Daydreaming and Knowing by Karen Crawford

Your hand on my chair, nudging it back and forth ever so slowly while you peer over my shoulder to examine the chart on my computer. I’m thinking of your breath warm and sticky on my neck while every pore on my skin freezes at attention. I’m thinking of the the heat under your arms when you point at my screen, your boyish gray hair brushing my face as you lean in closer and whisper, “Good job.” Daydreaming and I’m thinking of you. After you leave and the whispers follow. After calling me into your office after hours because you need my help with your latest report. After filling the door with your tall man body when I try to excuse myself to go to the ladies’ room. You. With your twilight eyes diminishing mine, until you hear the groan of a vacuum cleaner, the friendly chatter of the late-night crew. Daydreaming and I’m thinking of you. That’s right–You. Your e-mails, your texts, the camera at my desk, your face tomorrow when I call HR. Knowing it might take me down. Knowing I can live with that if it takes you down too.

Karen Crawford lives and writes in the City of Angels exorcising demons one word at a time. Recent stories have been included in Gooseberry Pie, The Dribble Drabble Review, Writers Resist, Flash Boulevard, Fictive Dream, The Welkin Press and elsewhere. Find her on Bluesky @karenc.bsky.social