Caela rang the bell and waited expectantly. She had been planning this for a while and whilst she was looking forward to seeing Andy's reaction she was still a little apprehensive. The speaker clicked and Andy's slightly disembodied voice asked who it was. When Caela replied the door was unlocked and Caela entered the building. A voice from the first floor told her to come on up and Andy's familiar face appeared over the banister as she started to ascend.
"Fantastic to see you, can't believe its more than two months since you left us, come on in," was Andy's opening enthusiastic burst. Caela carried on up and followed Andy into his large but modestly furnished office.
Caela had worked for Andy for over a year, mainly administration but some other work as well. Although not in the same office they had developed a friendly relationship based on banter and a wicked but shared sense of humour. Caela had felt sad when she managed to get a job with another organisation, but it was much more hat she had trained for, and to be fair Andy had been very supportive. In the last couple of weeks of her work her family had gone through a terrible time, with a close relative dying suddenly and her parents responding very badly to it. On the day of the news Andy had speedily dropped all his work with her, re-arranged his afternoon and taken her immediately over 100 miles in the company car to her folks. Even though it was close to the end of her time with Andy, he had still allowed plenty of compassionate leave, and Caela had only gone back for the last few days to help with a handover.
Caela had not forgotten how much Andy had put himself out for her, nor the somewhat edgy, often flirty relationship they had and she had decided that now was the time to thank Andy for his efforts. She had considered all sorts of gifts before settling on the perfect one, assuming he would be happy to accept it. She had rung Andy in the week and after the usual catch up and innuendo ridden conversation Caela had suggested meeting up somewhere private to pass on her gift. Andy had been taken aback but had agreed quite readily, offering directions to his office which he knew he would have to himself for the afternoon in question. He was intrigued, as he hadn't seen Caela since her last couple of days at work, and then she had been withdrawn and pale, nothing like the bouncy, attractive woman she normally was.
Andy stood aside to let Caela in, noticing the slightly breathless way in which she spoke. She was wearing a smart trouser suit, which was actually the one she had worn to the interview where Andy had appointed her. What he didn't realise was that underneath the smart, business-like exterior was something altogether different. After getting drinks and settling own for a catch up Caela was getting increasingly twitchy and looking around. She asked Andy for a refill and whilst he was out drew the window blinds on the now dark afternoon. She turned as Andy returned, frowning as he asked, "Is everything OK?"
Caela smiled at him and assured him all was fine, but that she didn't want the world to see the present she had for Andy as a thank you for all his support. She started to speak, a little nervously at first but wanting to do this properly as she was excited by the prospect of a positive reaction.
"I don't want you to interrupt, no matter how hard you find it not to! You were great to me at the end of my employment with you.. but there was always an undercurrent between us. A positive one, and I often wondered what would happen if we were in the same office together for any lengthy period of time. I also knew I wanted to thank you personally, and very specially, for the support and I came up with what I hope you will agree is a fantastic idea to answer both my questions. You see Andy, I am your present. I have decided to let you have me, for the rest of the afternoon and in whatever way takes your fancy."
There, she had said it without flinching or looking away and although she went slightly red as she finished she was pleased to see the look of surprise and dawning understanding on Andy's face as he took in her last words. He sat back and slowly smiled, raising his eyebrow to ask if it was now OK for him to speak. Caela nodded.
"Thank you, and I am pleasantly ... astounded. You are a very sexy lady and I miss the somewhat flirty conversations we could have when the others were not in your office. I rather like my thank you gift, but are you sure? Do you really mean 'whatever way takes my fancy'?"