63. OFFICE PARTY
I knew how it went, but why did it hurt so much this time?
As soon as Storm and I approached the door, I let go of his hand. He walked on faster and got in before me into the room. I turned, and walked away from him. When I was far enough, I turned around to search for him. Maybe this time he would be looking for me and scold me for leaving his side but he didn’t. I watched as he nodded and greeted those he thought worthy of his greeting. He continued marching on until he was before his father. They talked a little and by then it was obvious that he knew I wasn't by his side or anywhere near him anymore. He didn’t even search for me in the crowd with his eyes.
I swallowed, knowing my job was to disappear from sight and not make a mockery of him.
The large room was buzzing and as I searched, I did not know a single person there. Some I recognized, but most were just strangers to me.
I couldn’t stand in a corner all night long. My leg was already giving in notice that it would raise hell from the heels.
Storm was right, I shouldn’t have worn them with my leg still healing but I knew there had been no other option as I took in the whole room. Everyone looked so good. The best dresses, makeup on point. If I hid away until the party was over, I would survive, then go home, and pretend it never happened.
My eyes ran around the room again and lord, you would think it was a royal dinner because of how rich everyone looked and just the room itself. The event organizers needed a raise after this.
When I had done enough gawking, I decided to move from the corner. I probably looked like a chicken after being plucked.
Drinks were going around and I needed one. I took a glass, smiled at the waitress then just walked around aimlessly while sipping. My eyes fell on the HR department head. I turned as fast as I could and began walking the opposite direction from her. I don’t know how many warnings I had been served. I am sure they had sent many emails to Storm but I still wasn't fired which probably didn’t sit well with the HR department at all.
Twenty minutes felt like four hours, still moving around, smiling, and drinking. It was too early to go hide in the bathroom for thirty minutes. I walked some more and finally, I saw my team members. I turned right around only to come face to face with Gwen and Sandra. They had seen me, their eyes pinning me down. There was no running from that.
“Shit.”
I had to talk to them. I didn’t even know what I would say.
I felt their anger before even getting there. Their eyes were killing me dead. My hands were sweating, my heart drumming hard.
“Hi guys.” I greeted and mentally kicked myself. I was at a loss for better words.
They took me in, shook their heads and refrained from answering.
“I just want to apologize for what I said and did at the club. I wasn’t myself.” I said, their eyes drilling in me even more but they said nothing. “I am really really sorry.” I finished. I didn’t know what else to say. With them quiet, I thought it better to leave.
Just as I turned, Sandra spoke up.
“It’s not even about the club. We have always been nice to you but you always treated us like commodities. Sometimes being your friend left us feeling like shit. We tried hard to talk to you, always invited you but you were distant, making us chase you. You never initiated conversation. It was always us asking how you were doing and when you felt you didn’t need us, you just upped and left. It shouldn’t have even hurt, you made yourself clear that you weren’t interested in knowing us. Just last Thursday was Gwen’s birthday, you wouldn’t have known that. I lost my mom two months back, but why would you even know? Gwen had a bad break up a few months ago but you wouldn’t even know she had a boyfriend, would you? You are self absorbed, selfish, and stuck up!” Sandra gave her glass to Gwen and I saw from how her hand was shaking that she was refraining from throwing it at me with how angry she was.
My heart tore apart as her words sank in me. By holding myself back, I thought I was protecting them from my life, but I could have made more effort to know them better, to show that I appreciated their friendship.
Just then, the crowd quieted down and the music slowly faded until everything was nearly silent. I took in a shaky breath and let the shiver run down my body. Everyone turned to the stage and I did just that. My head was throbbing and I wanted to just crawl away from the world and bury myself forever.
“Greetings to everyone. To those new in the company, I am Mr Gambino, Chairperson and CEO of the organization. We are here to celebrate the work we have done this year…..” Storm spoke, moving from his greetings to analytics where I just blocked him out because I was still next to Sandra who was still angry, throwing daggers at me now and again. I didn’t know how to fix it and at some point I accepted that I couldn't fix it. It was better this way anyway. I wish I could have told her how sorry I was for making them feel that way.
The silence brought me out of my thoughts and I looked up to find Storm’s eyes searching the crowd.
Who was he looking for?
“And lastly, before I close. I want to thank my wife. Some of you know her, she began working in the company a few weeks in the year. Wife, come up….” Storm trailed away and I was frowning then his words clicked and I gasped. I wasn't the only one. Everyone was shocked, whispers heard. No one thought he was married. I did not fail to notice how the ladies were nearly literally drooling at him but I was too depressed before to care. Now, I was just as shocked and confused. What was Storm doing?
“Come up, where is she?”
I nearly ducked down and hid.
What was he doing?
Then for some reason, I thought he meant someone else, that someone else would walk up to him. He couldn’t mean me, right! Right!
Fuck.
I couldn’t leave him standing there after calling me. At least, walk closer while observing what happened next. I was convinced he meant someone else. I placed my glass down and took a deep breath which didn’t help because my heart was still drumming hard.
Just one step in front of the other, right. It was easier said than done but I pushed forward.
“Sorry,” I kept saying as I passed because no one wanted to shift. People glared at me. Those who knew me were probably cursing me in their heads. Some even refused to make way so I had to reroute a few times.
“Hey, it’s rude to walk when the chairperson is making a speech. Hold it until he is done.” One older woman said. I hissed because she held my injured arm.
“Let go please.” I bit back and she did that before shaking her head in disappointment.
I turned and continued walking.
The stares made me feel worse.
At some point I thought I would vomit. Storm was making my night a living nightmare.
Finally, I reached the front and no one had walked up. Storm was still waiting. My eyes ran to him and he was staring at me. When did he notice me!? Fuck. Had he seen the people literally kill me with their eyes. This couldn’t get more embarrassing.
I was never one to give up so I swallowed and began making my way up the steps.
The gasps that filled the room, then the deadly tension as everyone watched in horror thinking I was about to get so embarrassed.
Fears that my ankle would bend and I would fall suddenly took over. There were so many people in that room, over fifty, maybe even over eighty, all staring at me. I stared back at Storm and his eyes never moved from me. His face was blank yet his eyes would never deceive me. I wondered if Storm was a liar because how could his eyes stare at me with such desire, such love it made me forget the room I was in. I bit my lower lip then let it go, pushing up my chin. All that mattered was him.
My breath got knocked out of me as I saw him move closer to me. He held out his hand and I placed mine in his. He got me, from there, fuck everything else.
Now there was my smile, spreading across my face. He just made me feel giddy all the time.
“Is your leg okay?”
“I am okay.” I whispered back then we stopped before his little podium where he had his glass screen with his speech.
We turned to look at the crowd and I nearly stepped back because there were so many faces, looking so intimidating from where I was standing.
“Brandy is the head of our design team. Yes, you haven’t seen her for months because she is still recovering from a nearly fatal car accident. There have been issues that have reached me which I will address before our last day, next friday. All parties involved will be contacted in regards to their behavior in this company, especially towards my wife.”
Even I nearly shrieked with how deadly the words sounded from Storm’s mouth. Who was he talking about? But I knew and my eyes went wide. Hell, even the crowd looked shocked and not in a good way. I couldn’t help looking around.
Storm knew what happened to me? Ooohh lord, I shouldn’t have been so embarrassed but I was.
“With that said, please enjoy the dinner. Thank you for your hard work this year and enjoy your holidays. As always, make sure you take a holiday gift bag before you leave.” He said, turning off the teleprompter. His hand squeezed mine and I squeezed back.
He led us down the steps where many waited for a chance to talk to him but Storm just nodded his head in acknowledgement while walking past and making it clear he wasn't interested.
“Let’s go.” He said to me, my left arm now curled around his right, plastered to him.
“Where?” I questioned, not daring to look anywhere else but him.
“Home.”