I had some help

Ten

Alex arrived at work, settling into her desk and diving into the stack of paperwork she hadn't finished the night before. As she worked, she found herself humming, then softly singing Carrie Underwoods "Before He Cheats" The melody floated gently through her office, providing a soothing backdrop to her morning routine.

Just as the song came to a finish, there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Alex called out, her voice still tinged with the last notes of the song.

"I thought you'd learn your lesson by now." A familiar voice teased as the door opened. Alex looked up to see Michael entering, a playful grin lighting up his face.

"Was that you singing?" Michael asked, closing the door behind him as he walked in.

"Yeah, it was." Alex replied, looking down, a bit embarrassed by the unexpected audience.

"You have a beautiful voice, Alex. How come you don't sing more often?" Michael asked, genuinely curious as he took a seat across from her.

Alex smiled shyly, feeling a bit more comfortable. "I've never really wanted to pursue it seriously. I only do it for fun. When we were younger, I'd sing duets with Morgan. 'Need You Now' was our biggest hit, but I knew music was Morgan's future, not mine."

Michael nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Well, you definitely have a talent for it. Maybe you should consider singing more often, even if it's just for fun."

Alex chuckled, shaking her head. "Thanks, Michael. I appreciate that. But I'm happy where I am, focusing on my work here."

Michael gave her a thoughtful look. "Fair enough. Just don't let that talent go to waste. You never know when it might come in handy."

They shared a moment of comfortable silence before Michael shifted the conversation. "How are you doing, by the way? Everything okay after what happened with Morgan?"

Alex appreciated his concern. "Yeah, I'm doing better. I had a good talk with Bailey and also with Morgan. We've agreed to keep things professional."

"That's good to hear," Michael said, his expression serious. "If you ever need to talk or need any support, just let me know. We're all here for you."

"Thanks, Michael. That means a lot." Alex said, feeling grateful for the supportive environment she had at work.

"So what do you need, Michael? You probably came in here for a reason," Alex asked kindly.

"Well, I heard the singing and wanted to see who it was." Michael admitted with a grin.

They chatted for a bit longer, their conversation light and easy. As Michael stood up to leave for a meeting, he gave Alex an encouraging smile. "Keep singing, Alex. You've got a gift, maybe we can write you a song."

After Michael left, Alex turned back to her work, feeling a little more at ease. His kind words about her singing had brought a small smile to her face, and she felt a renewed sense of determination. The rest of the morning passed smoothly, with Alex immersing herself in her tasks and making steady progress on her projects.

Alex's mind went back to the night's in high school of her and Morgan singing.

It was a crisp autumn evening, the kind where the leaves whispered in the breeze and the sky blazed with the colors of sunset. Alex climbed into Morgan's beat-up pickup truck, the familiar scent of leather and old CDs greeting her. Morgan flashed a mischievous grin as he turned the key in the ignition, and soon they were cruising down the winding country roads, music blasting from the speakers.

"Remember this song?" Morgan shouted over the music, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

Alex laughed, recognizing the familiar tune. "Of course! We sing it all the time."

As the chorus approached, they both joined in, their voices blending effortlessly. They didn't care about hitting every note perfectly; they just sang with pure joy, their laughter mingling with the music.

The headlights cut through the darkness as they drove, creating fleeting glimpses of the fields and forests that surrounded them. For those moments, nothing else mattered except the music and the freedom of the open road.

After the song ended, they sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the stars appear in the night sky. Morgan turned to Alex with a soft smile. "I love nights like these. Just you, me, and the music."

Alex nodded, feeling a deep sense of contentment. "Me too, Morgan. Me too."

As she was packing up her things to leave her office to go to Michael's, her phone buzzed with a text message. It was from Bailey.

Bailey: Hey, how's your day going?

Alex: Hey! It's been good. Productive, and I had a nice chat with Megan during lunch.

Bailey: That's great to hear. Do you want to come over for dinner? I miss you.

Alex smiled, her heart warming at his message.

Alex: I'd love to. I'll be there in about 2 hours.

"You know," Michael had said, leaning back in his chair, "there's something magical about creating music. It's like capturing a moment, a feeling, and turning it into something that lasts forever."

"I think we should collaborate. Your voice and my experience-we could create something amazing."

Alex felt rushed, "Maybe we should start with karaoke at the bar." Alex said with a small laugh.

Michael nodded understanding that he was probably overstepping a bit.

Alex said goodbye to Michael making her way to the parking garage so she could drive to Bailey's house.

When she arrived at Bailey's house, he was waiting for her at the door, a warm smile on his face. "Hey, you." He said, pulling her into a hug.

"Hey," Alex replied, melting into his embrace. "I missed you."

They went inside, and the smell of a delicious dinner greeted her. "Something smells amazing." Alex said, her stomach growling in response.

"I made your favorite," Bailey said with a grin. "Thought you could use a little comfort food."