The Office

Twenty-Three

--Mitch--

I'm home. I'm off work for at least a week, by Scott's demand. I just feel so, so empty. I miss Ruby. I will never forgive Joel for this. I'm done.

-

"Hey Mitch. How was your week off?"

"It was decent. Andrew hasn't been doing well."

"What about you?"

"It doesn't matter how I am."

"It does, to me."

"Why do you care so much? I'm just your little follow along."

"That's not all you are to me. And that's not what you are anyway."

"What am I to you? A broken man who can't stick up for himself?"

"Not at all. I think you're an amazing guy who just got unlucky with the father of your child. You didn't deserve anything he did to you."

"I know that now. Sort of. I'm just done with him. I actually, uh, went to the courthouse yesterday."

"Yeah? Did you get papers?"

"I did. I'm not sure when he'll come back. I'm scared for him to so I don't know what I'll do."

"You're scared he'll hurt you when he finds out?"

"Yes. Oh yeah. He'll be so pissed I'm the one backing out."

"You're not backing out. You're protecting you and your kid. You deserve to be happy."

"I guess so. It's mainly for Andrew."

"Well, I hope all goes well for you. I really want you to be happy Mitch. With life and yourself."

"I'll try. But I make no promises. It'll just be hard not having someone to help. Not that he ever did, but still."

"No, I get it. It'll be hard, but so worth it when you're happy. Maybe you'll find a good guy that won't care you have a kid. I'm sure he's out there."

"I'm sure he is too."

--Scott--

I'm falling for Mitch. I have been but now that he's acting like this, so helpless and small, I just wanna wrap him in my arms and hold him until he's okay. I wanna be that guy that helps him with his kid. The guy that helps him get better, and be more comfortable with himself. I know it'll never happen though. He'll never like me that way.