The Fifteen Minute Novel is an attempt to take a single prompt and use the last sentence written each day as a start for the next day. This year I had several prompts circling around a similar story, so I have combined them. However, the story starts the same way each day, with the last line from the day before and a timer set for fifteen minutes. The hope is to end up with a complete, if very rough draft by the end of the year. Some stories are better than others, but I always learn a whole lot about my own writing when I do this so for me it is not only a nice way to work out a story, but it is a tool for helping my writing get better. And so, we continue this story for 2024 with…
Day 19: Sophie nodded.
Sophie nodded. “I can do that.”
Both Sean and Elizabeth looked relieved. “I know it isn’t much time to plan a trip, but you still have all of your saved leave time when you do have time to plan a vacation.”
“That is nice,” Sophie said. Sean brought out the paperwork. It had the justification for her leave and she was surprised to see how much overtime she racked up listed on the paperwork. She knew it had been increasing, but hadn’t thought to add it up in her mind. It made sense now why this vacation time counted as paid leave. She had already worked the hours. Sophie signed the necessary paperwork in the indicated places and handed the papers back to Sean.
“I’ll send the e-mail right away so Evers has it by the time you get down stairs.”
Sophie nodded and as the words sounded like a dismissal, she stood.
“Thanks again for the other night,” Elizabeth said. “It really was a lifesaver.”
Sophie smiled and Sean walked out of the office with her. As she went to the elevator and he went to his office, Sophie wondered what would come of this. It was rare that she was ever out of the office. She rarely got sick and as Elizabeth pointed out the last time she took off was two years ago for a root canal.
‘And even then I only left two hours early and got everything done before I left.’
As she got into the elevator and rode back down to her floor, she wondered how Mr. Evers would take it. He and the others delegated work to her, they never took up slack for her. The situation had never come up. She found that she was curious as to how that would work.
The elevator dinged to a stop and she exited, walking back down the hall towards her office. As she reached Mr. Ever’s door, she looked in. He was at his computer and looked up when he saw her. He had a pinched look on his face.
“I’m not interrupting am I?” Sophie asked.
“No,” he said shaking his head. He still sounded cross. “I hear you are going on vacation.” His lips compressed after the words left his lips.
“Not intentionally. I was told I had to take it,” Sophie replied.
“I read the e-mail. I don’t suppose they gave you the option of just letting the leave go?” he asked.
Sophie blinked in surprise. She doubted anyone in the office would even consider letting an hour of their leave time go. “It wasn’t an option.” She replied. She felt a spark of annoyance flare inside her.
“Then I suppose we have no choice.” He sighed heavily. “I expect all your work to be complete before you go galivanting to wherever on your month off.”
“Of course,” Sophie said. She felt the small spark of anger growing, but kept it from her voice. “Do I need to talk to anyone about the files that will come in while I am gone?”
“I will deal with it,” he told her.
Ten til Midnight 