Color of Loneliness Read Online Free Page A

right. You’re stuck, hon. You need someone or some thing to help get you unstuck.”
    Myra sighs and stares down at her salad for a few minutes. “Here,” she eventually says, picking up the letter off of her lap and laying it in the center of the table.
    “What’s this?” Susie asks as she picks it up.
    Myra says nothing as she watches Susie open the letter and read it.
    “ Okay, ” Susie says as she folds the letter and lays it back on the table. “We’ve had this conversation before. What does this mean? Is this for real?”
    “I don’t know,” Myra answers, playing with the napkin on her lap. “I want it to be.”
    “You know I’ve told you over and over again that you need to ditch this job and get away from Trent and that hobag harlot, and I understand why you haven’t. The cancer in your family, the insurance, I get it. I also know for a fact there are no copy editor jobs in Philly right now.”
    Myra nods. “You know my dream is to just quit and write a novel. I’ve got plenty of money in the bank, but if I get cancer like mom did and don’t have insurance, I’ll never be able to survive. My savings would be wiped out on my medical expenses, and I wouldn’t have enough money to live on. Now that I don’t have any family left, I just have to be extra careful.” Myra picks up the letter and tucks it back in her bag.
    “So why did you write a resignation letter?” Susie asks.
    “I’m not sure. I just feel so desperate. The logical side of my brain tells me that I have to keep this job for the health insurance and benefits. But the illogical side tells me to screw it and turn the letter in and get the hell out of here. I’m twenty-five and mom died at thirty…”
    Susie immediately interrupts. “Just because your mom died of cancer doesn’t mean you’ll ever even get cancer. Yeah, yeah, I know all about the research studies blah blah blah and about the odds of you getting it, but you don’t know what the future holds.”
    “I know, but I have to be prepared. I’m just not a risk taker.”
    Susie looks at her watch. “Ugh, look at the time,” she says before stuffing another chip in her mouth. Myra watches as she wraps up the rest of the chips in a napkin and shoves them in her purse.
    * * *
    “I’m going to stop by the vending machine and get me a candy bar. I need something sweet to offset all of that spicy food. I’ll stop by your desk later, okay?” Susie says.
    Myra nods before she steps onto the elevator and presses the button for the tenth floor. The conversation from lunch plays over in her mind, and she pays no attention to the people getting on and off the elevator until it stops on the fifth floor. The elevator doors open and Myra’s stomach drops to the balls of her feet when she sees the gorgeous blonde standing there.
    Julia shoots daggers with her eyes as her stilettos make sharp clicking noises against the tiled floor as she steps onto the elevator. Myra swallows hard, keeping her eyes trained straight ahead as she tries desperately to pretend she doesn’t see her. From the corner of her eye, she catches Julia flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder. Her eyes widen when she hears her mutter “bitch” under her breath.
    “Excuse me?” Myra asks as she turns to face her.
    “You heard me, bitch , ” Julia says with her lip snarled. “I know what you’re trying to do.” Her perfect features twist with hatred. “I'm not stupid. I know you're trying to get Trent back with this little mourning act of yours for your brother or uncle or whoever the fuck you told him died. But it’s not going to work. Because he’s in love with me now.” Her eyes burn into Myra's. “Don't think for a second that he’s ever going to come crawling back to you,” she says as she lays a hand gingerly on her belly. “Especially now.”
    Myra’s mouth drops open as her heart pounds painfully. Her gaze darts from Julia’s hand, back up to her face and back down to her