Planning…

Another part of Amy’s story. If you haven’t read the others I’ve got them all linked up on a page *points up* Enjoy!

Her laugh broke the silence. Amy woke with a start and looked around, wondering where the laugh came from. And then wondering where she was.

It was a small, plain room with no windows. Amy was lying on a small cot across from the doorway. There was a sink with a cupboard underneath, a utilitarian mirror hung above and a plain white cabinet hung on the wall. She pulled herself to a seated position and tried to piece together what had happened recently.

She remembered feeling very ill and dizzy and assumed she passed out. Amy struggled with the details. Why was she ill? Why was she dizzy? What had happened?

The door opened and a head poked in. A matronly woman smiled at her.

“Good! You’re awake.”

She entered the room and pulled a blood pressure cuff from a drawer. Amy watched as she put it on her upper arm and began to squeeze the ball.

“Where…where am I?”

The woman looked at the gage on the cuff and then looked at Amy. She smiled again.

“You’re at the New Roads Medical Clinic. We’re on the 16^th floor of the building. The nice young man from your office arranged for us to bring a stretcher up to your floor and bring you down here to check you out before wasting the ambulance service’s time. Dr. Harrisman looked you over and figured it was probably an anxiety attack that caused you to black out. I was just waiting for you to wake up before deciding whether or not to send you on to the hospital. How do you feel?”

“Dizzy, “Amy grimaced. “And I have a horrible headache. Could I get some water?”

The nurse filled a small cup with water and handed it to Amy. Amy tried to put her thoughts in order. The events of the morning were beginning to come back, from her frantic search of her office to Abigail’s presentation to her blackout. Amy felt tears welling up and tried to quash them down.

“Thank you for all your help. I think it was just an anxiety attack, “Amy smiled wanly. “I feel a little embarrassed remembering I just passed out in front of my entire department and our Executive team.” She tried to force out a laugh, “There goes any chance of a promotion!”

The nursed wisely said nothing. She just stood and commented she’s get the doctor to come back and check Amy over before letting her go back to work. Amy watched her leave and then buried her face in her hands. How was she supposed to go back to work after this? She was mortified.

Before the doctor came in she quickly straightened her wrinkled skirt and smoothed down her shirt. She splashed some cold water on her face and tried to fix her now flattened hairstyle. After her minor primping she looked gravely at herself in the mirror.

Amy had never been known for her beauty. She was attractive with a heart shaped face, almond shaped light green eyes and honey brown hair that fell just below her shoulders in soft waves but she wasn’t what anyone would call beautiful. She was “average”, a “plain Jane”, “inconsequential”. Perhaps if she’d tried to fit in with the cool crowds in high school and learned about fashion, make-up and the latest hair styles she’d be more confident now.

Amy’s make-up free skin was paler than usual and there were indigo colored smudges under her eyes due to poor sleep the night before. Her eyes looked massive and her face had taken on a childlike appearance.

Great, now everyone will treat me like a baby because I’m beginning to look like one.

The doctor’s arrival stopped any further negative contemplation in from of the mirror. Amy tried to put on a cheerful, healthy-looking, bright eyed expression and, judging from the doctor’s expression, failed miserably.

“How are you feeling?” He asked kindly.

“A little tired, but okay, I think, “Amy said as she sank down into the cot again. The doctor took a seat on the chair.

“Judging from your appearance I’d guess you are overworked and sleep deprived. You had very low blood pressure when you came in here. Are there any medical issues I should know about?”

“No, nothing. I am tired. And stressed about work. I guess I just let things go a little too far. Am I free to leave?”

“Yes, but I highly recommend you see your family doctor for a complete check up just in case there is an underlying cause.”

Amy nodded her head in agreement even though she knew there was no way she’d follow through. She hated her doctor; the pompous ass had a glorified God-complex ever since he’d saved her younger sister from drowning 15 years ago. She had always meant to find a new one but growing up in a small town meant limited medical resources. Now that she was living in the city it was probably time to find someone new. She stood and shook the doctor’s hand.

“Thank you for all your help, doctor.”

Amy turned to step out the door and ran smack into someone standing just outside in the hall. She fell back into the room and stumbled over a low stool before sitting down hard on the floor.

“Oh, Amy! I’m so sorry.”

Amy’s team manager, Charlotte, bent down to help her up. She was a larger woman, built like a house, and with the personality of a bulldog. Amy enjoyed working with her, even though she scared her frequently with her ‘no holds barred’ attitude regarding winning pitches. She knew what she wanted and went for it, no matter what the consequences could be. Amy had hoped she’d pick up some tips on how to be more confident but instead found herself hiding in her cubicle and staying quiet during team meetings. Charlotte had once torn a strip off her for a sloppy presentation and Amy had not yet recovered.

“I came to make sure you were okay. The rest of the teams all went out for lunch after the presentations were over and I didn’t want you coming back to a deserted office. “

“Oh, right, the presentations. So how did the rest of them go? Which one was chosen?”

Amy held her breath, anticipating the answer. She and Charlotte walked down the hall to the elevator bay. Charlotte grunted and then spoke, the words dripping from her mouth as if they tasted bad.

“Sarah Anderson from George’s team won it. I have to give it to her, it was a clever idea but I think Abigail’s presentation and idea was better.” Charlotte turned to her. “I wish you could have done your presentation. I know you were working hard on it.” A smile spread across her face, fracturing her wrinkles into starbursts of lines. “I watched you the other day. I wish you participated in our team meetings like how you prepped for this.”

Amy felt a warm glow build and suffuse her body. Abigail didn’t win! And Charlotte thought Abigail’s presentation was the best which meant she thought Amy’s idea was the best. This day was actually turning out okay.

“Thank you for the compliment Charlotte, “Amy smiled.  “I think I will be participating more in our team meetings. I have a lot of ideas I’d like to bring forward and implement.”

As they rode up in the elevator Amy planned her next moves. First up: figure out how Abigail had stolen her project. Second: find out a way to destroy her.