Chapter 2: The Elevator Woman

“I think…” David said, “We should see other people. It’s not really working out between us.”

Sweat trickled down his brow and he swallowed repeatedly. Nori couldn’t believe what she just heard. The air rushed out of her lungs and she struggled to get it back.

“Other people?!” Nori said. Her voice rose an octave. David’s whole face began to swell. People surreptitiously glanced in their direction. The waiter had been half way to their table, but when he saw David’s swelling face, he made a beeline for the nearest phone.

Nori’s head spun and there was a ringing in her ears. Her stomach bottomed out and a sense of having the floor ripped out from under her feet overwhelmed her.

Fragments of David’s words hung in the air between them. How could he? After all this time? Fire burned in her belly and nausea tainted her mouth with metallic bitterness. Nori clenched her fists and began to shake.

She stood up, “I give you six years of my life and you want to see other people?”

David wheezed, “I’ve met someone else. Chelsea and I think it's better–”

“Chelsea?! Who the h*ll is Chelsea?” The fire in her belly exploded up into her throat. “You can’t even muster the decency to at least put me out of my damn misery. This just makes it worse. What the h*ll, David?”

Tears filled her vision and she furiously wiped her face. A tingling desire to grab her water and toss it in David’s face overcame her and before she knew it she’d emptied it on him, grabbed her purse, and stomped out of the restaurant.

Nori wanted to kill David and curl up in a ball and die. Out on the street, sirens and an ambulance pulled into the parking lot. The EMT’s sprinted out of the ambulance and into the restaurant. A few moments later they hauled David out on a stretcher, his swollen face wet and contorted, loaded him into the back and drove away. Guess he was allergic after all, thought Nori bitterly.

Back in the shower, Nori lathered her hair. She replayed the scene over and over in her mind. If David was miserable, why hadn’t he just ended things sooner? How long had he been dating other people behind her back? These were all questions that she gnawed on for the last month like a hungry dog on a beef bone.

After that debacle she cleaned out her desk the next day and hadn’t been to work since then. She left a ‘f*ck you’ note on David’s desk and for good measure shredded the framed photo of them at the Statue of Liberty he had on his desk. He didn’t deserve it anymore.

Mindy was right. If she wanted to be happy, then she’d have to let that sh*t go and stop letting it ruin her life. It was bad enough that she needed to look for another job too. This was why they discouraged office romances. Must be the turnover rate, she thought.

She rinsed off and exited the shower, wrapping herself in a robe. The fresh scent of gardenia wafted up and she felt cleansed. Showers were her happy place. The longer and hotter, the better.

In the bedroom it looked like her closet had exploded. Dresses lay all over the floor and on her bed. Mindy appeared out of the mess and held up a flowy navy-blue dress. It sparkled with tiny bits of gold glitter. Nori blinked at it.

“You got that from MY closet?”

“Nope. But it’s perfect and you’ll have to ditch the bra.”

Nori cupped her breasts, horrified, “A first date without a bra, are you crazy?”

“Certifiable,” said Mindy as she unzipped the dress, “This will look incredible on you. With your tanned skin and black hair you’ll be like a sexy, midnight Pocahontas.” Mindy fussed about her and made adjustments, “It’s from my private spring collection. Plus, it's got sewn-in cups, you’ll be fine.”

Nori rolled her eyes and handed over her bra. She slid into the dress and Mindy helped her zip up. The silky fabric was so smooth against her skin and the dress sparkled radiantly like stars in a night sky.

Nori put on a light coat of mascara and glossed her lips, while Mindy brushed and styled her black hair in a soft blow out. Mindy positioned Nori in front of her full-length closet mirror as she fussed with the back of the dress.

Nori tried to push the anxiety out of her throat as she looked at herself in the dress. Mindy was right, Nori’s olive skin contrasted beautifully with the dark blue tones of the dress.

Her black hair reached to the back of her butt in long, loose waves. Soft, glittery eyeshadow made her dark almond shaped eyes sparkle. Her full red lips made her feel like a sexy badda*s.

The thrice-weekly gym sessions Nori dragged herself to kept her body somewhat willowy and lean. Her medium sized breasts were a little too big for the dress and she had to do some maneuvering to make them sit right. Despite that, the dress hugged her just right around her waist and gently pooled near her ankles.

A small slit at the bottom of the hem opened at knee level so that some of Nori’s leg peaked through. Gold strappy heels glittered on her feet and her toes were painted to match the dress. She felt beautiful and the silk felt like water on her skin.

A deep gratitude welled up in her heart and she thanked God for bringing Mindy into her life. Mindy’s loyalty and compassion never faltered and her nurturing made Nori feel taken care of. Nori hugged her best friend tightly, “I don’t deserve this or you.”

Mindy chuffed, “If I had what you’ve got you'd be doing the same for me.” Melinda Walker was short and curvy with flaming magenta hair and gold hoops the size of baseballs dangled in her ears. Her pale skin contrasted with her radiant hair and it made her look like an exotic neon butterfly. Being an unrecognized savant in the fashion industry was hard on Mindy who wanted to clothe the world in her decadent creations. She worked as an accountant by day and an assistant designer for a fashion house by night.

“Don’t question the artist until after the exhibition. Remember we are getting you out of your comfort zone.”

Finally, Nori was ready and Mindy pushed her out the door of her own apartment.

“I’ll be asleep before you get in. My double shifts are catching up with me,” said Mindy who scurried across the hall to the next flat over. “But I want a thorough play by play tomorrow.”

Nori tensed, “What if I screw this up? Maybe I should just stay home.”

“Nonsense! You look fabulous and after David, you need a vacay from this depression dungeon. Think of this guy as that change of scenery.”

“You make him sound like shrubbery,” said Nori.

“Well take your shears cuz you’ll be doin’ some trimming tonight. Go!”

Nori glanced back at Mindy as she hit the elevator button and Mindy gave her a thumbs up while wiggling her eyebrows. The door opened and Nori stepped into the elevator. She waved and waited for the doors to close.

An apartment door slammed and running heels clicked on the linoleum. Just then as the elevator doors were closing, a woman’s voice said, “Wait, hold the elevator!”

Nori lunged for the doors but she was a second too late. She could just see a glammed up black-haired woman from the apartment at the end of the hall running toward her. The elevator dinged and started to descend.

“Sorry,” she whispered, cringing. The numbers changed on screen as the floors lowered and Nori felt her stomach flutter. She was going to do it. She was going to get out of her comfort zone and try to have a life again tonight. She straightened her shoulders and tried to feel regal and in control. The elevator pinged and she marched out into the lobby.

Mrs. Watson was there making her way to her apartment and she waved to Nori. The old lady lived on the first floor and her cane clicked on the tiles as she slowly shuffled in her pink slippers. Mrs. Watson was thin and the skin on her face hung loose, but her smile was sweet and made her eyes sparkle. Nori bought her groceries every now and then in return for a chat and a thick slice of German black forest cake.

“Good luck wherever you’re going sweetie. He’s already here! Saw him at the curb,” Mrs. Watson said and winked, “If I was only fifty years younger. He’s a hunk of good lookin’ for sure.”

Nori laughed and waved, smiling radiantly. Mrs. Watson’s words boosted her up. Nori pushed open the entrance doors and walked into the fresh evening air. She looked around and spotted a solitary, shiny black car parked on the street.

Her stomach somersaulted as she walked toward it.