[This story is loosely intended as a sequel to the first Maintenance story. It is not necessary to read the other one to enjoy this one.]
The lights were off and her office was quiet. She sipped her coffee and reviewed the morning reports. Opening shifts were busy and chaotic, but she enjoyed the pre-shift serenity and solitude. She took another sip of her brew and zoned out, staring at the computer screen.
With a smirk on her face, she flashed back to the week before when she was announced as winner of the annual management award. Three years ago she was out of a job and began working as a part-time cashier. She quickly moved up to barista which got her a full-time position. Within a year she was a shift lead and just a few months ago she was promoted to store manager.
Her job was demanding and at times stressful, but she was otherwise thankful to have it. Whereas she could barely pay the bills upon accepting the job, her salary as a store manager had made life a lot easier from a financial standpoint. From what she had seen in the past, the winners of the management award were typically promoted soon after and she couldn't help but feel nervously optimistic.
The sound of the front door opening snapped her out of her daydream.
"Good morning!" Her shift leader entered the office and approached the timeclock, waiting to punch in.
"Hey, good morning!" She replied, before shifting her attention back to her award.
Originally, the award ceremonies were held at the corporate offices in Seattle, but the city had been reeling from a massive tsunami; she knew an alternate location had been chosen but hadn't had a chance to read over the details. She opened the email and began to skim through, reading quietly to herself.
"...due to the on-going recovery and rebuilding efforts, the annual awards ceremony will be held in," her mouth dropped. "...Dallas Texas, of all places are you kidding me?!" She threw her head back, laughing and catching a curious look from her employee. She continued reading.
"Attached you will find your itinerary, please check-in at least 24 hours prior to boarding."
"Texas, huh." She smiled as she remembered the week prior and her rendezvous with the maintenance guy. That morning she thought about her recent streak of good fortune and couldn't help but wonder if it was a sign of things to come. She had never been to Texas, but she knew it was a huge state. She had no clue what city he lived in, or if he was traveling for work, or if he would even want to hear from her. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but the thought of somehow seeing him again excited her.
Her week was crazy busy and she hadn't prepared, packed, or much less enjoyed the fact that she had a few days of well-deserved recognition and downtime coming up. Her flight left early the next day but since she was working an opening shift, she would have plenty of time in the afternoon to pack and get ready.
Before long, the rest of her employees showed up, prepped the store, and opened the doors. Like clockwork, the morning rush began and the hectic morning shift was in full-swing. Her mind got lost in the work and the hours clipped by as she hustled around the store, helping where needed and keeping operations moving swiftly and efficiently.
Before she knew it the afternoon crew began clocking in and getting ready. She put out a few last-minute fires, went over some reports, and did a walkthrough before handing things over to her shift lead.
"The floor is all yours, have a great shift! Just remember I'll be out for a few days but call or text if you need anything, OK?"
As she made her way out, several employees stopped to congratulate her, thank her, and give her a hug. Overwhelmed by their kindness and support, she fought back tears all the way to her car. She had come a long way since first starting at the company and she felt particularly grateful for her team.
~~~
She folded and packed a few sets of business causal outfits. The idea of running into him hadn't left her mind.
"Stranger things have happened," she thought to herself.
She took a black dress out of her closet and held it out at arm's length; it was low-cut, tight, and had a cute belt. It went into her suitcase along with a pair of black heels. Still entertaining the idea of seeing him, she opened her underwear drawer and chose a black lace bra and panties set.
Staring into the open drawer, she imagined herself in the outfit having dinner with him at a nice restaurant. Like a scene in a movie, she watched as they ate, chatted, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company. She wondered what would happen next; would he flirt with her? Would he even have any interest in seeing her? While she loved the idea of another encounter with him, she forced herself to be realistic and thought it would be unlikely. She reached into the back of the drawer, grabbed her vibrator, tucked it away into her suitcase and zipped it shut.
Stretched out on her couch, the relaxing wave from the wine kicked in and she once again revisited the idea of another date with him. But how, exactly? Her mind traveled back a few years and then quickly to the present. Everything, including her present situation, was a result of steps she took to make things happen; for the first time she was starting to realize it and believe in herself.
When she first started with the company she worked hard out of necessity and though she still had bills to pay, she was doing drastically better now. It occurred to her that the reason why she worked hard was because she liked it; she liked the results, growth, and challenges. She planned on having fun during the trip, but she also intended on hunting down the next promotion.
She wondered if the situation with the maintenance guy was no different; was it within her power to see him again? Opening her phone contacts she scrolled through the entries under the letter M.
"Maintenance Man," she whispered to herself.
Her chest was pounding as she created a new message. She was afraid of being disappointed and accepted the fact that he might not respond for whatever reason. But what if he did? What would he say? Would he be happy to hear from her? She sipped from her glass, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly as she began typing.
*I'm flying to Texas tomorrow for work and couldn't help but think of you, maintenance man.*
She laughed to herself and hit the send button. Reality was starting to kick in more and more each second; she was really going on this well-deserved and much-needed trip. One thing was certain, she planned on enjoying every minute of it even if she was by herself. She looked at her phone again, locked the screen, and tucked it away. She was proud of herself for texting him and had no expectations about him responding.
She did one final check of her luggage before crawling into bed. Despite the excitement, she was exhausted and ready to sleep. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander, smiling gently as she drifted off.
~~~
The entire trip was paid for by the company, including taxi to and from the airport. In fact, the trip was considered official business and it was mandatory to take the company-provided car to the airport. The car arrived right on time and was a black, luxury sedan. The driver took her suitcases and loaded them into the trunk, and away they went.
The backseat of the car was spacious and comfortable. There were phone chargers, drinks, and snacks.
"I can get used to this!"
She opened the trip pamphlet and reviewed the itinerary for the next several days. There would be an optional meet-and-greet happy hour her first night there, but aside from that her weekend was free. Beginning Monday she would have a schedule full of corporate events, meals, and awards ceremonies.
The car slowed as they arrived at the curb. She exited the vehicle as the driver brought her bags around.
"Have a safe flight, ma'am!"
"Thank you," she replied as she handed the driver a tip.
Once inside, she breezed through security, grabbed a cup of coffee, and had a seat at her gate. She continued reading the trip pamphlet, particularly about the happy hour that evening.
*Join us for an informal cocktail hour at Pegasus Bar, located inside the hotel.*
She was happy and excited to travel, but she was also slightly anxious as she didn't know anyone and would be in a new city in a new state. Her boarding group was called and she put the pamphlet in her purse. As she waited to board the plane, she debated going to the happy hour. The thought of showing up without knowing anyone was terrifying, but she was motivated to network and potentially meet some corporate big-wigs.
She made it to her seat, stored her bag in the luggage compartment and buckled in. The crew worked swiftly and minutes later the doors were closed and they were taxiing. She stared through the window and watched her town get smaller and smaller until it disappeared from her view.
~~~~~~~
