Chapter 1
Promotion
Sometimes we feel life is unfair, it hardly gives us anything. We hope things will be fine one day but unfortunately, every time it brings disappointment. I am surrounded by people whom I don’t know that what they carry in their heart. I feel the same. I work in a departmental store as a senior accountant. In course of time, I have been promoted and I know many people who are unhappy but that is normal. I don’t expect them to be happy because they’re not my friends after all they are just colleagues. I notice Stella who gives me a big smile and hugs me for my promotion and asks for a party. ‘You are flying so fast last year you came here as a junior accountant and now senior accountant’. She taunts me. I understand her words but I did not react and in a very calm tone and offered her party in lunchtime. She smiles back. I see lily who joined as a fresher. She is new to learn all these tactics and she with a big heart wish, ‘
Congratulations Nora’! I thank her. Just after boss calls me in his office for a meeting Mr. Ethan Russel who is in his late forties but looks around thirty. He is a womaniser but when it comes to work, he is super serious. He considers office girls are not of his types. He is polite with me. He saw my hard work and dedication and that’s why he promoted me, that’s all I know. Nora, you have to check all the external and internal expenses borne by office. You need to inform me and maintain record of the whole expenses including staff. Yes sir! I speak. He smiles back.
Now I have my own cabin with nameplate Nora Lindsey. I am very happy. I will give party to my best friends to celebrate this promotion. But right now, I need to call my aunt who lives in Texas, my mother’s sister. After the death of my parents in an accident when I was a child, she is the one who looked after me. Bell rings but she doesn’t pick up the call. She maybe in her flower shop with customers so I disconnected the call. I see Victor Clarke coming to my office who is another nasty colleague. Nora, now you are senior accountant, check this file for future payments to vendors and he congratulates me. I smile and take the file but said nothing. Once upon a time he was after me but I ignored him and finally he has given upon me because he realised that if he troubles me anymore, I will inform boss, Mr. Ethan.
In the evening when I leave the office and board the train, I check my cell phone and was glad to see that all my friends have send me emojis with a smile and I reply them back with a smiley and check my Facebook and Instagram where I upgrade my job status and thousands of friends congratulate me. They all are friends because of social media but my real friends are only six. Actually, we are group of seven friends one is married and has shifted to Toronto and other five are around me. We all are together from high school. Joey, Aaron, Hannah, Grace, Marlin, Gloria and I. Gloria is living with her husband Shane in Toronto. Her husband also sends me “congrats with smiley emoji” and asks for party. I reply “Yaa sure.” Then I posted in what’s app group name ‘high school buddies.’’
‘Get ready for party’🥳🥳
first Grace then Aaron also sends
yes !
we are ready…😎
My station came. Every day in New York I travel to my office which is near by empire state building and come back to my apartment in which I live with my dog Brownie.
The moment I lay down to rest in my bedroom I get a call from Hannah and she says,’ Nora congrats darling! Today is Friday night and we have decided to celebrate your promotion in famous Tales club’. Hanna! not today tomorrow evening. Today I am dead tired. I reply. My boss has given me extra load of work. Did you talk with Byron? No honey, he is in Connecticut for some official work. I reply. Someone is on the door; I will call you back.
I send in group “high school buddies”
‘Party is on Saturday’.
And they all show
thump sign. 👍
I put down the phone and open the door and find my neighbour Mr. Davis Dawson with a basket of vegetables which he bought from grocery store for me. Thanks uncle Davis! I will pay you online. No issues, honey. Davis Parker a lonely man, his wife died two years ago. He had no kids to share his old hood and he had no friends. I really want to ask him that how he spends time without any sort of company but then I forget.
Saturday evening, I dance and enjoy with my best buddies when I suddenly see someone and was shocked. Hannah and Grace notice my looks and asks Joey, Aaron and Marlin to see in the corner of the club? They all see and tears flow from my eyes, Oh my gosh! He is asshole “Byron” he is a liar he told us that he is out but he is in New York city. Grace stops when sees my face. He was busy kissing a girl and even doesn’t have time to see around. I go to him and push that girl aside and he was stunned to see me. I throw the glass of wine on his face and calls him ‘bastard’. My other five friends also throw alcohol on his face one by one and he gets the biggest shock of his life today. He calls my name ‘Nora’ but I turn and come out of the club without looking back. My other friends follow me blindly.
