Page 7 of Be My Valentine

She closed her eyes to calm herself and avoid crying. Not in front of everyone. Why was she always so careless?

“Leave her alone, Patrick.” Arrow’s tone was curt. “No one asked for a black coffee without sugar, Miss Donovan. You may go, thank you.”

“You take all the fun out of it, Mark!” Complained one of the Gleeson attorneys; Kate had already forgotten their names.

“No, you’re right.” resumed Patrick, and this name Kate remembered, as she always did of people she really didn’t like “I was teasing you, forgive me. Mrs. Carson told us that you tend to mix up the names of the files.”

A bright “bitch” sign lit up over Carson’s head, or at least it did in Kate’s mind.

“It’s true, it’s happened.”

“More than once, too many I’d say.” The manager chastised her.

“What is your name, Miss Donovan? She’s too young for you to call her that.” Patrick Hanks hadn’t finished with the cat-and-mouse game.

“Kathryn, Attorney Hanks.” She replied in monosyllables.

“And what do your friends call you? Kat, Kathie, Kate?”

At the last appellation, she rolled her eyes.

“See, Kate? That wasn’t a hard question.” Gloated the man.

“Miss Donovan has a job to do,” Arrow interjected frostily, “Unless she’s already digitized the entire archive, a job I pay her for.”

“On my way, sir.”

Kate couldn’t disappear fast enough.

“Nice suit, Kathryn, I had a similar one three years ago.” Annie Carson’s voice slapped her in the doorway.

Kate smiled and for once was glad of the last desk to go and hide at.

“Are you okay?” Meg asked her thoughtfully.

“Yeah, sure.” Lied Kate, forcing a smile and ignoring the knot in her stomach. She wasn’t going to cry in front of Annie Carson, in front of colleagues, in front of lawyers. Ever.

Chapter 5 / Kate

Two are worth more than one:

whoever wrote this

didn’t know my sister.

(Samuel Butler)

To her relief, no one called on her before it was time to leave. The lawyers had disappeared early, and Kate desperately needed a friend.

She flew into Allie’s store as if the devil was on her tail. The door was unusually open and the lights still on. She spotted her behind the register checking the computer.

“Oh, Allie!” She couldn’t even get to her, flopping her arms on the counter, before she started sobbing without restraint.

“Kate…” She gently murmured to her friend.

“I’ve had a terrible day!” She said as she raised her reddened eyes to her friend, not holding back her tears.

“Kate!” Allie’s voice was firmer, and the look hinted at someone behind her “I still have a customer to serve.”