Blood Lily - Part 5

A fiction short story.

     Lily eyed Aaron cautiously as he slid one butt cheek onto the corner of her desk. She tried to look busy, thumbing through the pile of insurance forms.

     “I tried to call you.”

     He was sipping from his coffee mug, nonchalant. She knew he was lying. The phone hadn't rang all weekend. Lily took a deep breath, filling her lungs to capacity and exhaled loudly.

     “I'm sorry, Aaron...about Thursday night. I don't know what came over me. I guess I've been kind of stressed lately.”

     She shuffled the paperwork off to the side and swivelled her chair to face him.

     “I was at Jimmy's on Saturday with a buddy. I understand now why the waitress mistook you for someone else. There was a lady there that looked a lot like you. Honest mistake, I'd say.”

     Lily stiffened. Monday must have been at Jimmy's. People often-times mistook them for sisters.

     “Was she nice?”

     Aaron grinned. “Too much make-up for my taste. A bit of a she-devil.”

     Lily smiled. Len's office door opened and he emerged from the confines of his windowed lair. Aaron stood and turned toward his desk, then glanced in Lily's direction one more time, hands clutching his mug.

     “Can we try again sometime?”

     One eyebrow was raised but his mouth was expressionless. He was not getting his hopes up. Lily loved that face, so trusting. He was handsome, too. She knew Chloe was crazy about him, brushing against him too close when she delivered notes. Refilling his coffee mug when she perked a fresh pot. Lily glanced up to see Len conversing with Chloe. Her eyes were on Lily and Aaron, though.

     “Maybe...sometime.”

     Len was working his way toward Lily's desk. Aaron shuffled to his own.

     “Lily. Have you got the Hargrave file? The client's not happy. Seems I'll have to mediate on this one.”

     Lily grimaced. His cologne was burning her nostrils. He could stand a lesson in scent modification. She dug through the “in” pile and located the file, pushing it toward him, carefully avoiding contact.

     “Thanks, doll.”

     Doll. It had an ugly connotation of ownership; of demeaning superiority.

     Lily sometimes worried that Monday would show up here. She'd never survive in this environment; untidy desks, coffee spills, filing room akimbo. She'd likely be donning rubber gloves for the germs she'd encounter. But, boy, would she give Len a run for his money. Lily shuddered. No, she wouldn't allow Monday to come. It would likely cost her a job.

To be continued...