*Trust is like beauty; they both should be appreciated*
(Later Friday evening)
"What is wrong?" Gloria asks as she leans against me and I have an arm around her.
"Oh crap!" I blurt out. Now the other, less important news comes racing back to mind. "Ms. Cook made a pass at me this afternoon right before five, and I mean, 'made a pass'. There was no confusing it."
"Why?" Gloria sounds confused. I sigh.
"Is it so hard to believe she finds me irresistible?" I ask her.
"Yes," Gloria replies frankly.
"Fine, she wanted me to go out with her to dinner tonight and exacted a promise from me that we would have lunch sometime next week," I inform my friend. Gloria doesn't respond for a minute.
"Do you want to go out with her?" she inquires.
"Oh God, do I!" I exclaim. "Now that you are going to swell up like a whale I need to be looking for another woman in my life." Gloria turns and bites my arm painfully. "Ow!"
"That's for thinking about looking at another woman," she instructs me. "You tax my patience at times."
"Don't worry. I'll do lunch once or twice, she'll get bored with me, and things will get back to normal," I reassure Gloria.
"I can't say I like that plan," Gloria rumbles, "but I can't see anything I can do to stop her in the personal arena. I have to trust you."
"Maybe the mysterious attacker will bust me up and I can forgo the whole dating two women thing," I joke.
"That isn't funny," Gloria says seriously. "He hurt me and almost hurt you and we no longer know why except they were premeditated attacks."
"I apologize," I say contritely. It was a dumbass thing for me to say. Somehow Gloria senses my hurt.
"It is okay; I've come to expect a certain number of stupid things from you from time to time."
"Thank you, I think," I sigh.
"So, do you find her attractive?" Gloria inquires.
"Yes I do Gloria," I confess. "She's a bit of a blonde version of you but sensual where you are exciting. I would still much rather be with you; there is no contest."
"I have always admired your honesty Eddie, even if it is painful," Gloria responds.
"I don't want to cause you pain, but I want you to trust me. That kind of leaves me screwed," I groan.
"If I made things easy I wouldn't be me," she sighs playfully. I'm glad to see she's in good spirits despite some of my bad news. I don't know if anything can ruin her mood tonight.
We take the rest of the night in each other's arms and from time to time I can't help myself from rubbing her stomach which causes Gloria to sigh in loving exasperation.
"There is nothing for you to feel Eddie. There won't be anything for months."
"But your boobs will get bigger," I grin.
"Yes Eddie, my boobs will get bigger," Gloria rolls her eyes. She then appears to read my mind, "I suppose you can suckle a tiny bit when the baby gets here." I hug her in response.
"Have I told you how sexy your superior intelligence is?" I ask her.
"Yes, but I never get tired of hearing it," she murmurs.
(Monday)
I'm at my workstation getting an early start on the project when Facilities comes over and puts a new computer system, phone, and chair into my cramped area.
"Huh?" I ask Kelly, the head tech.
"I have a work order to put a new station up in your area," Kelly tells me. We share a shrug and I get back to work.
"Hello," a woman greets me from behind around starting time, "I'm looking for Edward Duarte." I turn to see an attractive woman of Indian descent. She had olive skin, long black hair braided in the front, and a short green dress with black leggings. She also has a brown leather satchel over her shoulder.
"That would be me and call me Eddie," I tell her.
"Hey Eddie, I'm Sadri Gupta. I've been assigned to your project," she smiles.
"By who?" I laugh.
"I'm supposed to report to you," she informs me. "That is all my supervisor said."
"Sadri, I'm at the bottom of the ladder so I'm not sure were that puts you. How about you set up and I'll make some calls," I grin.
Sure enough, Chu tells me I have someone working 'with' me, which translates as 'does my work but it is still my ass on the line'. Chu asks me if the new guy is hideous so I tell him Sadri is three hundred pounds and never bathes. Sadri giggles. I spend the rest of the morning bringing Sadri up to speed and attending meetings.
I ask Sadri about lunch. She tells me she's going out with some of her old friends but she'll be back at one. Then she does something strange; she tells me I smell nice like some sort of perfumed body soap or something which is dangerously correct. As I said, we are working in close quarters. I head out with my section's crowd and get back right before she does.
At one thirty we get summoned to see Mrs. Hardison and I beg Sadri to follow my lead, say nothing and genuflect upon entering and leaving The Bitch's presence. Sadri thinks I'm hilarious but she's sure all the rumors she's heard are meant to scare the newbies. Leslie gives me a quizzical look when the two of us approach. She sends us in a few minutes later.
"Mr. Duarte, Ms. Gupta I am reducing your deadline by four days and adding a security subroutine to your beta model. Leslie will give you the security protocols to use," Mrs. Hardison tells us. That means we have to have things ready but ten o'clock Tuesday-week. I might as well pitch a tent in the break area.
"There is no way we can do this," declares Sadri. I grab her arm but it is too late. Mrs. Hardison looks up and bores holes straight through Sadri with her eyes.
"What would constrain you from completing this project on time?" Hardison asks in a wintery tone.
"We won't have the time," Sadri blurts out.
"Take as much overtime as you need," Mrs. Hardison states dispassionately.
"I have a life," Sadri continues. Now I grab her arm and start dragging her out.
"Ms. Gupta, if you cannot competently complete this project in the time allotted, let me know right now and a proper replacement will be acquired," Mrs. Hardison states.
Sadri is about to say something but my grip on her arm has gotten so strong it is painful. She looks at me in anguish and confusion.
"We will get it done Mrs. Hardison," I promise.
"See that you do Mr. Duarte," Mrs. Hardison says as we exit and she resumes her work. Leslie gives me a sympathetic look as we go back to our own area.
"Ow," growls Sadri. "What was that all about?"
"I didn't want you to lose your cool back there," I answer.
"This project is unreasonable. I'm going back to my own section," she announces.
"You can't; you'll be fired," I point out.
"I won't do the work," she shoots back.
"Then we will both get fired," I grin sadly.
