The Broken Vase

The distance sound of glass shattering broke the silence. Mr. James ran from his office, “What was that?” he asked.

The women at their desks looked at him and at each other. Cynthia stood near the storage room with a broom.

“Cynthia,” Mr. James began. “What did your clumsy self break this time. I told you if you broke a single thing again, I would throw you out of here.”

“Cynthia was out here with us.” Nichelle replied. “She didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“You lot are always covering for her incompetence.” Mr. James barked walking to the storage room. On the floor an array of multicolored glass pieces from a vase.

“Who is to blame for this?”, Mr James said motioning to the floor. “Did it just jump from the shelf?”

No one replied.

“This is your fault,” he said pointing at Cynthia. “Clean this up and get out of here. Don’t come back either.”

As Mr. James finished the last word Didi the cat jump to his shoulder from a top shelf near the door. Landing with her claws out to steady herself.

Didi hissed and spat at Mr. James while pushed off his shoulder.

“Mother of god,” Mr. James yelled as Didi bolted under the desks and out the open window.

Silence hung in the room. The women stared in shock.

Nichelle broke the silence, “Well there is your destroyer of vases. I guess you need to fire the cat too.”

Mr. James glared. The women stare back with disdain.

Beaten, Mr. James responded in a low voice. “Clean that mess up now. You all get back to work too.”

Mr. James retreated to his office. Closing the door sharply, echoing the triumph of Didi the cat.

Word count: 295.