My Boss & Me

Surprise

"Good Morning Janice."

"Good Morning Mr. Turner."

That was pretty much our conversations for the past month. If it wasn't a greeting or about work we didn't talk. For the first few days he tried to make conversation but I would completely ignore him. I felt bad but I couldn't acknowledge him because I was afraid it would turn into something more than I needed our relationship to be. Even a few days in he tried to tell me just to call him Markus, he felt it was awkward for me to call him Mr. Turner since we've slept together but I didn't care, I was going to be as professional as possible.

I answered phones, transferred them to his office phone. Made excuses for him not to take calls, listened to his mother b***h at me because he never went to lunch with her. One of these days I am going to scream at that woman and tell her the truth so she will stop acting like she doesn't know her son is lying. But it isn't my place and I would never tell at someone for wanting to spend time with their son.

My personal life was great. I had dinner with Julien almost every Saturday and it was amazing. He's the sweetest guy, he even brings me lunch everyday and sometimes I have time to eat with him. I really like Julien but every time he comes by the office Markus gives him a death stare. He doesn't hide that he hated Julien. Julien can tell and he thinks Markus has feelings for me but I tell him he doesn't. I don't know if he does or not but if he does he has a funny way of showing it.

Today I ended up eating lunch on my own, at my desk. Julien convinced me to try every sandwich on the local deli's menu, today was a tuna melt. I also have salt & vinegar chips with a soda, Dr. Pepper my favorite.

I work and eat so I can get things done. Plus Markus always has me busy with deadlines, even though I'm just a secretary I guess everyone does a little more than what their job requires.

Our new dynamic sort of shifting the atmosphere of the office too, seemed to make others uncomfortable. I tried not to be cold towards him but it seemed to be the only thing to get him to understand that our relationship was going to be strictly business and nothing more.

I'm too afraid to go any further than that. After that night, I'm scared of my feelings towards him. He seems to be too but even worse. I hadn't told Julien about that night, I don't know what he would say. How would I even bring that up?

'Hey, by the way, I f****d my boss the same night we made out in an elevator.'

Even thinking about it makes me feel dirty. I slept with one man not but five minutes after being dropped off by another whole I make out with beforehand. I sound like a slut who can't keep her pants on. I also sound like a slut who sleeps with her boss to get ahead.

******

I don't know if it was the tuna or what but about an hour after eating lunch I felt the strong nerve to throw up. I was nauseous and I tried to ignore it for a few minutes thinking maybe I just needed water, I don't know. That didn't work, I ended up rushing to the restroom and puking my guts out along with my lunch. As soon as the nausea came it left. I didn't think it was strange maybe I just got bad tuna. I sat back at my desk and kept working. A fresh of my coworkers asked if I was OK and I assured them it was probably my bad lunch not sitting well in my stomach. It wasn't until a half an hour later when I rushed back to the restroom to puke again that I began to think there was something wrong. Food poisoning maybe? Was it flu season?

I don't recall ever being nauseous a day in my life except the first time I got super drunk but even then I wasn't sick.

"Mr. Turner....I um don't feel so good. I'm going to go to the hospital. I think I had some bad tuna or something." I poked my head into his office. He didn't look up from his work and nodded so I left.

I went straight to the hospital by cab and caled Dee so she could come grt me when I was done. I wasn't going to pay for a taxi again.

I spent hour in the emergency room, back and forth from the bathroom before I was seen and even then it took awhile to get my results.

"Miss. Harrison," he paused glancing through what I'm guessing were my test results, "Miss. Harrison, congratulations. You are two months pregnant."

Everything went silent. I could see his lips moving but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I was pregnant? Two months? I'd only been with...Markus. The one night stand. What am I supposed to do? What will Julien say?

"Miss. Harrison?"

"Yes?" I was brought back to reality to a concerned looking doctor.

"Would you like an ultrasound?"

"Um, no. Thank you, doctor." I hopped off the table and left the room.

****

I wanted to stay away from work as much as possible but I'd taken more than enough days off when I got back from California. I couldn't afford any more days off. I slowly made my way to work but not so slow that I would be late.

I never realized how much New York smelled. Almost everything made me want to either puke or eat. For instance, normally sidewalk hot dog stands wouldn't bother me but now instantly nausea. I even bought one once or two e over the years and it honestly wants that bad but I can't even stand the thought of one without getting sick to my stomach. I ended up having to completely avoid the subway knowing it would bother me.

I can't keep this a secret. Eventually someone will find out and if Dee or my parents found out that I hid this from them, my life would be worse than it already is. How would I tell my parents? They are very traditional people. The fact that I'm not even dating the father would kill them.

Markus, how would I even tell him? Would he believe me if I did?

I made it to work but I was late. Not too late but late enough not to be able to stop him mother from barging into his office. I could see his frustration from the door. I tried to reach my desk without him seeing me but he did and he did not look happy. He started his eyes back and forth between me and his mother. He wanted me to make her leave.

I looked through his planner but there was nothing there. He had no plans today?! I quickly wrote something down, something even his mother would deem more important than herself.

"Mr. Turner, you have a conference call with one of the investors from California at 9:30." I said poking my head in the door. I couldn't smell the perfume his mother was wearing. I never realized how terrible it smelled.

"Thank you, Janice." He replied not even looking at me and I closed the door. I stood there trying to hear it had worked but the door was too thick. The next thing I knew the door was sliding open. I jumped back and stood in front of my desk before they noticed I was listening.

"Good luck darling, call me and tell me all about it." His mother said as she walked out the door.

She gave me a look but didn't stop. I let out a huge breath once she left not realizing I was holding it.

"Janice." It was quiet but I heard it and he knew I heard it.

I walked in and closed the door behind me. He didn't seem angry, which I thought he would be since I was late and because if that he had to deal with his mother.

"How are you feeling?"

It must have shown on my face that I wasn't expecting that to come out his mouth because he chuckled.

"You left yesterday...feeling sick?"

"Oh, um yea. I feel fine. I mean better than yesterday."

"Good. Did they say what it was? That made you sick?"

Should I tell him? Would he even want to know?

"Food poisoning. Going to stay away from that tuna." I said giving a nervous chuckle hoping he would believe me.

"Good....So I guess surprise lunches aren't always a good thing, huh?"

He was doing so well. I rolled my eyes and walked out.

"Come on! I was kidding!" He called after me but I ignored. I knew he was joking but it reminded me that Julien was a part of the situation. How was I supposed to tell Julien about this?

This is all a mess. If only I had met Julien before Markus, things would be simple.

I sat at my desk and ruined on my computer. Luckily for me Markus had no meetings or calls or lunches or anything. He would just be sitting in his office creating pieces for the novels he chose to market to the investors.

While he did that it gave me a chance to continue my novel. The one I broke out at the dinner in California. It wasn't finished, in fact the part I repeated was only a part of a short story I was basing this novel off of. I wrote the short story in college for a contest and I won't. It was published in some local news paper. It was one of the happiest times of my life.

Basically it was about a married couple who were having issues. The husband was having an affair and the wife catches him in the act. In her momentary rage she kills the mistress and they both struggle to cover it up.

Its very dark, the darkest thing I've ever written. Mostly I'd written love stories but eventually you get tired of writing about love but never being able to find it so I switched. It was a nice change, I liked thinking dark thoughts. It was like becoming a different person, I was becoming the couple in order to finish the story. What would I do if I were them? What would I do if I were the detective or cops? Its a very developmental part of being a writer.

I paused my writing for a few minutes to think and give my fingers a rest when I heard someone sigh behind me. Needless to say I didn't know they were there and it gave me a heart attack.

I turned to see one of the marketers standing there.

"I am so sorry! I didn't meant to scare you. I had some stuff for Mr. Turner and didn't want to bother him but you seemed so focused as well so I thought I'd see why. Its really good. I didn't even realize how long I'd been standing here until you stopped." The poor girl rambled on and on about how sorry she was for another two minutes before I even got a word in.

"Its fine. Just leave them on the desk." I said and went back to work.

She did so but didn't leave from her spot. I turned to her and smiled,

"You really are interested in this aren't you?"

She nodded excitedly.

"Fine. When I finish this chapter I will give you a copy."

She squealed and surprised me with a quick hug before heading back to her office.

I sighed and shook my head but it made me smile. If this woman was so excited about my story before I had even finished and proofread it how excited would other people be once its finally out there? It was exciting to think about.

"Interesting."

I gasped and turned from my computer to see the one and only Markus.

"For the love o...What is with you people and sneakinf up on me? Are you trying to kill me?"

"Sorry, j thought you knew I was here," he said with a chuckle and quickly changed the subject before I could respond, "Is this that story you recited at dinner then other weekend?"

"Yes. Yes it is."

"I thought so. Sounds interesting."

He didn't seem to be faking his interest which was good. Maybe he would want to publish it.

Without another word he gave a thoughtful 'huh' and went back to his office.