A knock came on her door twice and she looked up from her computer just as the door was pushed open and Paige walked in, carrying in her hands a bouquet of red flowers. She looked excited and fixed her eyes on Donna with a knowing smile on her face, Donna turned in her seat away from the computer and gave the lady all her attention. She smiled back.
“What is with the flowers? What is the occasion?” Donna asked.
“Oh, just a delivery,” Paige replied with a grin on her face, she set the flowers down on Donna’s desk and took a seat opposite her.
“And I’m guessing you came in here to fill me in on the man you now have in your net that sends you flowers?”
Paige chuckled and shook her head. “Oh, these aren’t for me.” Donna looked puzzled but still maintained a smile.
“It’s not?”
“It is addressed to Donna Brooks.”
Surprise washed over her face. “To me? But who would send this…?” her first thought went to Jeremy and a frown came to her face instantly. “Dispose of it,” she said to Paige who stared at her as she had just said the abominable.
“Dispose of? Don’t you at least want to know who it is from?”
She turned back to her computer. “I have a really good guess.”
Paige sighed and stood, picked up the bouquet, and wore a sad smile. “It’s a shame, I guess this Wayne is living in a one-sided love.”
Donna turned to her when she heard the name she had called. “Hold on, did you say, Wayne?”
Paige turned to her and nodded her head with a hum. “Yeah, he had sent them,” she replied showing Donna the card in her hand.
“Wait, set the flowers down.” she stretched her hand to Paige to collect the card and then read;
“Picked something to match the hair color,
hope you have a stress-free day
If it’s alright with you then I’ll come to pick you up by seven
Here’s my number, call if anything comes up”
She read the card with a smile on her face and she chuckled when she saw how he had signed the card. It read;
Three houses away, Wayne.
“Three houses away,” she repeated and laughed. She set the card down and picked up the flowers, took a sniff of them, and relaxed on her chair, they smelled fresh. She chuckled, she could not remember the last time someone did something this nice for her. Paige shuffled her feet and Donna snapped out of her thoughts, she set the flowers down and coughed a little, turned in her chair, and faced the receptionist.
“Thank you, Paige, anything else?”
The lady shook her head, she had the biggest smile plastered on her face, she spun on her heels and exited the office after giving Donna a big thumbs up.
Donna picked up the card and read the contents again, she picked up her phone and dialed his number, she hesitated before she called him, rehearsing in her head what she would say and how she would say it. She took in a breath, cleared her throat, and pressed the dial button. She brought it to her ear and listened as it rang but just then, her work phone rang and she glanced once at the caller ID, it was not in her contacts.
She ended the call she was making on her phone, and put on her best “work voice” before tapping on the answer button.
“Hello, you have reached Donna Brooks of Ortho Speare, how may I direct your call?”
There was silence at the other end and she waited for about a few seconds before she repeated herself.
“Hello, you have reached Donna Brooks of…”
“Donna, it’s Jeremy.” his voice wafted through the phone.
She went mute, different thoughts ran through her mind as she considered if she should end the call or go on with it, he went on, breaking through her thoughts like he could read them.
“Don’t hang up please, hear me out.”
She swallowed and pursed her lips. “This is a work line, for work-related matters only.”
“Then would you rather I called you on your personal line?”
She considered the option, she knew a man of his caliber and influence could easily get her number and she would rather not have him calling her up any time he felt like it. She shook her head. “Go ahead, what is it?”
“You don’t sound too happy to hear my voice.”
She rolled her eyes. “Really, Jeremy really?”
“Sorry, sorry. I just…” He paused and she could clearly hear him sigh before he continued. “I really want to see you, Donna.”
“And I’d rather not see you, Mr. Xiu.”
“Come on Donna, I know that you are upset with me and I completely understand that but just…”
Her eyes stung with tears. “No, no buts!”
“Let me have this, just one time Donna, that’s what I’m asking for.”
“And there are a million and one reasons why I should not be agreeing with you, I don’t want to see you, Jeremy.”
There was a pause and he went silent. “Is this about Cheryl?”
“Well, she’s one reason,” she replied and rolled her eyes, remembering the event that happened at the Ribbon Palace weeks ago.
“She shouldn’t be reason enough for you to deny me seeing you.”
“You’re right, she is not reason enough, and that is why there are still a million reasons.”
“I just really… need to apologize to you, Donna.”
“That can be done over the phone, you say, ‘I’m sorry Donna’ and I say ‘that’s alright Jeremy’. see? End of story, no need to meet up.”
He chuckled from the other end and she frowned, she didn’t see how that was funny. “Funny, right?”
He let out a breath. “I’ve missed this funny part of you. I’ve missed you.”
She sucked in a breath and tilted her head up so that the tears don’t drop. She was angry at herself, angry that he could still move her to tears.
“Just let me see you Donna, just one time. I promise not to take too much of your time, just give me a day and time, I can work with anything.”
She fisted her palm and fumed, her anger getting the best of her. “How about in ten years? That’s the best I can do given the impromptu request.”
“Please Donna, I’m serious.”
“And so am I!”