Delilah left a quarter to seven, smiling at Sandy as the teen walked in. This was the routine she had gotten used to over the last few weeks.
The girl got a baby walkie talkie, turned it on and promptly passed out on the couch with a blanket. Her mousey brown hair going from a hasty brush down to a new set of tangles. The teen had obviously stayed up late with her friends, no doubt after the trip to the mall.
Rolling her eyes, Delilah fixed her black slacks. Today, she decided to wear a normal white button-up shirt. Its sleeves were rolled up to her upper arms, but worked nicely in the rising heat of the new day. Summer seemed to be giving its all in the terms of heat.
Sensible black pumps clicked slightly as she walked to her older model of Prius. She smiled thinking of her favorite joke her sister would mutter about the car. "It's not a black Prius." She would make black sound like a sterotypical goth or druggie. "It's not a red Prius." She said that color with a Hawaiian accent. "It's a blue Prius. Not any blue, but blue!" The last blue was always in some gay accent, which would crack up Delilah each time.
Sighing, Delilah crawled into the car and drove to her favorite part of her morning routine; a large blended Snickers coffee with a maple bismark donut. The cafe was busy, like every Friday. Thankfully the line wasn't terribly long since it just before seven. With a coffee and small bag in hand, Delilah drove to work.
Avery gave her a slight wave as Delilah entered, which made her hope that she might have the weekend off. Climbing the stairs and juggling the coffee and purse in one hand seemed a little less of a chore as Delilah thought of the prospect of a weekend of freedom.
The hallway to the Mr. Kinzer's office was thankfully void of people. Slipping into her own, Delilah set her coffee on a coaster. The donut bag was next to it. As the computer booted, Delilah locked up her purse and plugged in her phone. Sitting in the rolling computer chair, she put on her head set. Her planner was opened as she started to place and answer phone calls.
At one point, Sarah came in, or rather poked in her head. "Hello, Delilah." she greeted in her soft Chicago accent. Delilah smiled at her and nodded, pointing to her headset to signal she was on the phone. As Delilah turned back to her computer, typing away vigorously.
Delilah rolled her eyes as the client asked if she would be free later, probably mistaking her for Claire or Amelia, who never answered the phones. Smiling like a cat preparing for a lethal pounce, she politely declined and ended the call.
Sarah was patiently waiting in the folding chair that Delilah kept in the corner. Delilah put her headset around her neck. "Hello, I wasn't expecting a visit from you today." admitted Delilah.
Sarah shook her head, making her wavy chocolate locks to shudder with the movement. "I wasn't either, but Isabelle and Hannah were driving me up the wall." Delilah smiled knowingly. "I was wondering if you still have been collecting those photos."
Raising an eyebrow, Delilah nodded. "Of course I have. It will help greatly when you finally file for divorce." Delilah replied. She browsed her computer to the encrypted file that held two folders; Divorce and Insurance.
Fanning herself with her hand, Sarah smiled. "Thank you so much for your help, Delilah."
The secretary waved her hand dismissively. "I hate that asshole as much as you do, Sarah." she explained. "Plus, I doubt that you have much to worry about."
The ever ageless Sarah nodded. "I cannot trust him. He says we're going on a trip this weekend, but won't tell me about where or anything." Confused, Delilah looked at her, then through her planner.
"From what I have, you are taking a flight to New York, and attending a party Saturday night." read off the secretary, as Sarah frowned and her face grew serious.
"Delilah, swear to me that you will take the file with you and if anything happens." she gave stress on the word anything. "Give it to the person you trust." Blue eyes gazed into grey, but both women knew full well the bonfire they were playing with. Sarah's hands were tangled into a tight knot in her lap.
Concerned, Delilah looked at Sarah, her secret friend for the past two years. "Sarah, if you are that worried, don't go!" she hissed. Shaking her head, Sarah smiled faintly.
"I will be just fine, but I will worry for you."
Delilah shook off the worry for Sarah for the upcoming weekend, knowing full well that the last two years of evidence would be more than enough to defend herself from her husband. Throwing herself into her work, she hoped to get enough done to warrant the weekend free.
One phone call caught her attention, it was close to one in the afternoon, after Mr. Kinzer had asked not to be disturbed for an hour. Raising an eyebrow, Delilah ignored him for the next forty-five minutes. As she answered yet another phone call, her defenses were suddenly raised.
It began politely. "Hello, you have reached the office of Jeffery Kinzer, may I please have your company name and complaint?" stated Delilah with five years of practice.
The voice on the other end gave a shout to someone then returned to their end of the phone. "Yes. I must speak directly to Jeffery." urged the obvious male voice.
Delilah frowned, the little voice in the back of her mind screaming. "I apologize, but he is unavailable, since he is out to lunch." which was technically true, only food wasn't on the menu.
The unknown male gave a human version of a growl. "Well then get him on his cell."
Refusing to get punished for this impatient man's ignorance, Delilah tried again. "I can give him your name and number when he returns." After a moment's thought, she added, "He's in an important conference."
Shouting once again at someone else, the male was obviously upset by something. Delilah strained to hear what he screamed, only catching bits and pieces. "He's... hurry up!... They... here any moment..." When he returned to the phone, he sighed. "Tell Jeffery that he'd better show up this Saturday." He paused. "From Mr. Green."
Her eyebrow furrowed at the name, but Delilah wrote the message down. "Alright. He will get your message..." The man hung up. "When he gets back." she finished, now exasperated.
When the hour was up, Delilah got up and knocked on her boss's door. With a proper "Enter", she dared to open the door and thankfully, Mr. Kinzer was alone. "There a message. A man called while you told me not to disturb you." she stated with her usual icey edge. Placing the written note on the desk, she ignored the predatory eyes watching her every move.
"Thank you, Ms. Joelle." drawled the man, with an unusual pitch on her name.
Ignoring the urge to run, Delilah walked stiff-backed out of the room. Once she was out, she gave a slight intake of air. 'He's not creepy at all my ass.' she thought bitterly.
The rest of the day past without any form of excitement. As Delilah started to pack up her purse to go home, Mr. Kinzer poked his head into her office. Casting an emotionless look in his direction, she greeted him. "Yes, Mr. Kinzer?"
The normally laid-back male seemed troubled for once. "Did you get everything prepared for Saturday?" he asked, nervous for some reason.
Delilah raised an eyebrow. "Yes, the limo, hotel and dry cleaning are all arranged to the normal standards."
Mr. Kinzer breathed a sigh of visible relief. "Thank goodness." He smiled. "You may have the weekend off, see you on Monday, Ms. Joelle." As the door shut behind his form, Delilah could not help the massive grin that crossed her face. 'This weekend is going to be amazing.'
Delilah exhaled, releasing all the anger, worry and fatigue of the day. Her own home was pleasantly cool, as compared to the humid of the evening. As she walked indoors, she glanced to her right and saw Sandy curled up in a blanket with Nolan sleeping in her arms. Though what startled Delilah was the blank look at she stared at the television.
Setting keys and purse on the side table by the front door, Delilah walked toward Sandy, not being particularly quiet and looks at the television and chuckles. 'I will never understands the teenage obsession with children's movies.' she thought, exasperated.
Sitting on the couch, next to the completely zoned out teen, Delilah munched on some leftover homemade pizza that Sandy must have whipped up for herself. That slice of lovely Alfredo, chicken, garlic and cheese was more than enough inspiration, for her to kick off her pumps and take Nolan from Sandy and settle in to finish this movie, about two blue birds being bird-napped.
After the movie, Rio, had finished, Delilah glanced at Sandy, who was on the verge of falling asleep. Her next glance was toward the clock, which read 5:57. Smiling, Delilah turned off the tv. Sandy's eyes gained a little more alertness with the movements.
"Oh, hey Delilah." she yawned, still trying to speak. Stretching, she glanced at the clock as well, then started jumping up to collect her things. "Crap!" she exclaimed, gathering her blanket and whatever else belongs to her.
"What now?" asked Delilah, standing off to the side, curious.
"I have a date in three minutes!" Sandy cringes at her wrinkled sweats and t-shirt.
Remembering how giddy she'd be for a date at that age, Delilah shifted Nolan to her other arm. "Come to my room, I can make you pretty in ten minutes." she promised, making Sandy look at her like a God.
"Oh thank you!" the sixteen was up the stairs in no time flat. Chuckling at the teen's eagerness, Delilah followed much more slowly, perfecting the image in her mind's eye.
Nolan was placed carefully in the crib as Delilah quickly pulled out a nice wine gypsy top, a milk-chocolate brown skirt that would reach Sandy's knees and an old pair of embellished sandles. "Strip and get dressed." she ordered, tossing the articles to Sandy, who obeyed.
Across the room, Delilah pulled out some simple makeup; nice brown eyeshadow to make Sandy's blue eyes pop, pink lip-gloss, and brown eyeliner. Sandy came over and sat without being commanded on the bed as Delilah made short work of her face.
"What about my hair?" she asked, as Delilah rummaged on her vanity table and just grabbed some mousse and played with her hair for two seconds.
"You are done." announced the older woman, proud of her short, but effective art.
Sandy looked unconvinced and glanced behind her and gasped. "Oh my God."
Snorting, Delilah heard a car pull up next door. "Your date's here. Get your stuff on Monday." she instructed and made a shooing motion with her hands. "Now, go and enjoy it."
Not needing to be told twice, Sandy was up and out of the door with her usual brown satchel of things. Leaning against the wall, Delilah smiled at the memory of Danielle doing that same thing for her last minute dates. 'Now that was adrenaline rush.' thought Delilah as she picked up the phone, dialing a familiar number.
After a few rings, a young girl picked up. "Hello?" she asked, half paying attention.
"Hey, Ash. It's Delilah, pass me to your mother?" Her hands were shaking slightly as she metally prepared for the next few minutes.
Waiting with the comforting background of children ranging from five to fourteen, Delilah inhaled as her 'cousin', Shelly picked up the phone. "Is this really Delilah?" she inquired, suspicious of the caller.
A smile tugged at Delilah's lips, as she answered. "No, I just happen to know how your first child, Rylee, was conceived in your father's old truckbed." she replied.
A small gasp and then a chuckle greeted her from the other end. "I just might use that to embarrass her one of these days." warned the slightly older woman. "So what makes you call now of all times?"
"I need someone to watch Nolan." explained Delilah hesitantly, tearing up.
"Oh, hon." Shelly's voice was a great relief.
"He's fine, too young to notice, except that no one has been taking him to sleep in the basement." Delilah was trying her hardest not to break down in tears.
Shelly, bless her soul, could sense the impending dam to breaking. Knowing that Delilah hated appearing weak, she comforted her. "You need someone to watch him, so you can have some you time?" she asked, knowing Delilah would not allow herself to grieve with her child near.
"Please, you know you are the only one I trust with him overnight." Delilah felt a couple tears roll down her cheeks. "I finally have the weekend off."
"Say no more, honey." Shelly ignored the obvious tone that Delilah was crying. "Drop him off in this evening, if you can, or the morning works."
Delilah nodded. "I'll do it tonight, so that I don't spend all night being woken up. Do you need anything for me to bring?"
Shelly actually laughed. "Hon, I have plenty of leftover baby things to survive having several babies for the weekend." Delilah was cheered up at the thought that Shelly didn't seem to mind the out-of-the-blue favor. "Just drop the boy off so poor you can have some rest."
Delilah felt the dam start to burst. "Ok, I have to go." her voice was cracking, and Shelly immediately allowed her off the phone. Delilah curled up on the other side of the bed from Nolan and was sobbing into her knees. Eventually, she dried her cheeks and looked at the crib. "I wish you would be able to remember her, but then again memories wouldn't plague you." she informed the sleeping babe as she began to piece herself together.
As Delilah collapsed on her bed, she knew that her flights would begin in less than five hours, but she needed the sleep. She smiled at the photo by her bedside of her, Danielle, and Nolan from nearly three months ago.
"I love you with all my heart, sis, and I miss you dearly."