JENNIE
A couple of days ago, I received a note from my neighbor, asking that I watch myself because of a crazy lady outside my apartment door, looking for me while she was on a rampage. Lisa and I both knew who my neighbor was talking about, and that crazy lady with the brown hair was Kendal. I thought she was there to pick a fight with me because of the divorce papers that Lisa had served to her, but that wasn't the case. Kendal never received the documents, and because of that, Lisa insisted all weekend that I do not go back to work for her, and I have a feeling I'll soon find out why.
Knowing today was the day I'm supposed to go back and work for Kendal, it had me pacing back and forth in my bedroom, debating on what I should do. Do I, or don't I? Do I, or don't I? Then I breathed fuck it, I'm not going to let her get to me as I stopped pacing. Feeling I should let Lisa know what I was doing, in case Kendal had someone come and attack me, I picked up my phone and messaged her.
To[Babe]
I know this isn't what you want to hear from me right now. But I've decided to go to work today... I'm just letting you know. And please don't be upset with me. I absolutely refuse to let her bully me.
I set my phone on the bed, then started getting ready for what will either be a good day where Kendal leaves me alone or a bad day where Kendal corners me in a corner, confronting me about Lisa. While I was sliding the skirt up my legs, my phone rang. Knowing it was Lisa, and feeling she would beg me not to do this, I ignored it. Then, on my way to the clinic, Lisa called again. I didn't want her to continue calling me, so I answered it and sat in the parking lot talking to her.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry. If I need you, I'll immediately call you."
My heart raced a little as I walked into the building, but as I entered, a familiar smiling face greeted me with a warm, welcoming smile, and my racing heart slowed. Katie came out from behind the counter and rushed to me, hugging me. "Oh, my God! I'm so happy to see that you're back! It's been one huge nightmare since you've been gone."
If she only knew the nightmare I've been in lately.
"Don't get yourself too excited," I quietly warned as I hugged her back. "I'm still unsure if this is what I want to do. And I'm not so sure it's a good thing for me to be here as we speak."
"Are you serious? Why?" Katie pouted as she lowered her arms, looking bummed.
I leaned to her ear and whispered, "I'm not so sure I can work with Kendal anymore. I don't need the stress and that reason being that I'm pregnant."
I stood straight, looked at her, and then I noticed the look in her eyes. She looked as if she wanted to ask me something, and then she bit on her bottom lip. Still looking like she had something to say, and as I turned and started walking to my room, she quietly said, "If it's about Lisa. I already know."
I stopped and quickly turned around. "What?"
She hurried to me and pushed me to start walking after she looked around, looking like she was making sure nobody was around to hear what she had to say. "I saw the two of you talking that night at the convention. And I also heard what the two of you were saying. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to listen in on yours and her conversation, but when you left the table after saying you were about to be sick, I ran after you. I wanted to make sure you were okay, and then when you left the restroom and got into that argument with her in the hallway, that's when I figured out why you got sick."
"Was there anyone else around?"
She shook her head, no. "It was only me."
That's a relief. I don't need to feel more embarrassed than I already am.
"Don't worry, I won't say anything," she said, acting like she was zipping her lips. Then she giggled. "To be honest. I actually think it's funny."
"I don't," I sighed. "I had no idea Kendal and Lisa were married."
"I know. I gathered that, that night. Suppose you were to ask me. I think Kendal had it coming, and she probably deserves it."
"Please keep this to yourself. I don't want anyone here knowing what's going on with me."
"It's all good. Your secret is safe with me."
Katie left the room, and as I prepared the table for my next patient, I couldn't help but feel bothered that Katie overheard Lisa and me and how she knows what led to me leaving that night. Katie is, however, a good person, and we've become good friends since she started working here, and I believe her when she said my secret is safe with her.
The sound of four-inch heels clicking on the tiled floor as someone walked through the hallway and past my door had my nerves acting up and my stomach feeling a mess.
Hearing the sound of those shoes walking by meant one thing. Kendal is here...
Moments later, there was a knock at my door. I jumped.
Then my eyes closed, and my heart rate picked up.
Thinking it was Kendal, I slowly opened the door. Seeing it was Katie, I let out a loud sigh of relief. "These just came for you," she said, holding up a vase filled with a beautiful assortment of flowers.
"Thank you," I smiled as I removed the vase from her hand.
I shut the door, looked at the flowers as I walked them over to the table, and set them down. As I set them down, I noticed a card in the center of the flowers. I removed it, then read what it said.
Things will be very different starting today.
I knew the flowers were from Lisa, and I wasn't exactly sure what the card meant, but I had a feeling it had to do with Kendal. In case she was to come in the room for who knows what, I hid the card in my purse, then headed into the lobby to grab my patient and bring him back to the room before I ran into Kendal.
During my patient's visit, he moaned and groaned as I massaged his shoulders. "Charles. When was the last time you were here?"
"Two Mondays ago. Why?"
"Because your muscles are extremely tight, and they're not as loose as I had them when I last saw you. Have you been lifting heavy objects and not lifting as I asked you to, again?"
He shook his head and groaned, "No. But I can tell you why I'm this way. And that reason is Kendal. She didn't do jack shit, and I left here much sorer than I came in."
Figures.
I worked on Charles longer than he paid for, and when I finished, he pulled out his wallet and handed me a hundred-dollar bill, thanking me. He thanked me for not giving him Kendal again and thanking me for taking the extra time to work on him. As I walked him out, I saw a well-dressed man standing by the counter looking like he was waiting for someone, and then I noticed he was holding a envelope. "Hello. Is there something I can help you with?" I asked, eyeing what he was holding.
"I'm here to see Kendal Nicole Manoban. Is she around?"
The man said as Katie walked back to the counter.
"I'll get her," Katie said.
"Excuse me," I said to the man after it hit me on why he was there to see her. I hurried back to my room, locked the door after entering, then rushed to my phone and messaged Lisa.
To[Babe]
Thank you for the flowers. That was you, right?"
Fr[Babe]
Yes, that was me. And you're very welcome.
I knew it.
To[Babe]
So. Lisa. There's a man here asking for Kendal, and he's holding an envelope. Is that what I think it is?"
Fr[Babe]
He's there already? I asked that they serve her after four o'clock. That way, you didn't have to deal with her reaction.
To[Babe]
On that note, I'm going to grab my things and leave without looking back. See you later.
Fuck. No wonder Lisa tried as hard as she did for me not to come in. Why in the hell did she not say anything to me? I started cleaning my area, all while grabbing my things and setting them next to the door, and just as I put the last of my belongings by the door, I heard a scream, a door slam, and then I listened to her heels stomping through the hallway, and the closer it got to my door, my heart beat faster, and my body numbed. Then the stomping of her heels stopped as she got to my door. Oh, fuck...
My hands started to sweat, and I closed my eyes, praying for her to go away.
And then I got what I prayed for. Kendal's phone rang with her answering it and huffing as she stormed away from my door. After hearing a door slam, I grabbed my stuff, rushed out the door, and walked as fast as I could down the hallway. As I walked past Kendal's door and heard her yelling, I knew it was Lisa who called after hearing her say, Fine, I'll meet you at home in twenty minutes.'
At that moment, I knew Kendal would be opening the door and ducked into the bathroom. I was right. The door opened, and then I heard the clicking of her heels walk past me. I waited a good ten minutes before leaving the bathroom and rushed to Katie. "Is she gone?"
Katie nodded with a smile.
I set my things down, then walked around the counter and hugged her. "If Kendal comes back, let her know I had to leave due to an emergency. But I will tell you. I won't be back. Never again. And don't worry about calling my patients. When I get home, I'll call and will inform them all I moved on to better things," I said, handing her a letter I wrote this morning. "This is for you."
~~~~~~~~~~
