An Office Affair

I walked by the cracked doorway just in time to see her remove his shirt, his thrust against her against the wall was even more telling. I should have already known by the way she floated in the door, she was not an ordinary client. She wasn’t dressed to drop off tax documents, but I would have at least presumed he would make sure his office door was closed considering his office romance. I don’t really like to gossip but my dislike for Monica’s character and her snide comments slow my stride on the way to the break room. Some may say it was the steam rolling off of his back, the grunting melody, and my own predilection that caused me to peer for a second or two, but that would be hearsay. What I did want was for Michael’s afternoon tea to last longer than the water cooler conversation, so I leaned in and closed the view.

“Hi Monica.” I greet her in the break room chomping on raw vegetables with hummus. She's been on a diet all month, and it’s been her convenient excuse to be moody.

“Aren’t you chipper,” she raises an eyebrow at my greeting.

“Yeah Crystal, what’s the pep in your step about?” Frank asks from his seat beside her at the break room table.

“Oh, I think Michael’s latest client is really going to shake things up around here.”

“That estate tax client, you think those stilettos were in the will?” Frank says.

“Oh you saw?” I ask.

“Not something that breezes through here everyday.” He responds.

“What? Is she a grieving widow?” Asks Monica.

“Not at all from what I could tell.” I reply, “Is that what he told you?”

“No, he’s been closed lipped about his lunch appointment.” She answers.

Frank and I give each other a knowing look.

“Well you know what they say, dress for the job you want.” Frank acknowledges.

“But how is your diet going Monica, still want to rip all the heads off of client services?” I ask because that’s my department.

“And has marketing been a waste of company money?” Frank asks because that’s his department.

“Listen guys,” Monica puts down a carrot stick to let us know she really means business, “ client services have screwed up intake, and retention, I see the numbers they can’t hide from me. And as far as marketing goes, you produce a viral social media post, and I will take back everything I said to Michael about nixing your division.”

And, without skipping a beat Monica has thrown her power over us with her illicit love affair that everyone knows about but Michael tells her to tell no one about.

“Oh, and I suppose he’ll do as the queen bee says.” Michael’s facial expression is sheer scorn.

“Queen bee? She’s the receptionist…” I venture.

“I think we all know what I am here Crystal.” She says.

“Why haven’t we heard it from Michael?” He asks.

“I didn’t know you had to.”

Her reply is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and besides this is an accounting firm, not a bordello.

“Well, the grieving widow may have a point or two to counter your argument. Two to be exact…”

“What does a client have to do with the work that goes on in the office?” Monica’s tone is snake like.

“Why don’t you ask her yourself, Queenie. She’s in his office.” I say.

“I will.” Monica flips her pronged tongue, pushes back her seat and in true diva fashion storms to Michael’s office. I’m not sure if it was her instant demotion from office lover, or sheer embarrassment that caused her resignation. Frank thinks it was the stilettos which had made it to the air.

The End