Meeting Ms. Write - Day 05

Chapter 15 - Aftermath of Day 4 and Day 5

Mike took some deep breaths to calm himself and then went to look for Sarah. It was clear that someone had gotten sick in the bathroom but Sarah wasn't in there. He then went to the door of the other bedroom and tried to open it but it was locked. He put his ear to the door and could hear Sarah snoring so he knew she was ok. He could probably jimmy the lock and get it open but he wasn't sure where her mind was at and thought it would be best to talk to her in the morning. Mike poured himself a bourbon and sat out on the balcony for a bit to unwind from an evening that took a stunning turn of events. Mike eventually fell asleep on the couch because he didn't want to sleep in the bed where the encounter with Diane had occurred.

Day 5

Mike woke up early the next morning and went downstairs to make some preparations before arranging for breakfast to be brought up to the room in 30 minutes. When he got back to the room it did not appear that Sarah had awoke from her drunken slumber. Mike straightened up a bit and then the knock on the door announced the arrival of room service and their breakfast. Now he just had to wait for Sarah.

Sarah awoke to a pounding headache. She was definitely paying the price for all the alcohol she had drank the night before. She rolled over and then the events of last night came flooding back into her mind. She had been so stupid to agree to Diane's plan. She may have let Diane into the room but she knew what she saw when she came out of the bathroom and that was Mike fucking her. If that was the kind of guy Mike really was she didn't want anything else to do with him. She saw that the bedroom she had locked herself in was then one where all of her clothes were so she started hurryingly packing her things.

She didn't exactly know what she was going to do. She would see if she could get an earlier flight back to England and if that failed would find another hotel for the rest of her time in New York. She had everything packed and was hoping that Mike was still asleep with Diane so she could get out of the room without having to see him. She quietly opened the door and started pulling her suitcase behind her. She looked up and saw that there was a bouquet of flowers on the table directly outside of the bedroom where she had spent the night. She ignored the flowers and kept walking.

Mike saw her come out of the room and was stunned to see she had packed her bags and was pulling her suitcase. "Are you leaving?"

Sarah jumped at hearing his voice. "Yes I am. I think that would be best."

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't want anything to do with you and Diane."

"That's funny."

Sarah spun in anger "Why would that be bloody funny?"

"Because you are the one who let her into this room last night after you tied me up on the bed."

"Well, she told me that you wanted a threesome but didn't think I would be interested in that sort of thing which is absolutely correct."

"Actually that is absolutely incorrect."

"Excuse me?!!!" Sarah yelled.

"I never told Diane I wanted a threesome with her or with anyone. Diane offered to come by and join us and I told her that I was a one woman man and that I was currently with one hell of a woman."

"Why should I believe that?"

"Because it's the truth Sarah."

"She said you had shown her stories involving threesomes that you had not shown me."

"Sarah, Diane was lying to you. I haven't written any stories involving threesomes. If you don't believe me ask Deborah who was given everything I wrote."

"Well you were certainly into it when you were fucking Diane last night." Sarah spit out.

"I was tied to the fucking bed and blindfolded with the headphones on. I thought it was you."

"Bullshit!"

"What the fuck? You were the one who tied me up!"

"I tied you face down. When I came out of the bathroom you were on your back and

Diane was moaning your name and yelling "Fuck me Mike!"".

"I was tied to the bed. Then the person I thought was you untied my wrist. When I reached for the blindfold my arm was pushed back down and I thought you wanted me to leave it on. So then I ended up tied to the bed on my back still with the blindfold and headphones on."

"I know what I saw and heard."

"Did you ever hear me groan out Diane's name?"

"I.....I...fuck.. I don't know what to believe right now."

"Sarah. I swear to you on my life that I thought it was you the entire time."

"Well where is Diane now?"

"I have no fucking clue. When she pulled off the blindfold I played a long a bit until I could get her to untie me. Once she untied me I kicked her out of the room. It took me threatening to throw her naked ass out in the hallway before she got pissed and stormed out."

"You did that?"

"I even called security last night to make sure they had video of her leaving in case she tried to claim I assaulted her."

"I'm really confused."

"Listen. Don't leave like this. There is some breakfast here. At least get something to eat to settle your stomach. I know you got sick last night in the bathroom. I cleaned it up this morning."

"Oh this is just so embarrassing. I don't drink like that."

"I know. Let me ask you this. During your spa day was Diane giving you champagne?"

"Yes, the entire time."

"She was softening you up Sarah. She was playing you to get what she wanted."

"What she wanted was you."

"I certainly didn't want her."

"That wasn't what she led me to believe."

"I will be honest. I thought you knew me better than that. There was absolutely no way I would have been with her had I not thought it was you the entire time."

"I feel so stupid. When I let her in and she walked passed me like I wasn't even there and started taking her clothes off I knew it was a mistake."

"Then why didn't you stop her?"

"Because it was right at that time that my stomach started doing flips and I ran to the bathroom to throw up. I think I even fell asleep in the bathroom. I came out and saw what I saw and ran to the bedroom and cried myself to sleep."

"Oh Sara, I am so sorry you went through that."

"It's all my fault. You must absolutely hate me."

"I could never hate you."

"I sure hate myself right now."

"You shouldn't. She got you drunk and convinced you of a lie. She is a conniving bitch. I should warn you that she was really pissed off when she left."

"I bet."

"She actually said that she would make sure that you and I would never be published."

"What?!!! She can't do that....can she?"

"I don't think she has that kind of power to be honest. I was going to call Deborah once I had talked to you to let her know what happened."

"Please call her now."

Deborah was easing into her day after being out what was fairly late for her on a work night. She was surprised to get a call from Mike this early in the morning.

"You're up much earlier than I thought you would be. To what do I owe this call?"

"I don't suppose you have talked with Diane this morning have you?"

"No, I haven't. Should I have heard from her? When I left the three of you seemed to be ready really get the party going."

"This isn't an easy conversation to have Deborah but I want to be completely up front with you. Diane managed to get Sarah to agree to sneaking her into our room last night after Sarah had tied me up and blindfolded me."

"Ohhhhh kay. Listen I don't mind if you guys get a bit kinky but I am not sure why you feel the need to tell me this."

"Let me put you on speaker. Sarah is here as well."

Mike then had Sarah tell Deborah how her day with Diane unfolded starting with the spa. Deborah interrupted her "Wait, Diane was giving you champagne at the spa knowing you had the book expo to go to later that day? Tell me it was only a glass or two."

"Actually, she made sure my glass was full the entire time."

"I am not exactly happy to hear this Sarah."

Mike chimed in "It gets worse."

Between Sarah and Mike they told Deborah everything Diane had done. Lying to Sarah about what Mike had told her. Lying to Sarah that Mike had written stories involving threesomes. All the way to Mike threatening to throw Diane out of the hotel naked if she didn't leave. There was long silence when they finished.

Mike added another fact "If you have any doubts I called hotel security after she left the room and they have her on camera showing that she was not physically injured and her dress was completely intact. I can give you the name of the person I talked to."

"I wasn't being quiet because I didn't believe you. I was being quiet because I am absolutely stunned."

"When she left she was irate and said she was going to make sure neither Sarah or I were published as well."

"Unbelievable. She doesn't have that kind of authority here to have any say whatsoever on who this company publishes. I can assure you that nothing has changed. Let me ask you this Mike. Do you plan on pressing charges against her?"

"Not sure what I would be pressing charges for."

"She had sex with you without your consent and against your will. That is rape."

"Well, I have no intention of doing anything like that because it might lead to questions of Sarah being an accessory since she let her into the room."

"You are probably right. Well, I will let you go and on behalf of the company you both have our apologies for how our employee acted."

"I just wanted to let you know from us what happened in case Diane comes in making any wild accusations."

No sooner had the call ended then Deborah made a couple of phone calls. After handling that Deborah made a call to Diane's secretary to tell her to have Diane come to her office. A few minutes later Diane walked in.

"Have a seat Diane."

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes. I did. It has come to my attention that yesterday you took Sarah to a spa."

"Yes. I thought it would be nice to give her a relaxing day before her appearance."

"And you also thought it would be ok for you to stay at the spa with her the entire time and enjoy a spa day for yourself on company time?"

"Well, I ...."

"And you also thought it would be ok to have Sarah drink champagne all day before making an appearance and answering questions from the press?"

"She had a glass or two."

"I hear it was much more than that.'

"Who told you that?"

"That is besides the point Diane. I am sure I can check the tab which I assume is on the company credit card for how much champagne was served."

"Listen, there is something you need to know about those two."

"Oh, really? And what would that be?"

"Well, last night after dinner they invited me back to their room and after I had passed out I think they may have raped me."

"Well, that is a serious accusation. Have you called the police?'

"Well, no."

"You must have been very upset when you discovered this. What time did you leave their hotel room?"

"I left this morning after I woke up."

"Well, I am sure I can check with hotel security as they will have video of when you left the hotel. You're sure it was this morning?"

"......I am pretty sure it was this morning."

"How did you get home?"

"I took an Uber."

"Well then let me pull it up since that is on the company account. Hmmmm, it would appear to me that you took an Uber from their hotel at 1 am. That certainly isn't this morning Diane."

"Well, I was kind of out of it. I think they put something in my drink.

"Really? How did you end up in their room by the way?"

"They invited me up."

"So you went up to the room with them then?"

"Yes."

"Well, let's see. I had the IT Department pull up the text messages on your company phone. Your last texts were with Sarah. She told you she had tied Mike up and your response was "I'm on my way up.""

"Well......I...."

"Diane, the first thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is to quit digging."

"I don't know what you mean."

"I know exactly what happened in Mike's room last night. I spoke with both he and Sarah this morning where they informed me of what transpired."

"Well they are obviously trying to cover up what they did."

"So far the only person who has lied to me about this incident has been you. Repeatedly might I add."

"I....I..."

"Diane, I seriously don't know what you were thinking. First you take a new author who is going to meet the press for the first time and you have her drink alcohol all day. You didn't prepare her to meet with the press one bit, which is what this company was paying you to do yesterday. Then you somehow convince one of our authors to let you into the hotel room so you can have sex with another of our authors without his knowledge."

"Wait, Mike is one of our authors? Since when?"

"Since I met with him yesterday and offered him a multi-book deal."

"I had no idea."

"Well, quite frankly it was none of your business. We are done here. As of right now consider yourself on suspension."

"What?!!"

"You are suspended for the next two weeks without pay. You should be very grateful that Mike isn't pressing criminal charges against you."

"Criminal charges? For what?"

"Diane you had sex with someone without their consent and without their knowledge it was you. That could very easily be considered rape. Had Mike decided to press charges you wouldn't be suspended you would be fired."

"I need to talk to them."

"No. You are to have absolutely no further contact with either one of them. If I find out you contacted them you will be immediately fired. Take the next two weeks of your suspension without pay to take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror. We are done here."

Mike and Sarah got off the phone with Deborah and things felt awkward for the first time between them.

"I told you she didn't have that kind of power." Mike said trying to ease Sarah's concerns.

"Thank God."

"So do you want to talk about what happened?"

"I wish it would have never happened."

"Same here, but it did happen."

"I am so sorry Mike."

"Listen Sarah, I know Diane filled your head full of lies about things but why didn't you just talk to me?"

"It's hard to talk about this. You must be angry with me."

"I'm not angry. I just want to understand why you would think I would want you to do something like that."

"It made it easier for me."

"Made what easier? I don't understand."

"Mike, as wonderful as this week has been, the reality is you live in California and I live in England."

"This isn't something we didn't already know. What's changed?"

"What's changed is that I am terrified Mike."

"Terrified?"

"Yes, I am terrified that I am falling in love with you and going to get my heart broken when I have to fly back to England alone in a couple of days."

"Sarah, I am falling for you as well. We can make this work."

"From half a world away from each other Mike? Long distance relationships are hard even when the people are in different cities, let alone in other countries on opposite sides of the Atlantic." Sarah was starting to cry saying the things that had been in the back of her mind out loud. "So when Diane started telling me these things about you I think my mind believed it because it would make it easier to leave you when I fly home. It was like my mind was constructing walls around my heart to protect me."

"But nothing Diane told you was true."

"I know that now. I think part of me knew it all along."

"So that's why you chose to let Diane into our room? So it would be easier to leave me?"

"Yes, that's why I agreed to do it. But the second Diane walked into the room I knew I had made a horrible mistake and wanted to stop her but then got sick and had to throw up. I am so sorry Mike." Sarah broke down into open sobs. Mike went to comfort her and Sarah shied away from him "Please don't. I know this probably makes absolutely no sense to you right now but the last thing I need right now is for you to make me feel better."

"What do you want me to do Sarah?"

"I think I just want to be alone for a bit."

"You want me to leave you?"

"I just need to really think about things on my own. Just for an hour or two. Do you mind?"

"The last thing I want to do right now is leave this room, but if that is what you want I will go for a walk. It will probably do me some good to get some fresh air. If you want me to come back sooner just call or text me."

"Thank you." Sarah said with what Mike thought was a forced smile and turned and walked to one of the bedrooms and closed the door.

Mike felt sick to his stomach but Sarah right now reminded him of a scared animal that would run away if he tried to push things. So wiping a tear from his eye he grabbed his wallet and keys and left her alone as she wanted. Mike had no idea where he was going to go and walked without any destination in mind. He decided to walk into Central Park to escape the busy New York streets. After walking for a while he found a bench to sit and be alone with his thoughts.

How did things go from being so right to so wrong in such a short amount of time? He knew that Diane had somehow sensed Sarah's emotions and played them to her advantage. He wasn't mad at Sarah but the fact that she had believed the lies Diane had told her made him question just how well she knew him. He wished they could just move past what happened and get back to where they were before.

Sarah watched Mike walk from the room and it brought on another episode of crying. She blamed herself for everything that had happened and she knew Mike must be angry with her and her decisions. She decided to take a bath to try and get her emotions under control. While the tub was filled she decided to call a girlfriend back in England to get some advice. Mary had always been a friend who gave her great advice when she was struggling with a relationship. After telling her the entire story of how her week and had gone and then so horribly wrong she asked Mary what she should do.

"So let me understand this. You are currently holed up in a posh New York hotel that this American bloke has provided for you and who has wined and dined you all week and has been giving you the shagging of your life for the entire week. Then last night you got pissed and some tart filled your head full of lies and convinced you that your guy wanted a threesome so you invited her into the room and then left the two alone to have a sick in the loo the entire night. Then things went all to pot?"

"That's the gist of things yes."

"So does he want the tart over you?"

"No. He threw her out when he found out it was her and not me?"

"Hold on a tick. How is it he didn't know who he was shagging?"

"Well....I had tied him to the bed and blindfolded him."

"Oh my. I'm a bit gob smacked by that. Never thought you had it in you to try something like that. So what is the issue then?"

"I don't know what to do. I am heading back home in a few days. I am falling for this guy and it can never work."

"So shag him for the time you have left and then come home. Easy peasy."

"I am worried it will only make leaving him even more painful."

"Listen Sarah. I know you. If you are telling me you are falling for him then you already have fallen for him and just haven't admitted it to yourself. Whether you shag him for the next two days or not you are still going to come home heart broken. So the question you have to ask yourself is do you want to come home heart broken after two days of being sorry for yourself in New York or after two more days of shagging each other to death?"

Sarah surprised herself by laughing a bit "This is the kind of advice I needed from you Mary. Thanks so much."

"Well, when you get back we will go to the pub and you can give me all the kinky details."

"I will. Thanks."

Mike was still sitting on the bench in the park when his phone pinged with a text message. He looked and it was a text from Sarah. He opened it and it was a picture of her laying in the tub looking down her body. The message below was "It is awfully lonely all by myself." Mike typed a quick response of "We can't have you feeling lonely. I am on my way."