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I burst into tears, and Kojak hovers around for a moment before setting a key down on my dresser. “This is your new key. Sorry for the trouble.”
I sit on my bed and wipe my eyes. Asher was so excited for me to get the job today. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer for her day. Instead, I message Thomas, my boyfriend.
Thomas, I know today isn’t date day, but I had a horrible day at work and would like to see you, please. Please let me know if I can come over.
Xxx
I wait and see the blue tick appear. I stare at my phone, waiting for the bubbles to show he’s typing. Instead, he goes offline again. Maybe he can’t talk right now. I decide to do something I’ve never done and go to his house to wait for him. The back door will be open, and there’s a shelter there I can sit under. I look out the window. The sudden downpour is over, and even though the sky is still gloomy, I can make it to his house.
I have a lukewarm shower which means the heating was off again today. I wash my hair and I change into dry, warmer clothes and call for a cab. I take my new key and lock my apartment up. I take the cab to Thomas’ house. He hates being called Tom, he prefers that I call him Thomas. We’ve been together for two years but haven’t gone very far. He says he’s saving himself for marriage.
I think it’s so romantic.
The thought of seeing Thomas cheers me up a little, and as the cab pulls up to his house, I feel more settled. I see a car in the driveway, but it’s not Thomas’ car. I frown and realize he may have guests over or clients.
“Could you wait for me?” I ask the cab driver.
“Sure,” he says. “But the meter is running.”
I hurry out of the cab and around to the back gate. I normally go through the back when I come over. I hear giggling and walk around the house slowly. I stop at the end of the house and peek around the corner. Thomas is in the hot tub… with Carmen. They’re both naked,
“Oh, Tom,” Carmen laughs. “If you could have seen her face.”
“I’m sure it was priceless, baby.” I see his hands roaming every inch of her body, and anger and then a deep sadness surge through me.
Chapter 2 - Penny
I never like to confront people and a part of me wants to run back to the cab, but I can’t. First, the job, then the apartment, I can’t take it. I walk towards the table and knock over a glass of champagne. They whip around, and I glare at Tom, “My bad, Thomas.”
“Penny,” he says, but he doesn’t move. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“That’s all you’re going to say?” I ask, frowning as I feel my heart breaking into a million pieces.
“Well, what else is there to say? You know my girlfriend Carmen, I believe you work for her?” He gives me a smile, and I turn to see Carmen smirking.
“We’re celebrating my promotion. I’d invite you, but I don’t like you,” she sips her champagne. “Now, run along girl. We want to carry on our celebrations.”
I bite back the words I wish I could say. I want to raise my voice and get angry. I want to ask why and how long it’s been going on, but instead, I hurry back to the cab and give the driver Asher’s address. When we get there, he waves me off after I pay.
I knock on Asher’s bright yellow door, and she opens it while holding a glass of wine in her hand. “Penny?” Her face is instantly one of concern as I start blubbing.
She puts her free arm around me and ushers me in before closing the door behind me. She leads me to the kitchen island, and we sit down as she pours me some wine, and I explain to her about the day I had.
“First this stupid woman at the coffee shop grabs my order,” I say sadly through my tears. “She all but tips the drinksonto me and then I get to the office to find out they’re choosing Carmen for the promotion.”
“That bitch.” Asher growls. “I never did like the sound of your boss,” she adds as comfort.
“Then my apartment is robbed… Oh Asher they stole my grandmother's necklace.” I start sobbing hard and we stop talking while she rubs my back.
“I’m so sorry, Pen,” she murmurs over and over again. “I wish I could magic it back for you.”
“I don’t get how they got in through the security gate.” I wipe my eyes and sigh.
“Thomas is cheating on me.”
“That rat bastard,” she growls. “I never did like him.”
“He says Carmen is his girlfriend,” I say bitterly.
