chapter 1

Shaking my long, blonde locks over my shoulder, I took a deep breath, tugged the hem of my suit down, and stared at the elevator doors. Then, as an afterthought, I adjusted the shoulder-strap of my white-leather purse so it would be resting by my hip. Hold on – had I chipped the polish on my nail?
Ding.
Too late! Hopefully Joanne wouldn’t notice. As the elevator doors slid open, I put on my best smile and prepared myself for Wednesday at work. Two days down, three to go.
Bry was walking past the elevator holding papers. “Suzanne!” she smiled, “So nice to see you!”
“Hey Bry,” I smiled back, confident that my teeth were glowing white since I’d not eaten breakfast yet.
“You still up for running after work?”
“Uh, yeah?” I laughed, strutting out of the elevator. “Every Wednesday. Girl, don’t act like you forgot!”
We matched each other’s stride, our high-heels clacking in unison, my black, pantleg-suit against her navy-blue skirt-suit, equally-slender, equally-curvaceous. We were the best tag-team in the office – and besties.
“I like your new suit,” Bry brushed her hand against my suit-sleeve. “The faint stripes are a nice touch!”
“Thanks!” I grinned. “I bought it last weekend.”
“Where did you get it?”
Before I could answer, Joanne saw us approach from her cubicle. “Hey Suzy!”
I restrained from rolling my eyes. Curse these low cubicle walls – wasn’t the point of cubicles to give us privacy? Oh, who am I kidding? I love her.
“Hey Joanne!” I replied back. “How’s the kid?”
“He’s just gotten out of his crying phase. It’s great to be able to sleep again!”
I, of course, was all too familiar with her baby’s “crying phase” since that one day she had to bring him to work when her babysitter was out of town. It had really killed the mood, but I did my best not to let it get to me now. Positive thoughts. Always.
“That’s wonderful!” I flash my killer smile. “We should talk about it sometime – maybe a lunch date?”
“Of course! I’ll be seeing you two – by hun!”
Bry and I continued our confident strut towards our cubicles.
“I like her,” Bry remarked when we were out of earshot. “But that baby…”
“I know!” I laughed. “It was so hard to concentrate. And she tossed the diaper into the break room receptacle…”
“Oh gawd, I remember! I didn’t eat anything at all for lunch that day.”
“Yeah. Too much negativity in my life.”
“It’s like what you said, right? Cut the negativity out of your life?”
“Aw, you remembered? Thanks Bry,” I nudged her affectionately.
“It’s really helped,” she continued. “I stopped talking to people I don’t like and it’s really given me peace of mind – helps me focus on positivity’s so I can concentrate on growing as a person. I’ve been able to concentrate on my meditation and yoga too.”
“Exactly Bry! Good thoughts, good influences, good life. You got this.”
With that, we’d reached my neat, orderly cubicle. I breathed a sigh of satisfaction at the rows of pictures lining my desk, the indoor plants, and scented candles (unlit, of course). Best of all, though, was the television mounted just ahead of my desk. It was the perfect cubicle.
“Alright Suzy,” Bry hefted her papers closer to her chest. “We’ll run after work. How’s 5pm work for you? You think you’ll be done by then?”
“Um…” I stared at my workpad notes. “Sure! Alright, I’ll see you!”
Now for business. I rolled my chair out, seated my toned, little ass in the middle, and plopped my purse in front of the computer monitor. Time for a breakfast snack.