"Hi Joyce could you show me where the b25 forms are before you go home? We're out of them in the cabinet and I can't see them in storage anywhere."
"Sure Matt. Just give me a sec to send this, log out and grab my stuff."
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
"Just having to fill the almighty Toni in on the Salisbury situation. She's going to be really happy on Monday," Joyce said sarcastically as she typed the last few words and hit send. "There, done. Let's blow this joint."
They both started heading out of the office, Matt opened the door and let Joyce go through before following her into a very plain looking corridor that led out to the car park.
"I put them up high so sales don't steal them when they come around," she said playfully as they walked.
He let out a chuckle.
"That would explain why I can't find them then."
"Marcy took five hundred d7 forms last year while no one was looking, I do things differently now," she said as she stopped in front of a door and fumbled for her key to unlock it.
"After you this time," she said as she held the door for Matt.
He smiled and walked in as she followed him through. Joyce let the door go and it latched itself with a heavy clunk behind them.
"I shouldn't be showing you my secrets but just remember I'll know who it was if any disappear," she said staring at him seriously.
"Damn I had a buyer all lined up and everything, I'll need to rethink the plan," he said with a smile. "Maybe a fake robbery, even if you suspect you won't be able to prove anything."
"You'd break and confess buddy, no one lasts past the first 24 hours when I'm on to them."
"Promises promises," Matt replied with a smile.
"They all doubt at first," she said as she looked at him "The Steps are over there, make yourself useful."
Matt looked round and saw the step ladder next to him, he grabbed it and hurried after Joyce as she took off down a row of shelves and round a corner.
"Up you go, right at the back of that top shelf there."
He pulled out the steps and climbed up, reaching right to the back to grab a stack of forms.
"You really don't want sales getting these do you?" Matt said as he climbed back down.
"Gotta look after our own in this place."
"Clearly," he replied as he started carrying the steps back with the forms under the other arm.
"Well thank you for showing me your hidey hole. I suspect if I came back I'd find it empty but your secret is safe with me regardless.
Matt popped the steps back as Joyce put the key in the lock and twisted.
A metallic snap rang out.
"Er... we have an issue," Joyce said flatly.
"The key broke in the lock didn't it?"
"Yep...."
"Do you have your phone? I left mine in the office."
"Oh I do...."
"Great, let's ca....."
"......But it's completely flat."
"Ah..."
"Yeah...."
Matt started banging on the door.
"HELLO! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?!" He shouted.
"ANYONE?!" Joyce joined in as she hammered on the door with him.
They both shouted and banged loudly for a few minutes with no luck.
"It's ten past six on a Friday, everyone will have gone and the cleaners don't come until the morning," Joyce said breathlessly.
"Fuck... sorry about the language," said Matt as he looked embarrassed.
"It's fine swear all you fucking want. Will anyone notice you're not home?"
"No one, I don't even have a cat. What about you?"
"I have fish, they aren't great at calling for help I've found so no. If we can't find a way out we are stuck till morning."
"Fuck," he said.
"Fuck indeed," she replied.
They both stared at each other in silence for a moment wondering what to do.
"Well the window is barred to stop anyone breaking in and even if we got the key out somehow we couldn't turn it. We are here until nine when the cleaners come in aren't we," Matt said flatly.
"Yep...."
"I guess we get comfy then," he said as he started looking around for anything to sit on.
"Least we keep the canteen supplies in here," Joyce said as she wondered off down the shelving.
She came back with two bottles of water and a pack of biscuits as Matt piled up some packs of office paper against the wall to sit on.
"Looks comfy, I can't wait to see the beds you make from toner," she said dryly as she munched on a biscuit.
"If only this was the supply room we store the king size mattresses in," Matt replied.
They both slumped down on the makeshift chairs defeated.
"Well I've had worse Friday nights, especially with my ex husband. This is better than the floor, thank you."
Matt nodded thanks and took a biscuit.
"How long were you married?"
"Six miserable years. It was so bad I looked forward to work just to get away from him."
"Hah, that is bad. What did he do?"
"Nothing at all, not even in the bedroom.... Sorry too much information there."
"No no it's fine. We are living together tonight so I think we can be open with each other. I'm sorry it didn't work out."
"It happens doesn't it. Just hard to start again later in life," Joyce said as she shrugged her shoulders.
"Yeah, I've never been married but my last long term relationship ended about three years ago. It was good for the most part but we just grew apart."
"Maybe we should set up each others tinder profiles when we get out of here.... If we ever get out of here."
"Here we go then. Joyce, late thirties, likes hiding office supplies, dislikes sale department. Must like bedroom antics," Matt dictated.
"Forty two actually and I also enjoy long walks on the beach and occasionally getting blackout drunk."
"Matt, forty something, furniture maker, has a head for heights as long as it's just a step ladder, dislikes locks on doors."
"Close enough. I enjoy holding hands and watching the sunset too though," he replied as he took another biscuit.
"Oh don't we all?" Joyce said as she stood up and stretched.
Matt couldn't help but watch her as she arched her back and stretched up towards the ceiling. She was slim with a surprisingly large bust and shapely long legs. Her work clothes hid it well but she had quite the figure underneath.
"Right if we are going to be here all night I'm going to reveal another secret of the storeroom," she said as she went off round a corner.
There were some grunting sounds followed by something being dragged and a final satisfied sound of victory before she appeared again holding a half empty bottle of scotch.
"Don't judge me, I'm not an alcoholic. I used to stay behind in the office for a while after work before my divorce. I drank too much then and I just hadn't gotten around to taking this home. Our benefit now eh?"
"Nice, you don't happen to have a three piece suite hidden anywhere as well?" Matt replied as he accepted the bottle for a swig.
Joyce watched him drink and shudder from the booze as she sat back down. He was actually pretty good looking. That suit really fit nicely and he must have a good toned body under there.
"Spicy," he said hoarsely as he handed the bottle over.
"You normally more of a rosΓ© drinker huh?"
"Beer actually, so if you have a draught tap around let me know."
She huffed a laugh as she took a swig of the cheap whiskey that hadn't improved over the years in here.
"Pretty sad no one will miss us isn't it," she said morosely.
Matt nodded as he took another drink.
"Still, least we will be sharing a room tonight hey?" She said with forced cheerfulness as she took another swig.
"Best offer I've had for ages actually. Other than the concrete floor and lack of sheets of course."
"Ah you must do ok, look at you," she said as she gestured towards him "good looking, successful.. ish."
"That's kind of you but honestly I've been on one date in the past year and it didn't go well. She was taking 30 photos of every dish for her instagram profile. It was the longest dinner I've ever had."
Joyce let out a laugh and lent back against the wall.
"That's one more than me, I just can't get up the courage to put myself out there again yet."
"You'd have them lining up!" Matt said as he ate another biscuit.
"You need glasses buddy."
"Twenty twenty vision I'll have you know, you're a catch!"