Status: Updates every week! Conjoined story between BrittanyMorgan and I.
Planting Roses
The Lost Soul
Sally was never a dreamer, not really. But every time she thought of Tod, she could get lost for hours. Questions constantly bugged her. What had happened? Why can't she be whole again? Her alarm started ringing. It was 6 o'clock, time to get up. Sally often pondered if she even wanted to get up. She took each morning as a possible day to take a few more pills, or "accidentally" jump in front of a car. But each day went on anyway, and Sally never did a thing. That was all thanks to a fear of death. That, she knew, kept her safe.
Rain started falling hard, hitting her window pane, but she hardly took notice. She had known about the possible storm, so she set her alarm and hour early so she would make it to work on time. Sally was a lawyer, and each day she got up she regretted the day she decided to become one. She constantly felt as if she could never give her clients the rewards they deserved.
Sally grunted as she heaved her legs off the side of the bed. "I really need to loose some weight" Sally complained. She knew the walls were her friends, they can't tell anybody her secrets. They would defiantly know about her few extra brownies in the middle of the night. Finally making it to the bathroom she randomly started pulling at her face. The youthful girl she had once been was gone now, but Sally didn't feel all the happy easing into her thirties. Or to her 32's to be precise. Exactly one month away, to the date, Sally was due for another birthday party. With no friends. Again.
Sally quickly got dressed in her 'formal' work clothes expecting to see her clients early as usual. She yanked up her hair into a neat bun, and slipped on her shoes before running out the door. After locking it, she immediately regretted her decision. She forgot her umbrella again. She dashed across the street sliding smoothly into a taxi. "172 Emery Drive, please."
Looking up to see the driver, Sally suddenly realized that she wasn't alone in the taxi. "Fancy meeting you here" Henry said. Looking over, Sally realized that she had unconsciously gotten into the same taxi as her boss. Actually, worse than that. Her boss's boss. "Uh, yeah. Um, I was just headed to, um, work." Sally stammered quickly. She felt so foolish, almost as foolish as when Tod whisked her up from the ground. No, don't think of him. It'll only ruin your day, Sally thought to herself.
Henry smiled softly towards her then repeated her request. "172 Emery Drive." Sally could hardly breath as she tried to think up a response to ease the tension within the now moving taxi, but she couldn't think of anything. "So how is it being promoted to the Head Executive of the front office?" Sally asked dumbly. She could practically see the tension building between them as Henry seemed to try to put off the question. "So how's being a lawyer in the front office?" Henry quickly questioned to avoid Sally's "Well it's fine, but you didn't answer me. How is it?" Sally answered in a hesitant way. She tried not to smile to herself as Henry came to the realization he wasn't getting out of it.
"Well, um, I guess it's alright. I am often in my office doing paperwork, and when I'm done there's usually nobody around but my secretary. So it can be a pretty secluded job." Henry answered slowly as if not to upset her. Sally looked over out the window as the taxi driver slowed to a stop in front of their building. She got out as Henry paid the taxi driver, thinking about her gigantic work load waiting for her when she gets inside. I really can use a nice break, Sally thought as she watched the taxi driver merge into the busy Boston streets disappearing into the yellow and black mob of taxicabs.
Sally's day passed quickly, to her surprise. Many of her coworkers had decided on a "play day", and took the day off to go to a barbecue potluck event that they were having. Sally didn't like social events, so she decided to stay at the office catching up on work. Sally thought of how her day would be if she had gone to the barbecue. To get her mind off of paperwork, she decided to call her clients to reschedule. Nobody answered, probably curious as to why she was calling them instead of the other way around. It turned out that many of her scheduled clients didn't show up either, so she only ended up meeting one of them face to face.
His name was Otis. He had very peculiar eyes, and a soft aroma about him. He looked confidante that Sally was able to provide him with the help he needed. The longer she sat with him, the more she felt her day improve. Sally was a family lawyer, often dealing with parental custody battles. It got exhausting. But all this lovely man wanted was to find the son he never got to know. His wife took off on him years before when she was almost 8 months pregnant, and never heard from her again.
The hours seemed to slip right out of Sally's hands as they talked. She slowly discovered that he didn't want anything from his son except to apologize to him about what he had done to his mother. It wasn't like he was abusive, but he had a serious gambling problem that led to money issues. In order for him to forget about his lack of a job and money, he took up alcohol. Often times he would awake with her by his side soothing him from the aggressive hangovers. Until the morning he woke up to a completely empty house and a note by his side.
"It said: Come find me and our son when you are ready to become a father. I love you now and forever will. I will not forget you." Otis said tentatively, recalling a sad memory. "You see now why I need you to find him for me. I am ready. I know I am late, that was over 30 years ago. But I loved my wife and I hope somewhere out there she loves me too. I want to apologize for not being the father he needed."
Sally scanned his face, finding nothing but regret and a deep sadness dwelling in his eyes. She felt bad for the man, but understood as well as he did that his wife, Clair, only left him to protect their son. Now standing, the man offered his hand and apologized for taking so much time. "That's alright sir. I enjoyed the conversation, and will very honored to take this case for you. You don't look like you have much, so I'll cover the costs." Sally almost gasped at the words that poured out of her mouth like a song through the air. You don't have the money or time to help a complete stranger, she told herself. But she still felt confidant that she could, and would, help Otis.
On the way home Sally started wondering if this mysterious Otis would help her too. She could ask, it wouldn't hurt to share a part of her life when he bared his in the open. Sally decided that she would have to wait for their next rescheduled visit, but inside she couldn't help but feel slightly uplifted. Maybe this is what I need to find myself again, to feel whole. Sally looked up as she thought, noticing a small glimmer of light coming from her apartment window. Fear now took control of every piece of her.
Not today, not again.
Rain started falling hard, hitting her window pane, but she hardly took notice. She had known about the possible storm, so she set her alarm and hour early so she would make it to work on time. Sally was a lawyer, and each day she got up she regretted the day she decided to become one. She constantly felt as if she could never give her clients the rewards they deserved.
Sally grunted as she heaved her legs off the side of the bed. "I really need to loose some weight" Sally complained. She knew the walls were her friends, they can't tell anybody her secrets. They would defiantly know about her few extra brownies in the middle of the night. Finally making it to the bathroom she randomly started pulling at her face. The youthful girl she had once been was gone now, but Sally didn't feel all the happy easing into her thirties. Or to her 32's to be precise. Exactly one month away, to the date, Sally was due for another birthday party. With no friends. Again.
Sally quickly got dressed in her 'formal' work clothes expecting to see her clients early as usual. She yanked up her hair into a neat bun, and slipped on her shoes before running out the door. After locking it, she immediately regretted her decision. She forgot her umbrella again. She dashed across the street sliding smoothly into a taxi. "172 Emery Drive, please."
Looking up to see the driver, Sally suddenly realized that she wasn't alone in the taxi. "Fancy meeting you here" Henry said. Looking over, Sally realized that she had unconsciously gotten into the same taxi as her boss. Actually, worse than that. Her boss's boss. "Uh, yeah. Um, I was just headed to, um, work." Sally stammered quickly. She felt so foolish, almost as foolish as when Tod whisked her up from the ground. No, don't think of him. It'll only ruin your day, Sally thought to herself.
Henry smiled softly towards her then repeated her request. "172 Emery Drive." Sally could hardly breath as she tried to think up a response to ease the tension within the now moving taxi, but she couldn't think of anything. "So how is it being promoted to the Head Executive of the front office?" Sally asked dumbly. She could practically see the tension building between them as Henry seemed to try to put off the question. "So how's being a lawyer in the front office?" Henry quickly questioned to avoid Sally's "Well it's fine, but you didn't answer me. How is it?" Sally answered in a hesitant way. She tried not to smile to herself as Henry came to the realization he wasn't getting out of it.
"Well, um, I guess it's alright. I am often in my office doing paperwork, and when I'm done there's usually nobody around but my secretary. So it can be a pretty secluded job." Henry answered slowly as if not to upset her. Sally looked over out the window as the taxi driver slowed to a stop in front of their building. She got out as Henry paid the taxi driver, thinking about her gigantic work load waiting for her when she gets inside. I really can use a nice break, Sally thought as she watched the taxi driver merge into the busy Boston streets disappearing into the yellow and black mob of taxicabs.
Sally's day passed quickly, to her surprise. Many of her coworkers had decided on a "play day", and took the day off to go to a barbecue potluck event that they were having. Sally didn't like social events, so she decided to stay at the office catching up on work. Sally thought of how her day would be if she had gone to the barbecue. To get her mind off of paperwork, she decided to call her clients to reschedule. Nobody answered, probably curious as to why she was calling them instead of the other way around. It turned out that many of her scheduled clients didn't show up either, so she only ended up meeting one of them face to face.
His name was Otis. He had very peculiar eyes, and a soft aroma about him. He looked confidante that Sally was able to provide him with the help he needed. The longer she sat with him, the more she felt her day improve. Sally was a family lawyer, often dealing with parental custody battles. It got exhausting. But all this lovely man wanted was to find the son he never got to know. His wife took off on him years before when she was almost 8 months pregnant, and never heard from her again.
The hours seemed to slip right out of Sally's hands as they talked. She slowly discovered that he didn't want anything from his son except to apologize to him about what he had done to his mother. It wasn't like he was abusive, but he had a serious gambling problem that led to money issues. In order for him to forget about his lack of a job and money, he took up alcohol. Often times he would awake with her by his side soothing him from the aggressive hangovers. Until the morning he woke up to a completely empty house and a note by his side.
"It said: Come find me and our son when you are ready to become a father. I love you now and forever will. I will not forget you." Otis said tentatively, recalling a sad memory. "You see now why I need you to find him for me. I am ready. I know I am late, that was over 30 years ago. But I loved my wife and I hope somewhere out there she loves me too. I want to apologize for not being the father he needed."
Sally scanned his face, finding nothing but regret and a deep sadness dwelling in his eyes. She felt bad for the man, but understood as well as he did that his wife, Clair, only left him to protect their son. Now standing, the man offered his hand and apologized for taking so much time. "That's alright sir. I enjoyed the conversation, and will very honored to take this case for you. You don't look like you have much, so I'll cover the costs." Sally almost gasped at the words that poured out of her mouth like a song through the air. You don't have the money or time to help a complete stranger, she told herself. But she still felt confidant that she could, and would, help Otis.
On the way home Sally started wondering if this mysterious Otis would help her too. She could ask, it wouldn't hurt to share a part of her life when he bared his in the open. Sally decided that she would have to wait for their next rescheduled visit, but inside she couldn't help but feel slightly uplifted. Maybe this is what I need to find myself again, to feel whole. Sally looked up as she thought, noticing a small glimmer of light coming from her apartment window. Fear now took control of every piece of her.
Not today, not again.
♠ ♠ ♠
I hope you guys all enjoy it!!