The Affair

Chapter 11.3

Wednesday, June 22, 2022, 12:48am

As the work day progresses, Fallon works diligently at her desk, catching up on her filings for the day just as Mr. Reiner had requested. Thankfully, Amy keeps to herself, instead choosing to silently work at her computer without any further hurtful commentary. Eventually, she and Colin leave for lunch together, and Fallon is left alone in the cubicle.

Anxious for William's return from lunch, Fallon checks the time on her phone. It was quickly approaching 1:00pm and William still was not back. Fallon sighs, losing interest in her current work task for the moment and instead fixating on what Amy had said earlier about not being William's number one.

"Mr. Reiner, you were supposed to take me out to lunch...", Fallon thinks to herself, depressed and lonely, "I want to be your number one. You won't abandon me... right?".

A couple more minutes pass as Fallon wallows in her anxiety, wondering if William was kissing his wife at this moment. To her surprise, she hears a series of four knocks on the other side of her cubicle wall and then sees William poke his head over the top. Donning a mischievous grin, he speaks to Fallon in a soft whisper, though still playful and spirited.

"Hi, bunny!", he says with a hushed excitement.

Hearing him call her 'bunny' triggers a joyful squeal from Fallon as she responds, "Hi, daddy!".

"Did you eat?", he asks.

"Not yet... I kinda had a bunch of work to catch up on from the morning... so...".

"Take a break and come to my office.".

William smiles as he lifts a plastic bag filled with a box of takeout and a bottle of orange soda, and beckons Fallon to follow him into his office. Fallon eagerly pops up from her seat and follows his lead, smelling a familiar aroma coming from the takeout bag as William walks in front of her. They both enter his office, and William pulls out the mystery takeout box from the bag and sets it on Fallon's usual corner on his side of the desk. He then grabs a chair from the front of his desk and brings it around to his side, setting it next to his, for Fallon to sit.

Fallon sits in the chair and William pulls out the glass bottle of orange soda, popping the cap before placing it next to her box of food. He then opens the box, revealing her favorite crab fried rice dish from their usual Thai restaurant. Steam drifts from the pile of rice and a wonderful medley of crab, freshly cut green onions, and spicy chili peppers strikes her nose. Fallon takes a deep inhale and feels William kiss the top of her head.

After such a tough past couple of days dealing with Amy's consistent emotional abuse, William's simple show of affection was enough to make Fallon shed tears of happiness. She wipes her face with her hand and lifts her fork to begin eating her rice. Happy to see Fallon so content, William leans on his desk and waits for the show that was Fallon suffering through her ungodly spicy food.

"Insanely spicy, just how you like it.", he says.

"Thank you, daddy...", she mutters with a soft sniffle.

"Of course, bunny... I have some news to share, and I think you'll be even happier after I tell you.".

Fallon takes two big spoonfuls of rice into her mouth, and already her face begins to turn red as she coughs through the spice's sting. Excited to hear what William had to say, she turns to him and bounces in her seat in anticipation.