It all started in the blink of an eye. Well actually it was more like me getting the phone call that changed my life, literally. And then it seemed like time actually sped up, and I know what that feels like.
"Anna?" I was standing in a polished office. Waiting to hear where I was going this time. You see I worked for a bank, one of the biggest in the world. And I specialized in security; I was the best of the best.
My boss, a pleasant woman, was looking at me with an air of respect. Something I dissevered in the two years I had been working there. I was only 24 and yet I felt older then my years. Her hair was up in a tight bun, her glasses on the bridge of her nose, and her lips were pulled in a tight smile. I was trying so hard to contain my laughter.
"Are you going to answer that?" She asked my. Her bight pale blue eyes fixed right onto my dark gray ones, one of the things I had inherited from my father.
"Excuse me?" I asked not understanding what she meant.
"Your phone, darling, it is ringing." She gestured to my backpack. My old leather bag that had seen me through many years. I searched its front pocket and retrieved my flip phone.
With a casual flip of the wrist it was up against my ear. I was totally unprepared for the voice that answered back to my hello. So unprepared that I fainted right then and there.
Some how I had made it back to my uptown New York apartment. It was a great place that looked over the park. The answering machine was blinking as I walked in the door. I pressed play and went into the kitchen to grab a coke.
"Anna, baby, don't forget our dinner tonight. Ware something wowish." I laughed out loud at the sound of my boyfriend's voice but it quickly died. I had some time before I had to leave. I had some time to think.
But not for long because that blasted phone is always ringing. It was my boss. Well, actually I didn't work there anymore. I had quit. "Are you okay," her voice sounded over the phone.
"I'm fine. Just a little shaken that's all." I sighed knowing what I was going to do was going to break my heart.
"I wish you would reconsider. I don't suppose there was anything that could make you stay?" She said. I bit back a sigh and rubbed my forehead. It was my habit to do that when I had to do something I didn't want to do.
"No I have to do this. I'm so sorry Emily, but my family needs me." Partly the truth, I thought as I plopped down on the couch.
"Okay well you know if you ever need a job..." I told her I would look her up when I did. Not only was she my boss but also a very good friend. Speaking of good friends, where was Jack?
I got up from the couch and went into my bedroom. It was spacious and yet I barely ever slept in the bed I has picked out. I was barely in the state of New York, with all the traveling I did for my job. Of course now that I had quit I still wouldn't be sleeping in my own bed.
"Jack!" I called out and something wriggled under the sheets. Ah my trusty puppy dog, of one month, was sleeping in my bed yet again. He was a dachshund, cute black and short haired. And I was completely in love with him.
As I looked through my closet to find something to ware he took over my favorite pillow. I laughed at him as he snuggled in for a nap and I found the perfect dress. It was sleek, white, and too short to be allowed. It was halter top style too. I loved it.
I got ready and at six I was out the door to the park bench where we meet. That had been over seven years ago but I still remembered like it was yesterday. The memory started to float to the surface and I pushed it down, I had to do something tonight.
The clicking of my heels against the pathway pavement alerted him to my presences. He was looking good in his dark gray two piece suit. No tie, I hated ties. His floppy brown hair fell casually over his forehead. And I laughed to see his chocolate brown eyes sparkling.
"Anna." He whispered. I laughed again to see his nervousness, but I was breaking inside.
"Tom, I have something to tell you..." Quickly I trailed off.
"Good because I have something to tell you too." He said and I suggested that he should go first. I didn't want to do what I was going to do and maybe if I saved it for later it would seem less bad. I was so wrong.
"You should sit down." He pointed to the bench that I had been sitting on when we met and I sat down. Grabbing my hand he stared at me; making me want to flinch. I felt something drop into my hand and I opened it up.
Inside sat the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. It was white gold with little diamonds surrounding a sapphire. Tears sprung into my eyes and I felt like my body was being splinched. My heart was saying yes and my mind told me I couldn't do that to him.
"Anna Lily will you marry me?" He asked. I met his eyes and he knew the answer.
"Please, please don't make me do this." I sobbed out in-between the tears. "Tom I am leaving in four days to go to England. I don't know when I am going to return. I was going to tell you. This would be so unfair to you." I said handing him the ring back.
"Keep it. It is a gift." He said tears were rolling down his cheeks as well.
"You have to now that I have to go and I never meant to hurt you. Tom I didn't know I had to go until I got the phone call this afternoon. I am sorry." I got up from the bench and started to walk away. I was leaving the love of my life behind. Dammit, this wasn't suppose to happen.
"Anna," he called out. "I will wait for you."
"Don't." I said to him. "It will only hurt you more."
I had turn to look back at him and all the sudden he was right there in front of me. He reached down grabbed my waist and pulled me close. Then he leaned in, this is what I need I thought one last kiss. A kiss to remember him by, that and the ring.
It was kiss filled with desire and longing. A kiss that none could surpass. When it was all over I turned and walked back to my apartment, heartbroken and hating my family.
"Anna?" I was standing in a polished office. Waiting to hear where I was going this time. You see I worked for a bank, one of the biggest in the world. And I specialized in security; I was the best of the best.
My boss, a pleasant woman, was looking at me with an air of respect. Something I dissevered in the two years I had been working there. I was only 24 and yet I felt older then my years. Her hair was up in a tight bun, her glasses on the bridge of her nose, and her lips were pulled in a tight smile. I was trying so hard to contain my laughter.
"Are you going to answer that?" She asked my. Her bight pale blue eyes fixed right onto my dark gray ones, one of the things I had inherited from my father.
"Excuse me?" I asked not understanding what she meant.
"Your phone, darling, it is ringing." She gestured to my backpack. My old leather bag that had seen me through many years. I searched its front pocket and retrieved my flip phone.
With a casual flip of the wrist it was up against my ear. I was totally unprepared for the voice that answered back to my hello. So unprepared that I fainted right then and there.
Some how I had made it back to my uptown New York apartment. It was a great place that looked over the park. The answering machine was blinking as I walked in the door. I pressed play and went into the kitchen to grab a coke.
"Anna, baby, don't forget our dinner tonight. Ware something wowish." I laughed out loud at the sound of my boyfriend's voice but it quickly died. I had some time before I had to leave. I had some time to think.
But not for long because that blasted phone is always ringing. It was my boss. Well, actually I didn't work there anymore. I had quit. "Are you okay," her voice sounded over the phone.
"I'm fine. Just a little shaken that's all." I sighed knowing what I was going to do was going to break my heart.
"I wish you would reconsider. I don't suppose there was anything that could make you stay?" She said. I bit back a sigh and rubbed my forehead. It was my habit to do that when I had to do something I didn't want to do.
"No I have to do this. I'm so sorry Emily, but my family needs me." Partly the truth, I thought as I plopped down on the couch.
"Okay well you know if you ever need a job..." I told her I would look her up when I did. Not only was she my boss but also a very good friend. Speaking of good friends, where was Jack?
I got up from the couch and went into my bedroom. It was spacious and yet I barely ever slept in the bed I has picked out. I was barely in the state of New York, with all the traveling I did for my job. Of course now that I had quit I still wouldn't be sleeping in my own bed.
"Jack!" I called out and something wriggled under the sheets. Ah my trusty puppy dog, of one month, was sleeping in my bed yet again. He was a dachshund, cute black and short haired. And I was completely in love with him.
As I looked through my closet to find something to ware he took over my favorite pillow. I laughed at him as he snuggled in for a nap and I found the perfect dress. It was sleek, white, and too short to be allowed. It was halter top style too. I loved it.
I got ready and at six I was out the door to the park bench where we meet. That had been over seven years ago but I still remembered like it was yesterday. The memory started to float to the surface and I pushed it down, I had to do something tonight.
The clicking of my heels against the pathway pavement alerted him to my presences. He was looking good in his dark gray two piece suit. No tie, I hated ties. His floppy brown hair fell casually over his forehead. And I laughed to see his chocolate brown eyes sparkling.
"Anna." He whispered. I laughed again to see his nervousness, but I was breaking inside.
"Tom, I have something to tell you..." Quickly I trailed off.
"Good because I have something to tell you too." He said and I suggested that he should go first. I didn't want to do what I was going to do and maybe if I saved it for later it would seem less bad. I was so wrong.
"You should sit down." He pointed to the bench that I had been sitting on when we met and I sat down. Grabbing my hand he stared at me; making me want to flinch. I felt something drop into my hand and I opened it up.
Inside sat the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. It was white gold with little diamonds surrounding a sapphire. Tears sprung into my eyes and I felt like my body was being splinched. My heart was saying yes and my mind told me I couldn't do that to him.
"Anna Lily will you marry me?" He asked. I met his eyes and he knew the answer.
"Please, please don't make me do this." I sobbed out in-between the tears. "Tom I am leaving in four days to go to England. I don't know when I am going to return. I was going to tell you. This would be so unfair to you." I said handing him the ring back.
"Keep it. It is a gift." He said tears were rolling down his cheeks as well.
"You have to now that I have to go and I never meant to hurt you. Tom I didn't know I had to go until I got the phone call this afternoon. I am sorry." I got up from the bench and started to walk away. I was leaving the love of my life behind. Dammit, this wasn't suppose to happen.
"Anna," he called out. "I will wait for you."
"Don't." I said to him. "It will only hurt you more."
I had turn to look back at him and all the sudden he was right there in front of me. He reached down grabbed my waist and pulled me close. Then he leaned in, this is what I need I thought one last kiss. A kiss to remember him by, that and the ring.
It was kiss filled with desire and longing. A kiss that none could surpass. When it was all over I turned and walked back to my apartment, heartbroken and hating my family.