HAPPY FOREVER AFTER

“Huh… Mondays are the worst” Emma said to herself.

Not only did she have a lot of work to do. She also had to go home late. Apart from all the work she had to take care of, her life was alright. She had amazing friends, Karen and Frank had been back for two weeks now, Things were okay with Daniel… Considering. She had gotten to know him better these few weeks and they seemed to be handling the ‘friends with benefits’ thing pretty well.

Emma rested her chin in her hand and stared at her phone. It was barely one in the afternoon, and four of the five phones in her office were frantically blinking. She didn’t know which one to answer first. So she didn’t answer any of them.

Her life would be so much easier if she were one of those robots you see in cartoons. She thought. The kind with slot machine eyes, a ball-bearing nose, and those spindly metal arms and slinky legs that jerk with every movement.

But Emma wasn’t a robot. She was in her office on the third floor of the building.

The last line buzzed obnoxiously and began to blink like the others. She groaned and closed her eyes to escape.

“Are you alright?” a voice asked.

Emma sat upright in her desk chair, startled. She blinked. Catherine Martin, her secretary, was standing in the doorway, staring at her.

“I’m fine” Emma quickly looked down, embarrassed. She busied herself by shuffling the papers all over her desk.

Catherine gave Emma’s desk a pointed look. “You aren’t answering the phone”

“I know,” Emma replied.

“What are you doing”

“I really don’t know” Emma shook her head and bit back a smile. She picked up a handful of papers and tapped them on the desk until their corners were neatly aligned.

Catherine was staring at her. Her secretary just stood there with her rigid back pressed against the door jamb, a knowing look on her face.

She walked toward her with one of her you-need-me-to-tell-you-exactly-what-you-need-to-do looks. She hitched her hip on the desk corner, picked up the phone and began pressing buttons

“Ms. Green is unavailable today”

Poof! Line one was gone

“Ms. Green is in a meeting and cannot be disturbed”

Line two was gone

The remaining lines got the same treatment.

“You need a vacation. You work so hard” Catherine said to Emma.

“I know right. I will one of these days”

“Yeah.. That’s what you say every time.” Catherine said.

Emma’s phone beeped as a message came in. Her heart skipped three vital beats as she saw the name displayed:

Daniel : Done with my meeting. Fancy taking a break?

She had more work to do but the urge to say yes immediately pummeled her.

She hit reply: I could be persuaded.

Daniel : Think fast. I’m three minutes away from your office.

The tingling in her body ramped up at the thought of seeing him. They had both been really busy at work lately and didn’t get to spend much time with each other.

Emma: Fine. I will take a break. But only if you bring lunch.

Daniel : Already sorted.

Emma rolled her eyes, then hastily rearranged her goofy smile when she caught glances from my Catherine.

Smiling, Catherine headed out of the room “I think I’d better leave now. Seems like you expecting a call or company or something”

“About time you get your pink slip” Emma said to her

“You? Fire me?” Catherine replied. “Anyone else would bore you to death. Besides you need me. You know it”

“No I don’t.. I do not know that” Emma said.

“I know that you know” Catherine retorted.

“Get out Catherine”

Catherine laughed as she left the office.

Emma was working on some documents when Catherine’s head popped in again.

“Someone’s here for you” and then she added. “I don’t mean to be unprofessional but…. Yummm”.

“Let him in,” Emma said, rolling her eyes.

He was dressed casually in one of those deceptively simple polo shirts that cost a lot of money and dark chinos. With his collar upturned and his hair windswept, he looked positively rakish.

“Hey, you.” he said as walked towards her and kissed her passionately.

Emma’s heart skipped twice as many beats. And when she caught a whiff of his aftershave, different parts of her body came to rude, vital life. It took an effort or three to drag her gaze from the twinkle in his dark hazel eyes to the large takeout bag he held in one hand.

“Hey, yourself.” she said. Give me a few minutes to sort through this lot and I will be with you, okay?”

His gaze dropped to the papers on her desk “Want some help with that?”

Emma smiled.” I don’t think you can help me. But it’s really nice you offered ”

“It’s not okay that you made that assumption without giving me any opportunity”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Fine,” she said. Pushing some papers towards him “Have at it”

“Oh no,” he said, raising his hands. “you had your chance. The offer no longer stands”

Emma laughed. “Here.” she said.

She pulled over a thick plastic cover sheet and spread it out beneath the window. It was wide enough to seat both of them with space in between for their makeshift picnic.

Daniel smiled “Perfect”.

He fetched the takeout bag, folded his large frame into one corner and extracted heavenly smelling food boxes from the insulated bag. The smell of soup and duck spring rolls made her groan. His smile turned into a chuckle.

“Sit down before you fall down with gratitude.” he said.

Emma sat, folding her legs in a casual lotus pose that gave her closer access to the food. Daniel glanced at her folded legs, then up at her. “It’s fascinating how easily you can do that.” he said.

“Just a little exercise” she said

Daniel grinned.

“You better not get any ideas,” she warned.

“What?.. I didn’t even say anything. You need to get your mind out of the gutter”. He said as they ate.

“Yeah.. Says the porn king” Emma said and laughed.

“So I was thinking you should spend the night at my place today,” he said. “We haven’t seen much of each other for a few days now”

“Is that a fancy way of saying you have missed me?” Emma asked, smiling.

“Yeah..” he said. “You should come. I will cook, and I don’t mean to brag but I make very good bouillabaisse.”

Emma laughed. “Fine,” she said.

“Good… I will come pick you up this evening. Pack a bag… Maybe a sexy nightie too”

Emma grinned.