“Yeah, I’m a blubbering mess. My makeup is ruined and so is your shirt,” she rubbed her fingers over her emotional stains.
“Listen to me,” John held her face in his fingertips impeding for her to look in his eyes, “I know what kind of woman you are. I care about you. I like you. I disappeared that morning because I had things to do. I desperately wanted to stay with you. Believe me I wanted to, but you don’t get to where I am by sleeping in past the sunrise. I didn’t want to wake you. I haven’t used my driver since we were together. He has certain mornings off, and on the days he works he takes you to work. I apologize for not making my intentions with you clear. You’re right. I don’t listen to the rumors because I don’t care. I know how hard you work and my clients know how hard you work. The people that matter know how hard you work.”
“I feel like such a fool,” Steph shook her head.
“Not at all. One of my biggest flaws is assuming that everyone can read my mind and I’m sorry for that. Now, how about we make sure we’re on the same page tonight. I have a few meetings today, but you are taking the day off. Gerald will be waiting for you outside,” John winked as he stood up to leave the office.
Those words coming from his mouth were a godsend to Steph, but juice from the grapevine for the ears passing by. Anna almost salivated as she hovered around just outside of Steph’s office. She had her phone out as she tried to record their conversation. Mrs. Cartwright would surely fire Steph for this!
Anna replayed the video over and over again. You couldn’t see Steph at all and even John was barely recognizable, but his voice was very distinct. She stormed into Mrs. Cartwright’s office without knocking. Mrs. Cartwright wasn’t amused in the slightest. Every conversation with Anna was draining.
“What can I do for you today, Ms. Hansen?” the Human Resources manager asked without looking away from her computer screen.
“This!” Anna practically screamed handing her the phone to watch the video, “Aren’t there policies in place that prohibit employee relationships?”
“No, there are not,” Mrs. Cartwright sighed remembering Steph’s correction when she misquoted that same policy.
“What?” Anna was shocked.
“While there are guidelines in regards to employee relationships, there aren’t any rules being broken in this video. Relationships have to be disclosed to HR, but that’s it,” Mrs. Cartwright handed the phone back to Anna.
“So you mean to tell me that they told you they were together? I find that hard to believe!” Anna retorted.
“I get it, Ms. Hansen,” she rolled her eyes. “Believe me I do. I am not one of Ms. Allen’s fans, she’s a bit too brash for this environment, but I can only do so much and that video doesn’t do anything at all! This is a law firm, Ms. Hansen. Evidence like that doesn’t fly. It’s only incriminating our CEO, who you can barely tell is Mr. Pike, which will not go over well. And you only caught the tail end of that conversation. Him telling her that he knows how hard she works and the people who matter know how hard she works isn’t enough to say that they’re in a relationship. You are the only person who seems to be affected by these two communicating. You are the only employee who seems to be desperately avoiding their work to come here so frequently to complain. I’m beginning to think you’re the person responsible for those vile rumors circulating about Ms. Allen.”
“That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard! Here I am trying to work when these two can’t keep their hands off each other!” Anna was shouting and loud enough for employees to hear.
“Please lower your voice,” Mrs. Cartwright pleaded with her.
“I will not! This is such, such, such,” Anna stammered as she tried to choose her words carefully but she had had enough of Steph Allen, “This is such BULLSHIT! You want to wait until they’re fucking on the conference room table before you do anything about it! I have the video! I have the proof. Mr. Pike is fucking the other paralegal and you don’t care!”
“Ms. Hansen,” Mrs. Cartwright rose from her seat. “You will lower your voice and leave my office.”
“I don’t fucking believe this shit,” Anna continued to scream. “You have the evidence you need right there in front of you that Mr. Pike is fucking that bitch and you won’t do anything about it. Now I have to go back to my goddamn office and watch them parade their love around like it’s the fucking tunnel of fucking love.”
Mrs. Cartwright’s phone rang. She answered the call and after a few short words she looked back to Anna who was pacing by the door trying to calm herself down, “Well today is your lucky day, Ms. Hansen. Ms. Allen has left for the day so you can go back to your desk and let me get back to my work.”
“Fine,” Anna huffed.
“I trust that you’ll be calm, or do you need to take the day too?” Mrs. Cartwright asked tapping her fingernails on the desk.
“No, thank you. I’ll be fine,” Anna clasped her hands together tightly trying to regain her composure. She’d made a fool out of herself in that office and couldn’t bear to have Mrs. Cartwright glare at her anymore.
With Anna out of her office and Steph gone for the day, Mrs. Cartwright thought it would be best for her to speak to John now. The relationship he was carrying on was causing more drama for her than anyone else. She’d been yelled at, cursed at, and talked down to twice in the same day. She was at her wits end.
Mrs. Cartwright rode the elevator up to John’s floor. She approached his office where she was greeted by his secretary. She stormed into the office without an introduction and left a few minutes later. The secretary didn’t hear much of anything and John gave no hint as to what their conversation was about. She went on about her day until the rumors had reached her desk. She tried to inform her boss, but he waved her off refusing to hear her out.
John only waved her off because he already knew what she was going to tell him. He had to tell Steph, but he didn’t want to make her day any more stressful than it was. He wanted her to relax, but he didn’t want her walking into this shit storm tomorrow. He sent her a text:
Hey you, everybody knows. I’ll talk to you about it when I get home.
Steph rubbed the temples of her forehead as she traveled to her apartment to gather a few things. She could only imagine the vicious things being said about her at work, and she wasn’t there to defend herself. So she did the only thing she could do … she called Charlize.
“I bet you it was that bitch Anna,” Charlize shouted over the phone as Steph rummaged through her closets and dresser drawers.
“I don’t know,” Steph disagreed with uncertainty, “It could have been Cass. Or anybody who saw me in the car with his driver. People jump to conclusions all the time. I can’t say it was her for sure.”
“I can feel it in my bones! That bitch has been such a bitch! And granted that’s partly your fault but she’s just taking it to an unnecessary level. Like, why can’t she sit down and have a conversation with you about what you did to her?!” Charlize grumbled.
“I don’t know, but that’s not what I want to talk or think about. I cleared the air with John and I’m on my way to his house as soon as I get some clothes together,” Steph’s attitude and tone shifted.
“Well listen, you handle that bitch the way we would handle her out here when you see her! But, for tonight, you handle Mr. Pike, girl. Stop thinking too much and worry about work when you go back,” Charlize advised her sternly but with a smile. Steph did as her friend commanded and got herself over to John’s house for a night, neither of them would forget.