Chapter 1
Here is the sequel to Love leads to tragedy. I hope you guys like it. Please review!
I walked into the huge skyscraper and went up to the front desk.
"I'm here to see Mr. Thompson." I said to the young girl behind the desk. She looked up from her magazine at my voice.
"Okay, have a seat over there, I'll tell him you're here." She said, popping the gum she was chewing. I sat and looked around at the fancy waiting room. The girl behind the desk didn't seem to fit in with the décor. Three chandeliers hung from the ceiling and across from the seat that I was sitting in a small staircase lead off into an even more posh sitting room, with chairs that all matched and glass tables with roses as centerpieces.
"Hey! Mr. Thompson is ready to see you." The girl shouted at me. I got up and walked over to the elevators. "Room 30" she told me as I stepped inside the elevator. I pressed the top button and the doors slid shut. As the elevator slowly ascended, I thought about the date that Derrick was taking me on tonight. He said he was taking me to The Gold Dragon, one of the fanciest restaurants in New York.
It's been exactly one year today that the Titanic sunk. You are probably wondering what has happened since then. Well, Derrick got a job on Broadway. No he's not an actor, he works behind the scenes setting up and building props. I have been looking for a job for the past year. I have found a few jobs but can't seem to hold onto them. I live on a small flat in the heart of New York, just managing to get by rent. Derrick has helped me on a number of occasions.
The elevator doors opened up to a large office. A desk was pushed against one wall and many plants and paintings were placed around the office. A thin man in an outrageous outfit was sitting behind the desk his hand in a big bowl of candy. He had on a yellow bowler hat, a bright blue button down under an orange vest,what looked like swimming shorts, and a big gold medallion in the shape of a top hat. I choked back a laugh and approached the desk. He looked up from the desk as I walked up.
"Claire I presume?" he asked, adjusting the medallion.
"Yes, I have come to inquire about a job." I said.
He gestured to an orange bean bag that was across from the desk. I sat and felt immediately foolish. I was at least two feet below the desk. I looked around more carefully and saw that all the paintings were splatter paintings, in colors that hurt the eyes if you stared for too long. There was a….small bar, in the corner in the shape of a fish.
The CEO went over to the bar and mixed us some drinks. He handed me one.
"Um sir?"
"Yes?"
"What is it?" I asked studying the bubbly concoction.
"It's my own creation." He said and took a big gulp of his. I set mine down and stood up.
"I have my resume right here." I said and handed him a thin manila folder. He took it and opened it up.
"This looks good to me. You're hired!" he said.
"Don't you want to ask me some questions or something?"
"If I spent time asking every single one of my employees questions we would get nothing done." He explained as if it was so obvious that a two year old could figure it out.
"What exactly am I hired as?" I asked.
"Oh um how about oh I know you can be Ms. Rither's assistant."
"Okay. When do I start?"
"Tomorrow. She is in room 1562."
"Thank you, sir. I'll be in tomorrow at 8."
"See you tomorrow then" he said and I walked into the elevator and pressed 'L' and the doors slid shut.
I slid into a blue dress. It was floor length with small ruffles at the bottom. It matched the color of my eyes perfectly. I brushed my hair and put it up in a ponytail. Derrick should be here in five minutes. I had just enough time to gather my stuff. I found my purse hidden in my desk drawer and found my wallet in the pocket of the pants I wore earlier. Just as I shoved it into my purse the doorbell rang. I ran to answer it, tripping over m dress for a second.
I threw open the door and saw Derrick standing there in a black tuxedo carrying a bouquet of roses.
"Hello." He breathed and handed me the roses.
"Thanks. They're beautiful. Come in. Let me put these in water," he stepped in and I shut the door. He seemed tense or nervous. I walked into the kitchen and pulled my only vase off the topmost shelf. It was glass and I loved it. I filled the beloved vase with water and put the roses in. They smelled beautiful. I put them on the dining room table. Derrick was sitting on the couch twiddling his thumbs, staring off into space.
"Ready to go?" I asked.
"Oh yes." We left the apartment and got into a taxi that was waiting by the curb.
We reached the 'The Gold Dragon' in ten minutes. We had not spoken the whole ride there. I had tried to start conversation but Derrick was more interested in staring off into space. We walked up to the host table.
"Harrington." Derrick told the waiter.
"Ah yes" the old Chinese man there said and winked at him. Derrick's face tightened but other than that gave no notion that he had seen the wink. The man led us to our table and gave us our menu's rattling off the special. I wasn't listening. I was to bus looking at Derrick and wondering why he was so tense. When the man left I leaned in closer to Derrick.
"What's the matter?" I whispered.
"Nothing's the matter."
"You're a terrible liar. Please tell me."
"Nothing's wrong" he insisted and I let it go. Our waiter came and took our drink orders, champagne for us both. We sat in silence as we looked at our menus. In all of my memory there was never this tense of a moment. Finally, the champagne came and we both ordered, steak for both. He collected our menus and left, leaving behind the bread.
"I got a job today."
"Really? That's great." Derrick said absentmindedly.
"I am going to swim in landfills and collect trash for needy children."
"Sounds like fun." He said.
"Derrick. Derrick!" I said.
"What?"
"You don't even know what I said."
"Yes I do. You said that you……you are going to swim for needy pilgrims." He said. I laughed.
"No it was a test to see if you were paying attention. I'm an assistant for Ms.Rither's at Thompson and Co."
"Great" he said. I dropped it because obviously his attention span was low right now. At last the food arrived and we started eating. Derrick was watching me like a vulture watches its prey. I just tried to ignore him.
When I reached the middle of my steak something shiny was peering out. I hooked it around my fork and looked at it. It was a ring. A gold diamond ring. It must have been at least a two karat diamond. I looked at the ring and then looked up at Derrick. He smiled at me, then moved around to where I was sitting and got down on one knee.
"Oh no" I whispered so he couldn't hear. He looked up at me.
"Claire, I have loved you for so long and want to spend the rest of m life with you. Will you marry me?" He asked his hand holding mine.
"I-I-I don't know." I said and ran as fast as I could toward what I hoped was the washroom. I reached my destination and pushed open the door. There was a cushioned bench just inside the door and I took a seat. The tears that had been threatening to spill over did. I looked at the ring still clutched in my hand. I must have hurt Derrick so much, but I couldn't marry him. I just couldn't. I knew what would happen. I would have to be one of those wives that just stay home and don't work. I don't want to do that. I want to make my own way and prove that women can be just as good as men. What would I say to Derrick? Could he ever forgive me? Was it right to run?
All those questions and more were running through my head. I started getting lightheaded, so I took a quick drink from the sink. I know that's gross but if I didn't I was going to faint.
Slowly, I exited the washroom to face Derrick and all the pain I had inflicted by running.
Okay, so, did you like it? I know it was kind of short. Please review and tell me what you thought.