She promised him she would leave before the clock struck 12, for she was expected around 12.15. But being the truant she was, she stayed put till the time of the rendezvous.

At five past that hour, she heard a distinctive sound. This sound was more frightening than that made by the clock announcing the hour of the day for she knew only he could cause it. She scampered to her closet, put on fresh clothes, grabbed her case and headed straight for the door. She knew he would be at the doorstep within a couple of minutes. She always preferred the stairs for health reasons. 

Not today, though. 

She could do almost anything to avoid an encounter with him, for she knew it would not be pleasant. So she directed her footsteps towards the elevator. Darn! The elevator wasn’t functional. The dreaded encounter now seemed a certainity. Gloomily, accepting defeat , yet praying with all her heart she took the stairs.For a brief moment, it seemed as if lady luck was smiling on her. Maybe she had overreacted. Maybe her ears were ringing. She heaved a sigh of relief. She couldn’t have been more mistaken. He stood a couple of meters away, at the other end of the garage, engrossed in conversation with a someone. She shot for cover and watched through the tiny opening in the wall. She thought she was a goner. But then an alternative route struck her panicky mind. She headed back for the stairs keeping an eye out for him. Instead of going up, she took the opening that went right behind the stairs. That way the stairs shielded her from his gaze. She now found herself in front of the godforsaken elevator. The exit loomed a couple of meters away. How she longed for a teleporter. Why was technology so slow? Swearing under her breathe, she made her way toward the exit keeping close to the wall all along. Then she realized he might see her from the garage door where he stood, chatting. She waited for the murmur to die down, telling her the coast was clear. And all of a sudden, it stopped. She prepared herself to make a dash for the exit. She was so close. She couldn’t fail now. Then she turned around and her jaw dropped in shock. He stood a few feet behind her, trying out the elevator button with his back towards her. Swiftly, she hid behind the other side of the wall while he realized the only way up was to take the stairs. She waited. Then grabbing her chance, she ran for the exit. All the way to the rendezvous point she wished against hope he hadn’t seen her and that she wasn't too late.

A couple of hours later…

She waited for the sound and she wasn’t disappointed. For the second time that day, it made her dread the moment she knew she’d have to face him (and if he'd seen her earlier that day, his wrath too). Quietly, avoiding his gaze, she got into the front seat of the car. Five minutes of uncomfortable silence, she thought she could finally relax.

And then he asked “Did you get the job done ?” 

The tone of his question made her realize the futility of lying to him. 
Somehow, he knew.

Everything had been in vain.