Wounds to Bind Chapter 28 – 'The closer you think you are, the less you'll actually see.'–Daniel Atlas, Now You See Me

November 1 – CPOV

We're fucking. Fucking hard, in the elevator at Escala. SHE. IS. MINE. I bury myself in her, again and again. Glorying in the feel of her, her smell, her taste. Fisting my hand in her hair, holding her in place. Holding her ass. Her legs wrapped around my ass. She cannot move, she's pinned against the elevator wall. Wrapped around me like silk. Her hands pulling my hair. Kissing me. Our tongues mating in an erotic dance. This is the place I want to be… inside her… SHE. IS. MINE. Her muscles tighten as she comes, clenching around me, her eyes locking onto mine. "Come for me!" I growl at her, grinding as hard as I can into her. She cries out and I follow…oh god yes, my Ana, mine!

I burst into awareness. Hell! I'm a sticky mess…I had a wet dream about Ana again. I blame that damned costume she wore yesterday. So cool…so classic…god, she would be a dream dancing partner in that dress…I want her so much.

Now that I'm awake for a while, I shower and raid the Security Office for hot fresh coffee. I fire off an email to Grey House HR to send updated professional dress rules to all the staff at Grey House, Grey Annex and GEH subsidiaries. Ms. Hudson swore she didn't know the rules. She was told she could wear a Halloween costume, but was not given guidelines. She gave Elizabeth Morgan a scorching look which almost caused me to give Hudson a pass on her costume. I don't want to see another young woman flaunting herself, especially when married men are required to work closely with them. I don't understand the need for young women to dress like sluts on Halloween. Grey House HR stopped that tradition our second Halloween. I saw more tits, ass and legs our first Halloween in Grey House than a man at a strip club. Tricks and treats… tarts and tramps.

I email Barney; I ask him to pull the CCTV from Grey Publishing for this week. I will have GEH HR review Miss Clerical Trainee's clothes. If there isn't an improvement by Friday, there will be an appropriate attire conversation. We don't need sexual harassment charges filed by any staff member. HR will ensure the email tactfully states inappropriate clothing is distracting and makes a business look unprofessional.

I had a thought yesterday which I need to toss around with Ros. I asked HR to tell me how many parents we have working for us. Behind Grey Annex is a two-story building with enough outdoor space to create a playground. We'll need to install a ten-foot-tall chain link fence around the playground and create a covered parking area for parents to drop off children. There's parking on the lower level of the building for staff. There's space on the first floor which can be separated into administration, nursing, custodians, a cafeteria/kitchen, a staff lounge, and a large open play area. The second floor can be renovated with age or ability appropriate rooms. Elliot can create children-sized bathrooms and adult-sized bathrooms. I write as I muse.

We can open at six a.m. and close at seven p.m. so parents have someone to watch children before and after school. Mia can coordinate a job fair with HR to find and hire childcare staff, cafeteria workers, nurse/nurse aides, etc. We need equipment and supplies. Mia can help coordinate with Gwen. I can ask Mom to join our board of directors. Her pediatric background adds cachet to the endeavor.

Gwen has her master's degree; she could be the director. She could take classes for her doctorate. Whenever when she and Ros have their baby, she will need maternity leave. Afterwards, she can take the baby to work with her daily. Ros and I will determine the need for Grey House/Grey Annex employees, and if Gwen wants to tackle the situation. HR can research fee comparisons for us. I want to offer a flat fee for families. I don't know how people pay the equivalent of a mortgage payment in childcare fees each month. Grey House can offer subsidized childcare as a salary perk.

I have time to review my schedule for the week. Seeing John on Wednesday is essential. I have a night terror once or twice a week, but the Ana dreams and wet dreams are occurring once or twice a week also. I wonder if I have Ana dreams because of the CCTV loop which puts me to sleep. I wish my brain would work out this conundrum.

XXX – APOV

"Kate, please don't nag, my head hurts. I've been released and Dad is taking me to Montesano. The doctor said I shouldn't be alone because of the concussion. I'm going to lay around until I feel better. Dad has consignment projects to finish before Thanksgiving and twice as many to complete before Christmas. Laura offered to help." The door to the room opened and Sawyer appeared. I bite my lip hard to keep from bursting into tears. Damn that hurts! What fresh shade of hell is this? Is Christian here?

"My head hurts too. I've got a Halloween hangover from hell. So does Elliot. I'm fairly certain Mia is worse for wear this morning too." Kate had the good grace to hang her head. "We showed up here…a little drunk…"

"A lot drunk," Dad interjected. "I intercepted them on a homing mission to your room and turned them over to Sawyer."

"The terrible trio managed to evade their close protection detail. I arranged transport to Kate's condo so they could sleep it off. I just wanted to know if you're feeling better. The police let us move your car to your condo early this morning." Sawyer handed the keys to Dad. "I'm heading to Kate's to pick up Mia and get her to Grey Annex by nine. If she doesn't show at work to open the doors, Mr. Grey will kick my ass. I was off work last night, but I need to discuss how to keep an eye on you jokers with security staff." Sawyer cast an ominous look at Kate.

"So why were you at Safe Streets last night? Dressed like the Mummy?" I blurt my thoughts. Christian's men in black henchmen with their stealth ninja moves make me suspicious. Not to mention Seattle Times, Kavanagh Media and hundreds of smart phones have pictures of the Mummy and me.

"You were doing a favor for the Seattle Public Library…I was doing a favor for a friend who belongs to the Washington National Guard." Sawyer explained. "Harrison and Stanton were here last night also. They saw your car sitting in the parking lot when they left WSCC last night. One of the security guards told them you were attacked and transported to Northwest. Your dad talked to Harrison and Stanton and then sent them home."

"Everyone out." Dad ordered. "Once Annie is dressed, we're out of here. I paid your hospital and doctor bills. I picked up the prescription for your pain pills at the hospital pharmacy. Your doctor faxed your office. He put you on medical leave until next Monday morning. A copy is in the bag with your underwear, handbag and shoes from last night. The police took your dress and jacket for evidence. Shawn will deal with the costume shop about the jacket. Not this Saturday, but next Saturday, you can have your knee stitches removed. Knee lacerations take longer to heal because of standing, walking, bending your knee, etc. I'm guarding the door so you can get dressed without an audience."

"I'm sorry you have to go to Ray's house," Kate apologized. "I have research/background appointments every day this week for upcoming Thanksgiving articles. I also have night events for Seattle Times and for Dad. If you have any good ideas for December news articles, email them to me."

"Urge people to buy from small businesses and local craftsmen on Local Business Saturday after Thanksgiving," Dad recommended to Kate. "Urge them to buy from local craftsmen who have websites on Cyber Monday."

Kate hugged me goodbye and departed with Sawyer.

XXX – 3PPOV

"I'm not kidding Taylor. I want to know who did this to my daughter…and I want to know if her attack is associated with your boss. I'll refrain from calling Grey an asshole until I have proof this is his fault." Ray started to leave the grocery store near Annie's condo. "What the hell?"

"What?" Taylor was on high alert.

"What's Annie up to? I left her in my truck. Oh…wait. Christ, how many Annie look-alikes live in this area?" Ray observed the brunette sitting at the bus stop. "I'm on my way back to Montesano with Annie. I will tell her I asked you to have someone keep an eye on her from time to time. First the damned car Grey gave her is vandalized; then his helicopter may have been sabotaged; now she's assaulted at an event where Sawyer is present! If I find out Grey was the reason she was assaulted, he's going to answer to me." Ray hung up his phone.

XXX – APOV

Dad stopped at a grocery store on the way home to purchase some fresh fruits, bottled green tea with ginger, and wet wipes for me. I can't shower for forty-eight hours and he didn't want me pushing myself then. The green tea will keep me hydrated and the ginger will promote healing. Fresh fruits will be a quick healthy snack for both of us. Damn…I will miss my appointment with Mary tonight because I was mugged. I email her. Dad bought a Seattle Times newspaper with the groceries. "I'm glad you got a couple good laughs before you got mugged. You need to email the pictures link to your mother."

I open the paper to the lifestyle section. Two pictures feature me reading to the children and the staged picture between Sawyer and me with the haunted house. I search the police blotter for the report of a mugging at WSCC. Yeah, my assault is listed there also. "Unless I want the third degree about where Christian is and who is wearing the Mummy costume…I think I'll pass on emailing Mom. Unless you told her I was in the hospital."

"I swear on crossed hammers I didn't tell your mother a thing. However, Kate may have posted a link on Facebook, which means your mother already knows. Let's go home, I want to keep an eye on you." Dad gently kissed my bruised forehead, settled me in the back seat of his truck with a soft pillow and a warm blanket. Dad's favorite rock station plays saints and angels songs today in honor of All Saints Day, I fall asleep to Jimi Hendrix playing Angel…Angel came down from heaven yesterday, She stayed with me just long enough to rescue me…

XXX – 3PPOV

"The condo is secure," Reynolds phoned Taylor. "I checked; Miss Steele's car is intact…except I removed a tracker I found. I'll bring the tracker to you for examination. I did a perimeter search. Not a doppelganger in a five-block radius. I searched at the grocery store Ray Steele used. I didn't see a single petite brunette in the twenty minutes I drove around the area. What do you want me to work on while Miss Steele is out of town?"

"Check costume shop rentals within one hundred miles. You are looking for a petite brunette who hired a pink ballet tutu, pink ballet slippers and a pink feathered mask. I'll check with Barney to see if we can get a picture. If that search doesn't yield anything, break the costume down into parts and see if you can discover where the parts came from." Taylor ordered. "The police suggested we scour thrift shops to see if the attacker dumped the costume, like the implements used to vandalize the Audi."

XXX

Barney got a Google alert on Anastasia Steele. He forwarded copies of the Seattle Times pictures to Grey. He forwarded a copy of the police blotter to Grey, who would not be a happy man. The police already pulled the CCTV tapes from WSCC. Barney might get a copy of the CCTV if he hacked and bypassed security protocols at WSCC, but hacking was not his first choice of things to do today.

XXX

"Sawyer! What the fuck were you doing last night?" Grey snapped.

"Keeping an eye on your girl…and let me tell you …she does not make following her an easy task! I saw the attack and reported to the police while waiting for an ambulance…otherwise I would have followed the ballerina. By the way, I was off duty last night so your sister, brother and his paramour getting drunk and stupid is NOT ON ME." Sawyer paused. "I stayed with Miss Steele even after her father got to the hospital. He turfed Elliot, Kate, Mia, Harrison and Stanton. I took Mia, Kate and Elliot to Kate's condo to let them sleep off their buzz."

"What the fuck were Harrison and Stanton doing there?" Grey yelled again.

"They talked her into working Safe Streets. She read to kids. I worked the climbing wall." Sawyer explained. "Stanton needed a copy of the police statement to give to the costume shop which owns the faux fur jacket Miss Steele wore last night. Also, Raymond Steele talked to Taylor about a CPO for Miss Steele. He's not happy about the Audi getting vandalized and now Miss Steele getting mugged. He believes all of this is happening because of you."

XXX

Leila checked her face. Ana's elbow caused a black eye. She couldn't go out looking like this. As much as Sir and his men underestimated her, the black eye would make her noticeable. She could use the down time to make plans. Her room needed cleaned. Her clothes needed cleaned. She had to get rid of her costume. She had her computer, adequate funds and her phone. She could lay low here until the black eye faded. She needed ten days of food, cleaning supplies and today's newspaper.

Elena chortled with joy when Leila told her why she needed help. She agreed to send Isaac. If Isaac asked, Leila was to explain a john got rough. Elena ordered her to prepare a grocery list, and bag the clothes for the cleaners. She offered to get rid of the costume, but Leila lied and said she stuffed it at the bottom of a burn barrel where the homeless hung out.

Leila wondered how to repay Ana for the black eye. While cleaning her room, Leila concentrated on plans. She made, fine-tuned, and discarded ideas until one idea on how to fuck with Ana seemed foolproof. With a piece of paper, pen and computer – she found information for three publishing companies and the names and contact information for two large online resume sites. With her laptop, she was able to access a picture of the Mummy dancing with Ana. She was also able to access the article submission URL of Seattle Nooz.

In the dark, in a WSUV hoody, with careful makeup, no one would look twice at her while she made her way to the café. At midnight, in the women's bathroom at Cacophony Coffee Café, Leila uploaded the picture and a juicy tidbit: "Knowledgeable sources say Christian Grey attended Safe Streets at WSCC incognito last night with Anastasia Steele. Miss Steele works at Grey Publishing, a subsidiary of Grey House. Rumor says Holly Go-Lightly scored the billionaire Mummy's singular attention."

XXX – APOV

Why the hell am I in a haunted house? I don't like them…but this is building sized haunted house set from Halloween. I danced with the Mummy…who was Christian from the way he stood me on his feet and held my waist as we danced to Witchcraft. We're gliding across the room, and I'm laughing…but the ballerina pirouettes into the room and knocks me out of his arms. He freezes…unable to move because she's touching his chest. I try to call out, but I'm gagged with my black gloves from my costume. She peels off her headdress…and she is me. She tells Christian she prefers the red room of pain instead of being mugged in a garage.

I'm awake in an instant. God, do I really want to think about this? Can I blame the pain pill I took for my headache? I was out like a rock…the clock denotes late afternoon. I smell…pizza! My stomach rumbles.

November 2, 3, 4

Laura showed up between classes to help Ray and Ana. Ana looked like hell, but seemed to become herself again as they moved toward the weekend. She convinced Ana to sit on the patio in the sun, wrapped in a warm quilt. They had great conversations about Ray, fishing, her puppies and cooking. They talked about BBC America and Ana's plans to go to England and Italy someday. They talked about her abhorrence of shopping and her love of books and reading.

Annie couldn't concentrate for long periods of time until around noon on Friday. She tired easily and Ray made her rest. When she was restless and needed to do something, he found busy work for her which didn't involve tools or the stove. He had her clean and polish locks, oiling the locking mechanisms and sealing them with their keys in individual plastic bags. Annie researched locks, dating them for use in future furniture repair. Once Annie identified the dates for all the locks, she created labels with time period and possible uses. She filed them in chronological order in a wooden channel box so Ray could flip through them to find the one he wanted.

XXX

Christian yelled at Welch, Taylor and Sawyer. There were no leads on Leila. There were no leads on the ballerina costume. The CPOs observing Elena had not seen Leila near Elena, but they admitted they lost track of Elena over a dozen times.

Barney hacked the WSCC and managed to get the footage of Miss Steele being attacked. Despite being knocked down, Miss Steele managed to put her knee in her attacker's ribs and her elbow in her attacker's face. He sent the footage to Taylor. Maybe if Miss Steele cracked her attacker's ribs – there might be hospital reports.

Ana was in Montesano with Ray Steele, so Grey Security had no updates to share. Christian sent Reynolds to observe and not interact unless Miss Steele was in danger. He argued with John and Welch over investigating Mary Bayer and the Women's Health Clinic. John said Dr. Bayer was bound by doctor-patient confidentiality. Whatever Ana said to her was none of Christian's business. Christian argued he did not need to know the minutiae of Ana and Dr. Bayer's conversation; however, he wanted assurance Ana was secure when visiting the business.

Barney replaced the smart phone Grey destroyed when Sam from Communications inquired about Seattle Nooz alert. Someone claimed the Mummy from Safe Streets was him, and he was there with Anastasia Steele. He told Sam to discuss the issue with Luke Sawyer.

Saturday, November 5 – APOV

Kate's gone with Elliot for the day, so I can't email or text her. I feel guilty about interrupting their time together. I call Mom and tell her what happened. She's freaked out about the assault. Then she is upset because I haven't reconciled with Christian. She suggests I would be safer if I was with him. If I wanted to, I could perform charitable work with Christian and bodyguard protection. She lectures me about how I should have gone to Escala to let Christian care for me instead of running home to Dad's house. FINE, MOM… I explain since we don't see eye-to-eye on the subject of Christian Trevelyan Grey, perhaps he should not be a topic of conversation between us anymore. We strain to say a civil goodbye to each other.

When I can think about my situation, I upload a dozen synopses into the manuscript server for this week. While I rested this week, I read self-improvement websites. The one thing I learned this week was Write and Light. Write down a fear, worry or complaint on flash paper. Light, and watch it burn.

I'm buying some flash paper online. When the paper arrives, I can write down the things Mom does that vex me, followed by lighting and watching it flame up, up and away. After buying the flash paper, I'm going to go stand on Dad's patio, release half a dozen silent primal screams in my head. Then I'm emailing my therapist. Dad knows I called Mom.

"I know you are already unhappy with your mother…so now I must be honest. I think Taylor and his men should keep an eye on you when you return to Seattle. I don't know who vandalized the Audi or who attacked you – but I don't want anything like that to happen again." Dad fastens his steely eyes on me.

"I'm not…" I pause. "I think..." I pause again. "I'm not comfortable with Christian Grey's security. I don't know if I'm being targeted by one of Christian's stalkers. I think asking his security team to keep an eye on me is a conflict of interest. Before I leave, we will create a list of things for me to do to be safe, but I'm not convinced about Taylor and his band of unmerry men. Additionally, Elliot's CPO, Anders, practically lives with us when he's guarding Elliot."

"I'd would not push this issue if Ethan were still living with you. You have your gun and know self-defense. I'm not worried about security when you are at work. I want you to stop taking mass transport to work. You have a secure parking space. Either drive, or let one of Grey's men drive you. Have security walk the perimeter of the condo. If someone can vandalize the Audi, I'm not convinced your building is secure." Dad argued.

"I'll drive myself," Independent Ana asserts herself. "I will also keep a better watch on the persons around me. I won't go to my car without pepper spray and keys in hand. Ditto with approaching our condo door. Instead of shopping, I can have groceries delivered. If I'm out with friends, there's safety in numbers. If I'm out with Kate…she probably has a Grey ordered CPO."

"After dinner let's go on Pinterest and see what we can find for DIY projects," Laura suggested to Dad. I suspect she's attempting to diffuse the situation between us. "We have an inventory list of the storage sheds."

"You finished inventorying the storage sheds?" I am amazed.

"Yes," Dad rolled his eyes at me. "Laura assigned the task for my final class project. So, I inventoried for three days and tweaked the database you created. The guys came over when we had nice weather. We emptied the sheds, cleaned and organized, plus I took pictures. I had forgotten about a few completed projects. Now they are in one central location. One shed has completed projects, one shed has projects in progress and two sheds hold materials and supplies. I even inventoried the main workshop, including the tools, screws, nails, etc."

"Ray found one hundred picture frames he rescued from sales over the last few years. I saw a site with fifty ideas on how to repurpose frames," Laura explained. "We think the guys can prep the frames to sell at the December show. They also need to finish children's kitchens, a dozen armoires, dressers and chests of drawers."

"Will you create a lock worksheet in my inventory database? I need you to enter the lock information along with a thumbnail picture of the lock. Your database organizes me for the sale and for the business. I'm not having to stop in the middle of a project to buy screws and nails because I have them all sorted, labeled and organized." Dad praised me.

Just like that…tools have brought us together and we are past the sticky issues of Christian and Grey House security.

XXX – 3PPOV

Sabine shopped at Pike Place Market Sunday morning. Aedan loved Guinness marinated salmon. But there was something fishy in his observations which had nothing to do with the fresh seafood on display. Sabine picked up a creeper while shopping. She might have been oblivious to her creeper, but Aedan was not.

Aedan grabbed Jack Hyde from behind and threw him ten feet away from his wife. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY WIFE!" Aedan roared at him. "Why are you following Sabine?"

Jack shook his head, clearing away the hangover clouding his vision and his actions. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I thought she was someone else."

"Well, you obviously don't know that person very well if you mistook my wife for her. I know my wife anywhere – how she walks, how she talks, how she stands." Aedan roared again. "You will stay five hundred feet away from my wife in the future. If you don't, I will haul you to a quiet, private hell and let a whole bunch of men kick your ass and make you forget your name."

Jack held his hands up, shoulder high, "Sorry, but I really thought she was someone I know who lives near here and shops here a lot." He offered to shake hands but Aedan wasn't playing nice.

"Get the fuck out of here and don't come near my wife again. Make sure you know who you are following from now on." Aedan placed himself between Sabine and the creeper.

When the creeper left, Sabine paid for the large fresh salmon she wanted, and followed Aedan, holding his hand tightly. They bought vegetables and fruit before leaving Pike Place Market. Aedan escorted Sabine to an older model red Audi. Aedan opened the door for Sabine after dropping a kiss to her lips and brushing an errant curl over her shoulder. She gave him a tremulous smile and settled herself in the car.

XXX

Jake Striker watched as Jack Hyde followed the brunette. Striker followed him because he also thought the petite brunette was Miss Steele. He'd reveal who he was and who hired him if necessary. Keeping the young woman safe was priority one. Even though he was no longer assigned to her, he still had questions. He was surprised to see Miss Steele walking around after her mugging.

Striker taped Jack Hyde's actions, in case he needed to inform Grey. He counted himself lucky the Irish bodybuilder didn't think he was interested in the brunette. Striker took great pleasure in seeing Jack Hyde fly through the air and land on his ass. Yes, the brunette was almost a doppelganger for Miss Steele. Upon closer inspection, he realized her hair was a shade darker and her eyes were sapphire blue. However, what interested him was the red Audi. How many brunettes in Seattle owned a red Audi? He checked his records – a red Audi, previously owned by Anastasia Steele, loaned to Katherine Kavanagh, was vandalized September 25 in the garage at Miss Steele's condo. He jotted down the license plate as the couple drove away. He had research to do, but he headed to Starbucks first.

November 6

Email from Elliot to Grace: Mom, can't come to dinner. Kate says thanks for the invitation but she and Laura are helping Ana make half a dozen lasagnas. Ray and Laura will go back to Montesano after dinner. We feel guilty about Ana recuperating in Montesano this week, but both Kate and I were busy. Ana swears she's fine and none of us should worry. She wants to know if Ray can take her stitches out next Saturday instead of going to a clinic over a holiday weekend.

Email from Grace to Elliot: Understand about company. Have a good dinner. Tell Ana I'm having lunch on the tenth in Mia's office to iron out last minute details for Aspen trip. I can take her stitches out then if she prefers.

Email from Elliot to Grace: Ana says yes, but lunch is on her. She thanks you. Ray says thank you too.

Monday, November 7 – APOV

"Are you seeking a new job?" Elizabeth Morgan didn't bother to say hello or extend any pleasantries before planting herself at Ana's cubicle and demanding information.

"Good morning to you too, Elizabeth." I slip off my sneakers and put on a pair of penny loafers, "No I am not seeking a new job. Why?"

"I received three phone calls from publishing companies last week: asking about your work history, your work ethics, etc." Elizabeth frowned.

"Do you remember any of the companies or names of who called?" I put things in my tote away. "This is too weird."

"I remember they were from New York, Boston and Chicago. The Boston caller claimed they found your résumé online," Elizabeth huffed. "I searched for your resume without luck."

"I don't know what's going on, but I'm not seeking a new job." I put my purse in the bottom drawer of the desk and turned on my computer. "I'll be honest with you; I didn't even check work emails after Monday."

"Good, I wouldn't appreciate you using SIP…GP as a stepping stone to better yourself." Elizabeth stared at me for a minute. "I received a directive from Grey House Human Resources last Thursday. Normally an intern would not be eligible for sick leave or annual leave. However, they reminded me you have four remaining days of leave which were granted to you for working the week of the move. We'll use those days to cover your absence last week. I would prefer you contact me if you have HR issues. You have five days of leave remaining. You are not eligible to use them until after your one-hundred-and-eighty-day employee evaluation. You need to decide if you will use them at Christmas, because you must submit the paperwork by Thursday."

"If there are further inquiries about me in regard to seeking a new job, please ask the name of the caller and their company. Be sure to get the exact URL where they saw a résumé with my name. I feel like I've been punked and I'm not happy." I forgot I could use my leave time from moving to cover me for last week. I appreciate Grey House HR looking out for me, but I need to learn to handle adult things. I need to read the HR portion of employee handbook on the GP server. I also need to find the faux resume and the originating URL.

XXX

I throw Mia's Interdepartmental mail in my desk drawer with my purse. I'm not reading her mail until there's no one around. Of course, with those string closures, one never knows who has looked at the mail or not. I have lots of work to catch up on. Seems no one has touched Jack's mail while I have been out, or entered manuscripts into the database, or printed any author letters to be mailed. What is going on with the training for the new clerical trainee? Jack comes off the elevator in a foul mood. He slaps last Tuesday's Seattle Times on my desk.

"The next time you party too hearty and can't come to work, I'll have you fired," he threatened me. The smell of his Irish coffee for breakfast makes me a bit nauseous.

I stood and observed staff watching the interplay between Hyde and me. "I was mugged, not hung over. A copy of the police report and doctor's excuse were faxed to Ms. Morgan. I am not responsible if she did not share the information with you. The next time you jump to inaccurate conclusions and voice them so everyone in the editorial area hears you, I will sue you for defamation of character."

"Defamation of character, my ass," Jack argued. "I might have believed your medical excuse except I saw you walking around Pike Place Market Tuesday night."

"You saw my doppelganger then," I retorted. "My father took me to Montesano after I was released from the hospital Tuesday morning. My roommate, her boyfriend and Elliot's bodyguard can testify to my whereabouts. I cancelled a standing appointment on Tuesday evening and which is not held at Pike Place Market."

Jack spins on his heel and marches away, slamming his office door behind him.

I observed our gawkers who suddenly had better places to be than watching Jack and me. I resumed sorting his pile of mail. I'm not the one who drank his breakfast and came to work buzzed! My uncharitable thoughts sting me. Remove negative people from your life, don't absorb their negativity. When is that damned flash paper going to arrive?

Less than fifteen minutes later, Jack emerged from his office. He announced he's going to see Elizabeth and stalked off. I leave the folder with his opened mail on his desk. I pull out Mia's envelope and go to the bathroom to read.

Mia extended an invitation to go to New York with Kate over Veterans Day weekend. They are buying clothes for the holiday season. Christian wants to introduce Mia to her new business partners there. Sheesh! There's also an invitation to go to Aspen with the Grey family over Thanksgiving. I text Mia. I'm spending those two weekends working for Dad in Montesano. I thank her for the kind invitation. I ask her to have lunch with me today. We can get sandwiches from the cart or go to the cafeteria. Mia texts back that she is having lunch with a client. She asks me to lunch on Thursday and I agree.

XXX

Jack asks me to pick up lunch for him. I suggest he send the new clerical trainee. Those tasks are part of her work performance standards. My response prompts a gleam in his eye. I hope the new trainee has an established personal space.

I get a bottle of green tea and a veggie wrap from the sandwich cart. I work through lunch to enter a pile of manuscripts in the manuscript database. Last break Jessica from IT and I go to the cafeteria. I explain my father doesn't want me to use public transportation since the mugging. He wants me to drive daily and use my Grey Annex parking space. She understands my need for the parking space and doesn't hold a grudge. I buy her a latte and cookie to ease my conscious.

Jessica stops at my cubicle and takes four bins of manuscripts on a hand truck to IT. The manuscripts are in my bloody way. I know Jack stacked those manuscripts in my cubicle as one of his patented passive/aggressive actions. When Jessica returns for the other four bins, she asks, "IT wants to know if you got the email about manuscripts."

I search my email, junk mail, deleted mail… there are no messages from IT about manuscripts. Jessica says the email was sent on Tuesday and she tells me the title, but I cannot locate the email.

"I'm sorry we missed notifying you," Jessica apologizes. "I'll resend the email when I get back to IT. Mr. Roach talked to IT last month. Starting November first we have a new protocol. We scan and upload the manuscript into the server. We create a new entry in the manuscript database, since we have the server link information."

"I am saved despite the fact I entered those sixty manuscripts in the database?" I pout...and I don't think my face was pretty.

Jessica nodded. "Manuscripts are supposed to be routed to us first for sorting. Updated manuscripts go to the editors working on them. Support staff will update the information in the database as editors and staff work on manuscripts. I'll talk to the mailroom and remind them of the new protocol. With those sixty in the database, I can get started scanning them and add the server link to what you've done. We'll make it work."

"You guys rock. I need a printout of when the email was originally sent, opened, deleted, and resent to me. I also need a printout of the sixty manuscripts I entered in the database erroneously since I didn't have the email to guide me." Jessica promises to send them as documents attached to an email today.

How did I miss the email…and are there other emails I missed last week? Is Jack accessing my emails? How is he accessing my emails since we have a new server and new passwords? I suspect he delete that email and then stored all the manuscripts he obtains in my cubicle. He didn't expect me to enter all of them in the database today. I don't know what his plan is…but when I finish here, I'm going home, taking a bath and going to bed. I read at every opportunity last week, and I'm twenty manuscripts ahead.

I spend the last quarter of the afternoon printing and mailing author letters, copying and filing. I keep my head down until the end of the day. Then I upload three manuscript synopses for today.

Instead of leaving the building, I go upstairs to Grey Calendars. I ask Mia if I can hang out for about half an hour. I explain I'm waiting for my boss to leave the building. Then I'm going back down to my desk to clear off work which piled up last week. She sends Sawyer to get sandwiches and drinks for us from Swine and Wine. We chat, we eat, we recharge, and we both go back to work. She hugs me and says how bad she feels about my mugging. I hug back and tell her I'm healed, but I thank her for worrying about me.

Mia asks Sawyer to make sure my boss leaves the building. He reports when everyone is gone from Grey Publishing and escorts me back to my desk. He introduces me to Samantha Prescott who works for Grey Annex Security, and asks if she can please stay with me while I work. I agree. I don't want to be alone if Jack comes back. I ask her to have Security notify her if anyone from Grey Publishing comes back to the building tonight.

Close to nine, Mia calls me and says she's leaving the building. I shut down my computer. Prescott escorts me to my car and then she disappears. When I'm leaving Grey Annex, Mia and Sawyer are in the black SUV behind me and another black SUV pulls up behind them. I hope Prescott is in that SUV. I watch the light change, signaling we can all go our own way.