Abstinence

Chapter 2.

When his mother walked out of the office with tears streaming down her face while adjusting her white dress, Hayden frowned but walked in after her and closed the door behind him.

"What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" Are his father's first words when he finally takes notice of Hayden's presence in the room.

Hayden swallowed hard not uttering a single word and handed his father the stack of envelopes in his hand. He tried to keep his focus on his father's face as he ripped through every acceptance letter but Hayden's attention was on everything else in the room.

He noticed the papers and the office supplies were carelessly swiped off of the desk, resting all over the floor. He noticed his father's desk was on an angle when it was usually straight. He noticed his father's khaki shorts were slightly unzipped. He noticed something white on his desk that was slowly dripping into a puddle on the floor. He noticed a pair of torn—practically shredded—underwear on the floor that he assumed belonged to his mother.

"What have you done to her?" Hayden speaks his thoughts in a quiet whisper.

But his father seemed to hear every word, loud and clear. His eyes shoot up at him from previously looking at the paper, "What the fuck did you just say to me?"

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It's Monday morning, I go back to work today and I have to face Dr. James and Dr. Reece. Dr. Horgan too, but she isn't as intrusive as the other two. I woke up this morning unsure if I should be upset that Hayden isn't here or if I should be excited that I was going to be getting my own office at work today.

I still haven't decided, but I do know I'm happy about one thing, I will be able to visit Hayden tomorrow. I will have to ask Dr. James for the morning off, so I can go see him.

"Are you ready Miss Greene?" Geoff asked as I grabbed my lunch off of the table.

"Yes." I answer following him out to my car parked in the front. The radio was playing softly in the car on the drive to Starbucks for Dr. James coffee, then to the office. I bid farewell to Geoff before going inside of the building riding the elevator to the correct floor.

There was a strawberry blonde sat at the desk, her hair in a bun, glasses sliding off of her face as she stares at the computer screen. I stand in front of the desk as she adjust her glasses and I meet with the gray eyes I met once before. It's Jessica, Jake's girlfriend.

I swear I'm being punished for something that I did.

Whatever it is that I did I swear I'm sorry.

I slept with her boyfriend while I was drunk and now I have to work with her every day, Monday through Thursday, from eight in the morning until five at night.

"Oh my god, Alice?" She is confused yet surprised to see me here. I wonder if Jake told her about what we did. If he did, her reaction would be more of an 'ugh Alice', right?

"Hi Jessica." I was nervous as I spoke with her but I tried not to show it.

"You come here?" She asked.

"I work here." I correct her.

"Oh well, it seems as we will be working together now." There was no trace of distaste or hatred in her voice. Which means that Jake didn't tell her. He knew himself that I wasn't going to leave Hayden to be with him. "I heard about what happened with your boyfriend. I'm sorry about that."

"Thanks." I give her a small smile and walk into Dr. James office. He was already sipping something from a Starbucks cup but makes a bitter face as he puts it down. "Good morning Dr. James."