Nancy sat at her desk at the office Monday morning.  She went over Robert’s schedule for the week several times, but still found conflicts.  She couldn’t concentrate; her mind was overrun with the drama during the week.  She was on her third week and already felt she needed a vacation.  “I shouldn’t have slept with him, I’m so dumb.”  She said as she dropped her head on the desk. 

“You’re kind of hard on yourself.”  Darren said from her office door. 

“How long were you standing there?”  Nancy said as she gathered her paperwork and gestured to Darren to have a seat.  She watched as he took the seat, he was dressed in an all black suit.  “Where are you on your way to?” 

“Nowhere just thought I’d dress the part today."  You like it?”

“I do, I do.  Wow, you look great in a suit!  You look totally look different.”  Nancy said.  Darren gave her a seductive look that made Nancy realize she was staring.  “What can I do for you?” 

“Nothing, I haven’t spoken to you in a long time.  Just thought we can have a little lunch together?” 

“Today?”

“Yes, today.”

“I can’t leave the office today, Darren.  I still haven’t figured out this week.  There are calls for me to return.  I appreciate it, I do.   But I don’t want this to back up on me anymore than it already is.  How about tomorrow huh?” 

“Okay, I’ll call you another week and give you time to ‘catch up’.”  Darren said as he rose from his seat. 

“Yes that would be nice.”  Nancy rose from her seat and walked around to hug Darren.  “Thanks for coming by.”  She said looking directly into his eyes. 

“It’s always my pleasure.”  Darren said he stood closer to her their faces about to touch. 

“Well I got to get back to work.” Nancy said as she stepped back.  Her attraction to Darren was obvious and Darren loved it. 

“Okay don’t work too hard.  I’m going to see boss man.  See if he wants to have lunch.  I don’t want to eat alone today.”  Darren said as he exited the office.

“Hey Darren!” Nancy called out. 

“Yes.”

“Whatever happened to Shaniqua?”

“We broke up, wasn’t working for me anymore.”

“I see.”

“Why do you ask?”  Darren asked with a wry smile.

“Nothing just asking.”

“I see. See you later.” He said as he walked down the hall towards Robert’s office.

“Later.”  Nancy said in almost a whisper.  “What am I thinking?  Robert and I are working things out.”  Nancy thought aloud.  “Robert and I are working it out.”  She repeated to herself.  “This is not going to end up well.”  She thought as she pulled out the planner and started the week again. 

Darren walked into Robert’s office.  Robert lay on his couch playing with his PSP.  “Wow.  Nancy is out there ripping out her hair trying to figure out your schedule and you are in here chillin’.” 

“Hey man she’s earning her check.  What’s up, what you been up to?”  Robert said as he rose from the chair to hug Darren.

“Nothing man, I came to ask your girl out to lunch so she’d know we were cool, but she going crazy over there.  When is she getting a new assistant?”

“She said she set up some interviews for next week.  Look Darren, I’m sorry for everything.  I shouldn’t have come at you like that.  I know you better.  I trust you.”

“That’s cool man, as sick as it sounds.  I didn’t care I understood.  Nancy is a beautiful girl.  Smart, and sexy…I’d beat the crap out of you myself.”  Darren said, as he looked over the awards Robert won over the years. 

“Yes you do have a sick way of thinking.  Because if it were me, I’d have you behind locked up.” 

“I’m sure you would have.  What are you getting into?  Want to grab something to eat?”

“What’s up man?”  Robert said feeling suspicious of Darren’s invite.  “You searching for company or something to do.  Where’s Shaniqua?”

“You people.  You guys seen me with her once and all of a sudden I’m married to this chick.” 

“Nah man, it’s just she seem hooked on you that night so I thought it was something solid.”

“Nah that ended.  I don’t see her anymore.  She wasn’t ready to grow up.  Right now in this point in my life I want someone that I can take places and not be embarrassed by them every time they opened their mouth.”

“Growing up I see.”  Robert dialed Nancy’s extension.

“Yes, sir.”  Nancy answered.

“When are you going to start calling me Robert?”

“I’ll call you that outside the office.  Is there something you need?  I’m elbows deep in paperwork here.”

“Just letting you know Darren and I are going out for lunch.”

“Oh so you’re calling me to show off?”

“No. Just letting you know sweetie.”  Robert answered.  “Do you want me to bring you back something?”

“Anything is fine.”  Nancy said before she released the call.  She blushed as she noted how sweet and thoughtful he could be sometimes. 

Karen sat on the terrace of the Cheese Cake Factory.  She sipped on some tea to settle her stomach as she waited for her sister to arrive.  Janet made her way over to her sister’s table.  Dressed in an orange suit with matching heels and her Versace sunglasses.  “Hey sweetie.  How you feeling?” She said in her country drawl.  Karen couldn’t stand how posh her sister was. 

“I’m fine, and you look just fine yourself.”

“Well honey you know I try.  So what is this all about? I haven’t heard from you in months.”

“Well I need some advise.  You’re so great at being the house wife of a rich man; I wanted you to help me become one.”

“So this is about Robert Phillips.  Girl he is a handsomely rich man.  Good choice.  That shouldn’t be hard for you, you guys spend so much time together.”

“Yeah well not anymore.  I quit.”

“You did what?  No you didn’t quit your job during these times, girl there are no jobs out there.  Go beg him for your job back!”

“Well I found out I’m pregnant and he says it’s not his.”

“Well is it?”

“Sure it is Janet!”

“So there is no doubt in your mind?”

“Well…”

“Girl you just found yourself knee deep haven’t you?  Well first you need to get your job back.  Out of sight out of mind.  Let him watch that belly grow and get what you can before a DNA test can be done.  At least you’ll know you’ll be okay for the time being.”

“I don’t want him for the money.  I love him.”

“What have I told you about love?  Men don’t think of Iove like we do.  They’re on a logical scale while we daydream about magic.  Oh but he’s gonna take care of you.  You know my husband’s a lawyer.  I’ll have him pay him a little visit.  Don’t worry he’ll be very professional; until then get your job back.  So many years with a company; you never really burn your bridges.”

“Yeah well my bridge is being blocked right now.  By the new administrative assistant.”

“Oh so there is another woman in the picture?  Robert is such a whore.”

“No he’s sweet and gentle.  A good man, that’s why I want him in my life.  You never seen the sides of him I’ve seen.  He is an awesome guy.”

“Well if you don’t get your head out the clouds and stop thinking Robert could do no wrong.  Your gonna finish last.  Now, I’m gonna have a nice juicy steak what about you?”

Robert and Darren found a nearby sports bar and ordered beers and a platter of wings.  “I don’t know what it is about her man.  She makes my heart skip a beat every time I see her.  You know what I’m talking about?”  Robert said with a goofy smile on his face. 

“Wow man I never thought I’d see you like this.  All love struck. I’m happy for you though.”  Darren said hiding his jealousy.  “Can’t wait until I find that.  How has it been so far?”

“Kind of rough actually.  Karen called and told me she’s pregnant.”

“How convenient.  What are you gonna do about it?”

“I was gonna do her in, but I changed my mind.”

“Do her in man, you crazy?”

“I know I thought about what I was about to do, she aint worth all of that.”

“Glad you know it.  Just get the DNA test once the baby is here.  It’s not like you can’t afford to take care of it.”

“I was thinking about Nancy.”  Robert replied before taking a swig of his beer. 

“Well the little I know about Nancy right now I know she will be okay with it.  She’s a caring person.”

“Yeah she is isn’t she?”  Just then Nancy walked up to them at the table.

“Gentlemen can I join you?”

“What are you doing out here?  I thought you had a lot to do.”  Robert said as he kissed her on her cheek instantly making her blush.

“I was thinking.  I finished this weeks schedule and everything else will fall into place.  I’m done with working myself to the bone unnecessarily.  Can I get a Budweiser please? Oh and make it a lite.”  Nancy told the waitress in passing. 

“Well I’m glad you see that relaxing is not so bad sometimes.”  Darren mentioned.

“I know it’s not. But sometimes I hate seeing things go wrong later on.”

“No matter what you do to make things go perfect, sometimes things go wrong, that’s what keeps life interesting.”  Robert said staring into her eyes with such intensity that Darren felt uncomfortable. 

“That was so the wrong time for that look.”  Nancy said loosing the tension that rose at the table.

“What?”  Robert said laughing. 

“That’s one thing we have to work on your timing. You’re always off.”  Nancy said as she accepted her beer.  Nancy loved it just the way it was in that moment.  No drama, just laughter.  But in the pit of her stomach she knew it wasn’t going to last long. 

She was proven right when Karen walked into her office the next morning.