Chapter 1
Emma
It’s finally Friday—my last day at this company. I just have to make it through today, then I will be free from this suffocating small town. I take a deep breath, a bittersweet feeling washing over me, before ascending the three flights of stairs to my cubicle. The elevator is too risky in this building. I put my lunch in the break room fridge, where the smell of last week’s leftovers still lingers. I start brewing a fresh pot of coffee, which I desperately need in order to begin my day.
As I stand in front of the coffee pot, I’m forced to make small talk with familiar strangers. But my heart’s just not in it. Hearing about people’s fun weekend plans with their families is like a knife to the heart. All I can focus on is Lucas who should be sharing his fun weekend plans with me. His family’s lives have been altered forever, and it hurts to see how life just simply goes on.
Not only is today the end of my career here, but I’m also saying goodbye to the place where I met Lucas and all of the memories we made over the past few years. I would look forward to catching up with him in this break room nearly every day. His infectious laughter would carry down the halls and make anyone around smile. I can’t shake the hollow ache in my chest at the thought of him gone in the blink of an eye. I hate to leave these memories behind, but they’re so intertwined with grief now, it’s hard to stay here.
Finally, I sit down with my hot mug of coffee, letting the warmth spread through me, and begin sifting through emails. Only four hundred and six emails to get through today before I leave. I have to ensure nothing gets missed with the transition to whoever will be taking my place.
It takes me the entire day, plus a few hours of overtime, to finish with the mountain of emails. I forwarded tasks that needed to be followed up on, deleted useless junk that cluttered the inbox, and responded to the endless questions from my colleagues. Packing up my few personal belongings, I already feel the stress lifting from my shoulders. The day really dragged on, but I made it.
Most people leave here early on Fridays or opt to work from home, so it’s not unusual for me to be the last one in the building. Standing at the top of the stairs, I take one last look around the third floor. This has been my “home” for the past seven years. I’ve spent so many hours here and I’ve learned so much. I take a deep breath, and a spark of excitement flickers through me. This is it: the ending of a chapter I need to leave behind.