The Fifteen Minute Novel 2024: Day 143

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 143: Sophie tried to let the thought go as she returned to work.

Sophie tried to let the thought go as she returned to work. The music helped Sophie get back to work and she was able to slowly forget about Ryan and Kristen.  She didn’t like the fact that she had any involvement in their potential firing, but after reminding herself that it wasn’t actually her fault, she started to let it go. 

At lunch, Sophie was glad she brought something from home.  ‘Have to remember to bring something for the next couple of weeks.’ She thought.  Sophie didn’t know how long it would take to sort things out, but decided it was probably better to just eat at her desk until it did. 

‘I can’t be accused of talking to anyone if I don’t actually leave the office during the day,’ she decided.  ‘Plus it is only a few lunches as I only go out Tuesday and Thursday each week.’

Over all it wasn’t much of a hardship.  ‘And it beats having to be babysat when I go to the food trucks.’  Sophie had never thought she would need to have witnesses around to verify her actions and even though she knew it was more for her own benefit, she didn’t like the feeling.

It was something else she set to side as she finished lunch and got back to work.  After a time, she was settled enough inside that she could switch to a podcast and let her thoughts slide more to fashion than office dramas.  The one she chose was in Italian and she was pleased that she reached the end of the podcast without having to look up a single word. 

As the day came to a close, her thoughts shifted back to her designs.  While she hadn’t been in the headspace to work on her own designs the night before, she was not willing to sacrifice a second evening. She closed down her desktop and locked her files up for the night.  Remembering Elizabeth’s caution, Sophie joined the others and made certain she didn’t take the elevator down alone. 

Even though no one mentioned it, there was a certain sort of anticipatory excitement in the elevator.  Sophie knew that everyone was wondering what might be waiting in the parking lot.  They exited the building in a group and while Sophie was thrilled no one was waiting for her, she could sense a slight disappointment in the others.  She was happy to make it to her car with no issue and head home for a quick dinner and a night of design. 

The next morning Sophie felt better in general about the situation.  Everyone knew she wasn’t involved and she felt she would hopefully be left alone.  Even though it was a Thursday, Sophie packed her lunch, knowing that today was not the time to head out to the food trucks alone.  ‘Hopefully everyone else remembered their lunches,’ she thought.  She meant to tell the others she wouldn’t be going to the food truck but forgot.

‘Hopefully no one will mind.’ She knew it wasn’t her responsibility, but knew they were swamped and it felt as though she was abandoning them.

‘I’ll give them half my sandwich if it is really a problem.’ she decided.

Sophie made it to her desk with the usual good mornings to the coworkers who made it to the office before her.  As a couple looked as though they were in the same positions this morning as she saw them throughout the day before it made her feel as though they worked through the night.

Sophie began her day as usual.