AN: Here's chapter 27 for all of you. I hope you enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it :)
Two years into living together and one year into our relationship, I was working in an office as a secretary. Though I had no proper identification or paperwork to speak of, Remy was able to call in a couple favors for me. It was odd how easily I slid into the world I was creating with Remy. I had always thought it would be a struggle to work in such a routine environment or at least pretty damn awkward. After five years on a team of killers and mercenaries and another five on the streets, I had never even considered life as a normal person.
Even with Jo and the girls, I was always on guard and ready to leave at a moment's notice. Now my team was dead, Stryker was no longer a concern, and I had removed myself from Jo's life for their own safety. The only person I had to focus on was me – well Remy too, but he was pretty self-sufficient. In short, I could breathe. I was able to move on, and strangely enough, I was happy to be moving on with Remy.
He was ridiculous, obnoxious, and completely insane with his affections, but he was also smart, kind, and oddly endearing. And after two years in each other's company I was used to Remy's attentions and had for the most part stopped fighting them…nearly.
I tried to get him to stop sending shit to me at work and started telling security to send back any deliveries that were for me. But Remy, that sneaky shit, found a way to circumvent my efforts. He started sending packages to the other girls in the office with instructions to present them to me.
I almost wish I hadn't gotten on so well with everyone so I could tell Remy that he was pissing people off, but they were bizarrely welcoming. They also found Remy's obsession with sending me gifts hilarious, and the more embarrassing they were, the better. One day after a particularly lovely evening together filled rather rousing series of sexual escapades, he sent a package to the girl at the next desk. To say I was mortified by the edible underwear Dani began tossing around the office, would have been the understatement of the century.
It took a lot of swearing and a punch to the gut to ensure Remy never pulled such a stunt again. That of course didn't stop other presents from making their way into the office. One in particular…God what a mess. I would have preferred more underwear…
"Norah." I looked up at the sound of Dani's sing song voice.
"What's up – oh shit." Dani being called to the front desk should have been my first clue that something was going on. Instead, I had ignored my instincts and was now face to face with a package the size of my torso.
"What do you think's in it?" she asked brightly as she sat down on my desk. Dani was only nineteen and found Remy's obsession with surprising me utterly romantic.
"Please be a puppy!" Sara called from across the room. I rolled my eyes and placed my head in my hands with a groan.
"There's no holes, so unless he sent her a dead animal, I doubt it's a puppy," Dani replied. "Maybe it's a necklace?"
CeCe and Sara scoffed. "That box is big enough to hold a small child! It's not a goddamn necklace," Sara stated. "Oh my God –"
I looked up with wide eyes. "Don't –"
"What if he got you a kid?" Before I had the chance to explain how ridiculous that idea was, Dani threw a stapler at Cece.
"Don't be stupid!" she cried. "Who the fuck mails a kid? And why would a kid be more likely than a fricken' puppy?" I ducked as the stapler was sent flying back toward me and Dani. I barely paid attention as the others continued throwing out ideas, each one more ridiculous than the last. Except for the kid concept…that was just fucking moronic.
I jumped as Dani placed the box in my arms while she went over to argue more with CecCe and Sara about what makes a worthwhile gift. Eyeing the box, I released a sigh and wondered what would require such a large container. The whole thing weighed very little, and there was no sound within when I gave it a gentle shake.
"What did you do, Remy?" I muttered. Glancing across my desk, I grabbed a scissors to cut through the packing tape. I slipped the blade between the flaps and gently made to open the box.
"Guys, I'm opening the –" A scream replaced the intended end of my sentence as the package burst open with an explosion of confetti and glitter. I sat frozen as the glitter continued to fall around me. Finally, I allowed the now (mostly) empty box to slide from my lap while turning in my seat toward my friends. To call the squawking coming from their mouths laughter would have been a lie to rival all others. I could feel my face grow red, though I'm sure no one noticed considering I was completely covered in the herpes of the craft world.
I knew Dani was calling to me, but what she was saying was lost to me. The disbelief brought a rushing to my ears as I struggled to come to terms with the utter insanity that had just taken place. I moved to brush the glitter from my face, but checked myself upon the realization that my hands were just as coated as the rest of me.
"What…the…fuck!" I finally shrieked. I pushed myself from my swivel chair, unsettling the glitter once more. "What the fuck!" I cried again as I turned in a circle confirming that yes, a box of glitter had just exploded all over me and at work.
"Oh man, Norah…are you okay?" Dani questioned, unable to hide the amusement in her voice. I shot a glare her way and screamed once more.
"No! I am not all right, Dani…look at me!" I could hardly believe what had just happened. I took a breath and released it slowly. "He sent me a box with the express purpose of it exploding glitter all over me. At work. In front of people. What the hell was he thinking?"
"Is there a note?" I whirled around to face CeCe who, to her credit, was doing a better job of containing her laughter than the others.
"I don't know," I grumbled angrily. "I haven't thought to check for a note amongst this God forsaken Hell…"
"Hold up; I got it." I watch Dani walk over and pick of a small notecard from the floor a few feet from my position. "It says…"Good morning, cheri, and congratulations!""
"And?"
She only shook her head. "That's all it says."
"Flip it over," Sara called, determinedly staying on the other side of the room.
"Nothing…" she confirmed. Dani looked at me, eyebrows raised. "Congratulations for what?"
I raised my arms and shook my head in a huff. "No freaking clue. I haven't –"
"What the Hell is going on here?" The four of us turned to meet the disbelieving glares of our respective bosses. I felt my face heating up again as their gazes zeroed in on my appearance and the mess of multicolored glitter encircling me in a four foot radius.
"Norah!" I snapped to attention and cringed at the anger in Mr. Jamison's voice.
"I don't know, Sir…I'm so sorry!" I cried. I knelt to the ground and desperately began trying to scoop the offending mess back into the box. "Someone sent this. I don't know who," I lied. "It must have been a joke or something. I'm so sorry." I barely noticed as Dani, CeCe, and even Sara the neat freak rushed over to try and help me.
"Oh I'm sure we all know who did this…" CeCe's boss mumbled.
"I've turned a blind eye to all this before, because you're a good worker, but this is ridiculous! What if a client comes in…or RJ! Look at me!" I raised my eyes from the floor to meet Mr. Jamison's hard gaze and clenched my jaw.
"You need to handle this, Norah," he ordered coldly. "I mean it."
"Yes, Sir."
"And clean this shit up. You are not to leave this building until every bit is gone, do you understand me?"
"Yes, Sir." I watched the four men stomp away to their individual offices before allowing myself to fall from my knees to my ass.
"I'm going to kill him," I muttered. "I'm actually going to kill him." I coughed and sent another shower of glitter from my hair. Watching it settle around me, I shook my head. "How am I supposed to clean this up when every time I move it's a goddamn snow globe effect?"
"Don't worry," Dani murmured as she apparently sensed I was moments away from either breaking down or breaking Remy's face.
"It's a slow day. Sara, you handle what work is left." I watched as Sarah stood and quickly started grabbing the files and papers from all the desks while trying to avoid as much glitter as possible.
"CeCe, get the vacuum…the good one with the hose. We need to get as much of this shit off Norah as possible before anything else." CeCe hurried off to steal the good vacuum from the offices upstairs, and Dani turned to me.
"And Norah…just try not to move." I started nodding, but Dani glared. "What did I just say?"
"Sorry…"
As we waited for CeCe to return, I listened silently to Sara typing from across the room. She was easily the fastest of all of us, and I knew the extra work wouldn't take her too much longer.
"Don't be mad at Remy." I glanced over to Dani who had pulled a hand broom from her desk and was slowly sweeping the outer most glitter splotches.
"Dani, he –"
"No, I know…it's just – he really cares, you know?" She looked at me and smiled. "He's a little clueless sometimes, but really…do you realize how unbelievably sweet he is? Or how many girls would kill for someone who looks for any reason to make you smile?"
"Oh come on." I rolled my eyes. She raised one eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my protestations.
"He sent you two dozen roses with a card literally thanking you for being a redhead."
"That's beside –"
"I got the vacuum, guys!" I looked over to CeCe who looked far more breathless than really necessary. "Sorry I took so long! I barely got away before Jamie from IT was able to finagle a date out of me."
"Anyway…" Dani finished standing up and holding her hand out to me. "Just don't do anything you know you'll regret later." I pursed my lips before finally offering up a slight nod in agreement. She laughed as she pulled me to my feet and shot me a smile. "At least not until you know why he's congratulating you!"