by Emyster

Disclaimers: No sex here. A few naughty words but this one is all about the romance.

Dedications: I want to thank and remind Wizzy that you now owe my family dinner. Also a huge thanks to Professor for doing this and I look forward to more. And Okie, as usual it would not be this good without you! Thanks.

Feedback is always welcome: emyster@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © 2004 by Emyster. All Rights Reserved.

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I saw the bus and turned quickly to see how many people were at the stop. Shit. I kicked it in high gear. No one was there and the bus flies by if there aren’t any passengers waiting. I waved frantically at the bus because the driver seemed intent on passing the stop by. Luck was with me and the bus pulled to a stop. Thank God. One more late day and I’d be up the river.

As I climbed the stairs I realized some very nice person had spilled their coffee. Of course, I discovered this when I reached the top, tripped, landed on my ass and exclaimed “fuck!” really loudly. Yep, this day was just getting better and better.

The driver looked at me with a smirk and said, “Not today, doll.” I scowled and gathered up my bag just as the bus shot off down the street. I was forced to grab the poor elderly lady next to me.

“I’m so sorry,” I apologized. “My morning is not going well at all.” This failed to impress her because she continued to glare. I paid my fare and slunk back to an empty seat next to a well-dressed business woman taking care to avoid eye contact with the other passengers. I learned years ago that public transportation ran a lot more smoothly if you avoided conversation.

I tried to wipe off the muck and coffee from my khakis but soon gave up because it only seemed to be making things worse. Damn. The man seated across from me snickered and I shot him my patented stare of death. He shut up.

As the bus drove down the hill toward my office, I thought about what special assignment would be on my desk today. Working for this temp agency over the last year had been enlightening. I had learned that I never wanted to be a receptionist, a filer, or a bookkeeper. I preferred using my technical abilities to help with training and computers. Maybe today would be my lucky day...not!

When I saw my office building ahead, I stood but in doing so I realized that I had sat in some type of gum. Shit, shit, shit ran through my head. I tried to dislodge the gooeyness from my pants only to realize my bus had just passed my stop. This would definitely be my lucky day.

I leaned forward to pull the stop cord causing the bus to break in record time. I was now sitting in the well-dressed business woman’s lap. I apologized profusely. She said nothing but I saw her looking at my shirt funny. I looked down and realized I had misbuttoned it. Wow. This day was stellar. I had learned the hard way; never wonder if more could go wrong because it always would.

I rose holding the seat handle in front of me for balance. I realized I had now left gum and coffee stains on the woman’s clothing. I continued to apologize. But instead of speaking she put her hand out and moved a lock of hair behind my ear. I stood there stunned, watching her smile at me. The driver yelled and I jumped into the aisle to get out. As I hit the curb, the bus pulled away and I stood there looking at it. I could see the woman looking back at me with that same smile on her face.

I started to walk back to my office with her smile in my mind. I stopped at the corner store and went to the candy section to look for my Mike and Ikes. Dammit. They were still out of them. I reached for a large bag of jelly beans, my second favorite. I paid for them reminding the gentleman again that he needed to order Mike and Ikes. Hell, it had been a week of nothing but jelly beans.

I jaywalked through the puddles with a very large grin on my face thinking about my morning so far. I opened the glass door to my building and strolled to the elevator. Before I got there Shelli stopped me with a bunch of papers and started to ramble at ninety miles an hour about how I needed to leave right now for my next assignment.

Shit. I didn’t even have time to drop crap off at my desk. I realized I’d need to grab another bus to high-tail it further downtown. The rain had picked up and now the lightning was flashing. I loved thunderstorms. However, that was usually when I was all snuggled up at home.

I grabbed a bus heading in the right direction and found a place to sit. I checked the seat carefully this time. I sat and read the papers on my next assignment. Great. Office dork to some business person named G. McNally. Wow, reading through I realized it was an eight week position. I knew the First Bank building where the office was located. It was really plush. I looked down at my attire and wondered how long they were going to let me stay there.

I pulled the stop cord and the bus slowly came to a halt. Different drivers can make or break the bus ride. I popped off the bus and headed toward the building. I was already soaked but the rain was making it even worse. I made my way into the building and some poor woman in a monkey suit opened the door for me with a big smile. I thought I am going to like this place a lot. Her smile made me remember the woman from this morning. I must have looked like a total goofball walking through the door soaked, mud-stained, with a huge grin on my face.

I walked to the security checkpoint to get a guest badge. I filled out the forms and headed to the elevator. I heard the hard clap of thunder outside. Well, at least I was dry.

I reached for the elevator button but another hand beat me to it. I looked up and there she was. Smiling. The elevator arrived and she entered, looked back and said, “Coming?” I stepped forward, turned and hit the button for the 21st floor. She didn’t move. I asked, “Which floor?” She nodded and said, “Twenty-one is fine.”

Suddenly all power cut out and the elevator came to a crashing halt. The back up generator light came on giving the elevator a dim yellow glow. I looked at the woman beside me. She was still smiling.

We stood there in companionable silence for a few minutes. Then the shrill ring of the phone disturbed the wonderful moment. I opened the phone box and picked it up to hear some security guard calling to let me know the power was out and the elevators were stopped. Like I hadn’t noticed. He went on to tell me they called the elevator repair crew to come right away, but it would be at least another thirty minutes. “Great. Late on my first day.” I muttered as I put the phone back.

I turned and in the semi-light I could see her watching me. I informed her of our predicament. She shook her head and took a seat on the floor. I joined her. She reached over with her hand and said, “Gretchen. And you?” I leaned over with my own hand and replied, “Sylvia.”

Not knowing what to say next I took my bag and pushed it to the side. She continued to watch me with that odd half-smile on her face. She said wistfully, “Wish I got my latté and muffin before I stopped in to the lower offices.”

I grinned and reached into my bag to pull out the large package of jelly beans. I handed them to her saying, “After you.” She looked up and smiled. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small green stick. I couldn’t tell what it was in the dark until I heard a snap and the green glow emerged. She chuckled and said, “Safe candlelight.” She then ripped open the bag and handed me a jelly bean. I grinned really big. This day rocked!

Continued in Part 2

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