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 161: Sophie followed Janine up to her apartment where she pulled up the e-mail and sent it to Sophie.
Sophie followed Janine up to her apartment where she pulled up the e-mail and sent it to Sophie. Too excited to stay and more than willing to let thoughts of the office go, Sophie went back to her apartment. She dropped her work bag on the kitchen table and went to get her laptop. She set it up on the coffee table and let it power up. She kicked off her shoes ass she waited and clicked the buttons needed to get into her e-mail.
She read the message. They liked her work. They wanted to see more and gave her a list of sizes and requested a few color variations. They listed numbers and their policy on restocking items and time lines. They listed what they would pay. Sophie read through the e-mail twice and then leaned back. In her head she calculated the time each garment would take to make. For some she had the materials on hand, for others, she would need to purchase new materials. It would require a tri to the fabric emporium.
‘But I have the time,’ Sophie thought. For the next few weeks, she had nothing but time.
There was the niggling thought that she might not be going back to work that wiggled through her mind It urged her to be cautious with her spending. Sophie chewed on her lip and navigated to her bank account. She had already sent in the taxes on the work she did previously so she would not be surprised by how much she owed the government at a later date. Because of the business set up, she knew. She had plenty in her regular savings to cover rent for a while even if they didn’t invite her back and the new additions were easily manageable with definite monetary reimbursement.
“I’ll do it,” she decided. There was no real reason not to and hopefully it would lead to more calls for her collections, and she could make the garments she wanted with a steady outlet for them. She sent an e-mail to Janine confirming that she would take it and Janine texted her back that she would let the company know and sent all relevant contracts her way.
Feeling as though she set something momentous in motion, Sophie changed out of her work clothes, made a list of the supplies she would need and decided a trip to the fabric emporium was in order. She left her apartment in a better frame of mind and was smiling as she drove to the fabric emporium. As she drove, she couldn’t help think of the office. While Elizabeth said that she had done nothing wrong and the administrative leave was just for show, Sophie found it really bothered her.
She knew from things mentioned that the company was aware Kristen was a problem. And yet because of her family, Sophie was still being punished. She was making the best of the time off, but still it was a disciplinary measure. It didn’t sit right with her. She in general didn’t mind working at Havers. It was a steady income that didn’t spill out into her personal life. She didn’t get called in at odd hours to deal with emergencies. She put in her time and then she left. For her it was ideal.
Things were rough and she started thinking about looking for work elsewhere when she was staying late, but overall, she was content with the job. ‘Maybe I should look elsewhere,’ she decided.
Ten til Midnight 