Covert

I called Sean the day after “the incident” but he didn’t answer. I’ve tried calling several times…but I’m pretty sure he’s screening me. As a result I felt completely awful when I went into work today and it must have showed on my face because Steve knocked on my door right after I came back from lunch.

“Come in.”

“Hey…are you okay? I can’t help but notice that you’ve been kind of distracted. You missed an appointment.” Steve pushed his head inside the door, afraid or unwilling to come all the way in.

My head snapped up in shock and panic, “What!?”

“It’s fine, I was able to reschedule for you before they went out of their way to get here.”

“How do you know I would’ve missed it if they didn’t even show up?”

“Because you didn’t get the paperwork completed yet.” Steve stepped all the way into my office, more confident now, and closed the door behind him before he sat in one of the chairs across from my desk. “Would you like me to do it? You’ve been really busy with the company policies.”

“No, Steve, I think I’ll be able to handle it. When did you reschedule it for?”

“Next week. Are you sure you don’t want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

“I have to work, Steve.”

“You still have 15 minutes of your lunch left.”

“You actually time me?” I eyed him with judgment.

“I’m your assistant, it benefits both of us if I know when you take your lunch and how long it is supposed to be so I don’t over book you.”

“Fair enough,” I sighed. I put my head in my hands…probably more dramatically than I should have.

“I see.” Steve eyed me knowingly, “What did he do?”

I blushed at how well Steve could read my mind.

“Is it really that obvious?”

“Honey, I know more about men than you do and I can spot a lover’s quarrel within a hundred miles. So what was it about? Is he cheating on you?” Steve crossed his legs and cocked his head.

“No. I made him feel bad and now he won’t return my calls.”

“Well that’s juvenile,” Steve said, I glared at him in return. I didn’t quite like the fact that Steve was passing judgment on my boyfriend like that.

“He has every right to be angry. I guess angry isn’t the right word...I embarrassed him.” I said trying not to give anything away.

“Faith…what could you have possibly done to embarrass your boyfriend so much that he’s screening your calls?”

I looked down, my face was hot, “I can’t tell anyone. It would make things worse. I promised I wouldn’t say anything about it.”

“Am I allowed to guess, at least?”

“I can’t tell you if you’re right.”

“I see. Well, there’s really only one option for you then, right?”

I looked at Steve, amazed at how easy it was to like him when he wasn’t raving about texturized vegetable proteins and soy coffee creamer, “And that would be?”

“Go to his house and break down the door.”

With that Steve got up and walked out of my office, closing the door behind him.

I sat in my chair spinning in circles for awhile thinking about my conversation with Steve…and Theo. My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Steve’s voice on my office intercom.

“You have a call.”

“Okay, thank you.”

I waited for the phone to ring and picked it as soon as it started.

“This is Faith, how may I help you?”

“This is Suzy. And Dina….we need to talk to you. Now.”

“Hey guys, what’s-“

“Have you taken a lunch yet?”

“Yeah…I just got back.”

“Damn. Okay, well….are you free for dinner tonight?”

“Yeah, but what’s going on?”

“We have to go, meet us at our old Chinese place, okay?”

“Alright.”

The phone line clicked off. I stared at the phone in confusion and tried to get through the majority of my work for the rest of today. I’m about to go meet Dina and Suzy and be sure to report back when I get home.

(Author's note: There will be a post every day this week so make sure to come by often!)