Challen and Addy

Chapter 8 (Challen): Welcome Back

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

This was the most uncomfortable position I'd ever found myself in. And I had no one to blame but myself, a thought that provided no comfort but plenty of self-recrimination.

"Go on in, Challen," Dwight, the HR Director's assistant, told me. "She's expecting you."

"Thanks, Dwight," I said, wishing I didn't have to be here.

Even though Maine's door was open, I still knocked to announce myself. 

Looking up, she welcomed me with a smile.

"Hey, Challen. Come on in and have a seat."

Sitting at a chair in front of her desk, she folded her hands on top of her desk. "How's Addy doing?"

I honestly don't fucking know exactly. So I went with what I did know.

"Recovering. She has a long road ahead of her with rehab once she gets to a point that she can start it."

"Let us know if we can help in any way."

"You already have been, giving me special permission to work out of the office."

"In rare cases like yours, we can make certain allowances even though it's not company policy. From what I hear, you've been your usual workhorse self. Beating your team's deadlines, keeping up with your team's work, giving them the guidance they need for setting priorities with the multiple projects assigned to your team. You working remotely hasn't been an issue, and we've been checking in with your team and the other managers you work with to make sure it isn't and won't become an issue."

I smiled faintly. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

She narrowed her gaze on me. "Are you really OK?"

"Not really. But I'm working on it."

"Well, this is a heavy burden you're carrying --"

"No. Don't make me into the hero because I'm actually the villain in this story. Addy's in the hospital because of me. Addy and I were having issues before her accident and I'm responsible for her getting hurt."

"You were driving the car that hit her?" her voice was calm but surprised. 

"No! But she was out on her bike because I was a total ass...jerk to her and made her feel the need to get on her bike that day. And then, because we'd fought before I left the house that day, when I got called in to work for the overseas crisis, I texted her, telling her what was going on and when she didn't respond, I didn't try calling her. I thought she was just ignoring me because she was so pissed at me, and I let it go. Addy was in  the hospital for three days before I knew it. She only woke up from her coma about the time I got home and realized she was missing."

Maine was trying to maintain a professional facade, but her HR mask slipped for just a moment.

"I know," I said to her. "You don't have to try to hide your reaction. It was a shi...horrible thing to do."

"I'm sorry, Challen," she said. 

I wasn't sure if she was apologizing for what she would consider her less-than-professional reaction or apologizing for me being such a horrible husband. 

"I don't even know why I'm telling you all this."

"As HR director, you wouldn't believe the things I hear. People treat this like a confessional."

"I didn't mean to dump this on you. I came to talk about something else."

"I'm listening."

"It's about Jennifer in my department. We've become friends since I started working here. We shared a lot of the same hobbies and that morphed into having lunches at work and the occasional dinner. We'd go running together after work some days, and on the weekends, we'd meet up for some hiking or mountain bike riding."