“Brrrriiiiiinnnnnngggggg"

The alarm started with it's noise this early day. I got out of bed still feeling very sleepy, but I don't have any other job so I guess I have to move fast.

I strip out of my pajamas and get into the shower. The warm water flows into the tub. I turn off the water and soak for a while. Work has not been the same for a few weeks after the news went round like wildfire that the new owner of the company was on his way.

With the level of preparedness we all have, He should be here today or tomorrow from wherever he's coming from.

I'm not much of a ‘male' fan. That's why I'm still single at 26.

Maybe life really begins at 40.

Presently, I get out of the water as it's starting to become tepid. I check the time and

“Oh No"

It's 5:48am already,I have to be at work by 6:30am. I hurriedly pull up my hair into a towek.and get dressed.

I put on a pale pink suit and pants. Have to make a good impression on ‘Him' as the accountant of the company.

I let my hair loose, comb it and pack it in a ponytail.

No time for a sensible breakfast anymore as I check my wrist watch and fasten it on my wrist. I take some ‘beheaded' strawberry, Ice and milk and I put it all in a smoothie blender and blended it all.

I poured it in a coffee cup in all rush. I grab my car keys off the table and bag. I lock up the house and get Into the car.

I'm on my way to work...

In 25 mins, I arrived at work. I gave my car keys to Jack to park it on my behalf and breezed into the lobby.

“Good morning ma'am" Casey greets...

She's the receptionist. She's friendly and good ta her job, I mean real good.

She's a friend who sometimes looks out for me like my own mum.

“Good morning. How are you?" I asked while walking towards the elevator

“Fine. And have a nice day" I only nodded my thanks at that.

‘PING' The elevator pinged and opened. I stepped in with two other employees who greeted and I nodded back to.

I heaved a sigh of relief and a breath I didn't know I've been holding.

I got off at the last floor. At least, I know Mr ‘What's his name' hasn't arrived yet. I settle in my seat and take a sip of my smoothie.

I go through the files on my table and leave out the none important ones. After some time, I leave for lunch since I had no tangible breakfast.

I have an hurried lunch of hamburger and real coffee. I head back to my office. As soon as I sat down, my telephone rang.

“Yes?"

“The new office owner is in the elevator now and PS..." Casey said

“What else?"

“He's a looker" She chuckled and hung up.

I laughed to myself and let myself calm down on the results of all the failed blind dates I've gone to on Casey's orders... I straightened my wears.

I alerted the other office workers and told them to be well behaved. We all pretended not to know he was on his way up.

‘He's a looker' kept replaying over and over in my head... I wondered if Casey would push me on another date...

“Get it outta your head, you numbskull" I said to myself and cleared my head just as the elevator pinged.

A total of five people stepped out all at once. I looked at the middle and my breath caught...

What? How? Why? How come? I rubbed my eyes and looked again. I know I should be there, ushering him in and introducing myself and every other person in the lobby but I was too numbed to even move.

Who knew the past can come to haunt us once again...

I guess my life will begin now... Not at 40 as I envisaged in the morning

“Elmina?!" A deep gruff voice said with an unmistakable hint of surprise and anger

“Cayton" I said, defeated

I looked up at his face and it had gone expressionless, he looked me dead in the eye and said...

“My office, NOW!"

Cayton's POV

‘PING'

I get out of the elevator into a wide, spacious work space. As I look around, my eyes stop on a lady, looking at me with big eyes, she wiped her eyes and looked again,

I almost smirked at the thought that she found me really attractive enough to wipe her eyes and give me a second, wide, long and good glance but I didn't because she looked oddly familiar

A gasp escaped my lips as I recognize her. My Elm, my only Elm... Much bigger and beautiful.

The first thing I felt was surprise, closely followed by anger which came much stronger and clouded my judgement.

“Elmina?" I choked before I could stop it

“Cayton" She said and looked down

I couldn't help but feel a pang of those long bottled up feelings for her once again. Those feelings I left bottled up since I left Eastwood high.

Those feelings that were locked, never will my vulnerability be let out for anyone... Elmina felt it once and used it against me. Why else would she feel guilty? I mused

I wiped all emotions off my face and with my eyes still on her, I ignored all greetings directed my way and said

“My office... NOW" In a voice laced with command

And I walked off without letting her know she still affects me the way she did back in high school

Few minutes later, a knock at my door brought me back to reality into my office

“Yes?" I answered

“aaagggbbddhh" I heard jumbled up words and became somewhat confused

“Come in" I said, unsure as to whom it was, deep in me, I expected Elmina to come in but no.

It was this girl from from high school who keeps pushing herself at me.

“Jade?? What the hell are you doing here? Don't you get tired?" I asked, angry yet exparated...

“Yeah...Yeah...Yeah... Don't you get tired of chasing me away?" She asked while coming closer to me. As she walked towards me, she started unbuttoning her coat.

“You'd better not do something you'll regret" I tell her warningly, expecting her to stop, but she didn't even make any move to stop.

She finally pulled off her coat to show she's only in a G-string and bikini bra underneath the coat.

My breath caught as it's being a while since I had any known relationship with anyone. Oh Elmina! What have you done?

Jade came closer and sat atop my crotch. She began to move in rhythmic movements, thereby straddling me. It's the first time she'll physically seduce me in about 7 years now that she's being following me around. Since high school to be precise. A whole lot happened back then.

Just then, a knock at my door woke me once again. I seem to be zoning out a lot since Elmina's sudden appearance. The door opened and revealed the smooth, beautiful round face of Elmina.