Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 21:48:32 -0700 (PDT) From: z.a schulz Subject: The Painting-1 DISCLAIMER: If you're under 18 don't read these. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH... The painting *Damn, I shouldn't be late. This is my first day at work and I don't want to be late.* Megan thought as she was waiting for her train. Megan was a newly graduate, and she was lucky enough to find a job suited in her. *I could be the youngest System Developer in the firm* Megan chuckled. 20 minutes later, she was outside the building and was rushing to the main entrance. She immediately went to the elevator when she bumped to another lady. Megan's folder case drop and the lady pick it up, smiling at her. "Hey, first day at work?" the lady inquire. "Umm, yeah! Umm, sorry I didn't see you." when Megan notice the girl was picking up her things. "Oh, umm, thanks!" Megan said. "Here." The lady gives her folder and smiles at her. "Just relax ok? You'll be fine!" The lady assured her. "You'll be late it's 8:30! Better hurry up!" The lady told her then press the elevator's button. Before Megan boarded the elevator, the lady holds her hand and said, "Good luck on your first day! Relax! And they will definitely like you." "Thank you!" Megan forgets that the door was open, she's feeling something about the lady when she holds her hand. Everyone in the company welcomes Megan and they were really good at her. She remembers the lady who told her that everything would be alright. And she's right. Megan realizes that she didn't get the name of her angel. 'Will I see her again?' *** Megan was trained for a week before she can sit on every meeting of the department. Megan was right she's one of the youngest members in the company. Megan longs for her angel everytime she boarded the elevator hoping that she was there. 'I wonder if she works here, she's too young to be working here.' Megan thought. "Hey, I see you again!" The lady patted her on the back. Megan was so happy to see her. She can't wait to see the lady who lifts her spirit. This time Megan didn't waste time to ask her name. "Hi, I'm Megan. And you are?" extending her right hand. "I'm Caitlin. Nice to see you again Megan." Caitlin extends her right hand. "So how was your first day?" Caitlin continued. "Well, you're right they like me. They were so good to me." Megan replied. "So, are you working here?" she asked. "Yeah, I worked here!" Caitlin said. Megan thought of asking her to lunch but she hesitates that maybe Caitlin would thought of something else. "Hey, what's wrong? A little bit quite huh?" Caitlin inquired. "Umm, nothing." But before she could make another statement, the door opens and Caitlin was on her way out. "Hey, Megan, I'll see you around. Have a nice day! Take care!" Megan smiled. Megan reaches on her cubicle and recounts of what had happen. She begins to like Caitlin even though they just met. She was attracted by the voice of her assurance or maybe something more. Megan's thought was interrupted by John (her gay trainer) that her boss will be arriving and they will be meeting each other for the first time. She was nervous again and wishes that Caitlin were there to give her some comfort. "She'll be here any minute! Are you nervous?" he asked. "A little bit!" "Don't be, she's your age or younger." John said. "Younger? Our boss is younger as we?" shock to hear those things. "Yeah, she's an intern here, she's bright so the management liked her and they hired her after graduating to college. But don't think that she looks old. You'll be surprised to see her." He narrated. The elevator opens and everyone greeted the person who just came in. "She's here! Cait!" John waves his hand. Megan just can't believe when she heard the name Cait. 'Could it be her?' she asked herself. "No, it can't be." "Hi, John!" Cait waved back. "Need you in my office. And I want to meet the new S.D." "So do you see her?" John asked. "No." "Let's go. She wants to see you!" John led the way to Caitlin's office. A few knock and it opens. Megan didn't get to see her right away, her back was against them. "Oh no, if she's my boss how can I ask her out for lunch.' "Hi John, good morn-" Caitlin stopped when she saw Megan with John. "Hey, Megan. So, it's you? Our new System Developer." John was surprised that they knew each other. "Whoa, so you guys met?" "Yeah, last week. When our bosses have a meeting. Well, welcome to the company Megan." Megan was dumbfounded that she's actually seeing Caitlin as their Head Department. "Thank you." *** Megan, now a month old in the company and her relationship with Caitlin is A OK. Caitlin was very helpful to her, in every thing she does Caitlin was always there. During lunchtime they always met at the buildings canteen with John just to chill out. Megan was so attracted to her that she makes it a habit to greet Caitlin every morning. Megan hesitates to ask Caitlin out, she's afraid to open the topic of her sexuality. She's thinking that Caitlin is straight. But Megan is still hopeful that she will have the courage to ask her on a date. She is just finding the right moment. Same as Cait, she is fully aware that it's not just a friendly feeling she's having with Megan. She was just afraid to ask her out because of their friendship. "Meg, I'll see you at the cafe. I'll go ahead. Alright? John is already there." Caitlin said. "Yeah, I'll just follow you in a second." Megan replied. Megan and Cait are happy to spend some time even just for lunch without the two of them knowing. Caitlin finds John in their favorite spot, John is her best friend, and he helps her to get the internship program the company was offering. He is a family friend. John, is Caitlin's adviser to all her problems, she didn't hesitate to tell her about her feelings with Megan. "John, what do you think about Megan?" Caitlin asked. "Huh? Why?" John curiously asked back. "Umm, I like her John, she brightens up my day. When I see her every morning I feel like I'm floating. Do you know that feeling John?" "Ah ha! My dear friend is in love! So, what are you gonna do with it?" "I don't know yet, John. You know that I still have to find "her". But I can assure you that she's the one for me and I'm falling for her. Definitely." Caitlin rests her back against the chair. "Whoa, so is she Ms. Right?" "John, I see myself waking every morning with her and lie down next to her every night. Just like you and James." Caitlin said with a big grin on her face. "Oh my god. You're serious aren't you?" John said in disbelief. "Of course, I'm serious. But I have to go back to--" Caitlin's word was cut off when John acknowledges Megan's presence. "Megan, how long you've been standing there?" Caitlin was blushing in deep red. She wants to know if Megan heard what they were talking about. Megan told them that she just walk in. The two were relief that she didn't hear anything. "So, let's take our lunch." Caitlin said, believing what Megan said. Caitlin saw that Megan wasn't touching her food, she just stares at them. "Meg, are you alright? Don't you like the food?" Caitlin asked. But Megan didn't answer back. "Here, have some of mine." As she offered the food to her. "No, I'm not yet hungry." Putting her right hand to Megan's shoulder. "Are you alright Meg?" Caitlin asked. "Excuse me, I have to go to the ladies room." Standing up and leaving John and Caitlin in awe. "John, what's wrong with her? Do you think she heard us?" "I don't know, maybe--" Caitlin stands up and follows Megan in the washroom. She found Megan in tears in the ladies room, "Meg, why are you crying? Something bothering you?" Caitlin holds her hand. "Nothing, I just remember something." As she wipes the tears in her face. Caitlin didn't know what to do, her heart was breaking when she sees the woman she love are crying without her knowing why. "Cait, I need sometime alone, please -" Caitlin just gives her a hug and turns away, leaving her alone in the room. Megan took off the rest of the day. She just want to spend time thinking of what she just had heard. She realized that Caitlin is already taken that she didn't even had a chance to ask her out. Megan thought of avoiding her but she thought that it would be very hard on her since she is working with the same company. After that day, Megan was avoiding Caitlin evidently everyone notice it. Still she doesn't care. Caitlin noticed the change in Megan's way of treating her. She's hurt that her ladylove is avoiding her and she doesn't know why. She tries to talk to her but she's very reluctant to it. Until, Caitlin couldn't stand it anymore. She waited for Megan to finish all her work and waited for her at the elevator. "Meg, can we talk?" Caitlin said in a smooth and very relaxing tone. "If you have problems with my work just give me a memo." Megan said in a harsh tone. Caitlin got irritated by the way Megan was treating her. She pulls Megan in the elevator and holds her tight in her arms. "Hey, what are you doing? Don't hold me like that!" Megan yells out. Still Caitlin was transfixed and looks like she didn't hear anything she said. When they reach the ground floor, Caitlin releases her and holds her hand and leads her to the parking lot. "I just want to know why you're avoiding me, Meg? I don't know any reason why such a sudden change. What did I do wrong?" When Megan see Caitlin's eye asking for a reason, she broke down in tears. She buries her head in Caitlin's chest and cries. "It's all right Meg, you can tell me everything. I'm here to listen." Caressing Megan's hair. In between sobs, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Megan said. Not knowing why she took Megan to her apartment. Caitlin asked her the reason why she's avoiding her. Megan still adamant to tell her the truth, she believes that it will ruin Caitlin's relationship if ever she tells her. Megan told herself that what she's feeling for Caitlin will remain as a secret. Caitlin still doesn't know why Megan treated her like that. After sometime, Megan realized that it wasn't fair to treat Caitlin like an enemy besides she doesn't know the truth. "Hey, are you free on Sunday morning?" Megan inquired. "Umm, Why?" Megan brings out an invitation and handed it to Caitlin. "A painting exhibit?" Caitlin asked. "Yeah, I notice that you always look at the canvass on the wall's office. So, I thought you might want to see the exhibit. And besides my friend is one of the organizers of the event. So, are you coming?" Caitlin sighs, " Can I say no?" Megan shook her head. "Ok!" All Caitlin could say. "Great, Sunday alright?" "Yeah." Caitlin suddenly feels strange when she accepted the invitation. She found herself so quiet and didn't notice that Megan was with her. *** Sunday morning, Megan was driving on the way to the exhibit. Caitlin didn't feel well that day. She can just call it off but Megan looks forward to it. Pulling up at the parking lot, Megan noticed the look on Caitlin's face. Sadness was all over her face. "Hey, are you alright?" Megan looks at Caitlin. "Yeah, let's go. I can't wait to see those canvasses." Trying to sound happy. When they enter the building, Megan looked for her friend while Caitlin stares at some of the paintings. She sees children on one side of the area having some painting activity. She smiles at herself when she remembers how "they" always participate in exhibits like this. Megan comes back to Caitlin with her friend. "Cait, I want you to meet my friend, Anne." Extending her hand to Cait. "Oh my god, it's you! Come here! You must see this." Anne frantically hold Caitlin and makes their way at a room full of sketches of different people whom loves painting. "What's going on?" Caitlin and Megan said in unison. "Look!" Anne points for a portrait on the side of the room. Megan and Cait were shock to see a portrait of Caitlin on the wall. Megan looks at it and sees the artist's initials -S.A. "How long is this hanging on your wall?" Caitlin asked Anne. "Friday, the lady made this for an hour and a half. She told us that you're also an artist. And she told us that you should sketch her also. Here, she uses this pencil. You might want to sketch." Anne reaches for the pencil that the mysterious artist used. Megan saw how Caitlin took the pencil and looks at it seriously. She thought that Caitlin would cry when she holds the pen. "You must be kidding, Anne. I don't sketch anymore. I don't know if I can right now." Caitlin holds back her tears. Some of the painters in the room ask Caitlin to sketch the artist's face so if the painter comes back she will know that Caitlin acknowledges her artwork. "Alright!" Caitlin took the board and started to sketch. Megan realized that she did not fully know who Caitlin really was. She's thinking that Caitlin has a lot of secrets to tell. Megan feel a little bit insecure when she saw the look on Caitlin's face when she started to sketch the lady artist. She saw how happy Caitlin was making the sketch. To be exact, Caitlin finish off her sketch at exactly an hour and a half same as the painter with the initials of S.A When Caitlin was done, everyone in the room admires her drawing and they told her how the woman exactly looks in real life. Megan was speechless; she didn't know what to say and how she will react. Caitlin on the other hand was very happy that finally she could paint again. "Anne, I'm going to give you my card and if ever that woman came back, please give this to her." Handing out a calling card. Caitlin know how Megan feels at the moment, she knows that Megan will asked who lady in the canvass is. She knows that this will happen but not on this way. She wants Megan to know the truth after her trip to L.A They left the exhibit without any words. Caitlin didn't know how to tell Megan the truth about her past. The same as Megan, she's having doubts that she's not yet ready to hear the truth about Caitlin - her past. *** The Sunday incident has past without any words between Caitlin and Megan. They didn't know who should explain to whom. The usual greetings between Cait and Meg are not the same as before, there are some strains on it. Cait knew that she's at fault and she didn't assure Megan that everything is just fine between them. "Cait, have you seen it? She's here." John closes the door of Caitlin's office without knowing that Megan was with her. "John?" Caitlin looked at Megan. Megan understands the fact that John has seen already. That John wants to have a word from her friend. She excuses herself and left the two in the room. "John, lets talk somewhere else." Caitlin pleads. John and Caitlin left her room and walks through the elevator. She knew that Megan was looking at her but she's hesitating to look back. Finally, Caitlin decided to walk back to Megan's desk and told her that she'll be back and they will talk. Megan knew that Caitlin would be telling her about her relationship with the mysterious woman. She has to be ready for herself and thought that it is the right time to tell her true feelings for her. The elevator opens, Megan feels something not right. Her heart pound. Then she heard a woman's voice asking for Caitlin. 'Could it be her?' she thought. 'What should I do?' asking herself out. "Relax, Meg. Everything will be alright!" she told herself. "Megan, have you seen Cait?" Caitlin secretary asked her. "Umm, she's with John. They'll be here any minute. I guess." Megan answered back. "Lea, who is she?" Megan asked. "Oh, she's a friend of Cait. Sarah Anderson, that's her name. I never seen her before." Lea left Megan back to her desk. Megan thought a bit and she realized that her initials is S.A she went to look to see the lady's face and she's right she really looks like the one Caitlin sketch. Megan was nervous at the event of what's to come. An hour later, John, and Cait walks back to the office and she instantly look for Megan. But Megan could not be found. "I wonder where Megan is right now?" she asked John looking for any sign of her love. "She's over there at the conference room with Chris." Pointing at Megan's direction. "See you later, John." Leaving John behind and made her way to Megan's. "Hey, can I have a minute with you?" asked Caitlin smiling at her. Seeing Caitlin's smile makes Megan's knees go weak. She has those killer smiles that could bring a worst day to a beautiful one. "Umm, Meg we need to talk, I have something important to tell you. Are you free tonight?" Caitlin asked nervously. Before Megan could answer back John butted in. "Cait, she's here!" John whispered. Caitlin thought of a second before she could make a sense of what she heard. She turns around and sees the woman she's long been looking. "Sarah?" The lady nodded. She walks in front of Caitlin and gives her hug. "You're actually here! I can't believe I am seeing you again." Caitlin said, tears flowing in her eyes. "You're still crying like those times." Sarah wipes the tears from Caitlin's face. John closes the door of the conference room for others not to see it. Megan freezes and couldn't move on her place. She wanted to run out but John holds her hand and assures her that everything is ok. Caitlin's first thought is Megan. Well, that's all for now folks! If you want me to continue this story, email me at cloudy_sky23@yahoo.com Any suggestions, comments, and reactions are all welcome! Please indicate the title at the subject line. Thanks!!! (And thank you to all that read my first story - "true love") Thanks! z.a.