(18) A Gift

The door opened to John’s office and he turned from his view of the Asheville skyline and motioned Erin inside.

“You needed to see me, John?” Erin asked softly as she stepped inside the office.

“Sit down please.”

Erin shook out her long dark hair and straightened her blouse as she walked to sit down. She gracefully crossed her knees and took out her notebook. She looked at him with a smile in her brown eyes.

“Erin I think it might be better if you were no longer working here with me after what happened at the party the other night.”

“John…” Erin protested.

“Let me finish,” he said cutting her off “I’m not firing you, but I am moving you to another office. I think you got the wrong idea somehow.”

“But,”

I love my wife and I did not appreciate how you acted.”

Erin pushed her hair behind her ear seeming shell shocked. “I can’t believe this.”

“Believe it, I don’t know how you thought that was appropriate.”

“But Isabel said that you liked me and I thought I was just making the next move.”

“Tell me exactly what happened,” John commanded with a frown in his eyes “Now,”

***

Melissa opened her mouth to scream at her when a sharp knock sounded on the door. A huge box wrapped in shiny paper came into the room first followed by Isabel’s smiling face.

“Am I interrupting something?” she said with a casual smile. She smiled smugly and shouldered her way into the room.

“I’m not? I wanted to drop off your birthday gift a little early Melissa. I hope that’s okay?”

“Of course it is!” Melissa said with a wide smile. Anna could see the mask of civility slipping back in place as they motioned Isabel into the room. Somewhere deep inside, despite how evil she knew they were, Anna wished that they would accept her like that.

Isabel sat down on the couch beside Melissa and pushed the large present onto her lap. Melissa fussed over the silver wrapping paper with its blue bow as if it were the most beautiful one she’d ever seen. She carefully pulled the paper off and folded it to “Save it for later.” Anna wanted to gag.

“I hope you like it, I chose it especially for you.”

“It’s from you dear, I’m sure it will be wonderful,” Melissa said with a smile.

Melissa squealed as she gently pulled open the box and removed a purse. Her hands ran lovingly over the red calf leather outside and smoothed over the chains that held the straps. She looked at Isabel and smiled. “It’s a Saint Laurent bag!” It’s too generous, how can you afford this?”

Anna felt sick. She had purchased this bag for Melissa three months ago, hoping to gain favor by getting her the gaudy bag she wanted. She’d wanted to puke paying out 2,200 dollars for a purse but John had said it was the one she wanted. Anna had wrapped it in preparation for Melissa’s birthday next week. it had gone missing when Isabel was in the house though. Anna had not wanted to believe that her cousin stole the purse but she’d admired it when she’d seen it in Anna’s dressing room and the next morning it was gone.

“It was nothing, I’d do anything for you,” Isabel said as she hugged Melissa. “I feel like we really understand each other and I know you love these bags.”

“I can’t believe it!”

Anna wasn’t sure what to say as the horror of the situation washed over her. Anna had gone back and gotten another gift once the original one was missing but now Melissa was making it seem as if the sun rose and set with Isabel.

“I just wanted to give you what you wanted, I know the past few months have been hard.” “But I’m sure you have already gotten a lot of gifts right?”

Melissa slipped the purse over her shoulder and modeled it for Isabel. “This is the first one actually.” “I had hoped for more but there has been so much excitement with the anniversary party. I guess my birthday has been put on the back burner.”

“Your birthday is not until next week,” Anna said in an angry breath.

Melissa glared at her, the mask slipping for a minute to show the venom behind her smile. “But it’s nice to know you are important to someone.”

“Oh Melissa,” Isabel fussed in a sickeningly sweet way. “I’m sure Anna and John have gotten you a lovely gift.”

Melissa glared at Anna but smiled at Isabel “Not yet,” she pouted “They probably haven’t even thought of a gift for me, they have been so wrapped up in their own party.”

“Oh, surely Anna has a gift for you?” Isabel said as she turned a snide smile on Anna.

“No I’m sure she doesn’t, she only thinks of herself.”

Anna held her anger in, realizing she was getting really good at it. She knew Isabel had stolen the purse and Isabel knew she realized it but Anna had no proof.

“Actually I have a gift ready for you because I didn’t want it to be put off till the last minute because of the party plans. I actually had to buy a new gift because the one I had purchased disappeared.”

Melissa gasped and Isabel paled but Anna stood and went to the cabinet at the back of the room. She pulled a large golden wrapped package out and turned to Melissa. “Since we’re giving gifts early I will give you ours too.”

“I’m shocked,” Melissa said as Anna brought the box over.

“I wanted to give you just what you wanted.”

Melissa looked warily at the box as if it would explode but she smiled and pulled the paperback not caring if she saved it or not. She opened the box and looked inside and gasped.