By Arvilla Fee
Jess hated elevators. Hated waiting for the doors to open. Hated the people standing inside like upright stalks of corn, leaves touching. Hated the rise and fall as it reached each floor. But most of all she hated the way people shifted their feet and stared at the panel of buttons as if it might suddenly feature a Broadway musical.
Today, of all days, was not a good day for elevators. Jess was already three minutes late for her meeting with one of her brides-to-be, Felicia. This aptly-named bridezilla would have flames shooting from her mouth. She pressed the up button and glanced around the beautiful black and white tiled lobby of the building that housed her modest Once Upon a Dream wedding planning office.
Hearing the familiar ding, Jess turned back around and faced the door, standing aside to allow people to disembark. Once everyone stepped out, she entered, pressed five, and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. The doors started to slide shut, but a man’s thick hand stopped them, forcing them to separate. Jess blinked as he entered the elevator.
“Good day, ma’am” he said, running a hand through his wavy dark hair.
Jess nodded her hello and hit the “close door” button.
“No floor for me, please,” the man said.
Jess glanced at him. “Excuse me?”
The man threw his head back and laughed uproariously.
Jess stared, wondering if he was deranged. He didn’t appear to be, dressed as he was in a tailored gray suit, shiny Italian loafers and an expensive looking watch on his wrist. Of course, deranged people could often appear quite normal. She shook her head, realizing he was watching her watch him.
“Actually five is fine,” he said, his mouth quirking up in a sideways grin.
Jess muttered a few choice words in her head as the elevator began its assent. She noticed, while pretending to watch the panel, the man was still watching her.
“So,” he said, after a brief pause. “How did I get the good fortune to ride to the fifth floor with such a beautiful woman?”
“I don’t think—” Jess started then stopped. “Sir, I don’t know you,” she finished lamely.
He raised his perfectly sculpted brows. “Well, let’s change that, shall we?”
Jess edged closer to the door, as number four lit up. One more floor.
The man lifted his hands in mock surrender. “I meant, let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Carson Monroe.”
Jess suppressed a gasp. If this was who she thought he was then—
The ding sounded for floor five, and they both exited simultaneously, the man’s arm not-so-subtly brushing hers as he used his other arm to hold open the parted doors. “After you, gorgeous,” he said.
She nearly stomped down the hallway with him close at her heels. As she stepped inside her cozy, teal blue foyer with its yellow accent chairs, Jess’s fears were confirmed. Bridezilla’s fuming face broke into a wide smile upon seeing the man behind her.
“Darling!” she cooed as she threw her arms around Carson Monroe.
It was all Jess could do to keep her composure and not flee to her inner sanctum which lay just beyond her assistant’s desk. Carson Monroe! Of course! Hadn’t she heard for weeks now: “Carson doesn’t like linen napkins. Carson prefers Cala lilies instead of roses. Carson needs a competent violinist not some hack off the streets. Carson—Carson—Carson!” She’d never met the groom-to-be, but the image she’d formed of him in her head was pretty spot on.
Carson put one arm around Felicia, pulled her to his chest, then winked at Jess over Felicia’s head. “Let’s start planning, shall we?”
* * *
Arvilla Fee lives in Dayton, Ohio and teaches English for Clark State College. She has published poetry, photography, and short stories in numerous presses, including North of Oxford, Rat’s Ass Review, Mudlark, and many others. Her poetry books, The Human Side and This is Life, are available on Amazon. Her third book, Mosaic: A Million Little Pieces was published December 2024. Arvilla loves writing, photography and traveling and never leaves home without a snack and water (just in case of an apocalypse). Arvilla’s favorite quote in the whole word is: “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ~ Henry David Thoreau. To learn more, visit her website: https://soulpoetry7.com/