This is the conclusion to Stepping off the Cliff
What a fun weekend it was turning out to be. Audrey and her bestie were on a celebratory shopping spree. Yes, technically, Audrey had not received her first large paycheck yet from her new job, but it would come. Why wait to celebrate?
“I have a wonderful idea. Let’s buy some tickets for the evening show tomorrow at The StarLight Theater.” Audrey’s eyes were aglow with anticipation. But her friend objected.
“You have to be dressed in fancier clothes than what I own to go to that upscale theater.”
Audrey put her finger on her lips. “Hmmm.. Well, I would suggest that we don’t have time to waste standing around.”
With that said, Audrey pulled out her credit card, and they went shopping for dresses.
Standing in line at the register, trepidation started to rise in Audrey’s chest when looking at the price tags. What was she doing? Maybe she should wait to do this until the paycheck was in her hand.
“Shannon, I think…” Audrey began to say. But a little voice in her head said, “You deserve this! You have been scrimping along for a while now. Your ship has come in.”
“What?” Shannon raised her eyebrows in question at Audrey. “What are you thinking?”
“I think….we need some shoes to go with our dresses.”
Audrey turned deaf ears to the loud groan coming from the other voice in her head.
After a five course meal at the La Bella Italian restaurant Audrey dropped off Shannon at her condo.
“Thanks for everything, girl! Can’t wait for tomorrow and hey, are you sure your boss isn’t looking to hire another secretary?”
“I will check, but aren’t you are afraid of heights?”
Shannon frowned at her with a puzzled look. “What does that have to do with anything?”
Audrey laughed. She had let out that little detail when telling Shannon about the job. Didn’t want her thinking that her boss was crazy. Audrey was still trying to rectify that part in her own head.
“Have a good night, I will see you tomorrow.” Audrey waved goodbye and headed home.
Monday morning had come fast, and Audrey was regretting being up late the night before, but the show had been worth it! It was amazing, and they had felt like Cinderella at the ball, as they watched the show.
The best thing was that when the clock struck midnight, things didn’t disappear. Audrey still woke up the next morning and was starting her six-figure job today. Plus, she had returned home last night still wearing her new sparkling red three inch heels. She hadn’t lost a shoe while rushing home, afraid her fairytale would end. Her fairytale was only beginning.
The first three weeks at her new job had flown by. Audrey was enjoying it, for the most part. Though, Mr. Blackbeard was kind of hard to figure out.
He appeared to be so charming at times. Treating her to lunch and surprising her with little gifts, but then there were the secret meetings in his office. The times he scared her as he would stress to her that he wasn’t to be disturbed for any reason, pounding his fist on her desk. She would hear her heart echoing in her ears like a bass drum.
Today, he appeared to be on edge, and she made sure to stay out of his way as much as possible.
“Miss Hartford!!’
Audrey’s cup of coffee shook in her hand, almost spilling. She put it down and looked up at her boss’s red face.
“Leave now!”
“But, but…sir, why?”
His voice thundered as he told her not to ask questions to do as he said! To leave now and come back on Monday.
Audrey was trembling from head to toe. What had she done? She grabbed her purse and dashed for the door. Whatever it was, at least he wasn’t firing her.
He had her so rattled that she couldn’t get her key in the ignition at first. She definitely didn’t feel like she was living a fairytale now.
Driving down the road, she heard sirens. Five police cars were coming down the road. Wow! She wondered where they were headed.
Audrey had a rainy weekend of reading, taking bubble baths,and going to the spa. She was trying to prepare herself for Monday. Hoping with all her heart that Mr Blackbeard was in a much better mood after the weekend.
That was strange. Audrey pulled into the parking lot at work, and no other cars were there. Mr Blackbeard and his assistant Mr Hook were always there before she was.
She decided she wouldn’t sit in the parking lot and wait she would go in and get started. Didn’t want to give Mr Blackbeard any reason to be mad at her.
Ugh! The door wasn’t opening. She knew she punched in the right code on the keypad. After several more tries she gave up. Looked like she would have to wait for her boss to arrive.
Where were they?? An hour later and still Mr Blackbeard and Mr. Hook hadn’t come. She tried calling and received no answer, only went to voice mail.
After another hour of waiting, she drove home. This was ridiculous! Now she was the one getting angry. Today was payday.
All day she waited for a phone call from Mr Blackbeard or his assistant but none came. That evening she turned on the news and all color drained from her face as the newscaster spoke.
“After a high-speed chase, Mr Blackbeard, the head of a smuggling ring, was arrested. He has many charges against him, including embezzlement of government funds and….”
Her voice droned on, and Audrey lost her appetite. She didn’t understand all the charges, but one thing was becoming abundantly clear, she wasn’t going to be receiving a six-figure paycheck. In fact, she wouldn’t be receiving a paycheck at all!
With her mind spinning, she flipped through the mail that she had laid on the table earlier.
Letting out a loud groan, she covered her face with her hands. She held the credit card bill in her hand. Her fairytale had come to an end, and she didn’t even have a lost glass slipper out there for her prince to find.
Nuggets of Gold 