She lifted the corner, then snapped down the lid and proceeded to cut the next single serving portion of last nights lasagna to put in the freezer - Karen had a bad habit of cooking for the 4 of them, when it was just her and Doug, now that the boys had gotten a place together in town. "Me and Tubbs are meeting up with Eric tonight" he said half towards her as he reached for the door knob. "God dammit Doug!" She yelled at the last little bit of lasagna that refused to fit, and too small for its own container "Two weeks!" She turned to him, her hands still in the pan. He looked blankly at her, hand frozen on the knob . . . "my dinner" . . . . "President of the company . . " . . . Dougs face fell, unable to hide - "we planned this two weeks ago!" . . .
"Its his birthday honey" . . . "ya know what" she tossed the spatula in the sink "go! - have a blast! , ill go to the damn dinner by myself!" "Only the most impor. . . " she trailed off angrily into the bedroom and swung the door shut. Doug sighed heavily and let go of the knob "its fine honey, ill tell Eric and them I cant make it" "fuck you Doug!" He was able to make out. He started for the bedroom - hesitated, looked at his watch . . . . "I love you" . . . . . .
Nothing . . .
"I gotta go, im gonna be late" . . . .
Nothing . . .
She knew her husband loved her, he was just such a . . . RRRR! Sometimes!
She hurried into her white blouse and black skirt, she was going to be late herself if she didnt get a move on.
Heels, earrings . . . "Where the hell is my black belt?" She quickly rummaged through the bureau.
Karen was an attractive woman, 43 - shoulder length black hair. She had the body of a 50s pin-up - soft, curvy - 5'6". She carried herself with confidence - "square shoulders, back straight, head up" - She was in line for the vice presidents position next year - she ran a tight ship at the office, she had to.
"Fuck!" She spat as she got back out of the car to double check if she had turned the stove off. . . "Fuck!" She spat again, noticing the run on the side of her stalking as she got back in the car . . . "whatever!" . . .
Traffic on the 610 was particularly brutal this morning - 6 car pile up on the exchange did not help. She returned the gesture as the Mercedes, obviously more late , blew past her - horn blaring.
* * * * * * * * *
"Where's David?" She asked, peeking her head in Stacey's office. "He called in Ms Kline, said something about a meeting he had forgotten about ". Karen rolled her eyes "thats the 4th 'meeting' this month". Stacey did not look up from her phone.
Jess was off on maternity, and Rebecca moved back to Illinois to be with her declining mother - leaving just the two of them - basically leaving Karen - to run the shop.
Stacey was a pretty girl, 24 years old - long red hair, usually up in a lazy half knot - slender build - pale white skin. She had an Associates in applied business. Her dad was on the board at the college, and a substantial investor in the company Karen was hoping to become vice president of. Personally, Karen felt Stacey was dead weight, but never dared to speak her mind on the subject.
She took a deep breath and studied the notes on her desk from Friday. She always hated Mondays. "Wheres the Hewlett report?" She yelled at her open door. . .
"Stacey!?" . . .
She got up and walked across the hall and peeked her head back into Stacey's office - still glued to her cell phone "wheres the Hewlett report? I told you it had to be ready by Monday morning?".
"I didnt have time Ms Kline" she replied without looking "ill finish it today" - A bit of a snide tone - Stacey resented Karen telling her what to do. "Maybe if youd put that damn cell phone down!" She went back to her own office and threw herself into the chair "off to a great start" she said to herself, through clenched teeth.
The morning progressed with the usual filings and phone calls. 11:15 - in the middle of a draft - her computer screen blinked off "what the . . .!?" She switched it off and back on - it did not respond. "Great! - Needed this!" She slapped the side of the monitor on her way across the hall.
"Im gonna need you to finish the Benson draft I've been working on - my computer just died . . . and im going to lunch". "Uh huh" Stacey replied casually - fervently texting . . . "It has to be done A.S.A.P. " Karen said, stepping closer, no longer able to contain her frustration. "Ok! - ill do it in awhile!" "you'll do it now!" Karen demanded, grabbing the phone out of her hand. "Give me that!" "I need the Benson report done! . . As .. soon .. as . . .possible! " "give me my phone back!" Stacey stood up. "Ya know - you sit here on this damn phone all day long while I am trying to do everything!" She exclaimed, pointing at her own office "You're not my boss!" Stacey snapped, reaching for her phone. Karen tossed it down on the desk and stormed out - she didnt see the finger as she headed out of Stacey's office, but she could feel it.
* * * * * * * * *
La' Prestora was a small diner and coffee shop on the corner - Karen stared blankly at the swirl of creamer, while she waited for her tuna on rye. Her mind raced with the things she would have liked to have done about Stacey's bitchy little atitude. It seemed all of lifes frustrations were funneling down to her resentment over her getting that position instead of Chris, her best friend.
She took her time making her way back to the office - she knew she needed to say something 'pleasant' to Stacey - defuse the tension a bit. "Look . . " she started . . . .
"I was told we get 'an hour' lunch" Stacey interrupted, before Karen could finish. She decided this was a good opportunity to flex her position. Karen's aplologetic demeanor immediately flipped to heightened anger. "I'll take as long of a lunch break as I feel like taking!" She stepped towards her, "You've got room to talk! You're on a lunch break all day!" pointing to her phone - "Did you get the Benson draft finished!? Of course you didnt! You're too damn busy texting!" Karen could feel her face getting flushed, her heart pounding in her chest - "I do everything around here!"
Stacey liked to push her weight around when ever she felt she could get away with it - "spoiled brat" was Karen's pet name for her behind her back, but she knew she was all bark, no bite - she would buckle at the first sign of a challenge, and Karen was in no mood today . . .
"I need the Benson draft - Now!" Put that goddam phone down and get to work!"
"I'm taking 'my' lunch - its 12:35!" Stacey declared triumphantly. Karen was speechless as she watched her suanter out of the office.
"ggrrr! . . I wanna . . .aahh!" . . . "One hour!" She yelled after her, needing the last word. She didnt see that finger either, as she headed back to her own office.
Karen tried to ignore her blank computer screen - mocking her. She went about setting dates and times in her daily planner, filing finished drafts in alphabetical order, and trying to remain calm as the clock went on to ten minutes to two - still no Stacey. "That little bitch" she grumbled to herself - feelings were stirring deep inside - hatred, anger, a lustful need for revenge - a need to assert dominance. She had been feeling her world slipping out of control and it made her feel helpless - she did not like feeling helpless.
At five past two Stacey walked through the door - and without a word went into her office and shut the door.
"Let it go" Karen coached herself "just let it go .. . " suddenly her plants needed watering and the top of the file cabinet dusted, "3 more hours and this day will be over". . . . The phone startled her . . . "Chase and Briggs, this is Karen .. ." Silence . . . "Hello?" . . ."I dont have the last page of the Benson draft - you do!" . . . "oh for fucks sake!" - she hung up the phone and barged into Stacey's office - "So you call me!?" - "here!" slamming the paper down.
Stacey abruptly stood up, defiant - "how am I supposed to finish 'your' work, "ASAP" air quoting - "if I dont have the whole draft!?" Her words dripping with sarcasm - "Look you little bitch!" She stepped in - Karen didnt see it coming - Stacey slapped her hard across the face.
Before she even had the chance to second guess her own actions, Karen grabbed her by the back of the neck and pushed her down hard on the desk, pulled her belt off and began beating Stacey's behind. "Let me go! - what are you . . ." " something Daddy should have done a long time ago!"
Karen was like a cornered wild animal that Stacey had been poking with a stick - all day! She had had enough! A rage swept over her she could no longer control - this seemed the only solution - a side of her burst out she did not even know existed - the thin belt had no weight to it, and was futile against the denim skirt Stacey had on that day, but she was going to get her point across regardless - she swung hard and fast. Stacey squirmed and pleaded "let me go! - you're hurting me! - let me go!" Stacey was weak, and certainly no match for Karens strong determination. She gripped the edge of the desk and tried to push herself up, but could not. Karen pushed her down even harder - "I - am - sick - and - tired . . . " she lectured, the belt keeping time. Almost as a reflex, she reached down and lifted Stacey's skirt, and continued beating her. Her white cotton panties offered little protection . . . "Ooww! - let me go!" She began to sob. "I have delt with your atitude far too long!" Her belt lashing over and over.
Stacey's body began to tremble - tears now flowing from her eyes - all she could do was grip the edge of the desk.
Karen's pace started to slow - her rage began to subside, it was becoming something else - her strokes became slower - harder - more purposeful - aimed. Stacey, sobbing loudly - fully surrendered. . . .
Karen, lost now - hesitated only for a moment, then pulled Stacey's panties down . . . . .
(I wrote this a year ago)
