Renee
By the end of lunch, I was jittery from too much coffee and not enough food, but it didn’t matter. I still had three deadlines stacked like bricks on my shoulders and a meeting to make in less than ten minutes, a few minutes after my lunch would be over.
My phone buzzed as I stepped out of the café, Neil’s name lighting up the screen.
Take care of yourself. I’ll be back soon. Promise.
I stared at it for a moment, then typed out a quick, Thanks. You too.
I didn’t have the energy to say what I really felt, that I missed him, that things were spiraling, that I hated being in this place without him, especially now that Vivian had all but told me she was going to make things harder for me. I headed back to the elevator and got in. I held my badge to the elevator panel and hit my f
