A Dark Cloud at the Post Office

Michael POV:

The past few weeks have been hellish and not just for me, my workers too. I just fired my secretary few hours ago. The sixth to be fired in many as 8 weeks. The latest one to be fired for arranging my files in non alphabetical order, it sounded petty, but Aurora understood that much. Aurora! I didn't know I would miss her this much. She had been little light in world I never noticed, I felt submerged in total darkness. Her overwhelming desire to make sure everything was perfectly done for me and her desperate attempts to make me smile or smile when I just gave her an undeserved tongue lashing. I couldn't get her to come back and I transferred the agression to my other employees. I flip at every error and thundered at the most petty mistake.

I thought I was going to have to accept she was gone with time, but the anger got worse everyday.

Like every other day, I was leaving the office a bit later than others. I closed my office and headed, I saw by chance the Letter I told Libby to mail earlier. How could she forget despite telling her how important it was. She was going to hear the harshest rebuke from me tommorrow, but first I had to mail it myself.

I was in the lobby of the post office when she walked in the door, having just put a last-minute letter into the outgoing post.

I stopped short when I saw her, her pale turquoise narrow eyes. A expression turned sour when she saw me."Mr Angelo" She said politely and started to go around me

I stepped right into her path. she ground her teeth and glared back at me. “What had Leo been doing to you?” I asked. “You look worn to the bone"

"I have to earn my keep" she said "How's Mabel and Libby"

"They all missed you" I made it sound as if she’d left them in a bind

She shifted her foot nervously, I wanted to guilt trip her and It seems to be working perfectly.

"Had it be we were alone, I’d have had more to say about the accusing look she was giving me, But people were coming and going all around us"

"Did you see the recommendation I sent"

"Yes, I did. Thank you for it"

"I had hope you would work for someone better with it, I mean that was why I sent it and the full month to survive in the mean time while you look for a better job"

"Thank you Mr. Angelo for the recommendation I mean. But whom I work for is certainly none of your business" she replied spitefully

I shrugged. “I didn’t think Leo would take you on,” I said. “It’s no secret that he hates having women around the ranch since the divorce.”

“Delene Crane works with him,” she replied, curious. “She’s a woman.”

“He’s known Delene since they were in college together,” he told her. “He doesn’t think of her as a woman.”

“How’s your mother?” I asked abruptly.

She grimaced. “She does things they told her not to do,” she lamented. “Especially lifting heavy stuff. The doctors said that she still has a tendency toward clots, despite the blood thinners they give her. They didn’t say, but I know that once a person has one or two strokes, they’re almost predisposed to have more.”

I nodded slowly. “But there are drugs to treat that, now. I’m sure your doctor is taking good care of her.”

“He is,”

I looked past her. “It’s clouding up. You’d better get your letters mailed, so you don’t get soaked when you leave.”

“Yes.” She looked at me devoid of the pain and love that was always in her eyes. It was so bad that I knew then, and pitied her for it. But now I was feeling worse it wasn't there anymore She glanced away, coloring faintly. “Yes, I’d better…go.”

She can't get over me within a month could she.

Unexpectedly, I reached out and pushed back a long strand of black hair that had escaped her braid. I tugged it behind her ear, my gaze intent and solemn as I watched her reaction.

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Aurora POV:

Unexpectedly, He reached out and pushed back a long strand of black hair that had escaped my braid. And tugged it behind my ear, his gaze intent. It was the second time, I was at the receiving end of the gesture today. But his was different, My heart was racing like ran a full track. I felt my knees weakening just from the long shared looks. There was no getting away from him. What is the heart to do when it already has a name imprinted on it. I missed him so much.

I saw the glint of delight in his eyes, he was mocking me!. He knew I still loved him and was toying with me. I swiped his hand away roughly and fixed him a cold dead stare. There was a smirk on his face. I've had enough of this, I won't be humiliated any further by him, I would let him have the taste of his own medicine.

"What do you think you are doing"

"You had a straying hair"

"That is not an excuse to touch me unsolicited, Keep your hands to yourself" I said coldly, allowing the anger to mask the helplessness I was feeling deep down.

"I'm sorry" he blurted out, apparently taken by surprise.

"Yeah, right. Excuse me" I said

He moved aside and allowed me to pass. I walked on to the mail slots, aware of his long, aching stare at my back. By the time finished the chore, he was already out the door and climbing into his Mercedes. I watched him drive away before I opened the door of the post office and went outside.

It was starting to rain. I would get wet, but I didn’t care. The odd, cold encounter made my head spin with pleasure, how I put him in his place and his appalled reaction. I would be reminisce it for quite a long time, It would be a kind thought to brighten any day.