The Experiment © [Completed]

Chapter 61 - Stronger

"Matt?" Dei called as she peeked through the door of Matt's office.

"Hey, Dei, come in! Weren't you just here earlier?" Matt asked, looking up from his slice of cake.

"I just sent you something on your email. Do with it what you must," Dei said smiling, and then she left.

Matt checked Dei's email and clicked on the attachment. He smiled.

++++++

You are chatting with RJ Faulkerson...
RJ F: ping! <❗️>
...
...
Dei M: RJ?
...
RJ F: Hi babe...
RJ F: I mean Dei.
...
...
Dei M: I'm still your 'babe', RJ...
...
...
RJ F: 🙂 Can I invite you for lunch?
...
...
Dei M: Okay. I'll see you at 12 NN.
...
RJ F: thanks.

++++++

"Hi," RJ said, smiling as he stood up behind the low wall of Dei's workstation.

"Hey..." she smiled back. "Let's go?"

"Yep! I bought you some fresh fruit shake from the cafeteria by the way," he said, handing her a huge cup as she walked out of their cubicle.

"Hmmm... Watermelon, my favorite." she said, smiling at him.

"I know," he answered. He held out his hand at her carefully. Dei smiled at him and took it and they walked hand in hand towards the elevator.

"I kinda like this," RJ said, smiling. "It's like we're going through the whole courtship stage again but the feelings are just as strong, if not stronger... well at least for me," he said, scratching the back of his neck with a shy smile.

Dei glanced at him. "My feelings are just as strong, RJ... We're only trying to make it right," she told him.

"I know, and I'm okay with it... Bigoli's?" he asked her as they stepped out of the building.

"You know it," she smiled.

They quietly walked to the restaurant and Dei felt him holding her hand tight. When they got there, they went to their favorite booth right away and Dei saw their names that RJ carved a few weeks ago. It felt like such a long time ago.

RJ ordered for them and she waited, tracing their carved names over and over.

"That's going to stay there for a long time," RJ said as he placed their food on the table. "How cool would it be if we come back here when we're much older and still see our names written there."

"It'd be so cool..." Dei agreed. "And then we'll have to explain to the kids what it meant and why their dad felt the need to vandalize a restaurant table."

RJ glanced at her. "Our kids?"

Dei looked at him blushing. "Yeah..."

RJ smiled and handed her her favorite breadsticks.

"Babe... Will I still meet your parents?" RJ asked.

"Of course. Which reminds me, we've got nothing to wear yet and the wedding's in less than a week. I'm such a lousy bridesmaid," Dei said suddenly stressed.

"Do you wanna go shopping this afternoon?" he asked her.

"Do you know any bridal shops?"

RJ showed her his phone. "Google."

+++++

"Jay, can we talk?" Christine asked, walking right into Ken and RJ's cubicle. Ken looked at RJ and shook his head twice.

"And you still have the guts to talk to me," RJ told her coldly.

"We need to talk." Christine said firmly, obviously pissed.

"No, Christine, we don't. The last time I allowed myself to listen to you, I almost lost Dei. There's no chance I'm going to let you ruin us again," he told her flatly.

"You are so stupid. Can't you see she's just using you? She's a smart and cunning bitch and you get played so easily." Christine said through gritted teeth.

RJ looked at her for a few moments before letting out a small laugh. "You're too desperate, Collins," he said and Christine flinched at hearing him call her by her last name.

"She's up to something against me and I need your help. You're all I got," she told him.

"Well, what do we have here... A little reunion?" Dei asked cooly as she approached RJ's desk with Matt trailing just behind her.

"It's none of your business," Christine said angrily.

Ken cleared his throat and walked out, unable to handle the tension.

"I'd say it is," RJ said. "her business, I mean." He grabbed Dei's hand and pulled her towards him.

"Hi, Christine!" Matt said, smiling at her coldly. "It's weird... This isn't your floor is it?"

"This isn't Dei's too," she snapped at Matt.

"But it's my project partner's, this visit is totally work related," Dei said, flashing her a sweet smile.

"I agree," RJ said, nodding.

"And it's not the end of your shift yet, not even your break time... So this falls under what violation, RJ?" Matt asked.

"I dunno, loitering? Job abandonment?" RJ said, shrugging.

"But she wouldn't need memos for those anymore, would she?" Dei asked. "I mean, she's already getting terminated for a bunch of other things like compromising a company project, malicious threats, and abuse of authority, right?"

"Oh she is?" RJ asked in feigned surprise.

Christine snickered. "You think it would be easy for me to get terminated? I have people from the HQ backing me up so you can't fire me. Not without evidence!"

"Well it's a good thing you were right about Dei on one thing -- she's smart, and cunning." RJ said, smiling at Christine.

"I'm sorry, Christine... Well not really," Matt said rolling his eyes. "The decision came from the HQ. After hearing your little conversation with Dei, it really took nothing else for them to pass this judgment. You're being relieved from your post effective immediately."

"Jay..." Christine said, looking at RJ desperately.

"I'm sorry, Christine, but you had it coming." he answered.