, she wiped her tears and put on a brave face.

Cat sat back down into her chair, peeking at the big, transparent window in front of her. She saw the twinkling city lights and traffic jam. She looked at the time, 6 PM, she knew she would come home late again. The red indicator in her Blackberry blinked. She hadn't touched it for a whole day. She picked it up, ready to call fast food delivery, when she noticed 10 unread e-mails. Automatically, she slid the cursor to the icon which directly opened the messages. And there at the top was a message from a familiar name with the subject "Hi".

Thump thump thump.

She could hear her heart beating. The message was opened.

"Hi C, I'm back in town for a visit in a week. I need to see you. Love, P"

Her head spun. She could not breathe. Everything seems blurred.

Why now?