Off The Air

Turned Tables

A week later, Matthew has gotten more comfortable at his new job. It was all just a matter of him having someone to talk to, and you were there for him to put him at ease. Not just for yourself, but for everyone. In the early morning, you're sitting with a few coworkers in the lounge, then Matthew approaches you. "Hey y/n. I just wanted to thank you for what you've done for me over the past week. I'm much more comfortable, and confident now. And if you weren't the first to connect with me on a personal level, then I'd be the same as I was a week ago." He says. "Oh..." you take a second to look at your coworkers as they're smirking at you. "No problem, I love to know the people I'm working with; it makes it easier to work with them." You reply. "By the way, where are you going for lunch?" He asks. "I think I'll just stay here." "Oh, alright... see you later." He politely smiles before leaving.

"Oh my goodness." One of your workers says. "What?" You ask. "Isn't it obvious? He has a thing for you." Another says. "Guys come on." You say. "We're not joking, he was blushing." "You should go for it." They say. "You guys just want drama." You reply. "Nah, I think he wants you." "You're both very attractive and single." "You don't know if he's single." You cut them off. "Let's go ask." They say getting out of their seats. One reaches their hand out to you, but you reject. "No, we're not doing this." "Oh come on. Don't you ever want to be in a relationship? To get married one day?" They ask. "I do... but..." you fight the urge to reveal anything about your affair. "I'm just, not that interested in him." "Oh girl come on, we've seen the way you've been flirting with him all week." One says. "Absolutely not. I've just been being friendly, it's not like you guys were stepping up. He's new and everyone's treating him like he's been here for 10 years." "You have a point. But come on, you two would look good together." "At least think about it." They add. "Nope. But go ahead, ask him if he's single, doesn't affect me anyway." You get up from your seat and seek the privacy of your office. "I'll see you guys later." You say as you exit.

After taping wraps up that day, Stephen stops by your office before you leave. "Great show today." He says. "Same to you." You reply. "So, I hear you and the new guy are pretty close." He continues. "No way that stupid rumor made it all the way to you." You say stopping in your tracks. "Y'all would look so cute together according to everyone." He says fidgeting with something on your desk. "Stephen. Please don't." "Do you have a crush on him?" He doesn't hesitate to ask. "What? Stephen you can't possibly be jealous of this guy. He's only been here for a week! He's new and he just needs guidance, that's all." "Well I think he's had enough guidance now. I see the way he looks at you and I don't like it. No more guidance please." He turns around and heads for the door. But these words stop him before he exists. "What are you going to do about it?" He turns around and looks at you. "What?" He says in a confused tone.

"Even if I did like this guy, what would you be able to do about it? You're married to a woman that is not me, so you have no control over anything that I do. I've seen her abuse and take advantage of you, and you're still with her. You made a promise to me Stephen, that we would be openly married one day. We've been doing this for over a year. Not a single feeling has changed, and here we are. The same place we were a year ago." "What are you saying?" He says as he slowly approaches you. "I'm saying that until you stand up for your feelings, we can't do this anymore. The visits, the dates, the sex... we can't do it anymore. Not until we get this figured out."
"So you do like him." He says with watery eyes. "No. I love you, and I've always loved you. But I can't keep wasting my time waiting for you. People think I'm just sitting around, waiting to be an old maid. I've found the love of my life, and it's you. I'm 28 years old, and I'm not getting any younger. Come back when you're ready Stephen." There's a moment of silence. Stephen finds it hard to look at you before storming out of your office. As he slams the door, you feel the whole that opened in your heart. You sit down at your desk and start sobbing. It wasn't something that you wanted to do. But you had to make Stephen aware of the reality of the situation.

Luckily, all of that happened on a Thursday, and you had the weekend off. You spend the time thinking, and wondering if you had damaged the chances of ever being with Stephen again. Meanwhile, Stephen had been doing thinking of his own. He escaped to South Carolina for the weekend, and spent most of it sailing. Although Evie was also in South Carolina, they didn't spend much time together.

Back in New York, you invite Jasmine and Alexis over to discuss your current situation, since they're the only ones you can talk about it to. "I just don't know what to do at this point." You tell them. "He'll come back, especially with the way Evie treats him. You just have to give it some time." Jasmine says. "Plus you're way sexier than her so he won't be able to physically resist-" "Can you stop talking about sex for one serious conversation?" Jasmine says to Alexis. "Well she needs to know." Alexis replies. You laugh. "That's what we like to see, don't let this get you so down. He loves you." Alexis adds. "Thank you guys for being here, I have no one to talk to about this so I really do appreciate it." "Of course." "We're always here for you." They reply. "Well, let's not just sit here and soak up my misery, who wants to wine?" You say trying to lighten up the mood. After you three have had a few drinks, you spend the rest of the evening having fun and laughing about the times you've had together. It was something you really needed to take your mind off of things.

Monday

Returning to the office wasn't easy considering all that had happened. At last, you take your seat at your desk and start working. The streets of New York were always filled with noise, none of them ever distracting. But the sound of a woman giggling catches your attention. You open your window and look out of it, only to see Evie with another man. In the empty backstreet outside of your window, Evie is leaned against the man's car, and rubbing his face. You couldn't believe it. You quickly close your window, and find this as a perfect opportunity. You rush out of the door to alert Stephen, only to find him already standing outside of your office. You're both surprised to see each other, and there's a pause before Stephen breaks the silence. "Y/n..." before he starts speaking he looks at you, and doing so gives him the courage to say "I've been a fearful man, but I have to choose between being fearful of Evie, or being loved by you. I choose you, it's always been you."

You almost shed a tear, then you remember why you opened your door. "I don't think you have to worry about Evie anymore." You say. "Why? What'd you do?" He replies. "Now what I did, what SHE did." You take his hand and lead him to the window and open it. At this point, Evie and the man are fulling making out against his car. "Woah! They were not doing all that a minute ago." You say disturbed by what you see. "Who the hell is that?" Stephen says in an aggressive tone. His face is dropped and you can tell he's a bit heartbroken. "I'm sorry Stephen." You say. "Don't be. I'll be right back." Stephen says as he aggressively exits your office.