C – Chocolate Changes

I sat at my desk staring at my blinking cursor. I could do this. Resigning would be a relief. God, I wanted to resign so much. This was a temporary job that turned into a soul crushing prison sentence, out of convenience. I’m chained to my desk from eight a.m. to five p.m. everyday.

I groaned. I could tell them what I really thought of this hell hole. But, I won’t. I’m getting married this year. We’re buying a house, planning our future together. All of that didn’t come cheap.

I started reading my email.

“Mila, did you see the email I sent you?” said Nick, making me jump.

“You’re like a ninja! Scared the hell out of me!”

“You’ve been living your life wrong if you’re that jumpy,” Nick said, eyeing me.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Did you see the email?”

“No, my email has been slow since I got here. One sec,” I said glancing at my inbox.

“I need you to make some amendments to my presentation. It doesn’t really sound like me,” he said, leaning against my door frame.

Because it has more information than popular business jargon, I thought rolling my eyes.

“What changes?” I asked.

“Complete rewrite by morning. I sent you my notes.”

I skimmed his email. “It took me a week to put that together and you want me to do a weeks work tonight? I have another account to work on too.”

“Not anymore. Fix my presentation,” he said walking away.

Wedding. House. Better life. I took a deep breath and started doing Nicks presentation, again. Wishing my life would change.

A knock pulled me out of my work. “Yes?”

“Special delivery for Mila Rogers,” a lady in a black baseball cap said. “Sign here.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Don’t know, I just deliver them.”

I signed the delivery receipt and she handed me a small white box tied with a red ribbon.

I opened the box and there were a few chocolate truffles with a little card. Awww, Adam shouldn’t have sent me chocolates. How sweet! Last week it was random flowers and this week chocolates. Best fiance ever.

I read the card.

They think a lot of their chocolates. Only choose one my ass. Let’s start with the dark chocolate. My favorite.

I took a bite and my stomach felt like it had been thrown back, knocking the breath out of me. I blinked and I was home. What the hell? Was this morning a dream?

I heard a giggle from our bedroom and looked through the cracked door.

Adam was in bed with my best friend. I couldn’t think, I couldn’t process, I could only stare.

“I feel so guilty for going behind her back like this Adam. When are you going to tell her about us?” she said.

“Soon baby. It’s just not the right time,” he said, pushing back a strand of her hair.

“You’ve been telling me that for the last two years. You need to do it this weekend or I’ll do it.”

“Of course babe, come here.”

I tried to run, but the same feeling over took me and when I could breathe I was in an office I hadn’t seen before. Nick was sitting across from his boss.

“Yes sir, I’ll have my presentation finished for you in the morning. I’m just polishing it up,” Nick said.

“Your presentations have been perfect for the last six months. I don’t know what you’re doing different, but keep it up. We have a management position opening up at the end of the month. You should apply.”

You mean he’s been perfect since I’ve been doing his freakin’ job! I tried to tell him so, but the feeling grabbed me again.

I was in a house with a similar layout to mine, but the furniture was different. My neighbor was sitting in front of a canvas painting. I couldn’t help but notice him, but I hadn’t really spoken to him. His jet black hair had a blue tint to it, that somehow worked with his sun kissed skin. His eyes were grey, almost white. He was intimidating. Had no clue he’s a painter. I glanced at the canvas and my face was looking back at me. “What the…” I managed to say out loud.

“Mila?” he said, looking around confused.

And then I was back at my office with an empty chocolate box. Did that really happen?

“Mila, how’s the redo going?” Nick asked.

I looked at him for a second. “One sec. Let me finish this thought.” I typed and looked back at Nick.

“I quit, I just emailed you my resignation and copied your boss with all of my presentations. Good luck doing your own work.”

“No! You can’t quit!” Nick said..

“And yet it just happened,” I said, cleaning off my desk.

“You can’t quit, you’re fired!” he yelled, as his face turned a lovely shade of red.

I shrugged, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

I walked into my kitchen stunning my ex-bestie.

“Bestie! What are you doing home so early?”

“Where’s Adam?” I asked.

“How would I know? I just got here,” she said, glancing at the bedroom door.

I walked into the bedroom with her on my trail.

“Babe, ready for round two?” Adam asked.

“Baby we haven’t had a round one yet,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

His head snapped up eyeing me. “Mila, I can explain.”

“We’re in love,” she said, trying to hold his hand. He pushed her hand away. Shock filled her face.

I took off my engagement ring and tossed it at him. “Oh, I’m sure you can Adam. We’re through.”

I turned to leave. He grabbed my arm.

“I’m sorry, I made a mistake. Please don’t do this. I love you!”

I laughed. “If you loved me you probably shouldn’t have started sleeping with my best friend.”

“It was a mistake. She came on to me and I resisted for a while, but it was just his one time. Please don’t go,” he pleaded.

“Two of the three years we’ve been together you’ve been cheating. I expect you to be out of my house by the time I get back home.”

“This is my house too. We can work it out babe, please don’t do this.”

“I’ll be back next week and you’ll be long gone,” I said over my shoulder.

“A week, where are you going?”

I walked next door and knocked.

“Mila? I mean hello,” he said.

“Hi, would you be interested in a week long Vegas trip with me? I have a wedding fund to blow.”