After Office Hours

by E Caroline Wilson

  He acknowledged her words, then turned the conversation back to himself. Devin half-listened to him. She wondered what David was doing…

  *****

  Sheila Andrews studied her youngest son carefully. His personality had undergone a radical change. Before last week, he seemed to be on top of the world. She felt certain it was because he’d met a new woman. She’d seen him in his happy moods before, and while they tended not to last, she’d never seen him as morose as he’d been the last week or so. Unsmiling, sticking close to home in the dead of summer. Something had clearly gone wrong.

  “David, whatever it is, it can’t be that bad,” she said to him now, when he came down to the triplex to change a light bulb in her kitchen ceiling. Both she and Lamar were afraid of heights and preferred not to get up on a ladder if they didn’t have to.

  He gave her a sheepish shrug as he climbed down. “Does it show?”

  “To use a well-worn cliché, you look as if you’ve lost your best friend. I have to say, your latest relationship certainly didn’t last very long.”

  His lips curved into the slightest of smiles as he tossed the old bulb into the trash. “I can never hide anything from you, can I?”

  “Of course you can’t. I’m your mother. I know you better than anyone. I knew your personality even before you were born, when you used to kick my belly.” At least that made his smile widen into something genuine. Sheila tried not to pry into the lives of her grown sons, but decided this one time it was warranted. “Why don’t you tell me what went wrong?”

  His long, drawn out sigh told her he was considering it. But she waited for him to speak. She’d opened the door, but that didn’t mean she had to push her way in.

  “Oh, Mom,” he finally said, taking a seat on the stool next to hers. “I really blew it.”

  “Come on, David. We all make mistakes. Ninety-nine percent of them can be fixed.” She hesitated before saying, “I gather you and your latest girlfriend had a falling out?”

  “Yes, and she doesn’t want anything more to do with me. I…I betrayed her. And if that wasn’t bad enough, I lied to her about it. I was too embarrassed to admit what I’d done. But even before she asked me directly, I’d realized that what I was doing was wrong, and I put a stop to it. I told myself she’d never have to know, but she found out.”

  Sheila wished she could ask him precisely what he’d done that was so awful, but she knew him well enough to know he was being vague for a reason. He clearly didn’t want to give specifics. Instead she said, “How did she find out?”

  “I told her. I didn’t mean to,” he quickly added. “I just kind of…blurted it out at a moment when I wasn’t being very careful.”

  Sounds like pillow talk, or just plain sex talk. Sheila suppressed a smile. She was sixty-four, and Lamar was sixty-seven. David would probably be shocked to learn that they still had sex. Certainly nowhere near as often as they had as young marrieds and young parents, and it wasn’t as pretty, either. But then again, when she was in her thirties, she figured she’d be all done with sex by the time she turned fifty. Finding out that wasn’t the case was probably the most pleasant surprise of her entire adult life.

  “Have you tried writing her?” she suggested. “Love letters can be very persuasive.”

  He chuckled. “She’s not speaking to me, Mom, but it’s not like we don’t see each other. We see each other every weekday. We work together.

  “Oh! She’s an attorney at the firm?”

  “She works at the firm, but she’s not an attorney.”

  “A paralegal?”

  “No.”

  “Oh, then she’s a legal administrative assistant.”

  “Sort of.”

  She stared at him, exasperated. “Well, what exactly does she do at the firm?”

  He seemed to hesitate. “Actually, she’s an office manager who was between jobs at the moment, so she took a job filling in as the receptionist while the regular girl is out on maternity leave.”

  “That makes sense. At least she’ll get a regular paycheck.”

  “Yes, that’s right.” He raised his head to the sky and closed his eyes tightly. “Oh, Mom. I just have to get her back. I have to. She’s all I can think about. These last weeks without her have been hell.”

  Sheila took one of his hands in both of hers. “My son, my son,” she said in a voice full of love. “I hate to see you suffer like this. And I’m all for seeing you reunited with a woman you’re obviously in love with…especially if it gets me closer to those grandchildren I’ve been wanting.”

  “Come on, Mom. You already have grandchildren.”

  “Of course, and I love them so much. But I want to see both my sons settled down. I know that your brother is four years older than you, but at thirty-two I’ve been hoping you’d start to court your Miss Right.”

  “I hope you really feel that way, Mom.”

  She shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  He met her eyes, and the defiance she saw in them unsettled her a bit. “David? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Yes. Devin…well, she’s different from anyone I’ve ever dated before.”

  “I think I’ve only seen a small handful of the women you’ve actually dated,” she joked. “But that aside, how actually is this Devin different from the others?” She recalled him saying that his girl had taken a temporary assignment as a receptionist. It sounded like she couldn’t afford to be out of a job. Maybe she’s divorced with a child or two. Lamar was just saying that if David waits too long, it will be hard for him to find someone who hasn’t already been married.

  “She’s…she’s Latina.”

  “Oh!” She hadn’t expected that. With a shrug, she said, “There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. I can’t say I know many Hispanics, aside from your father’s colleague Rick Rodriguez and his lovely wife Sonia, and they’re certainly nice people. Rick is a highly respected reproductive specialist.” She gave him an indignant look. “I’m surprised at you, David. Did you really think your father and I wouldn’t approve of your Devin because she’s Spanish? We’re not prejudiced.”

  “Well, Devin doesn’t come from the Cuban aristocracy, like Dr. Rodriguez. She’s American, born right here in New York, but her parents came from the Dominican Republic, and she was raised in a housing project in Spanish Harlem.”

  Sheila’s mouth dropped open. She really didn’t expect that. “She’s…Dominican, you say?”

  “Yes.”

  “And she…works as a receptionist?”

  “She’s doing that now, but her profession is office manager. She ran the office of a demolitions business.”

  And now she’s causing an explosion in my son’s life, Sheila thought.

  “There’s something else, Mom.”

  Oh, no. He’s going to tell me that she’s got a couple of kids and was never married. What’s gotten into him? Is this woman that good in bed?

  She waited expectantly.

  “I don’t think you know a lot about Dominicans…”

  That was true. Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Hondurans, Salvadorians, Mexicans…one was pretty much the same as another to her. She didn’t even know the country of her own housekeeper’s roots.

  “…but many of them are of mixed race.”

  Sheila felt lightheaded. Oh, no. He’s about to tell me—

  “Devin is black.”

  She swallowed, the sound reverberating in her ears. “Well, aren’t you full of surprises,” she said weakly.

  “Are you shocked?”

  No point in lying. “Frankly, yes. It never occurred to me that something like this might happen.” She leaned in close to him and spoke in a low voice. “Tell me, David. What is it about her that made you fall so hard? Is it…the sex?”

  “She happens to be gorgeous, so my first attraction was purely physical. But as I got to know her, spend time with her, I found her fascinating. She’s so different from anyone I’ve known before.”


  “Do you think that might be it? That she has a different background? Perhaps that’s what you find so refreshing.”

  He stared at her for a long moment, and she feared she had said the wrong thing. “It’s true, I find her refreshing. But I’m also in love with her. For the first time ever, I find myself thinking about settling down.”

  “You’re that serious about her?” Never mind that she’d thought that was wonderful just a few moments ago. That was before she knew the details about this woman who had captured her son’s heart. It was a hell of a lot to accept…

  “Yes, Mom, I am. I was going to introduce you and Dad to her, at least if we could manage to be home at the same time,” he added with a chuckle, “but things didn’t work out. I messed up before that could happen.”

  “Well, if you can manage to get her to forgive you, your father and I would love to meet her. If you’ve fallen in love with her, she must be a lovely girl.”

  “She is.”

  “There’s always our anniversary party in a few weeks,” Sheila hinted.

  David looked at her through hopeful eyes. “So, you’re not shocked?”

  Sheila thought carefully before answering. “I think ‘shocked’ is probably too strong a word. ‘Surprised’ is more like it. I’ll be honest with you, David. It might take a little while to get used to the idea.”

  “You might not have to,” he pointed out. “She’s still angry at me, remember?”

  She squeezed his hand. “I’m not too worried about that. If there’s anything anyone can say about my two sons, it’s that they’re irresistible. It might take a while, but I’m sure Devin will come around.”

  He leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  *****

  “Well,” Lamar Andrews said when he and Sheila were alone in their bedroom that night, “I guess we’d better get used to the idea. We might have a black daughter-in-law and brown grandchildren.”

  “Are you really okay with that, Lamar?”

  “I’d have preferred he marry someone with European roots, sure, but the world is becoming browner, Sheila. I can’t say I think that’s a bad thing, although I never expected…” he left the rest of the thought unspoken. “But he obviously cares deeply for this woman.”

  “He told me he’s in love with her.”

  “Like I said, we’d better get used to the idea. I trust David’s judgment. She must be quite a girl to have reeled him in. But the important thing is that our son be happy. You and I can adjust.”

  Sheila threw her arms around him. “I agree, Lamar. One hundred percent.”

  Chapter 23

  Devin had taken to walking down Madison Avenue during her lunch break. She didn’t want to risk running into David in the break room, which would make for an uncomfortable encounter. She figured the exercise was good for her, even if the dog days of August had arrived.

  Speaking of exercise, the sharp-eyed Pam, in her usual direct manner, had asked Devin why she no longer carried her gym bag on Fridays. Devin hadn’t expected anyone to notice the absence of her gym bag. Leave it to Pam. That woman missed nothing. Devin had mumbled a hastily concocted excuse, saying that she and her friend had temporarily suspended their membership for the summer and would resume it after Labor Day.

  She only had a few more weeks at the firm, and she wouldn’t miss Pam Sullivan and her nosy self.

  As she walked, she wondered how David was doing. Would he be going out to the beach house in Quogue for the weekend? Did he have a new girlfriend? Did he enjoy her company as much as he had hers?

  She still got those little twinges whenever she saw him in the office…little reminders that even though it was over between them, her heart hadn’t yet gotten the memo. Mama had reported that although he was still polite to her when she went to straighten his office, his previous warmth had all but disappeared, replaced by a tight smile that seemed forced. And for weeks now Devin hadn’t seen longing in his eyes when they greeted each other, just a forced pleasantness that made it hard to believe that only a few weeks ago they had been lovers. What was going on in his life, she wondered. Did he ever think about her? Or was someone else taking up all his thoughts?

  “Devin?”

  The sound of a woman’s voice speaking her name knocked her out of her reverie. It wasn’t something she expected while walking down Madison Avenue to her favorite deli, one of the few places where she could afford to eat. Her eyes widened in happy surprise when she recognized Chanel Davis, a childhood friend from the projects. She looked a little different—still wore glasses, but her short hair was cut and styled, her eyebrows were shaped, and she wore makeup, as well as a sleeveless draped white blouse and pale yellow pants that probably had a suit jacket to match back at her office. “Chanel! Is that really you?”

  “It sure is.” Conscious of blocking the swift-moving pedestrian traffic—everyone in New York always seemed to be in a hurry—they stepped off to the side in front of a boutique. “I can’t believe it’s really you,” she raved. “It’s been a whole lot of years.”

  “Yes, it really has.” Chanel’s family had left the projects and moved up to the Bronx when they were sophomores in high school. Devin didn’t know what had become of her old friend, but she was sure Chanel had done well. She’d always been among the smartest kids in the class, if not the smartest, and she’d been a real whiz at math. She had helped Devin with her algebra in ninth grade.

  “Do you work around here?” she asked Chanel now.

  “Yes, a few blocks south of here, Fiftieth and Park. How about you?”

  “North of here. Madison and Fifty-eighth. I’ve been taking walks at lunchtime.”

  “So that means you haven’t had lunch yet.” Chanel’s voice held a hopeful note.

  Devin knew what she was thinking. “No, not yet. Why don’t we have lunch together? It’ll be a great opportunity to catch up.”

  They went to Devin’s intended destination, a popular deli at the corner of Fifty-third, where they settled at a table with overstuffed panini sandwiches. Devin listened with a twinge of envy as Chanel updated her about her life since leaving the projects. Her parents still lived in the Bronx. She worked as a statistician—a career choice that didn’t come as a surprise to Devin, considering Chanel’s aptitude for all things mathematical—for Colgate-Palmolive. But it was hearing about Chanel’s personal life that made Devin envious. Chanel had been married for three years, and she and her husband had recently purchased a home in the Westchester suburb of Mount Vernon and were now starting a family. “I just entered my second trimester,” she gushed. “The baby’s due around Christmas. Soon we’ll know the gender, and then we can really start to plan.”

  “That’s so exciting, Chanel. I’m happy for you.” Chanel tilted her head slightly to one side. “What about you, Devin? Are you married? Dating anyone?”

  “No. I haven’t been very lucky in love.” She sighed. “I actually was seeing someone, and things were going really well. Then I found out he’d lied to me, and I broke it off.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. Lies can be tricky. Sometimes people lie for good reason. Other times, it’s just inexcusable, and indicative of a behavior pattern. Some people just aren’t capable of being honest.”

  Devin inverted her lips. She felt an overpowering urge to confide in someone, and Chanel seemed like the perfect person to tell her troubles to. Someone she knew, but wasn’t close to. After this lunch, they’d probably never see each other again.

  In an instant she made up her mind. “I haven’t told anyone about the particulars,” she began, “but I think I can tell you. I’d really like to get your opinion.”

  “I’m honored.” Chanel gave a rueful smile. “I think I understand. Sometimes you’d just rather talk to someone you’re not close to…someone you don’t have to worry about throwing something you told them in confidence up in your face if you have a falling out.”

  “That’s exactly it.” An
d for the first time, Devin told another person besides David about the video Joe—who Chanel remembered from the old neighborhood—had secretly recorded and uploaded for the world to see, as well as the frightening incident with Raymond Quinn at her old job. To her relief, Chanel displayed no shock or judgment. She only said she’d heard about men posting revenge porn, but that most of the time the women knew they were being filmed but that the footage was supposed to be for their boyfriends’ eyes only. “That was really sneaky of Joaquin to film you secretly.”

  Devin explained how her mother had arranged for her to meet with one of the attorneys at the law firm whose offices she cleaned, who turned out to be David. “The video has been taken down, thank God,” she concluded. “I was too ashamed to tell anyone about it. But when I asked David if he’d seen it, he’d said he hadn’t. Then one night, after we’d…been intimate, he accidentally slipped and said he’d been dreaming of making love to me ever since he saw me having sex on that tape.” She had to stop for a few seconds and compose herself after voicing the painful memory. “I was so hurt, Chanel. I thought what we had was so much more than just sex.” She bit her lower lip and admitted, “It still hurts.”

  Chanel appeared to be hanging onto every word. “When you told him that you thought there was more between you than sex, what did he say?”

  “He said it might’ve started off that way, but that his feelings ran much deeper.” She rolled her eyes. “But of course that’s what he’d say. He also said that he’d lied about having seen it because he was afraid I would react the way I did. He said that the temptation to see me naked was just too great, because he was attracted to me from the moment I stepped into his office.”

  “That’s a tough one, Devin,” Chanel said. “But I think all of us at one time or another have been tempted to do something that we knew we shouldn’t do, just out of curiosity…oh, come on, Devin,” she said at the blank look Devin gave her. “I think we’ve all been guilty of peeking at something we’re not supposed to, whether it be somebody’s pay stub or that document the human resources administrator at work is holding.” Her eyes held a challenge as they met Devin’s. “Are you trying to tell me that when you were a kid you never went snooping in the back of the coat closet, trying to find out what your mom had gotten you for Christmas? You knew without being told that you weren’t supposed to peek. But yet, you went searching for it anyway, and when you found the bag you looked inside. You knew it was wrong, but you just couldn’t help yourself. You’ve done it, Devin,” she repeated with a knowing nod. “Admit it.”