Forbidden Fruit (gxg)

Part 29

The next morning when I got home, I felt unsettled. Kori was going to work...and I was simply going home. On a weekday, when I should be at work.

However, I felt even more unsettled when my mom called me shortly after I got home.

"Hello?" I answered, "Is everything okay?"

"You tell me! Your sister told me that you got fired," my mom said to me, "What in the world happened? I thought things were going well at your job."

Thanks, Addison.

"Why did she even mention it?" I sighed.

"I was with her when you texted her. We were getting dinner."

"Got it," I said, and I then realized...I'm going to have to tell my mom why I got fired. I wasn't going to tell her it was based on my performance. I could tell her that it was due to budget cuts, however I had just told her how many new people my company was hiring so that would make no sense.

I was backed into a corner here.

Time to rip the bandaid off.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" my mom asked me.

"Yeah..." I said reluctantly, "I got fired for dating my boss."

"Wait...when did you date your boss? Didn't you meet your girlfriend through a mutual friend?" my mom asked, sounding extremely confused.

"I didn't meet her through a mutual friend, mom. I met her at work, and she's my boss. She's the CIO. It's against the code of conduct for a higher up and their employee to date, so I got fired."

"What in the...Ashley! Why would you date your boss?"

"Because I'm in love with her," I said back, simply.

"You're really serious about her?"

"Very."

"I assume she got fired as well?"

"Well, no," I said, "The company would be screwed without her."

"Typical, of course the boss gets to stay and the employee gets fired. Wait, Ashley, how old is your boss? Someone around your age would be awfully young to be a CIO."

"Yeah, about that...she's not my age. She's 13 years older than me," I said, realizing my heart was pounding.

"So you have a 40 year old girlfriend?" my mom asked in disbelief.

"We actually have the same birthday," I said back, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Ashley," my mom sighed, "I don't even know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I feel lousy enough already."

"I'm sorry. I do hate that you're feeling lousy. Well...maybe this is your sign to go back to nursing!"

I grew tense as I said, "I don't think so."

"I know you said you simply got burnt out, but there has to be more to that story. Most people don't just waste away a nursing degree. You could work at a doctor's office instead of a hospital."

"Alright, I'll think about it."

I lied just to get her off my back.

"Good, I think you should. I'll keep my eyes and ears out if anyone I know happens to be hiring."

"Thank you, mom."

"Of course, sweetheart. You know I love you, right?"

I once again tensed up as I said, "Love you too."