Page 113 of In Sheets of Rain

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Next Time

Isat down at my desk and stared at my screen. I hadn’t been back in the office for close to a week. I switched my laptop on and signed into the network.

The first message to greet me was from Michael.

Welcome back! You. Me. Coffee machine. Right now!

I smiled and slipped from my seat, heading towards the staffroom.

A steaming mug of coffee sat waiting for me along with a small cupcake.

The cupcake had a candle on it. The flame flickered in the early morning light streaming in through the floor to ceiling windows.

“What’s this for?” I asked. “It’s not my birthday.”

Michael smiled and pushed the cupcake toward me.

“It’s the first day of the rest of your sales career.”

“Um, I think that might have been a few months ago,” I pointed out.

He shook his head and pushed the cupcake closer.

“You met your monthly quota,” he said and smiled.

I sat down and stared at the cupcake and made a wish.

I wished all my days felt as good as this one.

* * *

Ipulled into the staff carpark and grabbed my things. I was late for our weekly team meeting. My shoes clipped across the warehouse concrete. I lost my breath on the stairs up to the salesrooms.

Pushing my hair behind my ear, I slipped into the back of the staff meeting, hoping my boss hadn’t noticed I was late.

Michael slunk along the back wall to stand shoulder to shoulder with me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“It’s a secret,” he said.

The usual topics were discussed, and then my boss said, “Where’s Kylee?”

I felt my face redden and tentatively put up my hand.

“Come up the front,” he ordered.

I looked at Michael. His face was impassive.

My feet felt like lead as they took me to the front of the class.

Everyone looked at me.

“Congratulations,” my boss said.

Everyone started clapping.