The Married Man | joshler

[thirteen]

i can't believe i just confessed my love for josh like that. it was in the heat of the moment.

how am i going to go to work tomorrow after a night like this?

***

as i'm pacing the halls, i hope i don't run into josh, but at the same time i hope he comes out and tells me he feels the same way about me.

walking quickly to my office, mindy stops me. "mr. joseph, your father wants to see you in his office."
oh shit somethings wrong.

***

"you wanted to meet with me dad?" he turns around, "yes, it's discussing the budget of the company."
"well the budget is perfectly fine."

"so then you won't mind explaining why in the past year you've had over a handful of assistants, that've all quit and tried to sue us costing us revenue?"

"i-i can explain-"
"no tyler, no. i need you to fire your current assistant, joshua dun."

***

he's going to think i'm doing the to get back at him. i don't want the person i love to be angry with me.
i don't want to do this, but i have no choice.
it's what my dad wants.

***

"what! you can't possibly be serious!" he shouts at me, and i wish i wasn't.

"i'm sorry but due to recently done budget cuts, i have no choice but to let you go josh."

"recently done budget cuts my ass! you're just going this to get back at me!" but i'm not, and i'm sorry.

"i don't know what you're talking about joshua, but if you could collect your stuff and be out of here without the help of security in the next ten minutes, that would be fantastic."

josh storms out, and god, i'm such an ass.

my dad sees me as a powerful CEO, but i'll never be what he sees inside.

***

i have to get to josh before he slips out of hands forever.

he's still he, i clear my throat and get his attention.

"what come to kick me in the stomach? you've already thrown me to the ground."

i look down and then back up.

"i-i just wanted to say goodbye." before i lose you forever.
"no. no you don't get to say goodbye."
i feel a pang in my chest and i huff.

"so this is it? this is how it ends then?"
i say defeated.

josh ignores me and pushes the button.
no, i'm not going to lose him.

"josh." i say but it comes out almost like a whisper.

"mr. joseph."

i've lost him.