Joyce needed to go so bad. All three in the ladies’ section were occupied. She listened, watched out for any signs that someone was inside, then tiptoed into the gents’ side. The urinals came first, then three doors followed. She picked the first one, the one closest to the door, so that she could leave quickly.
As she was about to leave, a group of gents got it. She could hear the splashes in the urinal, the loud banter and laughter, and someone was at the sink. “They can’t know I’m in here alone,” she thought. “Maybe they could hurt me, and people will ask why I was even in the gents’ washroom. Or maybe I’ll walk in on one of them going about their business, and they’ll think I’m a perv. But, no, I’ve worked with these people, so maybe they’ll just understand. But how do I know these are people from our office? We share washrooms with three other businesses in this building.” So Joyce stayed inside the toilet.
“Have you heard there’s a huge project coming up?” One voice said.
“My review is in a few weeks; it would really help if I were part of such a project,” said another.
“Victor, what’s the big boss saying? We’re not all servicing the boss lady,” said the first voice.
They all burst out laughing.
“No, seriously, Victor, please si you put in a good word for me,” one of them told him.
“It’s a really competitive one. Lucy couldn’t tell me the details, but I looked through her work computer, and even the seniors are fighting to get into it,” Victor told them.
They headed out of the washrooms as they teased Victor, who bragged about dating Lucy.
Joyce quickly came out of the toilet cubicle before anybody else came in. She passed by Lucy’s office, and when Lucy saw her, she called her.
“Hey Joyce, I’m glad I’ve seen you passing by,” Lucy said. Lucy was one of the managers. “So I’m sure you’ve heard rumours that we have a huge project coming up, and I want you to be part of it. I know how hard it can be for women to get ahead in this field, so I like to pass down the ladder to some of the women with great potential that I cross paths with whenever I can,” she told Joyce.
The day was turning out to be more eventful for Joyce than she had expected. She had always liked Lucy, though she didn’t think she even noticed her that much, and she’d felt bad about what the gents had said about her, but now, with the opportunity Lucy had offered, she wondered what to do about it. She wished she had recorded it.
********************
The office was busy, and the project details were shared with the rest of the team. The team chosen for the project was made public. The two gents with Victor earlier waited with bated breath, hoping they’d been picked. Victor assumed Lucy would have included him in the project because of their relationship. None of the three was part of the project.
“Why would you do that to me?” Victor texted Lucy.
“What are you talking about?” Lucy asked him.
“The project,” Victor replied.
Lucy did not respond. They were to meet up for dinner at Lucy’s place later in the evening. Victor arrived angry. Lucy was confused. She’d ordered takeout, so she took out plates.
“I don’t understand what you’re angry about,” Lucy told him.
“It’s embarrassing that I am dating you and you didn’t include me in such a huge project,” Victor said.
“Embarrassing? I told you this is a huge deal for the company, and I have very little influence in this one. Wait, and even if I had influence, I told you when we started hooking up that at the office I am still your boss and I can’t favour you because of our personal interactions,” Lucy told him.
“I thought you wanted me to succeed. Or maybe you like feeling in charge,” said Victor.
“I’m sorry, what? Did you think you would get the opportunity because we’re hooking up? You know what that’s called? Sleeping your way to the top,” Lucy told him.
“Wouldn’t you expect the same if I were your boss?” Victor said.
“Oh, is that what this has been about?” Lucy asked.
“No. But…”
“Victor, leave my house,” Lucy told him.
She finally got him to leave after minutes of him trying to redeem himself. Lucy was disappointed. Her career success had made it difficult for her to date. With Victor, it had felt different for a while. He was two years younger, but he had sounded like he understood her and her needs. She’d even started entertaining the idea of taking the relationship more seriously until the discussion they had just had.
Lucy woke up the following day feeling confused about the Victor situation, yet she had to interact with him at work and treat him like everyone else under her authority. The office was busy, and the demands of the new project kept Lucy from thinking about Victor.
****************************************
Days passed by without them talking to each other. Then, a week later, Lucy and the team working on the new project, including Joyce, went out for dinner after a long day. After enjoying their meal, some were left behind, having a few drinks. Lucy and Joyce were among those who were left. They’d also become a bit close while working together.
Then Victor tried calling Lucy. She ignored it. He sent her many texts. Lucy’s mood changed.
“Are you okay?” Joyce asked her.
“Boy drama,” said Lucy as she rolled her eyes.
They went on to have a little chat about relationships. Lucy told Joyce about her experience, trying to prepare her for possible scenarios. Joyce had already struggled to maintain romantic relationships because she prioritized work, so she had her own experiences to share, too.
They asked for a final round of drinks. Victor called again. Lucy declined the call.
“I don’t want to talk to this one,” she said.
“I guess he hasn’t gotten over you not including him in the project,” Joyce remarked.
Immediately, the words left her mouth; she knew she’d crossed a line. Lucy looked surprised. They had a brief, awkward moment of silence, then Joyce told her about what she’d overheard in the men’s washrooms. Lucy already suspected Victor’s intentions after their last conversation, but hearing this from Joyce took the air out of her lungs.
She wasn’t going to fall apart in front of Joyce, so she worked her way to saying she needed to go home. She didn’t leave Joyce without giving her some advice about not dating her juniors. “Maybe don’t even date someone in the same company,” she added.
Lucy got home feeling angry, embarrassed, and hurt. She wondered what else Victor had been telling his peers. Then she got back to being angry at herself for having ever dated Victor against her better judgment. She didn’t know whether there would be any consequences at work, but she was sure that she was done with Victor.
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Office Drama – I’m Falling In Love With My Coworker But I Have A Wife And Kids Part 2
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