9. The Surprise
Chapter nine
The Surprise
For the next several days, neither Miko nor Meca mentioned the conversation.
It was almost as if they had silently agreed to leave it where it was.
At work, nothing changed.
They laughed.
They worked.
They ate lunch together.
If anyone had watched them, they would've seen nothing more than two coworkers who had become good friends.
Jemika still found reasons to tease Miko.
"There go your work wife."
Miko rolled her eyes.
"Girl, hush."
"I'm just saying."
"You always just saying something."
Jemika laughed and walked away.
Neither Miko nor Meca paid much attention to it.
Only they knew how much had been left unsaid.
...
The following Friday was unusually quiet.
Most of the employees hurried out the building as soon as five o'clock came. The parking lot slowly emptied until only a handful of cars remained.
Miko finished organizing the last of her paperwork before walking over to Meca.
"You in a rush?"
Meca looked up.
"No. Why?"
Miko smiled.
"I got a surprise."
"A surprise?"
"Yeah."
"What kind of surprise?"
"You'll see."
Meca laughed.
"You mysterious today."
"I know."
"Should I be worried?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"I'm positive."
There was something different about Miko.
Not nervous.
Not afraid.
Almost...
determined.
She waited until the building became quiet.
The chatter disappeared.
Office doors closed.
The hallway lights seemed brighter now that almost everyone had gone home.
Miko looked over her shoulder.
"You coming?"
Without asking another question, Meca followed her.
They walked down the hallway in silence.
Miko stopped at a room rarely used at the end of the day.
She opened the door.
The room was empty.
She stepped inside.
Meca followed, closing the door behind her.
For a moment, neither woman spoke.
Miko leaned back against one of the tables and folded her arms.
Meca looked at her.
"What are we doing?"
Miko smiled nervously.
"You remember what I said?"
"About what?"
"'Maybe I'll play the role for a minute.'"
Meca's expression changed.
"You were serious?"
"I've been thinking about it."
"Miko..."
"I know."
"You don't have to prove anything to me."
"I'm not."
"You don't owe me anything."
"I know."
"Then why?"
Miko took a slow breath before answering.
"Because I want to know."
The room became quiet.
Meca stepped a little closer.
"You sure?"
Miko nodded.
"If you change your mind..."
"I'll tell you."
"If we walk out of here..."
"I know."
Meca searched Miko's face one last time.
Not for desire.
For certainty.
She found it.
Miko reached for Meca's hand.
Their fingers intertwined.
It was a simple gesture.
Gentle.
Unhurried.
Neither woman spoke.
The curiosity that had begun with one overheard phone call had finally led them to this moment.
Outside, the building stood quiet.
Inside, two lives quietly crossed a line neither of them fully understood.
That evening, they left the building separately.
The next morning...
They came to work exactly as they always had.
Professional.
Respectful.
Ordinary.
No one looked twice.
No one suspected a thing.
To everyone else, they were simply Miko and Meca.
Two coworkers.
Two friends.
Only they knew that something had changed.
And neither of them yet understood how deeply that change would shape the future.