A sound came from far away. Vanessa had the sense of falling down a deep hole.  It was as if she could now look on into her office, not from outside but rather from a corner of it. She looked down on a woman who was kneeling on the floor clutching her sides like she was in pain as she sobbed something to herself. The phone hung from her desk limp and forgotten as rain from a now gray sky streaked down the windows. The sound was coming from the woman. It was a sad mournful keening noise that resonated from deep inside her.

                The keening grew in intensity until it became a cry. Vanessa wanted to reach out to the woman whose face looked a lot like her own until she realized that she was the woman on the floor and that she could not stop as the sorrow flooded out of her. The cry grew into a howl as the pain and loss folded itself around her like a cold blanket. She heard herself say Alisandra over and over again between gasps for air.

                The door burst open as Sue rushed in to find her boss huddled on the floor sobbing and mulling for all her worth like a baby at full tilt. Instantly she knelt and drew Vanessa into her embrace that was at once motherly and sisterly. Sue had respected this woman, liked her even and even feared her a bit, but this was not her boss- this was a stranger to her, she had not known or even thought it possible that her boss could even or would even cry. Yet her they were, herself holding her boss all the while rocking back and forth murmuring sounds that she hoped were comforting.

                Security finally showed up, late as usual. Earnest and Young froze at the door unsure what to do. Their indecision written on their faces as Vanessa continued to sob uncontrollably. Sally became aware of the other women from the office peering over and around them. She glared at them until many of them blushed and disappeared from view. Earnest and Young being men, did not get it as expected.

                “Get out.” She declared as forcefully as she could muster. “AND close the door.” The two men had the nerve to look offended but complied with her command probably before they knew themselves were doing it.

                Time passed, Sue held on to her boss until Vanessa’s sobs subsided down into a whimper.  Sue released Vanessa who sat back against her desk, exhausted and spent. The two women sat side by side against the warm desk in the office, rain on the window pane looking out into the gloomy day. Vanessa breathed, taking in deep breaths sucking in as much oxygen as her lungs could hold. The pain in her chest had subsided down until it was a dull ache like a distant memory. Sally wiped her own tears from her face that she had not even been aware she had cried. Vanessa gave her a weak wane smile.

                “Thank you.” She managed to whisper.

                “Sure, boss.” Sue whispered back.

                Some time passed as the two women stared out the window in silence. Vanessa climbed to her feet then turned and helped Sue up. Each of them straightened their own attire. Sue handed Vanessa her compact, Vanessa frowned looking at the disaster her makeup had become then looked back at the other woman.

                “Weird day.” Sue said matter-of-factly.

                “You don’t know the half of it.”

                “Try me.” Sue replied as she took a chair.

                “My Mother, Mrs. What’s her name Schumpert,” Vanessa shook her head. “My parents- the people who raised me… it turns out they adopted me when I was four.”

                “Wow. They sure took their time on telling you.”

                “Yes they did, I wonder why I didn’t remember it?” Vanessa shook her head again.

                “That is heavy. I wonder why if they were ever going to tell you.”

                “I don’t know; it seems obvious to me now that we are not that alike. I guess I must have blocked out the memory.”

                Sue gave her a look.

                “What?” Vanessa asked.

                “The boss I have worked for- for years would have never broken down and made a sound that heart-wrenching over that kind of news- she might have yelled or thrown something, but that.” Sue gestured at the floor as if there was tear stains on the carpet. “That was some epic crying there, Boss.”

                “I know.” Vanessa sighed not sure she could believe what had just happened either. “Finding out you were adopted is bad especially if the people that you have accepted and always believed were your parents turned out to be withholding the truth from you, but you’re right- it’s not that epic.”

                “Then what?” Sue said fear creeping into her voice.

                Vanessa took a deep breath, feeling a new coldness slip slide over her skin.

                “I think that my birth mother is dead. A fresh tear slid down Vanessa’s face. “I think she was killed by someone or something.”

                “Wow.”

                “Suddenly I could remember her calling my name and holding me and it was all too much and I lost it.”

                Sue nodded. She turned to the desk and retrieved a wad of tissues then handed most of them to Vanessa but kept a few for herself. The two women busied themselves with wiping their faces clean of the tears and ruined makeup. They settled on the desk, backs to the window. Vanessa retrieved her purse and together they fixed their faces with Vanessa’s makeup and Sue’s compact.

                “What was her name?” Sue asked “your real mother’s, I mean.”

                Vanessa looked up at her friend, then smiled sadly and said.

                “Alisandra Mograine.”

                It sounded like a prayer.