Chapter 46

The next day at work Sharon and Roger inadvertently agreed not to remember their kitchenette encounter of the day before.  Roger surfed the web and printed some funny images he found online as per the usual routine.  The printouts didn't look as good in black and white but, as Yanni Moore relished to note, color ink doesn't grow on trees and therefore not a drop of cyan, magenta, nor yellow could be found anywhere in Super Megacon International's office.

Sharon arrived 20 minutes late and spent another 10 minutes in her car applying her various make-up and age-battling products.

When Sharon entered, Roger was busy playing Minesweeper and didn't notice her pass by.  When she passed by, Sharon was busy imagining what she would have for lunch and didn't notice Roger's hurried clickety-click flag plantings.

She did notice something, though:  Charlie.  Charlie the motherfucking unicorn plastered push-pin style to the back wall of Roger's cubicle.  Could it be?  Her subconscious ran circles through and around itself.  The coloration was a little off but the artistry and unicorn figure were unmistakable -- no other unicorn had the steely, wise, tenacious horn of Charlie.  The blue and pink unicorns pranced in the background of the image in dim shades of light gray.

Sharon stopped walking.  She realized she had forgotten something in her car and turned around to go back for it.  "Charlie the Unicorn" she voiced softly.

A moment later she realized that the thing she thought she had forgotten was already in her purse -- her mind had played a trick on her.  She stood directly in front of Roger's desk; the clickety-click stopped.  Roger looked up at Sharon.

"Top o' the mornin' to you" Roger called out with a horrible mock Irish accent.

"Charlie the Unicorn" Sharon said again.  "Roger Thomas, I think we should be together."

Roger was unable to process what he had just heard.

"Woah, wait!  I meant to say that my lip balm is right here in my purse"  Sharon explained.  "I don't actually think that we should be together.  I meant to say that to myself in my head but my mouth said words that I would not normally expect it to say.  I'm not sure why I even said it.  I think you're repulsive.  Eww -- gross!"

Roger gazed on surprised.  He would gladly have replied but Sharon's fast words made it difficult to know what to say.  "What would she say next?" he wondered.  He reached into his desk drawer and grabbed his hammer, just in case he had to use it.

"Sharon, are you feeling alright?"

"Never better, Roger.  I secretly love you with all of my heart.  It's a secret, don't tell anyone.  Haha" Sharon said.  She knew she would regret the wording of the second sentence before it was complete -- it was as if some inner or outer force was controlling her speech rather than her typical shallow persona.

In the background Dennis cussed.  He rushed in and jogged straight to the corner conference room.  An electrical fire had burned his house down that morning, making him 7 minutes late for the weekly status update meeting.  His tardiness was considered by him to be an unforgivable, unforgettable workplace faux pas -- the others were more understanding.

Sharon's aimless focus was interrupted by Dennis.  She shook her head briefly, as if to refresh her thoughts.  Roger thought he saw a tear form in the corner of her left eye.  She scurried away to her desk.