Writing Prompt -The gift basket

 Josie was star struck when she found her new place. She had no idea it would be so perfect. It was posh. It was beyond belief. No more washing clothes in the dank basement on 6th street near the pizzaria where sometimes she met some creepy people after nightfall in the building.

Oh, it was like heaven. She did pinch herself from time to time. If that wasn't enough, there were celebrities here. That guy from Outerbanks lived just down the hall. He was quite the foodie. Sometimes, he dropped off pie, or brownies. 

Josie couldn't believe her luck. Even Steve Martin said hello. It was a blast. She just knew they might be finding Murder in the building (Oh, it was an inside joke that kept them both laughing when they would see each other in the elevator). And Pete Davidson was always bringing someone new home. Josie noticed he was into dating chicks with big dogs. Of course, there were the more quiet ones, like that popstar discovered by Lady Gaga. There was somebody from a girl group, too, but Josie didn't know her name.

It was the life and she couldn't even tell her mother or her brother how she got so lucky. She really didn't know. And the view of the city was breathtaking. Everywhere she looked it was picture perfect. And she lived there in her one bedroom luxery apartment.

Naturally, she saw fewer celebrities. Steve must have gone on vacation and she guessed Chase went to Nashville to see his partner. Actually, it was getting awful quiet in the building. Even the doorman must have gone on vacation. 

The hallway lights started to dim. When Josic came home from the office, she was starting to use the flashlight on her phone. She was eerie of the elevator. It was just last week, she had at least four people to talk too and one of those was Frazier (from TV) who hadn't changed a bit. She thought he would always be there to tell her something. But no, the place felt empty.

Josie felt home at the new apartment. She ate popcorn on the couch, ate Hot Pockets for dinner and had a couple glasses of wine. She didn't care if people were leaving. She'd had a good laugh about it, or maybe to comfort herself that everything was all right.

And  then the door bell surprised her one evening after she'd cried her eyes out over some K-drama. She was certain she needed to finish up last season of Outerbanks instead. Maybe it was Chase. No it was just a gift basket. 

Just what she needed fruit. She bit into an apple before she read the note. Which said, "What ever you do, don't eat the fruit."

Josie choked and coughed up the bit of apple in the sink.

"What the hell?" Josie couldn't imagine who would send such a gift. She looked at the note again.

"Sorry, but you're being replaced," it said.

"Well, I'm glad your sorry!" She shouted back at the note written in pristine cursive.

She studied the note. What did this mean?

"A better you will be here before you know it," the note went on to say. "The new Josie will be the perfect employee."

"Hey, wait a minute! I work overtime, all the time." 

Josie was in a pout. This was not right. Had she been cloned and not even know it?

"Have you forgotten how much you hate your boss and can't stand the chic mofia who always leaves you behind at lunch?" It was as if the note was writing new information everytime Josie looked at it. 

Josie took a good long view from her fabulous place. A tap came to her door. Oh, she hoped it was someone fabulous ready to take her away from this ending. But no, it was her perfect self. 

She didn't like this new improved her. Honestly, she looked a little plastic in Josie's eyes. Sure her hair was neat and she looked a lot sexier than Josie would ever be, but Josie was going for comfort these days. Josie had a hearty appetite, a laugh that could keep one in stitches. She was the girl who could out drink all the guys at those twice  a year dinners with the corperate from Seoul. She could talk sales when everyone had had enough. Yeah, she was good for something.

"Hey, how about a glass wine," Josie smiled. 

"No thank you," she said.

"Oh, come on, have some fruit," Josie shrugged and popped a grape in her mouth. One of them had to leave and it wouldn't be Josie.