Off the Grid

“She saved my life,” he deadpanned.

“Of course she did. She’s not homicidal.”

Her stomach worked itself into knots. The easy dismissal crawled under Lilac’s skin. She straightened to her full five foot eleven inches and slipped her feet into her moccasins.

“I’m going to check on a few things outside so you can talk.”

“No, I want you to hear this,” Thorn demanded. “Whatever games you want to play, Alexa, you can count me out. I’ve had enough of the run around from you to last a lifetime. We were never committed to one another. I thought we might be able to try for more, but you showed me with startling clarity how wrong I was. For that I’m grateful. It saved me from wasting my time, again.”

“Baby, you never said you wanted to be serious,” Alexa whined.

“And now I don’t, so you can keep your pet names to yourself.”

“What did she tell you?” Alexa nearly hissed the words.

“Nothing I didn’t already know. You and Peter are more than boss and worker, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but it’s nothing serious. It’s never been,” Alexa said with a wave of her hand. The flippant gesture chilled Lilac to the marrow. No one should be so careless with another person’s heart. You never knew what they might do. Love was an emotional thing that blinded people to faults, and caused irrational behavior.

“And that’s exactly why in the long run we’d never work. We don’t see things the same way. I wonder if we ever really did.”

“Wait, what are you saying? Have those antibiotics scrambled your brains? Because it sounds like you’re choosing that thief over me.”

“You should watch the words you throw around. I didn’t steal anything. Peter gave me this job,” Lilac said, taking up for herself for the first time against her workplace bully.

Alexa scoffed. “Why would he do that? I know you must’ve begged and pleaded. Maybe you were extra persuasive.”

“No, I don’t get ahead on my back, unlike others I won’t even draw attention to by naming. I told him the truth. I’m the best reporter there and if he didn’t give me better I’d walk. It’s pretty evident he agreed, because he assigned me to this last minute as a way to prove I could work under pressure with little notice. I know you think the world revolves around you, but this time you’re mistaken. My only competition is myself. If you’re going to call me out of my name, you’d best make sure I did what you’re accusing me of. ’Cause as of today, I’m done taking your shit. You want to act all high and mighty, do it elsewhere with someone else.”

Alexa’s mouth flopped open and shut like a fish trying to breathe out of water. “Wow. You came out in the woods and decided to grow a spine? How quaint. You might want to remember who the queen bee is when you come back to reality.”

Lilac laughed. “Oh, honey, bless your heart. You’re not even the queen. That’s a legitimate title recognized by all. You’re just the concubine of the king, the illegitimate thing on the side he tries to appease and keep warm and waiting in his bed. I thought you knew that.” She clucked her tongue. “It’s always so sad when silly girls get their feelings hurt.”

“You bitch,” Alexa hisses.

“If the title fits I’ll wear it with a crown and a sash,” Lilac said with a shrug. It felt good to unleash the years of pent up aggression.

“Do you see how spiteful she is, Thorn? These are her true colors.”

“Looks to me like she spoke her mind. I don’t know what you came here looking for, Alexa, but you won’t find it. I assure you, if you speak ill of my woman again in my presence, we’re going to have a serious problem.”

His woman? Her stomach fluttered. Emotions swirled inside of her like a tornado.

“Your woman?” Alexa asked.

“Did I stutter?”

“No. But I-I thought—”

“You thought wrong. Now as you can see, I’m just fine. My woman got me to the hospital in plenty of time and has graciously volunteered to care for me until I’m back on my feet. So while I appreciate your concern, I’ll have to ask you to leave as I was told to relax and rest.”

Alexa stood; her dazed expression and blank stare reminded Lilac of a living doll. She turned and slowly trudged away with slumped shoulders and downcast eyes. The phrase slunk off like a dog with its tail between its legs surfaced in her head. She’d never seen the beautiful blonde look so defeated. She almost felt bad for her … almost.

The front door shut and Lilac placed her hands on her hip. “Your woman?”

“Seemed right, don’t you think?”

“You weren’t going to ask me?”