It’s almost five when Nancy finally comes out to tell us about the final decision about our fate. We move to the open atrium near the elevators, and Nancy climbs to the top of a small step ladder so we can all see while she addresses our crowd.
“As you know, Arnauld was perfectly willing to terminate our work agreements with all of you involved in today’s fiasco. But when the entire creative staff joined in in the spirit of solidarity, it obviously wasn't in the best interest of the company to fire our entire creative team today. As you well know, we have shows in active production and have not prepared at all for a massive hiring effort. So here is what we are offering: if everyone agrees to stay on at Sketch Republic, the perpetrators of today’s fiasco will be formally written up and will lose one week’s pay and be on a trial period for the next three months. Any further sabotage will be cause for immediate dismissal. So for anyone who wants to stay employed here, if you aren’t on the following list now being posted next to every elevator bank, you are free to go and return back to work by nine AM tomorrow morning. If you are on the list, please get in line so you can review the following agreement and sign it to continue your employment.”
The group spreads out and I don’t bother to look at the list, I just get into the line forming near Nancy’s office. Ultimately I’m glad I’ll still be working here at Sketch Republic, because I like the people I work with and we have fun with our show. And of course as long as Brooke is here, I want to be here too.
It’s almost surreal when I walk out the front doors at six PM., ironically the official end of our workday. I think about the copies of my newly signed and stamped work agreement that are shoved into my messenger bag as I trudge toward the parking lot. What a crazy ass day this has been.
Some of the team is talking about meeting at the Smokehouse again tonight, but all I really want is to be with Brooke and make sure she’s okay. Once in my car I call her and the phone only rings once before she picks up.
“Oh God, Nathan, I’ve been worried sick waiting to hear what happened to you. My understanding is they are letting you guys stay with provisions. Did you agree to that deal?
“I did,” I smile to myself. I’m so happy that she genuinely cares about what was happening to me. “Hey, would it be okay if I came over?”
“Of course,” she says quietly.
“I’m on my way.”
My heart is racing the whole way up the hill to her place. What am I going to say to Brooke? On the one hand it feels like everything has changed, but the reality is that nothing really has. She's still sweetly helping me woo a girlfriend – all just a guise to get more of her time. I’m still wildly in love with her while she’s still involved with our cocky boss. Oh, the agony!
After I park, she buzzes me into her patio gate and waits for me at the front door. I almost trip and land in her open arms, but I steady myself by grabbing the doorjamb so I don’t knock her to the ground.
She looks alarmed as she pulls me inside. “Are you okay? It’s been one hell of a day, hasn’t it?”
“I’ll say,” I agree as my eyes grow wide. “Hey, can we sit out on the balcony? I bet the view is great tonight.”
“Sure. Let me just grab us a couple of beers.”
Once we’re settled, I gaze out at the vast view just as the city lights are starting to flicker on and shimmer in the purple dusk between day and night. I’m having so many feelings as I think about how we all live with hopes and dreams, and I wonder if it takes sheer magic to really make our most desired dreams come true.
She leans over and gazes up at me. “What’s going on in that head of yours? Are you all right?”
“I’m okay. Actually... a lot happened today that made me rethink everything, and just now I was thinking about you.”
“Oh, that’s sweet,” she replies.
I clear my throat. “You see, Brooke, I like you.”
“I like you too, Nathan.”
I nod and try to sort my thoughts. I’m not sure this is going the way it should. “I mean I really, really like you. And I know you have a sort of boyfriend, and you want me to hook up with Dani, but do you think…?” I swallow hard, not sure if I have the courage to continue.
“Do I think what?” she patiently asks.
“That maybe one day, when I’ve had more experience and you’re completely over being told that you aren’t good enough by Arnold, which really pisses me off by the way…”
“I know it does,” she says with a sad smile. “You know if I didn’t love my job so much, and he wasn’t my boss, we would have been over long ago. I’m working on it, believe me.”
“Do you think that if that happens one day, you would consider being my girlfriend? You can’t even imagine how good I would treat you … you’d be my queen. And I know I’m not a big executive yet, but I’m ambitious Brooke, and a really hard worker. One day I’m really going to make something of myself. Do you believe me?” I ask nervously.
“Yes, I’m already sure that you will make something of yourself. Nathan, you told me once that you are self-publishing your own comic book. So in my mind, you are well on your way.”
“Thank you. I’m very proud of my comic book.” She hasn’t replied to the rest of my question, and my eye starts twitching I’m so nervous.
Brooke reaches over and takes my hand in hers. “As for the rest, Nathan … I think you’re amazing. Do you believe dreams do come true?”
I nod. “Yes … yes I do.”
“So do I. And we seemed destined to have met, so why don’t we take this one day at a time and see where things go. Alright?”
“So that’s not a yes or a no. Am I right?”
“Yes, you’re correct. It’s a maybe.”
At first I’m a little disappointed, but then I give my self a mini-Wayne Dyer talk and decide I can live with that. “Okay, maybe is good.”
She’s about to respond when something swoops over our heads, and we look up to see that a large owl has landed on the edge of her roof. He gazes down at us while we sit stunned, silently gazing back up at him. It’s both breathtaking and eerie at the same time. One long minute later, the owl spreads his majestic wings and takes off again into the night sky.
“Wow,” I say as I let out the breath I was holding.
Brooke squeezes my hand. “Did you know that’s a good omen for us?”
“I didn’t, but I’ll take it,” I say with a grin.
“I love owls,” she says with a sigh.
“I do too,” I agree. “And they’re so much better than cocky roosters. Don’t you agree?”
She laughs and leans over so that we’re almost face-to-face. Then right before she kisses me, she whispers: “They are so much better in every way.”
When our lips finally meet, it hits me that all that happened these last few weeks - and the drama of today - has been worth it. Because at this very moment I’ve got a maybe in my pocket, with big dreams for our future … and to top it all, Brooke is kissing me on her balcony under the stars and that’s better than anything.
The End.
A Note from the Author
I love our indie romance readers and writers, and being in this community has brought so many wonderful people and experiences into my life. I’m honored to be part of this collection which is driven by writers who are refusing to be bullied, and we’re determined to protect our creative rights. A huge thanks to our noble leader, Penny Reid, and to Fiona Fischer, CD Reiss and the others who have pulled this project together.
Thank you dear reader for your support by purchasing this anthology!
About the Author
Ruth Clampett is a 21st century woman aspiring to be Wonder Woman…now if she could only find her cape and magic lasso. Meanwhile she’s juggling motherhood, a full-time job running her own art business, and writing romance late at night. Travel is her second obsession after writing, and it’s enabled her to meet reader and writer friends all over the world. She’s happily frazzled, and wouldn’t change a thing about her crazy life.
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Ruth has published nine books: Animate Me, Mr. 365, the Work of Art Trilogy, WET, BURN, Unforgiven and Encore. She grew up and still happily resides in Los Angeles.
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