by May Sage
And damn if that didn’t make her sound like the pathetic, gullible girl she was. Or had been.
“You’re married?”
He looked surprised, taken aback; a frown marred his forehead as he looked at her intensely, trying to read through her.
She nodded, but found herself compelled to add, “In name, anyway. We’re separated.”
That seemed to fascinate him.
“And why did you leave him?”
It was embarrassing; because she should have left him. She should have left when he barely helped with Maya, with the house, or anything. She should have told him to bugger off years ago - but she hadn’t.
“I didn’t. He packed up when I was at work one day, took our savings and disappeared.”
It was the second time Piper had to explain this out loud; the first time, she’d been crying, her rage barely containable. It hadn’t been sad tears; she’d wanted to punch the man, hit him in the nuts, but as he hadn’t been there, she’d just attacked his pillow instead, crying in frustration and anger.
Now, she was proud to realize that feelings had left her voice. She didn’t care. The only thing he’d really affected had been her financial situation, and thanks to her new position in the firm, it was taken care of now.
Ben was angry enough for both of them. He didn’t say a word at first, his eyes never leaving hers, then slowly, almost menacingly, he asked, “He stole money from you, and left you without a word?”
She shrugged in response. “Technically, it was our money. So, I guess he stole my half, yes.”
It came out carelessly; she genuinely didn’t care about the money anymore. She told Ben, who looked at her dubiously.
“I mean, that couple thousand could have helped, of course. But right now, the only reason why I want to find him is…”
She trailed off, imagining her knee up his crotch.
“You’re not thinking about getting back with him.”
Ben didn’t formulate it as a question as much as an order. She just snorted. “No way, no how. I just want to pin him down to get him to sign the divorce papers I had drawn.”
As far as she was concerned, their flakey relationship was well and truly over. They had gotten married because of Maya. There was no denying it, but it had been a youthful mistake to assume that a child was a reason to tie two people, who had nothing in common, together. If her parents, instead of instantly rejecting Maya’s very existence, had suggested that they held off the wedding, things might have gone differently.
She shook off the wave of resentment that hadn’t left her yet. No point in pondering on ifs. They had made their choice, she’d made hers - and she’d live with it.
Ben nodded, and to her surprise, remained in front of her desk for a good minute.
“Alright, so we’ve covered the don’t. Stealing money and leaving without a word are no-nos. But what do women actually want from a relationship?”
She bit her lip, considering it.
“I can’t talk for my entire gender, but I guess I’d want someone who takes the time to get to know me. Someone who wants to know what makes me tick. Someone I can have fun with, and chill with, too. I’d want a friend, first and foremost.”
Ben frowned, and wordlessly returned to his task, so she turned away, heading back to her desk. As he didn’t say anything at all, she felt awkward, useless. He normally would demand a thing or ten.
“Would you like me to order you lunch, sir?” she asked as she reached the door.
Bennet - she couldn’t call him Scrooge today - lifted his gaze to her, and shook his head.
“No thank you, Piper. I’m going to meet my mother for lunch.”
Right. Of course. That made sense.
Or not.
She recalled the million times Wendy McFinnley had complained that her son never stopped to see them during the day although their Fifth Avenue apartment was close to their office.
Voodoo. Voodoo could do that to a guy, right?
Bennet
Ben eyed the pile of colorful sandwiches his mother had stacked on a little plate with suspicion, wondering why the bread was green.
Piper's and Miriam's voices still resounded in his mind, telling him what he should have known: he was a crappy boyfriend, and if he wanted his future relationships to work he had to do something about it.
He didn’t know what made Jennifer tick outside of the bedroom; he’d never even wondered. And although they’d spent three years together, he couldn’t even come up with one thing Miriam had liked. He knew she’d gone to the cinema from time to time, but he had no clue what kind of movie she’d liked; he’d always been too busy to accompany her.
“So, let me get this straight. You picked Jennifer because she was the opposite of Miriam,” his mother summarized.
He nodded; the fact that she’d risen from nothing, and managed to earn a good six figures on her own, had made him believe that she wouldn't care about his money, and that she’d understand how hard he had to work.
“And she was cheating on you with her boss.”
Another nod. She hadn’t even denied him when he’d confronted her the day before; simply stating that they’d never talked about exclusivity. A lie. He’d demanded it from day one.
“Well, you went for a trollop. That never helps,” his mother replied good humoredly.
She’d never liked Jennifer and she hadn't tried to hide it, but Ben had just assumed it was one of those mother vs girlfriend kind of things. They’re supposed to hate each other at all costs.
“But Ben, truth is, no other kind of gal is going to want you.”
Oh. Okay, then. Weren’t parents supposed to be supportive or something?
“You work about twice as much as you need to. I may not know what you do every second of your life but I bet you didn't spend any time with that girl, outside of official functions and bedroom time. No decent woman is going to be appealed by that. You want a good relationship? Son, you’ll need to work for it.”
Ben felt like his petite, delicate mother, had slapped him in the face - and for all intents and purposes, she had. Out of morbid sense of curiosity, he asked what he never had the gall to ask before: “And with Miriam? Where did I go wrong?”
Wendy McFinnley sighed sympathetically, and smiled perhaps a little sadly.
“Same difference, really; you weren't there for her - and as she is a decent woman, she didn't stand for that. Ben, you were raised by a self-made man whom you admire, as you should. You grew up hearing tales of how hard he worked for what is now ours. And that's part of who you are now… But Arthur hasn't worked as hard as he used to in a long time. He chose his family. He chose us. You're not going to have what he has had with us and manage to work like you are now. It's a matter of picking what is more important to you.”
Ben stuffed a weird green and orange sandwich in his mouth, so he didn’t have to answer. To his relief, it tasted edible.
As he chewed, he came up with a plan. His mother was right: he wanted - needed - to prove himself as a businessman. He’d been successful so far, but there was no glory in pushing a thriving company built by your father further. His priority was making a name for himself in the business. Then, once he was satisfied, once he felt that he could slow down, he would try again, taking his time to pick the right woman, this time. Even if he had to ask his mother for help.
Piper Stone’s green eyes flickered in his mind, but he blinked them away. She was an employee. She was - technically - still married. Maybe if things changed when he was ready…
Time would tell what fate had in store for him. But now, he was more focused than ever.
That afternoon, the first thing he did was stop by the maintenance floor, to talk about the elevator.
“Remove the entry code,” he ordered.
He was done using his office as a den - if any deal, any client fell on his lap, he wanted to know. Piper would be a good gatekeeper: she knew enough of the industry to be able to tell what was w
orth his time, and she’d reschedule or delegate the rest.
He walked in his lobby a humongous smile on his face, eager to inform her of this latest development, but instead of finding his usually calm and collected assistant behind her desk, he bumped into her at the door.
She looked panicked, distraught, and one glance told him that she’d packed up her things and cleared her desk for the day.
“Mr. McFinnley, I’ve tried to call,” she told him, “I need to go home right now.”
What… He glanced at the clock; it wasn’t even three. She usually worked until five; and he had a lot of plans to share with her. Things were going to considerably change around the office, and she’d be the first one to be affected.
“No.”
Piper
She stared at him, trying to make sense of what he just said. No. He told her no.
Piper blinked, wondering, hoping that it was all a misunderstanding, or a joke. But no, there he was, shaking his head to emphasis on his refusal, smug as always, disgustingly handsome for a man as cruel and heartless as him. He’d really said that she couldn't go home to take care of her sick child.
She’d put up with a lot since she started working for him; rudeness, from him and his girlfriend alike, lack of respect, demeaning comments - and she wouldn’t even get started on the sexual soundtrack - and she’d borne it all, but this was it. This was her breaking point.
Slowly, trying to control her shaking fingers, she pulled her jacket on, and turned to go, completely ignoring him as he said, “What do you think you're doing, Ms. …”
Fuck him. She was done with it.
Remembering something, she went back to her desk, and grabbed the waterman pen Lucy had given her for her birthday a few years back.
“Piper, I believe I made myself clear. If you go out right now, you won't have a job to come back to.”
She just laughed, shaking her head.
“A little piece of advice, Mr. McFinnley. Don't be an asshole.”
And because he apparently hadn’t caught on yet, she added, “And by the way? I quit.”
Piper should have been worried about the money, about finding another job, but right now, all she felt was relief, like a humongous weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She was free.
There was a smile plastered on her face as she rode down the elevator, and burst out into the busy streets of New York City, hands raised to hail a yellow cab.
By some sort of miracle, the first one passing stopped to take her in.
This was going to be a good day.
“Ms. Stone.”
The stern tone of the familiar and severe woman in a sharp grey casual suit - kiddy proof - made her feel like she’d somehow failed, so Piper found herself apologizing, “Sorry. I was detained at work.”
The woman nodded, and sent her a quick, fleeting smile.
“It’s quite alright. If you’d come with me.”
They walked through the colorful school; Maya had been admitted upon application because Piper used to go there. She was pretty sure some public schools were as wonderful, but after John had left them months ago, she’d found herself looking at the cost of everything, daycare included, and she hadn’t been able to add up her bills without getting in the red each month. On the off chance that they might have accepted her, she gave a ring to her old school. The tuition fees added up to far less than daycare, and Maya was a January baby, which meant she was going to turn six during the school year.
Mrs. Parrows, the woman now leading the way through the corridor, had listened to her issues, and sternly asked whether Maya could read yet.
“Yes ma’am, she learned last year.”
“Hm. You could also read early. Very well. She’ll be enrolled this upcoming fall.”
The relief had been short lived, when she heard her adding, “But Ms. Stone?”
That was it. The tuitions had tripled. After school care wasn’t an option. She’d held her breath, waiting for her fate.
“There’s no need to… arrange for a payment quite yet. We’ll talk about it next year.”
She was pretty sure she might have been kicked out of her crappy flat if the woman hadn’t given her that handout. When she got promoted, she called to arrange a payment; but Mrs. Parrows wouldn’t hear of it, simply reiterating that she’d be billed from the following year. Piper couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing her. She volunteered at school events every time her schedule let her - which meant, on weekends, but it was hardly enough to convey her gratitude.
“Maya wouldn’t wake up after her nap,” the head teacher explained, “and the teacher found that her temperature was high. We’ve called a doctor, and she’s been diagnosed with influenza.”
Fuck. So much for a good day.
“Do I owe…”
“This goes under the school liability. Anyway, the flu can be quite contagious in its early stage, so we’ve moved her to the infirmary, where she’s rested a little uneasily. Have you taken your jab this year?”
Piper bit her lip; she’d seen it on her calendar a month ago or so, but she’d been too busy to make an appointment during the day.
“Right. You may want to ensure that a… contact is notified. In case you catch it and find yourself unfit to care for Maya.”
The words were like poison, although they were said with the best intentions; perhaps because they felt true today.
She was unprotected against a volatile virus, jobless, and late picking up her sick five-year-old. She certainly wouldn’t win mother of the year.
But she wasn’t the first single mother in the world, and others had managed quite well. She would do this. She would take care of her baby at all cost.
She carried the little girl with blond curls so unlike her own in her arms, and hailed another cab to take them home. In the car, the first thing she did was call Lucy. As it went to voicemail, she left a message, “Hey chica; look, I have a huge favor to ask you- Maya has the flu and I might catch it. If you don’t hear from me any day this week, come see us?” Then, after a little pause, she added, “I might also have to take you up on the whole job thing, if it’s still open. Love you, crazy lady.”
Piper
Piper thought she might have regretted her decision to quit her job so suddenly, given some distance, but when she woke the next day, she was still determined, convinced she was doing the right thing for her and for Maya, too.
She caressed the head of golden locks peeking out from under the covers, and checked the temperature with her palm. Still high, but not as bad as it had been. They’d had a rough night.
The little girl opened her watery eyes and wordlessly shifted on the bed, to grab Piper and hold her close. Five year olds shouldn’t have to deal with that kind of pain, dammit.
“Are you going to work, Mommy?” she asked in a small, breathless voice.
It was a fair question. Piper had gone to work two months ago, when Maya had some diarrhea, leaving her with her babysitter because she hadn’t wanted to risk annoying her new boss.
“No, little one.”
Never again. She had her priorities in order now, and stuff anyone who didn’t understand them. She’d be glad to work in a strip club, as long as the owner let her take care of her child when she needed her.
Piper prepared Maya’s medicine, and coaxed it down her throat, along with a fair bit of strawberry water.
By the time she’d finished, the poor thing just went back to a restless sleep. She checked her temperature again, with a thermometer this time, before disappearing for all of two minutes - Piper managed to brew some coffee, brush her teeth, grab a muffin, and her laptop from the kitchen countertop, and then, she went back under the covers, next to Maya.
She fired up the computer and typed something she hadn’t expected to research for months, at least.
Personal Assistant jobs, NYC.
Bennet
Ben was confused, and admittedly pretty pissed off for a minute, but after a while,
he just laughed it off. The woman had more guts than he had believed.
Piper Stone was a mystery; everything about her confused him. Despite what she’d revealed, he kept expecting her to behave just like Miriam, just like every other girl belonging to their social class, but she didn’t.
Ben found himself thinking about what his mother had said about him. Yes, he was an ass. His instinct was to put the business first, ignoring the human element. He should have said yes; or at least, asked why she was so desperate to leave. It was the very first time that at she asked to leave early in close to four months - and only a couple of hours early. She was entitled to plenty of personal days, and she had taken none. He didn't know much about the woman, but given her work ethic, there must have been a compelling reason. Perhaps her useless husband had shown his face; that idea made him feel conflicted - she might be getting him to sign the dotted line right now. But the thought of them alone in the same room was enough to make Ben want to throw the first thing his hand landed on at a wall.
So much for ignoring his attraction to her.
Ben told himself that he ought to apologize after the weekend, all the while knowing that he wouldn’t; apologizing meant admitting to his fault, and for better or worse, he was the CEO of the firm. That just wouldn't do.
He proceeded to work through the pile of tasks that he had attributed to Piper, and two hours later, he was swearing under his breath. Jesus, how did the woman get through all of this in mere minutes? He wasn't anywhere near done, and he knew he had given her jobs like these every single day. He seriously needed to give a raise. And some credit. Maybe even a well done from time to time.
Monday, he promised himself.
Three days later, Ben hesitated in front of the elevator, preparing himself for the upcoming ordeal.
He’d thought things out most of the previous night, and he had come to the conclusion that neither Piper nor he had been on their best behavior on Friday afternoon. She should have told him why she wanted to leave her job - that was basic professional etiquette… but he was man enough to admit that he should have asked, too.