The Woman in the Windowsill

~~~

I groggily walk in the front door of the office. I take the elevator to the sales floor. I almost fall asleep on the ride up the lift.

Camila and I decided to go hiking yesterday. The hike took hours, but it was all worth it when we were able to catch the sunset at the end of the day. She told me she waited all week to see me. I told her that there may be some scheduling conflicts as I started work again. She told me she believed we could work things out and that it would all work out as long as we believed it would.

The elevator door opens and the sharp sound of applause and cheering is made as the sales department welcomes me back. Balloons, and even a little confetti, are paraded throughout the floor. They meant to surprise me upon entrance, but my reaction time is too slow to react. For a second I don’t even realize the celebration is for me.

My coworkers give me pats on the back, and well done comments as I make my way through the small crowd. At the back of the crowd is Ross.

“And my best salesman returns! How was that paid leave?”. He gives me a hard smack on the shoulder as I move past him.

“Helpful”

“Good to hear it. We all signed a welcome back card for you. It’s on your desk. We decided to keep a few of the temps that covered your part. They could really learn a thing or two from you. I told em you’re the master, everyone is eager to see you tear it apart today!”

“Glad to be back”, I lazily lie. Everyone is too euphoric over their good deed to even notice my demeanor.

I take a seat at my desk and receive greetings from the temps. They tell me they’re excited to learn from me and repeat everything Ross said as if they were parrots. I tell them to give me til after lunch so I can get my bearings back.

I gaze at the picture of Camila on my desk before looking through the card. I see signatures and notes from everyone in the office, with Ross himself taking up an entire quarter of the card with his note. In the middle I see a heart, and written in the middle is ‘I’m proud of you. I can’t wait to see you back on your feet and I’ll be with you the entire way. - Jessica’. To the right there’s a note from David as well. Ross must have gotten them in on the signing.

“You like the card?”, Ross asks, startling me.

“Love it. You guys really put something on, didn’t you?”

“I’m just overseeing it. Your girl Jessica, cute thing I might add, put this all together. The cake, the balloons, everything. A shame she couldn’t make it in to the see it all unfold though. You’re a lucky guy.”

I rub my hands into my face.

“I don’t mean to throw all this on you at once pal, but I’ve got orders pending from three companies I need you to approve, I got an appointment for you to make a sale with Billshire at 1 - which is what I want the temps and interns see you do -, and to end the day I was hoping you could go over the parameter of the deal you make with Dickens last month.”

“Consider it done, boss”.

“Welcome back. God damn I’m so happy to see you back and well. Dr. Hall told me you did great and you’re all ready to kick some ass and make us some money! Welcome back.”

I nod and try to get to work. I look over at the picture of Camila. She stares at me as I sit here slumped over for work.

Another intern named Chris comes to introduce himself. He begins by telling me where he got his marketing degree from and his prior experience.

I cut him off. “Hey kid, get me a coffee will you? I’m about to pass out here. Black is fine, no cream. Thanks.”

Chris scoffs and reluctantly goes on the coffee run.

I wake up to Ross’s booming voice.

“Reckard, get out of my building!”. I lift my head up off the desk, drool has accumulated on my cheek. I look up to see Ross’s face red and bulging as he yanks me out of my seat. “Get out!”

“What? What? Why?”, I ask, disoriented. I notice that the entire sales department is witnessing this. They whisper to each other as they gossip about the nut job who has somehow blown it on his first day back.

“There’s no sleeping on the job damn it.” Ross, whos outweighs me by probably seventy pounds, yanks me by the arm and escorts me out of the building. We get outside and it’s sprinkling outside, with heavy overcast. I must have been asleep for at least two hours at my desk.

“I’m sorry”, I tell him.

“I believed in you Brett! I gave you a damn month of paid leave! You come back and make a fool out of me in my own department? You missed your appointment and the new intern catches you sleeping at your desk? You’ve embarrassed me for the last time Brett!”

“I’m sorry Mr. Ross”, I say weakly.

“You’re fired Brett. You need to get help. Don’t come back here.” Ross opens the door and heads back into the building.