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“Hello, this is the Security Operations Center. Can you inform us of how many people are in the elevator?”
I press the button to speak back, “Two adults,” I say, my voice shaking the tiniest bit. David’s hand lifts as if he wants to touch me in reassurance, but he must change his mind because he lowers it quickly. Smart man.
“Okay, we’re sorry about this. There was an electrical problem but we have contacted our elevator maintenance team and they should be here as soon as they can. If we need to call the fire department to get you out, we will. We’ll get you out of there as soon as possible.”
“Thank you,” I say, my voice a bit more firm and confident. David thanks him as well and we both move away from the control panel to lean against opposite walls.
“Keep trying your phone,” I tell him. “I want to let Maddie and Elliot know what’s going on. I don’t know how far that alarm travels but maybe they will hear it, and come investigate.”
“Alright,” David tells me and starts tapping away at his phone again. We both spend the next few minutes trying our phones to no avail.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” I mutter under my breath, before looking up and finding David already watching me.
“It’s unreal,” he agrees.
“Were you coming over for dinner tonight?” I ask him.
“No, I was bringing something by for Madeline. She left an envelope in her classroom and since I was there late for soccer practice, I told her that I would bring it by,” he says, patting the backpack on his arm that I hadn’t really noticed before now.
“Oh, nice.” I sigh. He looks down to my heels quickly before looking back at my face.
“Did you come from work?” he asks as if trying to continue the conversation but nervous I’ll shut it down like I normally do. I feel a little bad at the softness and vulnerability in his voice. He is always incredibly kind and friendly. It’s not his fault that I have no desire for making any new friendships. Well, since we’re stuck in his tiny box together, I guess I can have a little conversation.
Damn you, Naomi.
“Yeah.” I take a deep breath. “You…coach soccer for your middle school?”
His eyes light up the smallest amount—I’m not sure if it’s me mentioning soccer or just engaging in conversation with him. “Yeah I do, it’s really great,” he says brightly, and maybe a little nervously. “You work in marketing? I think that’s what Madeline has told me.”
“Yeah. Just got a promotion,” I almost wince at the flat dullness of my voice.
“Really?” he asks genuinely. “That’s incredible! Congratulations.”
I give him a tight smile, “Thank you.”
“Not to sound like a complete idiot, but what does one do in marketing?” he asks, and I smirk at him which makes the corner of his mouth tilt up in a half smile.
“One does a lot in the marketing field,” I joke and my heart tightens a bit. He raises his eyebrows, not sure if I’m going to elaborate and continue. I clear my throat, shaking a memory away. “Our firm works with a bunch of different businesses, both big and small. We work with them to create and implement marketing strategies. Mostly to increase and support whatever it is their business sells. We also work to build their brand and get their name and information into the public. Social media is becoming a beast in marketing so we’re working on learning the best ways of leaning into that because it’s just going to get bigger and bigger as it continues to take over society.” I sigh again, almost winded from talking so much.
“That sounds really awesome and interesting.” He smiles at me.
“What do you teach?” I ask him. I think Maddie has told me, but I can’t remember.
“History.”
I cringe slightly, “That sounds…really awesome and interesting too,” I lie, which makes him laugh.
“I get mixed reactions,” he admits. “I’ve always been so fascinated by history, ever since I was a kid.”
“Really?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“Yeah, I think it stemmed from learning more about my family’s history in Argentina and it turned into loving history as a whole. There’s something really incredible about unearthing the past, discovering how we can learn from it and then shaping a better present,” he says sincerely smiling, showing off his dimples.
I stare at him for a moment before saying, “That’s beautiful.”
He smiles wider at me. “Did you always want to go into marketing?” he asks.
“I figured it out senior year of high school, talking with a guidance counselor. I asked her about good paying jobs that wouldn’t make me want to gouge my eyes out every day. Marketing was on the list of options she printed for me, and after reading more into it I actually loved the idea of it. I’m a big social media fan, or I used to be, I guess…” I realized that I can’t remember the last time I logged into any of my accounts. “But I just thought it could be awesome to utilize that in a professional setting.”
