Chapter 2: Perfume

Marie's POV

'Paper?', I thought, '...wait, shouldn't a chest be hard? And not empty, crispy and flat?...'

As my curiosity rose I suddenly jumped up from the pillow.

'A letter?', I paused, 'what's this doing here?'.

I took the letter and examined it. It read ' Marie'. My heart stopped. I got up from the bed still holding the letter and I smiled.

Awww! I wonder what surprise he has for me, probably some secret dinner to make up for yesterday... Yesterday?...', I stopped ".... I almost forgot...I've been getting some bad vibes lately... Oh snap out of it and just open the letter'.

I opened the letter. It read:

...'I decided to leave...' ...

My heart stopped beating and my vision blurred from tears. No no no no this couldn't be happening.

'The truth is', I read on, 'that you're a wonderful woman but I've grown out of love for you. Don't bother searching for me because you won't find me.'

Dan

I ripped the letter in two and ran towards the closet, slamming the door open in a bang. Most of his clothes was gone. I cried even harder. I kicked the door and with a pull, the remaining clothes crashed to the floor.

Suddenly the telephone rang. Wiping my face with the back of my hands I sniffed and picked up the telephone

"Da Dan?", I answered

"Ah... I'm sorry but its Mr. Karch", he countered.

Sitting on the bed, resting my forehead in my hand I replied, " Mr. Karch... What's up?"

"You are running a bit late so I was checking if you're on your way to work.", he enquired.

"Wo..work?" , I stuttered and looked at the time. It was 9: 45. I suddenly became alert. I was the only employee, "I'm on my way sir".

I ran to the shower.

...*************...

"Good morning Mr. Kar", Marie greeted her boss

Mr. Karch looked up at her "good mor....", he sensed something was different about her today, "are you OK?"

Marie thought back to the events leading up to work, " you know me, I'm doing super"

He knew that something was wrong but he knows she will talk about it when she's ready.

"Alright let's get to work then. Morrisons is coming today with the cosmetic products you ordered from last week so you can make some adjustment to the shelf to accommodate them"

She got to work and started by spring cleaning the show case made of glass which displayed the beautiful necklaces.

She struggled throughout the day and with the customers distracting her she thought that was enough...

SPLAK!! A cream with glass jar fell from the shelf and broke then she started to cry.

Mr. Karch ran to her aid, " OK that's it. I've had enough. Please tell me what is wrong Marie... I've being watching you all day and it pains my heart to see you struggling like this"

She slam into Mr. Karch, " mmmm", she sniffed, " Its Danny he's gone...mmm", sniff sniff.

He pulled her away from him and questioned, " what do u mean he's gone".

"I don't know.... I...I just woke up... And.. And I found a letter on the bed beside me sa..saying that he didn't love me anymore"' she yelled.

"What!!", Mr. Karch shouted, " how could he do this"

He buried her face in his chest, " don't worry Marie you'll get through this"

He closed early and demanded that she should come to his house to stay the night because he knew her house would be a reminder of the recent events.

...***********...

"You can stay in the guess room upstairs", Mr. Karch looked at Marie. She seemed so fragile and yet here stands wonderful young lady.

She always wanted to be a nurse ever since she almost lost her mother during a car accident. She's caring and others always try to take advantage of her, "Just try to sleep and get some rest and you can take a few days off I'll get Grace to help me at the shop"

She nodded and went off to bed. That night she twisted and turn with fatigue until she eventually fell asleep.

MARIE'S POV

It has been a week since Dan left. I got up from bed and decided to call my mom. I removed my cell phone from my purse and dialled her number.

"Hello good morning", my mom answered.

She always gives me a warm feeling inside, " hey mom'.

"How are you", she asked. Then I started to cry.

"Honey what's wrong?", she asked and I told her everything.

" Baby I know you're a strong girl and like I taught u, use this as an opportunity to create something better for yourself. Just ask yourself what of you want?", my mom just always knows what to say.

"OK mom I understand thank you"....

I went to work the next day. I was feeling a bit better as I'm not gonna make this kill me...

The day was going OK until a guy walks in wearing a white sleeveless shirt revealing his tattoo filled shoulder. He looked beautiful. Handsome is just not enough. He had dark hair, nice shaped lips and eyes dark as night and clinging to his left arm is a slim girl chewing gum. She looked stuck up and feisty with all that zombie looking makeup.

He came up to me and asked, "can I have that J. Gibbon's perfume?"

"Yeah, sure it cost $5000", I said as I handed it to him.

He looked at me angrily and raised his voice, " I didn't ask you the price".

I didn't answer him.

"I'm talking to u", he shouted

He slammed the perfume on the counter.

I looked at him," you are a arrogant person... Looks like your parents didn't taught u properly"

I grabbed the perfume from the counter and he tried doing the same. SPLAM!!!! the perfume fell off the counter and broke wetting up his shoes.

He stamped his feet and yell, "you ruined my shoes"

"Freak!!!", the zombie beside him yelled.

Mr. Karch came running, "what's going on?"

"This freaking girl broke the perfume on my shoe and now its ruined", the guy yelled.