Sudden Chance

Nothing More

When I open my eyes it's still dark out and I reach across the bed for my phone. I don't even need to be awake for another hour still. I try and bury back into the warmth of the soft comforter but it's to no avail. After 15 minutes I sigh and get ready for the day. I'm still too happy from the previous day to sleep more right now.

Stretching I check the time on the clock. I still have plenty of time but nothing to do. I could leave now she get a coffee on my way in. Is it an excuse just to go back to where I saw Jimmi? Maybe. It's a ridiculously short drive to the coffee shop but I don't have time to walk there and walk back and leave on time. I'm lucky and find a parking spot right in front. It's not crowded inside and they take my order pretty quickly.

While I'm waiting I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and I pull it out seeing a text from Jimmi.

'I hate jetlag! I'm so tired I wish I had coffee right now.'

I smile to myself as an idea pops into my head. Waiting until I get my coffee I take quick picture with it and send it with, 'Behold! Nectar of the gods.'

I'm unlocking my car when my phone starts to ring in my pocket.

I pull my phone out expecting to hear Jimmi teasing about the coffee. "Hello?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Andrews's angry voice crashes into my ear and I wince. Definitely not Jimmi.

I immediately want to start yelling back but I bite my tongue. "What on earth are you on about?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"Are you an idiot?!" Andrews spits out.

Alright, that's enough of that. I tried to be nice. "Excuse me? Do not speak to me like that. If you do I will hang up this phone."

I hear a sarcastic laugh as he starts to sneer, "You wouldn't da-"

Before he can finish the sentence I hang up the phone and toss it onto the passenger seat. I don't know what crawled up his ass and died but I will not be spoken to like that, not by him or anyone else. My mother taught me too much self-respect for that. The phone on the chair next to me continues to buzz as I begin my commute into work but I ignore it. Chances are its Andrew and he clearly needs some time to cool off from whatever happened. Halfway through my drive I look over at my phone and see it still going off. Once I hit a stoplight I take a glance at the notifications. Only a few of the missed calls are from Andrew. I'm getting calls not only from people in my contacts but a lot of unknown numbers. What the hell is going on?

By the time I get to work I have over 20 missed call, not even to mention all the text messages. I can feel a tight ball of anxiety beginning to form in the pit of my stomach and I really want to go home now. I wrestle with the idea of going back home and claiming car trouble or that I'm feeling sick. I hesitate a few feet from the door when it swings open.

David holds the door open, "My office. Now."

Shit. The small ball of anxiety explodes into a much bigger weighted blanket of anxiety. I quietly follow David back to his office. I can feel silent stares watching us as we make our way there. David holds the door open for me before closing it behind him. He collapses down into his chair and props his head on his hands not saying anything for a minute.

David sighs heavily before looking up at me. He leans back in his chair and folds his arms, "Are you aware of the article that was released by tabloids this morning?"

An article? Everyone is in a fuss over a tabloid? I try and keep an outwardly calm composure, "No. What's the article?"

He leans forward turning his computer screen around to face me, "It's about one of our clients. And you."

The bolded letters of the article read, 'Westworld Star Jimmi Simpson Spotted on Coffee Date with Not So Secret Lover Margaret Lewis'

I quickly scan through the tabloid post. 'Westworld Star Jimmi Simpson was spotted Sunday with a mysterious lover....none other than Margaret Lewis, daughter of one of the founding partners for Lewis & Wright LLP, one of the top law firms in the nation with celebrity clients....this comes as a shocker to many as Jimmi's own divorce isn't even finalized yet....Lewis & Wright LLP is also representing Mr. Simpson in his own divorce proceedings leading many to wonder exactly how long this has been going on given he has been a repeat client for years.....Margaret is not a first time homewrecker, having being recently relocated from the firm's Philadelphia office rumors about an alleged affair between Margaret and...' I stop there and make a noise of disgust.

I don't say anything for a moment but David doesn't push me to talk. My voice is quiet, "How did they know about Philadelphia? We kept all of that quiet."

"Not quiet enough it would seem. Someone talked."

"But who? Not that many people knew in the first place."

Margaret I understand this is a lot all at once but I need you to understand this doesn't just affect you this is reflecting on the entire firm." David hesitates before continuing, "I'm going to have to suspend you."

"What? I didn't do anything wrong. And you haven't even heard my side of the story. Just a stupid tabloid article. David you can't be serious."

"Then tell me your side of the story Evelyn. Explain to me how you aren't at fault here because I have not only your father breathing down my neck, but most of the board and the press, not to mention opposing counsel. His wife is threatening a lawsuit against us. Not to mention company policy, you can't sleep with your client. So please by all means, make this better."

"I had to work on my day off or didn't Andrew tell you that he woke me up and put me in a bad position? This was coffee, an apology for having to work on the weekend. Two, he isn't my client. He is Andrew's client, someone YOU forced me to work with under protest. And by the way look out for the full HR complaint against Andrew's behavior this weekend. He treated me just as badly if not worse as when I first worked with him. This is all the media. And if you need an excuse to give the press, tell them it was a client meeting. None of the pictures show any physical contact or anything romantic. Yes we were laughing in the photos and leaned in close to hear over the noise outside but there is nothing wrong about the photos." Okay maybe I am lying slightly but its fine. It was just an apology coffee after all. I swallow down any guilt I may have and continue to try to save my ass.

David is quiet for a while. His words are careful and slow, "I still have to suspend you." I open my mouth to protest but David holds up his hand silencing me. "It's not forever Evelyn. Three weeks. Give it three weeks for the media to lose interest, and then we will bring you on remotely for another week just to be safe. I'll talk with the board, they originally wanted me to fire you. Suspension was the best I could do. If this happens again, I won't be to protect you. I want you to work remotely on top of the suspension to give you some extra time away from the public and the office. I know it wasn't just about the misunderstanding with Mr. Simpson but things from your past too. Go home get some rest. Use the suspension as a paid vacation, get away if you need to."

I nod and gather my things, David stops me before I reach the door, "Evelyn, was it just a coffee?"

I look back at David, the unease in my stomach continues to rise as I lie.  "Nothing more."