Disappointment settled on Carolyn as she realized the door of Vanessa’s apartment was locked. She had called countless times and Vanessa’s line was not going through. Where could she have gone? Carolyn wondered as she exited the apartment building.
Worry settled on her as she hopelessly tumbled into her car. She should have checked Vanessa’s office. Maybe she had decided to go to work instead of sitting at home. With newfound purpose, Carolyn pressed on the acceleration as she navigated through the traffic.
In no time, she pulled up in front of D’Peters. Even if she had been there to pick up Vanessa, she had never entered the building, but today was the day she would enter, and the purpose was not the one she had imagined.
Carolyn walked up to the receptionist at the front door. “Hi there, I’m here to see Darryl Peter.” She told the receptionist whose name tag says ‘Stacy’.
“Do you have an appointment?” Stacy asked her as she took a glimpse of the woman asking to meet the CEO.
“No, I don’t have an appointment, but you can call me and let him know someone is here to see him.”
Avoiding questions like this was the reason why she asked to see Darryl instead of Vanessa. Unknowing her that some questions were inevitable.
“I’m sorry I can’t help you with that.” Stacy refused her entry.
“Why?” Carolyn asked as something like pain twisted in her heart. Had Vanessa told the receptionist not to let her in? She wondered but dismissed it quickly because it made no sense. Nobody knew she was coming, therefore, something else was wrong.
“Mr Peter requests we cancel all his appointments because he has something important to do and doesn’t want to be disturbed.” Stacy explained.
Instead of asking Stacy for help, she pulled out her phone from her bag. Calling Darryl herself was the only choice she was left with. She paced around, listening to the sound her phone made from dialing Darryl.
After the third ring, Darryl answered. “Hello Darryl, I’m at the first floor in D’Peters waiting for your approval to let me in.” Carolyn said immediately. Darryl picked up her call.
“Give the phone to Stacy,” Darryl told her.
She passed the phone to Stacy and after a couple of nods, Stacy passed the phone back to Carolyn.
“I’m sorry for the delay. You can see him now.” Stacy told Carolyn. “Take the lift to the top floor, someone else is waiting for you there.”
“It’s fine. Thank you.” With determination, Carolyn left Stacy’s table for the lift. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the button and watched the lift door close.
The whooshy sound of the door was Carolyn’s clue to exit the lift. Her heels led her to the first office she sighted.
The face of the person she saw was undeniably familiar. She had met this person a couple of times, but she didn’t know her name.
Carolyn cleared her throat to get the attention of the other person, and it worked as she planned because Phoebe noticed her after the sound she made.
Phoebe jolted at the sight of Carolyn. Not in her wildest dreams had she thought of meeting Carolyn like this. Her widened eyes remained glued on Carolyn, who also had a questioning look on her face.
Both women didn’t hear Darryl as he entered because they were engrossed in the staring contest. Darryl understood the reason behind the glares but now was not the time to meddle in women’s needs.
“Carolyn.” Darryl’s firm voice interrupted the intense glaring competition. “This way.” His hands moved to the direction of his office.
Breaking eye contact, Carolyn replaced the glare on her face with a smile. She turned to take a look at the office Darryl pointed at.
“Give me a minute, I will be with you shortly.” Darryl told her as she walked out of Phoebe’s office.
His head snapped at Phoebe, “that was so unprofessional. You should learn to keep your personal life away from work.” Darryl said angrily.
“I’m sorry. I promise it won’t happen again.” Phoebe apologized.
Without wasting time, Darryl went back to his office. He didn’t like to keep the wife of his best friend waiting. He already knew the reason Carolyn had come all the way to his office, but unfortunately for her, Vanessa didn’t make it to work today.
“Tea or coffee?” He asked as he settled into his armchair.
“Never mind. I’m not exactly here for a chat over coffee.” She politely declined his offer. “I came here to see Vanessa. Where is she?”
“She is not here.” Darryl replied.
“She is not at her place, and she is not here. Where else could she be?” Carolyn questioned herself loudly enough for Darryl to hear.
“She was crying ceaselessly” Darryl blurted out.
“Oh my days! The last time she had cried like that was when Emmy….” She paused as she mentally slapped herself for talking out of point. Oblivious to her that Darryl had already caught on to what she was saying.
“When Emmy did what? Darryl pushed her to continue.
“That’s not the point. I have to look for Vanessa before she does something bad to herself.” Carolyn tried to change the topic.
“I know what has transpired between both of you, but I can’t help you if you are hiding something from me.”
“You don’t know anything about Vanessa or about our friendship,” Carolyn countered.
“I know enough to help you get your friendship back on track.”
Carolyn scoffed at Darryl’s words. It is unbelievable that the cause of the misunderstanding wants to clear the misunderstanding.
“Fine. Go ahead and help me.” Carolyn told him with a sarcastic tone.
“You have to tell me who the fuck Emmy is and what he did to Vanessa.”
Carolyn let out another scoff. “You think you can manipulate me just like you do to others.” Anger laced in her voice. “I will give you a brief about Emmy then. Emmy is her ex-boyfriend who did the same thing you are doing now.”
Confusion etched on Darryl’s face as he watched Carolyn’s dramatic change of attitude.
“I know I was wrong about keeping quiet about you, but how do you expect me to tell her that the man frustrating her entire existence is my husband’s best friend?” Carolyn fumed in anger.
“Are you trying to put this all on me?” Darryl asked.
“It has been on you from the moment you decided to play games with Vanessa. It has been on you since you involved her in your silly challenge. It has been on you since you bribed her former boss and asked him to transfer her to you. And it will always be on you, Darryl.”
“Enough, Carolyn. I’ve had enough of your hate speech.”
“Hate speech? That’s not hate speech, that’s the truth about you.” Carolyn countered.
Initially, she had come all the way here to apologize to Vanessa and to get her friendship back in place but she didn’t know this will end up like this with Darryl. She had to stop before things get out of hands with Darryl.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said all those things to you. I’m just overwhelmed by the…”
“Is this what Vanessa thinks of me?” Darryl interrupted her apologies by voicing out his worries.