She got out of the car...

She got out of the car and made a mad dash for the door. The effort was hopeless with the pouring rain that had settled in over the city. If Kelci had remembered her umbrella this morning she might have had a chance to arrive at work somewhat dry and presentable, but it still hung in the entry hall from the hook she’d placed there to make it convenient on rainy days. As she ran across the parking lot in her high heels, Kelci wished she had gotten to work early. If she’d arrived ten minutes ago, maybe she could have parked closer to the door. Her hair already hung down in her face, clinging to her cheeks. Now, as she reached the end of the line of cars she had to stop and wait for an inconsiderate driver who forgot that pedestrians had the right of way. Didn’t matter now anyway, Kelci was drenched. She gave up and walked the few more steps to the door.

When she opened one side of the double glass doors a gust of cold air rushed out and wrapped around her like the hands of Batman’s nemesis Mr. Freeze, taking her breath away. It almost made her turn around and call in sick, but she was too dedicated to the advertising firm she worked for to do that. She knew she had a set of workout clothes in her office from last week’s yoga class in the company gym. That would have to do until her skirt and blouse had time to dry while hanging on the back of her door. Her hair would just have to be pulled back into a ponytail. Having devised a plan made Kelci feel a little better. She picked up her pace again.

Thinking to herself as she hurried across the lobby to the elevators, Kelci tried to remember if she had any appointments today. She couldn’t think of anything pressing. Hopefully, she would be able to hold up in her office at least until lunch. She shivered as she reached out to punch the up button to summon the elevator. The sooner she got out of the wet clothes the better she would feel. If she was lucky, maybe she wouldn’t run into Jerad. That would really top off her already horrid morning. In her opinion he was the possibly the sexiest man she’d ever seen but couldn’t stand. All the women in the office practically swooned over him every time he passed their desks, but Kelci knew he was an arrogant, self-absorbed, over confident prick.

“What happened to you?”

Kelci looked up from her thoughts, right into the eyes of the prick. “Great,” she said without thinking.

“You look like something the dog drug in from the rain.” He smirked as he teased her.

“Forgot my umbrella,” she said as she brushed past him into the elevator.

“Hey! Watch out.” His hands smoothed the jacket of his expensive suit. “I’d like to stay dry.” He stepped off the elevator and turned back toward Kelci. “You really should get out of those wet things.” He smiled.

Kelci punched the button for the sixth floor and glared at Jerad. “Thanks for that stroke of brilliance. I’ll see what I can do.” She couldn’t help the flippant way she responded to him. He always made her feel inferior, even though they both held the same position in the firm. As the elevator doors slowly closed, she noticed how attractive he was with his megawatt smile. He had cute little dimples and his eyes lit up with mischief. Kelci was finding it hard to be upset with a man that looked so good in a suit.

The elevator jerked bringing her thoughts back to just how cold she was dripping in the elevator in a well air-conditioned office building. ‘I’ll be lucky if I don’t catch pneumonia.’ She wrapped her arms across her chest and bounced on her feet as the elevator creeped its way upward. Before the doors could completely open, Kelci was slipping out. She practically ran down the hall to her office. She wanted to slip inside before too many people saw what a mess she was. “Could you get me a coffee?” she asked Megan, her assistant, as she hurried by.

“Sure.” Megan glanced up from her computer keyboard; her mouth fell open. “Are you alright?”

Kelci stopped in her tracks, her shoulders sagged and her purse dropped from her shoulder. In a not so friendly tone she spilled out all of the sordid details. “Yes, I forgot my umbrella, had to stop and wait on some jerk in a truck who didn’t stop for me at the cross walk, and just want to get out of these wet clothes before I get sick.”

Megan looked like she’d been slapped. “I… um… I’ll just get that coffee.” She stood and came around the desk.

“I’m sorry, Megan. It’s been a terrible morning. I can get my own coffee. I just want to put on my yoga clothes and get dry. I was hoping I wouldn’t run into the boss until my skirt and top got dry.” She hitched her purse back up onto her shoulder and tried to smooth her wet hair back off her face.

“It’s okay. I’ll be right back.”

“Thanks.” Kelci disappeared into her office as Megan hurried to the office lounge to get coffee. She went for her desk drawer where she kept her workout clothes. She pulled the drawer open and looked at the emptiness that stared back at her. “Could this day get any worse?” She dropped her purse, sunk to the floor and began to cry. How could her clothes not be there? Had she taken them home? She didn’t remember taking them home. She heard Megan tap lightly on the door and push it open.

“Is it okay to come in,” Megan asked through the crack. She opened the door and found Kelci sitting in the floor with mascara streaking down her cheeks. “Oh honey.” Megan sat the coffee cup on the corner of the desk and kneeled down beside Kelci. “What happened now?” Kelci pointed to the empty desk drawer. “I don’t understand.”

“My gym bag isn’t there.” Kelci practically whimpered.

“It’s okay. I’ve got mine. They’ll be a little big on you, but they’re dry.” Megan rose up and reached out her hand to Kelci. “Come on. Drink some coffee and warm up. I’ll get them.” Kelci took the offered help and got up. She wrapped her hands around the warm mug and took a sip. Before she knew it Megan was back with her gym bag. “There are some sneakers in there too. I think we wear the same size shoes. I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

After changing into the gym clothes that were at least one size too big, if not two, and a good two inches too long, Kelci hung her skirt and blouse on the hook and finished off the coffee. Even though Megan’s gym clothes consisted of a pair of jogging pants and baggy t-shirt, unlike her own snug fitting crop yoga pants and matching top, she did feel better dry.

1/29/16