My Boss & Me

The Kiss

It had been almost a week since the night Markus took me home, and yes, I was still a little angry. We didn't talk much unless it was about work, not that I minded. I just worked and avoided conversation at all costs, even if it meant mentioning an appointment that I knew wasn't until three hours later.

He'd started the week off trying to explain to me what he meant that night, but each time I'd change the subject or just pretend I didn't hear him enough for him too. I didn't want his explanation; I didn't want anything from him except a paycheck.

The phone rang, I answered. It was his mother again. For the past two days, he had forced me to cancel lunch with her. Now I don't know about you or most people, but I find it extremely disrespectful to ignore your mom and not spend time with her. So I did exactly what he accused me of; I told her that he'd love lunch, but she should bring him lunch since he was so busy.

I did a bad thing, and I didn't regret it until now. I can see his face as he's looking through his window, staring at his mom, who was standing over me as I sat at my desk dialing for his office. He looked like he was angry, terrified, and on the verge of tears all at once. Was his mom really that intolerable? He didn't answer the first three times, but this time she saw him, so he couldn't pretend he'd left the office, and I didn't notice.

"What did I tell you about my mother."

"She's here for lunch. She brought Chinese, your favorite."

"That isn't my favorite. Make her leave!"

"I can't. You are free until 3, and she already saw it in my calendar." I said this lower so she couldn't hear because now she was in front of his office trying to see him through the window.

"We will talk about this later. Just let her in." He hung up, and from here, I could hear that it wasn't a friendly hangup.

I stood from my desk and gave her a smile as I opened the door for her. She thanked me, and I closed the door behind her. Again I did a bad thing. It was kind of worth it, but only a little.

***

His mom spent a whole half an hour in his office before leaving in a fuss. She didn't look at me as she left, but I could tell there was a fight. I guess what I did was a bad idea. I wonder what happened?

"Janice!" I flinched; I'd never heard anyone yell my name so forcefully unless it was my parents, but that was even rare. I slowly made my way to his office and closed the door behind me. I didn't move away from the door. I didn't want to be too close when he exploded.

"I told you to cancel my lunches with my mother, not invite her here of all places! Why? Why would you do that?! You had no right to meddle! Your job is to do what I tell you and keep me organized! That's it!" he went silent. I wasn't sure if he was waiting for me to speak or if he was taking a breath to calm down, but I didn't want to take the chance.

"Don't you have anything to say?" He said, a little calmer than before but still angry.

"I'm sorry. I was angry, and I acted rashly and stupidly. You accused me of doing it anyway!"

"That wasn't what I meant, and if you'd have let me explain, you would know that!" He threw his hands in the air.

"You meant it exactly how I took it! There's no other way to take something like that! Maybe it isn't what you wanted to say, but you still said it!"

"Look, I'm not going to argue with you about what I meant or didn't mean. I know what I mean, and if it didn't come out that way...well, I apologize."

"I'm sorry too. Ambushing you with your mom wasn't OK. She can't be that bad, right?"

He just gave me a smirk and chuckled. "You barely know her. You'll see. Once you've worked here long enough, you'll be happy to cancel for me."

I nodded. Maybe he was right. I don't know her, but I can't see how a mom can be that horrible. He waved his hand, indicating that I could go, and I did.

***

For almost five days, he was the one angry at me. He barely looked at me or talk to me, and when he did respond to something, it wasn't verbal. I either got a grunt, a head nod, or just a dismissal hand wave. I kind of felt crappy. I even tried to apologize again and again, but I got nothing; finally, I gave up. I just let things happen, maybe he'd forget and forgive, or maybe he'd decided he was tired of ignoring me and fire me.

I don't deal with being ignored very well. I mean, no one does, but I really don't. It stresses me out, and I just obsess over what the other person must think of me. Usually, I'm an idiot, but this time I actually kind of deserve to be ignored.

I dreaded going to work this morning. I was tired of being ignored, and I don't think I can take another day of it. I walked past security, showed them my badge, and stepped into the elevator just before the doors moved to cause them to open again. My luck Markus was the only other person in the elevator.

I tried to ignore him just as he did me, but I couldn't. "How long am I going to get the silent treatment? You can't nonverbally talk to me forever. I said I was sorry!"

He just looked at me, blinked, and turned his attention away from me. That's it. I'm done with this! I hit the emergency stop button and stood in front of it so he couldn't press it again.

"You are acting like a child! I didn't take your toy and break it, and I didn't kick a puppy. All I did was make you have lunch with your mother, and I get you don't want to, but how about you just tell her that instead of forcing me to make up excuses that we all know are lies?!" I yelled.

I yelled at my boss again. Why do I keep doing that? It's like he's pushing my buttons until I do, and I'm really getting sick of it. OK, now I'm mad at him for making me yell at him... What is wrong with me?

He moved quickly, so fast I didn't realize what happened until it was happening. One hand was wrapped around my waist, pulling me towards him, and the other was on my cheek, pulling my face towards his. I froze. I felt his warm lips touch mine, and my lips parted, inviting him to continue.

My mind was yelling at me to stop the kiss, but at the same time, I wanted it to keep happening. My arms snaked their way around his neck, and the kiss deepened. Our tongues danced with each other. It was just like the first night but not as drunken. It was perfect. My spine had chills, and my stomach butterflies.

"Is everything alright?"

A man's voice asked, forcing us to separate, confused. Though I wasn't sure what we were more confused about, the kiss or the voice.

He cleared his throat, "Yes. My secretary just bumped the emergency stop by mistake. Sorry." He responded and reached around me to hit the button again.

"Yes, sir. Just try to steer clear of that." The voice said then it was silent except for the dinging of the elevator as it counted the floors.

I licked my lips and fixed my hair and clothes awkwardly. Neither of us spoke, not knowing what to say. What was that? Why? Was it because I yelled at him? I suppose no one has ever done that, but why would that cause him to kiss me and like that. Did he just want to get it out of his system?

The elevator dinged one last time, stopping at our floor. Before the door opened, he finally spoke, "That cannot happen again." I nodded in agreement, even if I didn't.

The elevator door opened, and he stepped out with me at his heels as if nothing happened.