The clock hit 7 am, and the stupid alarm I set earlier blared. I couldn't believe I was up so early after the crazy night I had. Why did I do this to myself? I groaned, my head pounding like crazy. Dragging myself up, I stumbled into the bathroom. Grabbed a couple of Advil, no time for water. Stripped down and jumped into a freezing cold shower – needed something to wake me up.
After a quick 20-minute shower, I rushed out, teeth brushed, face washed with that Cetaphil stuff. Did my lashes in like 30 minutes – my usual routine. Checked the time, and it's 8 am already. "Crap!" I muttered, but then remembered my kid wasn't home, so I could swear if I wanted to.
No time for full-on makeup, so I just lined my lips and slapped on clear gloss – always works. Bolted out of the bathroom, changed into a white blouse and a black pencil skirt that barely covered my knees. Threw my stuff in a work bag, grabbed my phone, charger, keys, and an apple. Locked up the house and hit the road to my new job. Total chaos, but here's hoping they get it.
Finally reaching work, I'm a solid 20 minutes late because I had to stop and grab something for Haven. I'm crossing my fingers that Mr. Clark cuts me some slack. This job means everything – can't keep relying on Hazel's generosity. I wish I hadn't lost my old job; I was pulling in good money, and I was a solid employee. The only reason I got the boot was because of a situation with this white coworker, Rachel. She made my life hell every day, tossing in some racist comments for good measure. Boss never did a thing about it I have a feeling they are sleeping together cause the evidence was right there and she still had a job.
One day, she spoted a picture of my daughter on my desk andbtook a cheap shot at her skin tone, saying, "Maybe if she was lighter, she'd be prettier." I don't mess around when it comes to my kid, so I grabbed her by the hair and threw a few punch at her already ugly face. I felt she had it coming after that remark, and the stuff she had said and done to me while u worked there but my boss saw it differently. Hazel had my back, saying I was right to defend Haven, but sometimes, I wonder if I should've just shut up, done my job, and spared me and my daughter from some tough times.
Walking into the workplace, a girl named Sarah, according to her tag, struck up a conversation with me.
"Hey, I'm Sarah. And you are?" she asked, clearly eager to know.
"I'm Sky, Mr. Clark's new PA," I replied confidently.
She raised an eyebrow, "You're his PA and you're late. He must really like you, 'cause the last one showed up a minute late and let's just say she left in tears." Sarah reminisced on the unfortunate incident.
Nervously, I asked, "Can you show me where his office is so I can apologize?"
"Sure, honey. Anytime," she responded. Leading me to his office, she knocked on the door, then walked away, turning around only to mouth a simple "good luck."
"It's unlocked," echoed the deep, smooth voice I'd heard on the phone yesterday, drawing me in. Craving more, I slowly opened the office door, attempting not to make too much noise as the man had his back to me.
"Please state your name and what you want," she said without looking at me.
"Sorry to be late, sir. It's Miss morgan. I got caught up doing something for my kid. Please don't fire me; I really need this job," I pleaded.
"Calm down, Sky. I would never fire you. You know, when you applied for this job, I knew you looked familiar, but I just couldn't put my mind to it until I heard your sweet voice over the phone."
As the man in the chair started to turn around, I was shocked to see my ex-boyfriend's/baby daddy's brother, Ambrose. "What the heck?" I thought in my head. How could this be happening to me right now?
"Ambrose, what the heck are you doing? Since when was your voice so deep? How, what, why?" I asked, overwhelmed by the second.
"That's no way to talk to your boss, Miss Morgan, now is it?" she said with a smirk.
"Ambrose, where the heck is your brother? Does James know I had to raise Haven all by myself for six years, no child support, nothing?" I said, anger bubbling up.
"Calm down, Sky. If I'm being honest with you, I haven't seen my brother or heard from him in four years. I don't know where my mom and dad are hiding him so he doesn't have to deal with his responsibilities. But last time I checked, you laid down with scum, and he left you like you were scum."
"How is this my fault, Ambrose? I didn't know he would leave. He told me he was ready for a kid," I said, tears dropping from my eyes.
"You always were so easy to manipulate, my dear Rose. My brother is a worthless piece of shit, and you're not the first or last woman to fall for his bull. But I told you not to mess with him, and you didn't listen. Now you must face the consequences."
"I don't need to face shit. I've been facing them for six freaking years, Ambrose."
"I know, my dear Rose, that's why I've come to save you from the messed-up life my brother had you living for six years."
"The only thing that can fix this is James. James needs to freaking fix this, Ambrose, not you."
He lunged at me, grabbing my jaw firmly but not enough to hurt me.
"Screw James, Sky. Listen to me. You don't need him. You have Haven, you have Hazel, you have yourself, and now you fucking have me. So take it or leave it."
"And why should I take it?" I asked.
"Because I'm the best thing you have to living like a queen, and I might know a way to get revenge on my sorry-ass little brother."
"Your voice has gotten deep as heck, Ambrose. I remember when I thought you were younger than him because of that."
"This happened, Rose. I'm 31 years old. You know I'm bound to sound different."
