Under My Boss’ Table

He just went out, got in his car, and drove off. I was left alone with my thoughts. I constantly repeated his words in my head. I couldn’t believe it, because everything was so good there in the restaurant! I thought he liked me!

But his words cut off my ears. I couldn’t remember how I got home, how I undressed and went to bed. But the next day I didn’t go to work. I couldn’t be with the man I loved and desired, after all his words. It was a real torment for me.

I didn’t understand what I was counting on? I was so dumb! I dreamed that he turned his attention to me!

Naturally, my absence from work was noted. It’s true, not to Edward himself, but to our office manager, Alexandra. Oh, it would have been better if he called instead of her…

“Elvira?” I heard Alexandra’s voice, in which there was suspicion, on the other side of the line. “Why aren’t you at work?”

“Um, first of all hi.” I started in a weak voice. God, I didn’t even have to pretend, I really felt very bad. “Second, I am sick and cannot work now.”

“Oh I see.” Alexandra said. “Well, Elvira, get well. The whole office is waiting for you.”

“Yes, of course,” I thought sarcastically, “the whole office is waiting! Everyone except Edward, damn it!”

Memories of the day before washed over me like an avalanche and I felt terribly ashamed. The scenes of the interaction with my boss immediately passed one after another: how I flirted with him, how I volunteered to go with him, how I kissed him and how he pushed me away… I buried myself under the covers, trying to escape from these scenes in my head, but they were going nowhere. I felt very bad morally, I was exhausted and had no idea what to do next.

“Quit? But I’ve been looking for a job like this for so long, and it’s really good! But how can I keep working now? No, I won’t be able to work on the same team with HIM. See him every day, and remember THIS every time! Oh, what have I done…”

Minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, little by little, a kind of slimy emptiness settled in my soul, and I didn’t want to do anything. I didn’t eat anything, I just sat on the couch and watched TV. Only then the meaning of movies, TV series and shows did not penetrate my head in any way.

On the fourth day, the bell suddenly rang. I focused my gaze on the phone screen – it blinked: ‘Edward Boss.’

I was very surprised and discouraged. My hand had already grabbed the phone and accepted the call, but with my head I didn’t understand what was happening, the shock was so great, and I was silent on the phone.

“Uh… Elvira? Hello.” Said Edward’s deep voice.

“Oh damn, so it’s really true, he really is calling me.” I finally realized it and replied:

“Y-yeah… hi.”

“How do you feel?”

His voice was as nonchalant and polite as possible.

“Are you serious?” I was thinking surprised again. “You treated me that way, and you’re not interested in me, but you call and you’re interested in HOW I am?”

“I feel good.” I mumbled. “I will live. Thanks for asking.”

“Good.” He replied, with the same nonchalance. “Then I have a request for you, Elvira. Could I meet you today? Say, at lunch? Something needs to be discussed.”

“Edward, if you’re talking about that case, then there seems to be nothing to discuss.” I suggested cautiously.

“God, Elvira.” You could tell from his displeased voice that he made a face. “I’m not talking about that at all. So, can you meet with me?”

I gave him my consent and he promised to send me an SMS with the name of the cafe where the meeting was scheduled. After the call, I sat for a long time, stunned by thunder. Why did he decide to meet me? What does he want to discuss with me? If not for that embarrassing moment, then what?

“What if he wants to fire me?” I thought suddenly with horror and realized that this was most likely the truth… But then why call me to a cafe? This was all too strange…

A message from Edward came to the phone with the name of the cafe. This place was not far from our work. He was supposed to be there in two hours…

Trying not to think about how disgraced I was in front of him last time, I began to straighten myself out. Finally I washed my hair and put it in a beautiful day hairstyle; I put on makeup, paying attention to my eyes to remove the shadows under them; dressed discreetly, but stylishly. I had to meet a man with whom I was madly in love, and it was not part of my plans to look ugly in front of him!

I tried not to be late and arrived a little before the appointed time at the cafe. Taking a seat by the window, I looked at the opposite building. There were no thoughts left in my head and I was just waiting for what would come.

After a while, Edward sat across from me and nodded:

“I’m glad you have come. The conversation will be a bit unusual.”

I shrugged vaguely and kept looking at him suspiciously.

“Elvira, what are you going to eat?” Edward suddenly smiled calmly, and this surprised me.

He rarely smiled, and especially at me. I ordered a light salad and juice, not much to eat. I was nervous, but for some reason Edward was in no rush to reveal the topic of conversation.

“Okay, I’ll start from the beginning.” He sighed and loosened his tie. Only then did I realize that, in fact, he cared as much as I did. But why would he do it? “Here’s the thing. Yesterday I… ahem… found out that my wife was cheating on me.”

I choked on the juice.

“Yes… it’s true.” He continued absently. “Yesterday I was very angry. Elvira, I have probably never been so unhappy in my life. My wife washed in the bathroom and she left her phone behind. On the screen was a WhatsApp message that said ‘And I miss you baby.’ This seemed suspicious to me and I unlocked the phone. I know it sounds strange, wives usually do this, but…” Edward ran his hand through his hair.

He was quite nervous. I continued in silence, listening carefully and still not understanding what all this meant…

“In general, I began to read the correspondence with this guy. Judging by its short length, my wife cleaned it regularly. There was a declaration of love, discussions about how she could leave me… She wrote to him that she felt sorry for me and that she did not know WHO the father of her baby was… And furthermore… she wrote to him that she hardly had any sex with me.”

“Wow.” I said quietly. What kind of a fool would trade this beautiful man for someone else?! At that moment, I refused to understand Edward’s wife!

“Too much for me. Yesterday I was so shocked that I realized that I cannot speak to her in this state. I left the house, wrote to her that it was about work matters. I still don’t know how to tell her what I’ve learned. Maybe I won’t tell her anything, because she is pregnant and it is better not to irritate her. Honestly, I haven’t had such a situation before…”

Edward covered his face with his hand. The man was confused. But I still didn’t understand why he told me all of this.

“Edward, I understand that the situation is terrible. And I sincerely feel sorry for you.” I said carefully. “But why did you tell me this?”