I'm Just Curious Too: Reconciliation

Chapter 7

The days seemed to zip by and the project was going well. However, I had missed out on most of the meetings due to ill planned leave being taken by my coworkers and more work being shouldered to Dean and I. I did my best in tackling big tasks fasts to meet the sudden deadlines but it ended up cascading in to smaller bits that required research and external help. Dean would do his best to assist but I pushed him to work on the project. He was more social than I was anyway and I wasn't particularly up to seeing Fabien when I felt super stressed. My hair was frizzy, lips chapped from biting and I swear my eyes were dry no matter how much I blinked. This was the result of the work increasing and then the slob that groaned at me all evening in bed when I got home. If only things would slow down so I could get a grip.

"Shaun, you have to attend this meeting," Dean advised as he took off his jacket and patted my shoulder.

I dropped the papers I was holding on my desk and sighed deeply. My hands combed back my hair as I watched Dean walk around, prepping himself with his note pad and pen.

"Look, I need to just finish this. Can't you go ahead without me?"

"Nope," Dean chirped as he came next to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Don't forget that the main task for us is this project. Anything else can fall on the wayside. Their lack of planning, cannot become our emergency."

I couldn't argue with that but I knew when I would be useful and today was not that day. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I stood up and gathered my work in to neat piles on my desk. My pen and note pad were easy to find after that.

....

We met in our board room this time round. There were adjustments to the budget thus affecting some of the purchased material. There were also contributions to be made from another branch so Dean was offloading the news while I tried to focus on penning down the figures and what were being discussed. Fabien too seemed to be the minute taker as he wrote lots but spoke less frequently than Royce. No coherent thought could come out of me so I made a point to stay quiet and write down any questions I would have to check later. My leg started to bounce under the table as my focus frayed. There was so much to do and I wasn't sure if the project would get the best of my attention. The time never seemed to be enough.

"Let me show you the material that was sent over. Shaun, you can head back to pack up. We are almost done," Dean announced as he held his stuff and opened the door for Royce to follow him.

"Yeah. Ok yeah," I answered before I closed my note pad and rubbed my eyes.

"You ok?"

I stopped and looked at Fabien, who had stayed behind. I thought he would wander off with the other two. I smiled but couldn't give enough energy to making it a genuine flex. He stood up and I did too, picking up my things.

"I'm good."

"You seem listless," Fabien pressed on as he moved towards the door.

I followed him too, but walked out first with him behind me. Looks like he was going to accompany me rather than the other two. Our offices were emptying, a few employees wrapping up their shifts to go home as the day ended.

"Hm," I hummed as I sat at my desk, placing my palms flat on the table to center myself. "Guess I can't lie about that. It's just me thinking about stuff so don't worry about it."

I saw Fabien take a step forward and back from the corner of my eye. He probably second guessed the distance that move would put him at.

"Is this all the work?" he asked as he gestured with his right hand at all the files I had lined up.

"Oh yeah," I exaggerated my tone as if it were a satisfying sight. "But it's not the work. I could do this. It's just the time - and home isn't accommodating enough to be taking these files back with me."

"I wouldn't endorse taking work home, but a few files that aren't too hectic to go through would be ok if it would ease your load."

"It would, but dad needs a lot of attention."

"What do you mean?"

I wanted to spill exactly what was on my mind but my mother's voice seemed to ring louder with its 'thank you my baby it's only temporary'. Another deep intake of air did its little wonder of removing the edge of anger that I felt surface.

"It's just busier than I thought. My dad's injured and I don't want to leave my mom alone," I admitted, combing my hair back with my hands while lowering my head.

Fabien finally took the step forward and was next to me. His hand hovered over my head and I could feel the heat emanating off of it but I didn't dare move. A part of me wondered what he would do while the other part longed for the contact. It however ended with a shift of direction and a quick pat to the shoulder before the hand was removed.

"Don't take everything on to your plate. Make room for dessert," Fabien advised as he took the seat next to me.

I looked over, reeling with butterflies at the missed touched.

"Dessert?"

"The sweet things in life," he expanded as he picked up one of my files and fingered through. "Ugh, it's all numbers."

A chuckle escaped me as I slid forward my notepad forward. This wasn't much of a conversation, but I held out hope for more to come. After all, Fabien seemed to be responding to my advances. I just can't be too curious.