Black

Part 1

I’m sitting at my desk when my phone rang. “Ugh, it’s Eric,” I murmur to myself. I pick up my phone and put it with annoyance to my ear. “Hello, Eric, what a pleasant surprise hearing from you on this particular day,” I answer the call with sarcasm.

“Hello Rose, I’m sorry to bother you today, but I had no choice,” Eric spoke irritated. “Do you even know what day it is?” I tell him rudely. “We would have been married, I know, and if it wasn’t urgent, I wouldn’t have called you.” He sighed.

Eric and I were a couple for five years. Until he threw everything we had away for some tramp. It’s been a year since I’ve heard from him, and now suddenly he’s calling me. I wonder what he wants from me now.

“I know you have forgotten about me, but say what you have to say and leave me be.” I tell him, agitated. “I found a box full of stuff from you in the basement. When can you pick it up? Because Becca and I are moving out. We have bought a bigger house near the office.”

He’s still the same man that I’ve left behind me. Well, not entirely, anyway, he’s still selfish and a show-off. The entire world has to turn around him, as long as he’s happy, right?

“I’ll pick up the box after I’m done working.” I quickly reply to him, when Chris walks behind my desk with a frown. “If that was everything you had to say, I’m going to lay my phone down, because as you know I’m working.” I tell him, irritated.

“Yes, that was everything. See you later, Rose.” He responds to me, and I sigh in relief. “Eric, huh?” Chris asks me carefully. “Yes, the one and only.” I roll with my eyes. “What did he want from you?”

“He still has a box from me in his basement. He’s going to move to a bigger house with Becca.” I tell Chris quickly, averting my eyes from his. “On this day he has been calling you. And for what, a box in his basement? Couldn’t he call you yesterday or tomorrow? What a fucking bastard.” Chris explained me with annoyance.

“I know, but let him be. Karma is a bitch, right? One day he’ll be karma’s new victim for sure.” I smile at Chris. “You are such a strong and beautiful woman Rose, too bad you’re not a man though.” Chris laughs at me. “I know, I wish you would fancy women, my sweet friend.” I tease him a little further.

He rolls his eyes at me. “You know I love drama, but not when my client just arrives.” He smiles at me. He is walking a few steps away from me, when he turns himself in my direction. “You know I’ll always be your wailing wall, and you’ll be mine.” He smiles and I wink at him, suppressing a small laughter.

A client arrives at my desk. “Hello, I have an appointment with mister Smith.” The older woman informs me friendly. “Are you miss Jackson?” I question her while looking at my computer screen to look into the schedule for today. “Yes.” I nod with a friendly smile. “Okay, you can wait in the waiting room, the doctor will call you in a few minutes.” I smile at the older woman. She nods and walks to the waiting room in a slow, unsteady pace. “Miss Jackson, can I assist you to the waiting room.” I call after her. “Oh, no, thank you, my dear.” She assures me with a small smile.

Chris walks out of his office towards the waiting room with a big smile on his face. He mouths to me, “I’ve a surprise for you.” I frown back at him. “Miss Jackson,” he calls inside the waiting room. After a minute, they vanish into Chris his office.

Chris is a doctor, and I’m his assistant. When Eric fired me a year ago, I was so lost. I didn’t know what I had to do with my life. My parents died when I was six years old. It was just me and my older sister Janice and our grandfather, who still lives nearby. Janice has moved to New York a few years ago with her husband to start their own dentist practice, so we don’t see each other that often, but we call each other every week.

When Eric broke up with me, he fired me the next day, because he said he couldn’t pay me anymore. After a few weeks I found out that Becca had been working with Eric all along, after he fired me abruptly. He’s never been sincere with me. For all those years, I was just a toy he could throw away. He had been cheating on me for six months with Becca. I was so foolish to trust him for so many years. Those days are over. I’m done with his crap. Later today I’m going to pick up my box, and I hope I’ll never have to see him again.

Just before our break-up, I have met Chris in a groceries store. An older man wasn’t breathing when I entered the store. Chris was doing cpr, and I helped him. From that day we have been inseparable. He’s my best friend. When Chris had opened his recent practice, he didn’t hesitate to ask me as his assistant. I’m still so grateful for this opportunity, and I’m doing my job pretty well.

Miss Jackson leaves Chris his office after fifteen minutes, and I received about another ten calls. Everyone wants to be his client. He’s charming, gentle and so smart, these are a few things what makes him a perfect doctor, but he’s looking more exhausted every day. “You need to hire someone who can help you out, Chris. I received another ten calls. All new customers, who want to come to your practice.” I tell him carefully.

“I know, I’m exhausted, we’re making to many hours, especially you, my dearest.” He brushes a hand through my loose hair. “Don’t do that.” I laugh, while slapping his hand away. “I’m going to hire someone new next month, I promise.” He smiles at me.

“Oh, before I forget. I have a surprise for us.” He winks playfully at me. “Okay, I’m listening.” I smile at his cheerful behaviour. “We are going to have dinner at Mac’s.” He beams.

“Great, I’m starving. How did you fix that, anyway?” I laugh at him while closing my laptop and collecting my things. “You know I had a date with the cook,” I frown at his reply. “I thought you didn’t fancy him?”

“Yes, but I’ve been thinking lately, and I’m almost thirty-five. I’m becoming an old man, an old lonely man. I want to give it another try.” He smiles at me. “Good for you, I thought he’s very handsome. You need to take those high standards down for your own good, or else you’ll never going to find the perfect one.” I explained to him.

“Here, says the one that can’t find a man for herself.” He slaps me playfully on my back. “Ugh, I hate you sometimes.” I laugh at him. “We need to go to Eric first to retrieve the box before we can go to dinner.” I inform him quickly. “Okay, and I hate you to my dearest.” He winks at me, and together we walk out of the building.