Right Over the Edge

Tip....toe...tip...toe....And there she was, standing barefooted on a cold white boulder, overlooking into the horizon of infinite sea and storms. Just below, the black and icy waters roared and lapped up against the earth’s crust, like lustful sirens, serenading her to just jump. Right over the edge. She proceeds to take another step into her unknowing plunge to an unforgiving abyss, takes one last breathe and…

…”Ring, ring ring!” “Ring, ring, ring! - Hey! Elles!” - Ellie sharply turns her head about over her right shoulder and meets the eyes of her new boss, Mr. Eric Finley. “Ellie..Are you alright?” says Finley. “Oh!” As Ellie nervously squeaks as she turns around to pick up the now, singing phone lines - “You’ve reached the offices of…” The warm touch of Finley’s hand softly pushes the phone down to hang up. Finley slides Ellie’s little black book over and props himself on the desk and looks down at the now rosy cheeked Ellie and informs her to take the remainder of the day off. Ellie immediately objects and asks for a short break to gather herself. It was her second week working as Finley’s team of assistants. Maybe it was Ellie’s naivety, maybe she desperately needed rescuing at the time. Finley was blindly her knight in shining armor. He was a rather discreet man, clean appearance, and eyes that could speak to you...A voice that stripped away any previous worries or stresses you might have had.

Before landing the opportunity to work at Finley’s global communications firm, Ellie was unstably in between bartending and delivery gigs. She picked up work whenever she could and most of the time, wherever she could too. Being the only child of her parents who never could save up an inheritance for Ellie, she had always known the world of hard, laborious work. Just a year and a half ago, Ellie’s parents passed away in a car accident while visiting family overseas. It hit Ellie quite hard learning of the death of her parents, especially since she had never had the time to even say goodbye. She loved her parents dearly, but also drifted apart from them somewhat during their last years together because of the growing financial debts needing to be taken care of. They saw each other less and less as Ellie trucked on to provide the best life she could for her parents and for her own future building. The due responsibilities of a proper burial and service for her parents funerals squeezed every last penny out of Ellie’s checking and savings accounts. Accounts that she had planned to spend on giving her parents a permanent home and for a degree in agricultural sciences. She was in every way, a down-to-earth, hoss of a woman. Where Ellie lacked in gumption and sharpness in the social and work world, her long fingers swept deep into the dark and damp earth to sow seeds, trees, and beautiful flower gardens. To fulfill her true love for agriculture and putting her green thumb to use, she slaved hours and hours away a day in the city. It was good enough money to build back her nest egg to hopefully get her into a home with a quaint yard to color all of her frustrations and broken realities that life has dealt her.

Ellie would have these dreams of stepping right over the edge into terrifyingly infinite drops into a deep sea abyss. It wasn’t necessarily a desire to end her life, she was not an unhappy person. She had dreams, goals, and worked hard every single day to get that much closer to them. What Ellie is experiencing in her dreams when taking that step into infinity is her search for something...new. Something to quench her desires for new love, new ambition...Something to take her wholly and immerse her completely...Right over the edge to greener pastures from the very strenuous lifestyle she had endured for so long. And this is where Eric Finley comes in. One fateful evening, he spots Ellie, fumbling around behind the bar to catch up on drink orders that have been reeling in since before her shift began. Finley takes notice to Ellie’s poise as she fluidly transitions from clocking in, greeting her coworkers, and casually slipping off her zip jacket. Ellie carefully opens up that same little black book and pens something ambiguous for a few seconds before carefully sliding it back into her bag underneath the bar top. She puts on a black apron and ties a bow behind the small of her back as the top clings loosely around her neck. Her hair is tied in a low bun and her smile is warm, genuine...almost sweet. Throughout the night, she doesn’t miss a single drink and she makes them just how her patrons usually take them. To say Ellie was diligent would be a complete understatement. She just...knew what everyone liked and knew how to comfort them with either a conversation, an extra top off of “the good stuff”. Finley didn’t make his first approach to Ellie until almost the end of the night. Everything had slowed down, and patrons were skimming off and chatting amongst themselves before Finley went in and began starting chatter with Ellie. There is no doubt that he was now attracted to her and wanted to know more behind the reason why such a lively and beautiful woman like Ellie would take employment as a bartender. No reason to judge a book by its cover though, right?

“How is your night going?” Finley asks Ellie as she is slightly leaned over her side of the bar, getting closer to Finley’s face. “It’s going, and I’m about ready to finish up my evening. May I delight you with one last beverage before last call?”, Ellie replies. “I would be more delighted to schedule a time to speak with you about an opportunity...Tuesday afternoon? How’s your schedule looking?” Finley says.

Ellie politely declines as she fully believes that Finley’s offer has to do with a romantic endeavor, “friends with benefits” goal, or network marketing scheme - For good reason as she has been approached with these types of gimmicks what, seven to ten times every shift? As Ellie politely chimes a smile and turns away, Finley gently touches Ellie’s hand, still touching the bar where she once was leaning on. She turns around slowly, about half way and gives Finley a surprised gaze into his eyes. He places his card underneath her hand as he slipped away and notably asks again, “Please. Meet me tomorrow at the bench facing the Sycamore at 2. Where the guitar guy usually plays.” And before Ellie could confirm the meeting, all she sees is the back of Finley’s suit and the light clacking of his Italian leather shoes.

Ellie is a smart girl. But she doesn’t know what to think. She slips the card into her little black book.

And here we are.

A few days after Ellie’s nervous day on the phones. Why did that day happen? A woman who is typically on top of her game in any work environment. Ellie had been hiding her built up frustration from Finley. She was extremely grateful to have gone through with the open meeting in the park. When she walked up to Finley, sat beside him on the bench, and felt the breeze wisp through her hair...She knew she had to give up the struggle of trading time for dollars. She knew that even if there was a catch that Finley just wanted to hire her because she was pretty, that she would just accept it. Sometimes, we must pay attention to the signs. Sometimes, we must sacrifice our own pride and be vulnerable to favorable situations. During the meeting at the park with Finley, Ellie knew she was falling for this man who was sharp in every way, making her feel as delicate and silky as a rose petal. She took a deep breathe, and said…”Okay.” At that moment, she knew this as the very first time that she let the wind sweep her right over the edge. She didn’t know what was going to happen next, she just...Did it.

Ellie revealed to Finley that her lack of concentration at work had to do with one of the biggest let downs she experienced since the passing of her parents. Ellie had been searching for a little cottage just twenty miles outside city limits. It would be a commute to work everyday but the location, the charm, and the potential of this cottage just spoke to her. As a creative person, she just knew this would be her first step into ownership into building her life beautifully, despite the exhausting life she lived before. She wasn’t used to being paid so much for working a job that required almost no over-time at all. “I didn’t get it. I didn’t get...My dream home.” Ellie rushed the words out of her mouth and immediately turned blush. Her arms crossed and her back up against Finley’s office wall. It was a dimly lit, luxuriously minimalist office. You could even call it cozy. Finley and Ellie had a very close relationship where they talked about everything together. Nothing ever came of their chats except pure enjoyment of each other.

Ellie’s head sunk between her shoulders...Her eyes began to well up with tears. She felt stripped and chipped away at. When was she going to get a break? She did it. She left the world of struggle and accepted a well paying job with an incredibly handsome boss that she swooned for, but kept it professional anyway. To attain her financial goals without the aspect of lust. Finley got up and walked quietly to Ellie. He had never seen her defeated, and wanted to console her. He put his warm hands on either of her shoulders. Ellie looked up, still blushing but with a stream of tears trickling down her cheek. The two locked eyes and Ellie spots a sweat bead at the corner of Finley’s forehead. His eyes are piercing through hers and they gaze intently, in silence at each other. All that can be heard are their breathes...One right after the other.

There is nothing but heat now and Finley drops his hands down to his sides, as Ellie turns away with disappointment. She wanted him to embrace her completely. Finley sharply places his right hand on Ellie’s left thigh. He lifts up her skirt and lifts her by her buttocks. She wraps her arms around him and he walks her to his desk. She can feel the cool marble on her bottom as he slips her panties off. The two begin to kiss deeply, as Ellie wraps her arms tighter around Finley and pulls him all the way close to her bosom. She can feel something pressing up against her...His manhood is yearning for her body. Ellie unbuckles and unzips Finley and they both magnetize to each other and are so wrapped up in each other’s love making. The strokes, the heat….The sweat, and Ellie’s tears...They feel like they’ve made love for an eternity and by the time they are done...Ellie’s lips are sore from biting down on them while Finley pleased every vessel in her body. As she sat on his desk, and he composed himself, they come together for the most memorable moment of Ellie’s life. Everything just tipped right over the edge and washed away with the abyss that she so longed to have lapped her up. She felt sensual. She felt freed.

A dream she never dreamed of having come true...Finley had sneakily purchased the cottage of her dreams. He packed a traveling suitcase with $20,000 for Ellie to find near her bedroom window when she moved in. A note left by Finley, “Color your world crazy. XX Eric”