It had been a long day and all Chloe wanted to do was go home. Her head was spinning and her eyes were droopy with sleep. She had three meetings at work that day, two of which there was no reason for her to even be present.
She sat at her desk in her small cubicle of an office and tapped her pencil against the metal surface. Chloe mindless stared at the clock counting down the minutes, which oddly felt like counting her sheep to help her sleep. As her eyes closed, she dozed for only a moment, before jolting herself awake.
Chloe sat up straight in her chair opening her eyes as wide as they could go. She blinked a couple of times. She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one had seen her fall asleep. No one else seemed to be around, though. She let out a sigh of relief and leaned her arms against the surface of her desk again. She continued to stare at the digital clock in the back corner of her desk.
She had nine minutes left before she was able to claim she was done for the day.
Of course, there were other things Chloe definitely could have been doing. However, she was just too tired to get any of it done. The meetings took a lot out of her and wasn’t even because she had a lot to do with them. She was just completely bored.
If she didn’t have bills to pay and a mortgage to keep up with, she would definitely quit her job.
“Hey,”
Chloe sat up and swiveled her chair around. Julie stood right behind her leaning against the edge of Chloe’s cubicle.
“Hey…” Chloe said cautiously. Julie was her friend, but she wasn’t going to rub it in her face that she wasn’t doing any work, right? Julie didn’t see Chloe doze off, did she?
“We can all sneak out early.” Julie whispered.
“We can?” Chloe stood up right away showing her excitement too much. “I mean, really? Where did you hear that from?”
“The boss himself. It’s Friday. He said if we wanted to check out now, if we’re done with our work, we can.” Julie said smiling. She pointed to Chloe’s bare desk. “I assume you’re done with your work? Let’s head out.”
Chloe turned around and looked at her desk. Her computer wasn’t even turned on, but that didn’t mean she was already done with her work. It just meant that she hadn’t touched any of her work.
“Yes, of course. Let’s go.” Chloe gathered up some of her things. Maybe she would get a little bit done over the weekend. That was a fat chance, but one never knows.
Chloe and Julie walked out to the parking lot together complaining about one of the meetings they had. How it was boring, it was a pointless topic, and they gossiped about Jerry, a man in the office that always seemed to drag the meetings on for much longer than they’re supposed to be because he keeps talking and asking questions.
Once Chloe made it to her car, she said her goodbyes to Julie and her co-worker kept on walking to her own car. Chloe started up her engine and drove home.
She made it home just five minutes earlier than she normally would have, but it was something. If she didn’t leave early she would be sitting in traffic right now.
Chloe locked her car and walked up the steps to her front porch. She unlocked the front door and stepped through the threshold. The door closed behind her with a click and she locked it again shutting off all the outside lights.
It was a Friday night and had already received a few text messages from her friends inviting her out for dinner, but Chloe wasn’t in the mood. She just wanted to take a shower, get into her pajamas, and lounge on her couch in front of the TV. Or take a bath. A bath sounded nice.
Chloe walked through the living room and stopped in the kitchen before realizing something.
“Hello?” she called.
At the sound of her voice she heard clicks and patters along the hardwood flooring that covered most of the first floor of Chloe’s house. She smiled, ready for what was about to come.
Around the corner came four dogs. A small Chihuahua, a English Springer Spaniel, a Beagle, and a Golden Retriever. All four came leaping into action upon realizing that their mommy had arrived home.
“Hi, guys!” Chloe squatted to the ground and outstretched her arms. The four pups jumped into her arms nearly knocking her backwards.
Chloe suddenly wasn’t that tired anymore as she fell onto her back smiling and laughing as the dogs each attempted to lick her face. This is what she wanted. This is what she enjoyed.
To be home all day with her pets was the best thing anyone could have ever asked for.
Once the four dogs backed away to allow Chloe to stand up, she dusted herself off, and opened the refrigerator. It was a little early, but she didn’t mind feeding them now while she was able to let herself into the house.
As the dogs chowed down their meals, Chloe went upstairs and into her bedroom. She got dressed into her pajamas while giving her two cats curled up on her pillows a few pats here and there.
Chloe went back downstairs with the her tabby and ragdoll cats following close behind her. She went back into the kitchen and fed them as well.
Then she made her way into the living room where she turned on Netflix, and settled down on the couch with a couple of blankets wrapped around her. All six animals jumped up, the cats on top of the couch while the dogs curled up around Chloe. Chloe sighed happily and turned on her favorite movie.
This was the perfect Friday night that Chloe loved: being at home with her pets.
I hope you enjoyed this story! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
