We walked into the production room, where Tina introduced me to her colleagues. "Guys, this is Kendra, our new investigative journalist."
They welcomed me warmly, asking about my background and experience.
Next, Tina took me to the investigative journalism department, where I met my unit head, Mr. Thompson, just as he was about to head out.
"One minute, please," he said to someone on the phone before turning to me. "Welcome, Kendra. That’s your desk," he said, pointing to an empty cubicle next to the window. It had a laptop and some light decorating around it.
“The person I’m replacing must have really loved flowers,” I commented, smiling at the little flower pots around the window.
“Yeah… do with them as you please. Set up the space to your comfort. I’ll see you later. Peter will give you a rundown of the week’s tasks.” He gestured toward a young African-American man with a sweet smile before returning to his call and walking away.
“Hi, I’m Peter.”
“Kendra,” I replied, taking the hand he offered.
Just then, Tina's headset crackled to life. "Tina, we need you in the control room. We're going live in 15."
"Duty calls," Tina said, smiling. "I'll leave you to get settled. Peter is good folk," she grinned. "I'll catch up with you later."
I nodded, watching as Tina rushed off.
“Ehm.” Peter cleared his throat, drawing my attention. “So, I’ll let you have a feel of your desk, and then I’ll bring over the list of tasks for the week.”
“Okay, thank you.”
He turned to leave when I stopped him with a question. “Are we the only ones working with Mr. Thompson?” I asked, looking around the empty space. There were three other empty cubicles, and an adjoining office which I assumed was Thompson’s.
“Nah… there’s Stacey, Leo, and Anne. Leo and Stacey are out already on a joint project. They should be coming in much later in the day. As for Anne, let’s just say she’s not big on punctuality,” he explained.
“Oh, okay. Thank you.” I memorized the names as I walked over to my desk.
***
A Month Later….
It’s been a little over a month working at ABS, and saying it was stressful was an understatement. I loved my job, but sometimes, I just wanted to run and hide in the toilet from my unit head. He was skilled at many things, and one of his finest skills was breathing down a person’s neck.
I had thought of quitting my part-time job at the diner but decided against it. It was my happy place—the one spot where I could temporarily forget about the stresses of my job at ABS Broadcasting Station.
As I clocked in at Molly's Diner, the familiar bustle of the evening rush enveloped me. I exchanged warm smiles with Lily, my boss, and Mike, the bartender, as I tied on my apron. The diner was filled with the savory aromas of burgers and fries and the hum of conversation.
I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of comfort wash over me. As I began taking orders and delivering plates, the door swung open, and Antonio walked in, followed by Jake.
My heart skipped a beat as our eyes met, and I felt a flutter in my chest. I pushed the sensation aside, reminding myself that I had made it clear I only wanted to be neighbors… a neighbor I had not seen in almost two weeks.
I wanted to ask him what was going on, why he abandoned his apartment, but I didn’t… he would read too much into it… my heart would read too much into it.
"Hi, just neighbor," Antonio said with a teasing smile, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I returned the smile, feeling the pull of his presence. "Hey there. What brings you in today?"
Jake chuckled. "Hey, Kendra, how's it going?"
"It's going," I said, scribbling down their orders. "So, what's the occasion? Haven’t seen you around here in a while."
"Just had a lot to sort out. You missed me?" He asked with a smirk that made me want to smack him.
“You wish.”
