The Affair

Chapter 1.1 - Miss Fallon Mara

Monday, April 4, 2022, 9:20am

On a rainy April morning, William is working through a typical day at the firm. In the distance, thunder rolls and booms against the arrhythmic tapping of rain hitting against the glass wall of his office. Further the storm moves in, blanketing the ugly cityscape of downtown Houston in a grey mist just outside his 38-story office. A single lamp upon his desk glows a warm yellow and provides just enough light for him to comfortably work in his area while still being able to enjoy the tranquil rainy ambiance. A sudden flash of lightning strikes; in his head he counts three seconds before a small smile pulls his lips alongside the thunderous crash outside.

On his computer screen, he finishes up an email to a client. In the body are his detailed comments and strategy on responding to an Examiner's Rejection on a particular patent application, and below the body is his signature, William Reiner, Sr. Associate, Salinger, Martinez & King LLP. He hits send and moves on to the next one.

His lamplight glows upon his desk, lighting up his workspace and casting its warm glow upon the 34-year old IP attorney's face. He is a serious man with a strong technical mind, often seen as an aloof, expressionless figure in the office but respected by his colleagues. Standing 6'1, he avidly maintains a healthy weight of 170 pounds, utilizing his wife's treadmill and a modest weight bench at home to keep his body tight. A clean face is preferable to him, and thus he keeps his cheeks, chin, and neck clear of any beard stubble or blemishes by meticulously pampering his skin with quality scrubs and creams. His eyes are a deep blue, dark and alluring, but indifferent like an ocean's tempest. They check the time, and a stiff breath exits his nose.

There had been a disruption in his work life recently with his assistant, Bailey, announcing her intentions to resign a few weeks back. For nearly six years she had been his assistant, accurate and independent in her approach and exactly what he needed as support for his work. He was upset to have her leave but grateful that she was courteous enough to give advanced notice and her commitment to train her replacement.

Since her announcement, the hiring committee had been hard at work conducting resume reviews and interviews on his behalf. He held reserves about not being a part of the selection process, but he could not fight the way the firm handled its business. Not to mention, his time was already limited given his robust workload. Nonetheless, the committee had made their choice, and he was informed at the end of last week that his new assistant would be starting the following Monday, now today. He was confident that Bailey would do well in training the newcomer, but change was not in his nature and a subtle worry lingered that his work would be affected.

Sensing someone's approach, his eyes shoot towards his door. Several knocks follow, light and patterned, and telling of who is there. His tone carries a touch of frustration as he calls out from his desk his approval to enter.

From the doorway, Tera Straus, his colleague and head of the hiring committee, enters into his office, carrying a small binder and a professional smile as a young girl follows behind. Without hesitation, she flips the light switch, ruining the comfortable mood with cheap, florescent lighting. Slightly irked, he watches Tera as she approaches his desk. Her larger stature blocks a much smaller body behind her as if they both are playing out an elaborate reveal. Now before his desk, Tera takes a small step to the side.

For the first time, his eyes behold the young girl chosen to be his assistant. Before him she stands, bouncing on her toes with an anxious energy while keeping her hands and arms hidden behind her curvy body. From his perspective, it is obvious she is a petite girl, approximating that she would only reach his chin despite 3-inch heels. Her hair is a delightful chestnut brown, lush and shimmery, pressed straight, and falling just above her shoulders. One side is tucked behind her ear while the other cascades down her face with layered bangs. She is a rather pale girl; her skin painted a washed peach with subtle, cool undertones as if blessed by winter's spirit. Speckled high on her left cheek is a single mole, an artist's final touch that leaves the beauty's portrait unlike any other.

His eyes meet hers, and triggers a wide, porcelain smile. She is gorgeous; and yet, each pretty detail pales in comparison to her eyes. A brilliant green, rare and polished, like two jade gemstones fit into fine china, and framed by dark mascara.

"Hey, Will, I hope you're not too busy," Tera says, resting her hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'd like to introduce you to your new assistant, Miss Fallon Mara. Fallon is a recent graduate from LSU. New to IP but comes to us with four years of experience as a legal assistant for a Real Estate firm in Baton Rouge while she earned her Bachelors! Fallon, this is William Reiner, he will be the attorney you'll be supporting."

She meets his eyes with a little giggle and takes a bouncy step forward. "Hi, Mr. Reiner!" she blurts out before pulling back to a more professional tone, "Ah, sorry! That was kinda loud, huh? It's so nice to meet you, sir. I can't wait to get started!"

His brow furrows and his lips purse into a flat line. In his mind, he curses the hiring committee for having the gall to hire him such an airhead. He sets aside his disapproval and does his best to respond without sounding rude.

"Hi, Fallon. I believe Bailey will be training you for the next couple of weeks or so?" he asks.

"Oh? Ummm... I think?" she stammers, bringing her hand up to paw her hair.

"That's correct, Will," Tera interjects, picking up on his tense demeanor, "After I introduce Fallon to the other departments, I'll show her to her desk, right next to Bailey, and then I'll have her sign the usual onboarding documents. She should be ready for training by noon, I'd say."

"Great," he replies, fixing his gaze to Fallon. "It's nice to meet you. I trust Bailey will do a great job in training you. Feel free to come to me if you have any questions, just please knock first."

"Understood, sir! I shall always knock first," she cheerfully declares with a proud nod.

An awkward smile then pulls his lips, unsure if her lively spirit is annoying or charming. Feeling that the meeting was over, he returns his focus to his computer screen and starts typing out a reply to an email. Tera picks up on William's signal and begins to corral Fallon towards the door.

"Okay, well, thank you, Will. I'm sure you two will make a great team," Tera says, motioning her arm to leave. "Let's head to the docketing department, Fallon"

Fallon takes one last moment to watch her new boss as he types and clicks at his desk. He is a serious man, that much she could tell, and she worries that she had just blown her first impression. Hearing Tera call for her, she reluctantly turns to leave without saying another word to him.

In the corner of his eye, he sees the girls walking away and he averts his eyes to watch Fallon leave. It is not his intention to ogle Fallon's body, yet somehow his focus his drawn to her supple bottom as she walks away. Her tight skirt perfectly traces the curves of her figure, the fabric stretching to accommodate the roundedness of her buttocks and softly defining the fault line running down the middle. Just before she exits, she turns back towards him, catching him as he quickly pulls his eyes up to meet her.

But she does not say a word. Instead, she smiles at him, fluttering her dainty fingers in a cute wave goodbye. And before stepping out, she flips his light switch off, returning his room back to the dreary ambiance he prefers. The door closes behind her, and he is once again alone.

He manages a tight smirk. "Maybe you're not an airhead after all..." he whispers to himself, looking around the peaceful room, "Miss Fallon Mara..."

~

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ryry: Welcome to the drama 🌹🦝
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