The day broke an hour ago and started to run as fast as it could. What it doesn't understand is that I barely slept the night before; I stayed up to finish the dress.

It is ten am and I'm running my fingers over my dress plan to make sure that I didn't forget anything, down to the tiniest detail. Everything is in place, which means I'm done. Peanut places his paw on my foot to assure me of his presence and I smile in response. The silence in the house can only mean one thing-she is still asleep.

I allow myself to breathe and close my tired eyes for a minute. My machine is a few steps away from the sofa that I keep in my office in case I need to rest my back so I find my way over to it and sink into its comfort.

The phone is in the same place that I left it the night before, on the table beside the sofa. "Hey Siri. Call Phoebe."

"Calling Phoebe."

She answers on the second ring. "Good morning, boss. I'm almost at the house."

"Okay." Instead of telling her that it's not a good morning, I put my phone down. I hear the door of my office open and close. It can't be Phoebe, too fast.

"I want to say good morning but you look terrible." The sofa dips beside me and the smell of my favorite coffee hits my nose. "I knew that you would stay up so I got up early to make coffee and breakfast for you."

"You know you didn't have to do that, right?" The moment the warm mug touches my palms, I sigh and lean forward. It's a nice gesture and I try to appreciate it. But the helpless feeling stays with me.

"I know. But I wanted to. You're probably going to start working right away so-oh my GOSH, IS THAT THE DRESS?"

Her sudden change in tone startles me and a little coffee spills into my lap. "Patriciaaaa!"

She says a curse word then it gets muffled. "I'm soo sorry, V."

I groan and put the mug on the table. "I haven't slept and I don't want you to be affected by my mood so please just...stay out of my way today. Please. I have a lot to do."

Silence takes over once more. Then, "okay." Silence again. But I know she's here. I shift in the chair then I feel her lips brush against my left cheek in a kiss.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. Then she leaves, I feel it. My fingers touch the area that she kissed and I smile. She is the sweetest person and having her around is a blessing. I sip the coffee in silence and consider turning on the radio to listen to the news. There is so much going on in the country and it's disheartening but it's better to be aware than be taken by surprise.

Before I can make up my mind, I hear the door open again and close. "Boss."

"Phoebe. My mammie didn't give me that name when she had me. Call me Vivian."

"Someone is grumpy," she mutters as low as she can but I hear it. "I can't call you Vivian, you're the boss. You should be regarded as such."

"If you weren't so good at your job, I'd have you fired." I extend the cup in the direction of her voice and it leaves my hand.

"But I am good at my job. And quite frankly, if you fired me, you'd miss me a lot. Plus, you don't have the time to train another PA."

I wave my hand in the air and grab my cane from beside the chair to stand up. "Yeah, yeah we get it. I want your professional opinion on the dress. I need to bathe."

"Okay. It's practical, in a take-me-serious kind of way but dreamy enough to turn enough heads. I thought the black would have been too much but it's working. With the right hairstyle, you would honestly look like a queen, one in the twenty-first century."

While she talks, I make my own way to the bathroom and turn on the shower head. Her last words pull a smile out of me but I hide it. "I didn't ask you for all that."

'It needed to be said though. You haven't lost your touch at all. It's impeccable."

"If it was ugly, would you say?"

"Without thinking and in a lot of big words." She doesn't miss a beat.

"That's my girl." I take my time to undress. "Please check on Patricia for me. I'll be done in ten. We have work to do."

"Yes, boss."

The warm water against my skin clears my cluttered head and I let myself relax under the shower. Business thoughts leave when Phoebe closes the door so I deal with the more personal ones. Michael Wesley. I'm not sure what he wants from me but I want to find out. He is arrogant but the lips that those cocky words fall from, I can never forget about.

I'm not sure if I want to rekindle anything. After all, my lack of sight was a problem in the past, I'm not sure if it doesn't matter now.

He has his way of getting what he wants and it makes me laugh just remembering our past memories. I still think about what I feel in him that's so damn attractive.

Then the thought of how his lips feel against mine decides to come to the front of all my thoughts and stay put. With a sigh, I leave the tub after reaching for my towel.

I have work to do; Michael is just another distraction that I don't need. That's what men do. They distract you and you end up not doing something for yourself. Not today, Devil.

I make sure my towel is around me before leaving the bathroom. The dressing room is immediately on my right, three seconds and I'm in. I don't waste any more time in pulling on some comfortable cotton pants and a tee shirt.

"I think you should rest a little."

"I'm not paying you to think. Please get Abdullah on the phone. I want to check on the tailors." I go over to the dress and feel the fabric, enjoying the feel of it on my hand. "Phoebe, now."

"I insist, Vivian. You didn't sleep last night. If you fall asleep at the ball tonight after working all day instead of resting, you'll be in all the papers tomorrow."

"I can't see the papers, now can I?" I snap.

"It doesn't matter. You'll still feel the effect." I feel her hand on my elbow and sigh. "Please sit, eat what Patricia made and rest a little. Please?"

"Fine. She said something about an assignment. Will you help her?" I sit down and feel a plate being set on my lap.

"I offered and she declined. There's always tomorrow. Let me deal with Abdullah." She squeezes my shoulder a little and then goes away. In the far end of the office, I hear her on the phone, giving my head tailor instructions.

I lean back and try to catch a nap, after setting the plate aside. All my appetite wants is sleep. It's not as hard as I thought it would be-somewhere between sleep and consciousness, a memory surfaces.

The smell of coffee wakes me up. Michael's arm circles my waist and his lips land on my cheek. I smile in my half-awake state, burrowing deeper under the covers. We are at his house so I can't tell if it's morning or not.

"I know you're awake." He whispers at my nape of my neck. "I have a surprise for you."

His breath smells minty, like he had just brushed his teeth. "Nothing surprises me but okay." I sit up and lean back against the headboard.

The bed shifts and I can tell that he's not on it anymore. A few seconds later, I feel his fingers on my neck. Something cold touches my skin and I reach up to feel it.

It's a chain, as far as I can tell. A pendant in the shape of a tiny heart.

"So, do you like it? It's really beautiful."

I manage a smile. "I'd think so too if I could see it." With a sigh, I unclasp the chain and let it fall in my lap. "I don't wear jewelry, Michael. If I do, it's because I have to for really important events. I don't like them, I can't stand them. We've been together too long for you to not know this."

There is silence. Then, "right." His fingers fish the chain off my lap and nothing else is said.

My eyes open and shut a few times. It's an attempt to stop thinking about him. Michael was a mistake, one that I thought was possible. I don't know if it's possible to be in a relationship with someone who tries to understand and love me exactly the way I am. But I've stopped trying.