“Something wrong?” he asked I just shook my head. Ass! We had delicious dinner and delicious wine. I was thankful for all those years of eating and dinning with my bosses because I’d learned my forks and spoons perfectly. I was drilled by everyone in the table at some point. I think they were curious about the assistant that had yet to cry in front of everyone. They were all perfectly nice and I liked them all. Some were more open, like Patrick’s mom or Stacy’s father, and some others were the quiet kind, like Patrick’s father or Stacy’s brother, but they all were nice to me.
By the time the dessert was on our table Patrick stood up and announced that he was going to say hi to someone he knew. A second later Stacy moved to his seat next to me. I guess she’d figured her real date was me and she seemed to prefer that.
“This chocolate cake is delicious,” she said licking the spoon.
“Stacy, not very ladylike,” her mother said shaking her head. She giggled and put down the spoon on her plate.
“It’s delicious,” I said.
“I didn’t want this,” she said, her face turning serious.
“What do you mean?” I asked. I, somehow, knew it was about Patrick, “Come with him,” She shrugged, “Our moms wanted this. Seems they can’t get that he doesn’t like me,” “Oh, I don’t think that’s the case, Stacy,” I lied, but really, it was so true it was heartbreaking.
“You don’t have to lie,” Oh. “I know he doesn’t like me but I’ve made my peace with that. Our mothers not so much,” She gave a broken smile.
“Have you always liked him?” I was curious.
“Yes. Now less than 10 years ago. I was completely in love with him but he never showed any kind of interest towards me, instead, he slept around with all my friends,” she shrugged once more and licked her spoon again.
“What an ass,” I said out loud and she giggled.
“In his defense he didn’t know how I felt. I was very good at hiding it. We were best friends but then, one day I couldn’t take it anymore and I told him how I felt. That’s when everything changed. We drifted apart and we only see each other in events like this one or at family parties or weddings or…. You get the idea,” she said looking at me. Why was she telling me all this?
“Why are you telling me all this?” seemed I had to replace my thoughts filter.
“I like you…you don’t take his shit and I’ve seen the looks you are giving me, like I’m a wounded puppy,” She gave me a wide smile.
“I’m sorry,” I said embarrassed and looking at my hands on my lap.
“Don’t be. At least I have someone to talk to right?” I nodded and we kept on talking about whatever crossed Stacy’s mind. I was right, she was a great girl. When Patrick came back Stacy asked him to sit next to her so we could keep chatting. When we left Stacy rode in the limo next to me, leaving Patrick all by himself. He gave me horrible looks but really, I was doing a great job at being a third wheel now, I’d managed to become friends with Stacy.
“Good night, Patrick,” said Stacy once we were at her place.
“Night, Lucy, I’ll give you a call for lunch,” She said before stepping out of the limo and walked, alone, towards the door.
“Lunch?” asked Patrick raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, Lunch. Seems that there’ll be a second date,” I said with humor in my voice. Patrick couldn’t help it and laughed at my comment while shaking his head.
“What the fuck happened tonight?” he said in between laughs.
“I was a great third wheel,” I said smiling.
“Yes, you were,” he smiled back.
“You are an asshole, Patrick,” I said once he turned his look to the street outside, “Hey! I think that’s too much informality with your boss,” He said frowning.
“You are, Patrick. Stacy told me everything and for your information, she didn’t want to go to the gala with you, your mothers were the ones that wanted you two to go together,” I crossed my arms. His face softened and looked back at the street.
“You are right, I’m an asshole. But what was I supposed to do? She was my best friend! If we kept being friends I would only have hurt her more, right?” Oh! That was Patrick’s weird version of protecting someone: turning into an asshole!
“You said I was going to become your only female friend in the world,” I said feeling bad for him too.
“She is not my friend anymore, Lucinda,” He kept on staring out the window.
“Do you miss her?” I asked him. Maybe, just maybe they could be friends again.
“No, we are two different people from the ones we were 10 years ago. We’ve changed and from what I see, we are not compatible anymore.”
“I didn’t ask you if you want to marry her,” I said rolling my eyes, he laughed.
“I know,” and he went back on staring the street.
We got home at around 1:00 am; Patrick felt like having something to eat since he had hated the food, as always. So, cooking in a dress was a new experience for me.
“Have you decided?” I asked leaning against the kitchen counter while Patrick went through the blessed binder.
“No… I feel like having some kind of sandwich but I don’t know which one,” He said while reading the recipes.
“I’m getting rid of these,” I said taking my shoes off and Patrick looked up and nodded.
“I don’t know how you women can walk in those,” He shook his head.
“They do suck after a while but they are so pretty.” I said holding them for him to see. He smiled.
“Oh they are pretty indeed,” he said with a tone that let me know that he liked women in high heels. “I just don’t know how can you walk around in them,” he continued. “This one,” He said pointing at the binder, “I want this sandwich.” I grabbed the binder and turned out he wanted a simple grilled cheese. We could have been out of that kitchen 20 minutes ago if he had said so. I fixed it and he ate it in the kitchen.
“Hmm, love it,” he said after the first bite.
“Good,” I nodded and sat on the kitchen floor while he ate. I was too tired to sit on a stool on my evening gown. He looked down and joined me in the floor.
“Comfy,” He said smiling and giving another bite to his sandwich.
“I know,” I smiled.
“Thank you,” he said looking serious all of a sudden.
“It’s just a sandwich, Patrick,” I laughed and shook my head.
“Not for the sandwich, although it’s superb. I meant to thank you for dealing with Stacy.”
“Stacy is not something you have to deal with, Patrick,” I said looking at him sitting next to me. He shrugged.
“I know. It’s just that I have no idea what to say or how to make things less awkward,”
“You are making them awkward, Patrick. She’s moved on, you know?” I turned around so I was facing him completely. “I can tell that you cared about her at some point,”
“Of course I did,” He gave another bite to his sandwich and said, “she was my best friend, Lucinda ,and all of a sudden she is all I love you, Patrick. What kind of shit was that?” He shook his head.
“Oh My God, Patrick. You are annoyed that she fell in love with you,” I laughed out loud. “Can’t believe it, you managed to make this about yourself.” I was laughing hysterically by this point and he was looking at me weird. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I said grabbing my stomach, until it hurt from laughing so hard, “I think I’m sleep deprived.” He looked at me and laughed out loud which sent me laughing again. We were probably laughing during 5 minutes straight until we ran out of air.
“Seriously, Patrick, shut up or I am going to pee myself,” I said trying to take big breaths.
“Man, I hadn’t laughed this hard in a long long time,” He said wiping a few tears from his eyes.
“I didn’t know I could laugh this much,” I said finally breathing normally. “I’m serious,” I said in a somber tone, “I think I’d never laughed like this before,” suddenly my r
ed dress seemed very interesting.
“Well, now you have, and I see no reason to stop, do you?” He asked, looking for my face with his eyes. I looked up, smiled and said no. “Good,” he said smiling, “Because I like laughing with you,” that simple line was about to turn into an awkward silence. I knew awkward silences, I was the master of them; I created them to make employees uncomfortable on certain situations, I had to fix that.
“Well, If you are done here I think I am going to bed,” trying to get up from the floor in quick, dignified way in a evening gown wasn’t easy but I managed with a little help from Patrick.
“Yeah, long night,” He said leaving his plate on the sink.
“Patrick, you didn’t send tomorrow’s schedule and I have nothing on the calendar,” I said looking him directly in the eye. Awkward moment was gone and now we were back to that comfortable place I liked so much.
“Oh right! I forgot to tell you, don’t hate me Lucinda,” I gave him a look that implied that I may hate him, depending on the information he was about to deliver. “Tomorrow is your day off.” What? Day off? What was that?
“Day off?” I asked weirded out. How was Patrick going to survive without me, “Yes, there’s nothing programmed and I need to work a bit so I’m staying home all day long,” “Yeah, I know but… how are you going to survive?” I asked seriously, “Oh, Brian is coming,” he said and went on laughing which sent me laughing again.
“Ok no, STOP,” I said containing my laughter, “I can’t keep on laughing, this should qualify as a workout,” I said grabbing my stomach.
“I know,” he said as we both walked out the office “But seriously, Lucinda, you don’t have to be here tomorrow, do whatever you want.”
“Thank you,” I said and smiled, “Good night.”
“Good Night,” we both said in foyer at the bottom of the stairs and then went separate ways. What was I supposed to do on my day off; I had to call Nick to see if he was in town if he wasn’t then I was going to lounge all day long at the pool house. Pool! Maybe I could swim a little!
Once in my bedroom I looked at the clock and saw it was 2 in the morning, it was a Friday night, Nick was definitely up. I was going to call him.
Four
“Sugar,” I heard Nick’s drunk voice.
“Hello, Nicholas,” I said through the speaker phone while changing into my Pjs.
“How are you my dear?” I smiled and sat on my bed while brushing my hair.
“I’m good, coming back from a gala, tired,” I said thinking about how it had been a long Friday.
“Uh, a gala! How’s Maynard treating you, babe?” Babe? He was definitely drunk.
“He is a great guy, Nick. Are you home?” I asked smiling to myself I missed him, I had gotten used to seeing him often in the months when I was unemployed.
“Nope,” he said and I heard a couple of girls in the back.
“Not right now, idiot, I meant home Philadelphia.”
“Nope, I’m in Vegas, baby,” man, he was drunk, “why? Want to hang out?”
“Well I have a day off tomorrow so I thought I might spend it with my only friend,” I heard him sigh.
“Oh no! Sugar! I’m getting on a plane right now.”
“Don’t be an idiot, go and get laid like every single night and we’ll hang out next weekend.”
“Are you sure?” I could bet my soul that he was pouting.
“I am sure. Now go and get her,” I said smiling.
“You are the best,” And he was gone. He really was drunk and now I was going to spend my day off alone, locked inside a pool house. I guess I could go to my hous,e but what for? I would just do the exact same thing and I would still have to drive all the way back.
I had a depressing life.
And I really did; I spent my entire day off working. I did get up late, which was amazing but other than that, and the fact that I didn’t wear heels, I worked all day long. I attended to Patrick’s and Brian’s every need because, in the end, Brian was another man that was used to getting his needs attended. I did eat with Sarah and Miranda and it was delicious, as always. In the end, I didn’t have a day off. Not then and not for the next months. Things got hectic at the Maynard residence and I didn’t get to hear the words, “Day off,” coming from Patrick’s mouth again, at least not directed at me. But, by then, I could finally say that my life had changed. The months had gone by and people were no longer waiting for me to mess up or cry in Patrick’s office. I was in charge of everything in Patrick’s life including his schedule and even firing people was part of my job since Brian was some chicken shit that decided that I could help him in that area since I had the experience. Bullshit! He just didn't want to do it, no one likes firing people but someone’s got to do it, and in May, Inc it was me.
Employees didn’t like when I appeared in their offices. The midnight munchies had increased considerably in the past months since Patrick began working very late into the night trying to finish the details in some deals he needed to close by the end of the year and since winter was approaching fast, so he was very stressed; that meant more work for me in every single area. In the office I ran around much more than I did that first week or even month, I flew to New York almost every day and gave orders to everyone on behalf of Patrick; he was too busy for that. At home I was called into his office to help him get help him get unstuck every single night, maybe twice; I made midnight munchies almost every night. I was sleeping no more than 5 hours a night and I was getting used to it.
Despite all his stress, Patrick didn’t stop having a personal life; it was not one that I encouraged but he did have one. It seemed that stress was linked to getting laid, maybe, just maybe, it releases it; I honestly would not know but I had to pay the price, I cleaned up after his mess or his night conquests you could say. It was disgusting and really low to send his personal assistant, that’s me, to tell them in the middle of the night that he had so much work to do, not a lie, and needed to be away from any distractions. Of course, I would say it in a way that they thought Patrick was so distracted by them that they were affecting his job; most of them left feeling flattered and with a little hate towards me.
Meanwhile, I remained sexless, thank you very much.
“Patrick, you have to get inside that brain of yours that you are not Tony Stark,” I screamed after closing the door behind the girl, or flavor, of the night. I had already arranged for her to be taken home and Patrick was at the top of the stairs and grinning only in his PJ pants.
“You are my Pepper Potts, Lucinda.”
“Ugh! I hate you so much,” I screamed as I threw to him his t-shirt. I had taken it from Miss Bimbo after she had changed into the clothes she originally wore for the night. The shirt hit him square in the face and he laughed out loud. He was amused at my rage attack. He picked it up from the floor and put it on while walking down the stairs.
“C’mon Pepper, I’ll let you make me something to eat,” he was smiling widely something that lately was not very common due to all the stress he was on. I couldn’t help but shake my head and laugh at his new nickname for me; at least I was not Miss Stuart to him. Sadly I had not stopped being Miss Stuart, everyone called me that and I hated every second of it.
“You know, Patrick,” I said as we walked into the kitchen, he had his arm around my shoulders and I looked up, “for once you should be the one cooking, after all, it’s 4 in the freaking morning and I just got rid of Bimbo #4,” I was just talking about that week. I was thankful that it was a Friday; Patrick rarely brought girls during a weekend.
“Ok, I’ll make the midnight munchies today,” he said clapping and rubbing his hands; I laughed out loud but then I realized he was serious about it.
“Patrick, you don’t even know what type of cheese you like,” I said sitting down on a stool and looked at him while he took down the binder.
“You are right, though, you deserve to have your midnight munchies cooked. Besides, Pepper, you need to rest, you loo
k like crap.” In the past months we had gotten very comfortable around each other; after all I had to take care of really personal crap for him.
“Gee, thanks, Patrick,” I said while trying to smooth my hair and checked my pj's. “Is 'Pepper' going to be a permanent nickname?” I asked. He was looking at his options on the binder and stopped for a second as if he was considering my question.
“Yes, I believe it’s,” He said and grinned. I just shook my head, there was no point on telling him no.
Patrick did try to make a sandwich but it was impossible for him to understand how to operate anything in the kitchen so, and since he insisted on making the midnight munchies, he made cereal with me guiding every step of the way since he didn’t know where the cereal was or where the bowls were kept. We grabbed our bowls and sat on the floor, it had become a regular place for us to end our evening, him eating whatever I prepared and me yawning until he was done. This time it was different, we both were eating.
“So, where do you find these girls, Patrick?” I asked as I took a mouthful of cereal.
He shrugged while chewing, “They are girls I’ve… met in the past so I just call them and ask them if they feel like having a good time.”
“So you have a little black book,” I said looking at him.
“Yeah I do. You should be in charge of that too,” He said wide eyed like he just had a bit of a revelation.
“Nope, I draw the line at booty calls,” I said and He laughed.
“Have you ever had a serious relationship, Patrick?” I asked “Yes, I have. You?” He said while chewing his last pieces of cereal.
“Depends on what you define as serious,” I said shrugging; I wanted to avoid the relationship thing. I really was a loser in that area.
“More than 6 months,” he said and looked at me curious of what my answer would be, “Then nope,” suddenly the kitchen floor seemed very interesting and my eyes were glued to it.
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