Chapter 23
Alex
The last two days since we found out what we are having, Mae and I have been on top of the world. We've been trying to come up with a name for the little guy, and we have settled on choosing between three Hayden, Carson, and Brandon. This morning we narrowed it down to those three, and Mae couldn't stop smiling.
I walk into the office earlier than usual, hoping to get a start on my work. Mae wants to go shopping later to look at some furniture for the baby. I'm trying to get off early to take her. Looking back on this time last year, I was working none stop with no end in sight. I was miserable but had no idea that I was.
I look up after a while and realize that it is past eight in the morning. The temp who was filling in for Mark should have been here by now. I get up and head out to where he should be and see the area empty.
"Hi, Helen. I was checking to see if anyone has heard from my temp assistant this morning. He isn't here." I'm not that upset, I'm concerned that the kid is alright.
"Oh yes, I was just about to call you. He's sick today. They will have another temp arrive later today. I can get someone to fill in if you're needing someone right this moment." Helen is always doing everything that she can to make sure everyone in the company has all that they need.
"No, Helen, that will be fine. Have a good rest of your day." I hang up with her and get started on all I want to do for the day, not paying any attention to the time.
I must've lost track of the time because I hear my office door open and close. I look at my watch and see that it's one in the afternoon. I look up and find the temp Stephanie, whom I had interviewed with Mark, standing in my office naked. What is with women showing up to my office naked!
"Stephanie, I think that you are in the wrong place. Please leave." I make my voice as stern as I can.
"Oh, I know I'm in the right place. Your temp company sent me to fill in, and I thought you may need an afternoon snack." Her voice is grating on my nerves as she slithers toward me.
"I'm pretty sure I'm good, thanks. Now please leave before I call security." She hops onto my desk before I can do anything.
I quickly push my chair back and try to stand as she grabs my tie and pulls me as she lays back on the desk. I'm fighting to pull away as my door opens, and there stands Rosetta and Mae. I'm so fucked.
"Alex! How could you?" Mae yells, and I hear a giggle come from below me.
"I'll just let you handle her. I'll see you around, Alex." And just as quickly as she showed up, she was gone.
My heart is in my throat as I stand and look at the two women who had entered my office. Rosetta looked like she was ready to burn me at the stake. I look at Mae and see hurt all over her face. She has to believe that I would never do anything like that to her. I love her so much that I can't think straight. I would rather die than hurt her.
"Mae, it wasn't what you think. I would never..." She raises her hand and silences me.
"Do you have any idea what I am thinking at the moment?" Her voice is low and shaking.
"Not exactly, I'm afraid that you think I was cheating," I whisper. My eyes are tearing up at the thought that she may leave me. My head is down in shame even though I did nothing wrong.
I suddenly hear Mae laughing hysterically. I look up, and Rosetta is looking at Mae like she has lost her damn mind. Mae's leaned over, bracing herself on her knees as she continues to laugh. At this point, I have no idea what is going on. She could have lost it completely, and this is her way of coping.
"Baby, I promise it wasn't what it looked like. That psycho just showed up, and I have no idea what is going on." I'm begging at this point. I will fall to my knees if I need to.
Mae looks up at me with tears in her eyes as she's still laughing. I walk over and lead her to the sofa in my office so she can sit down and get herself together. She slowly starts to calm, and I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin. I need to know that what she is thinking right now.
"Alex. I could tell by the disgusted and horrified look on your face that you weren't cheating on me." She smiles and takes my hand.
"What? Why were you laughing?" I was so confused.
"The look on your face was priceless. It reminded me of the story Xavier told me on that date." She gets the giggles again as she said this.
"I was starting to think that you had lost your mind, Mae!" Rosetta says huffing.
"He looked so scared, and I thought he may even throw up. If he was really screwing around on me, he wouldn't look that upset by the looks and touch of her. Who was she, by the way? I didn't get a good look at her."
"She was a temp filling in for the other temp filling in for Mark. Her name is Stephanie, and I have turned her down once already. When she was interviewed she was completely inappropriate. God, I feel like I lost twenty years off my life. The way you called my name, I just knew that I had lost you." I lay my head on her shoulder.
She rubs her hand through my hair and chuckles. I don't know what good thing I did to get her, but I'm thankful I did. Rosetta pats my back and stands up. She looks at us and smiles.
"I'll head out now that everything is okay. Bye love birds."
"What are you doing here so early?" I ask as she rubs my head.
"We sold out of everything, and I thought I would surprise you. Rosetta walked with me so I wouldn't be alone. I'm glad I saved you from that woman." She chuckles.
"Me too. I have no idea why women think it is acceptable to get naked in my office! Do I have some weird sign-up that I don't know about?"
"You do. It says: Come in, take your clothes off. And then on the way out there is a sign that says: Y'all come back now, ya hear."
I give her the WTF look, and she bursts into fits of laughter again. She is not bothered at all by what happened. It appears that she is extremely entertained by my predicament. Her laughter is infectious, and soon I join her in laughing. I look at her and she has never been more beautiful. She has a glow about her and it's not just the baby. She looks truly happy and it radiates off her.
"I'm the luckiest man on earth," I say and place my hands on her cheeks.
"Why's that?" She asks as she stops laughing.
"You are the definition of beauty."
"Did that girl slip you some drugs?" She laughs.
"You may not see it, or understand it, but you are the most beautiful woman on the planet. I dare anyone to change my mind. There is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with."
I pull her into my arms and kiss her. My heart is so full, that I don't know what to do. How can this all possibly be real? I've never understood how I could be so lucky and today just proved it more. I will spend the rest of my life showing this woman that she is worth the world. That no matter what happens, I will always love her and worship her. As she pulls back, there are little tears on her cheeks.
"No tears." I kiss them away.
"I love you, Alex. Now take me shopping, and then let's go home so you can just take me."