The Payne In The Blog (Cake Love)

by Elizabeth Lynx

  "Oh my god I am so sorry. I ... I ... uh ... oh god." Dropping her gaze she quickly shuffles backward out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

  Oh shit!

  Chapter 19 - THE Beggar...

  Henrik is off of me faster than me finding the cake at a birthday party. I turn to see him lifting his zipper and adjusting himself. Oh, and he isn't looking at me. I push down my skirt and fix my bra and blouse. Still not looking at me.

  He sits back at his desk and turns on his computer. And yet, still no eye contact. Seriously? This man has issues.

  "You are just now figuring this out Morgana?" My Brain chimes in.

  "If you aren't going to help me Brain then I suggest you leave your snarky comments to yourself." I hear her huff and shove more popcorn in her squiggly mouth.

  "So, that's it? Like nothing happened, same as usual." I'm still standing beside his chair, the one he just turned away from me.

  "What do you want me to do Morgana? The head of HR just found us in a very compromising position. I'm going to get as much work done as I can before they come in here with a cardboard box and security guard and ask me to clear out my desk."

  He stops clicking away at his mouse and brings his hand up to his brow to wipe in frustration. Well if he's sacked so am I. Perhaps I can talk to Evaleen and save his job at least. No! Screw that. He's a millionaire, he'll be fine. I'm going to try to keep my job.

  "Fine. You sit there and accept defeat, but I'm going to at least attempt to save my job."

  I make my way around the desk and am just at the door when he stops me. His hand wraps around my arm halting my progress so I turn to face him and am shocked by what I see. He's nervous. I have never seen him this vulnerable before. Henrik expresses a cool and sometimes hostile confidence, but right now he is actually gnawing on his bottom lip. He looks ... cute.

  "Wait. Um ... how are you going to do that?"

  "Aww, Mr. Payne are you worried?" I bring my hand up to his lip and give a good tug. He smacks my hand away and groans at me.

  "Ms. Drake I'm not your puppy dog. And last I checked I'm still your boss so if you could please just answer the question."

  This is my stand now. I cross my arms in front of me and puff out my chest.

  "You are, well a moment ago you were, much more than my boss which is why we are in this predicament. If I may quote the great classic Raising Arizona: 'H.I., you're young and you got your health, what you want with a job?'"

  Mr. Payne's eyes widen and the biggest smile I have ever seen on him spreads across his face. I am afraid his face might break with the unusual expression.

  "I'll come with you. We will talk to her together." Henrik reaches for my hand knitting his fingers with mine. I cast my gaze down at them confused by his affectionate move. When I look back up his eyes have turned a deep ocean blue as his fingers come to my chin to tilt my face up. I realize he's about to kiss me and as much as I can't keep my eyes from his lips we need to focus on not losing our jobs. I put my hand to his chest and push.

  "Mr. Payne the only way we can even hope to keep our jobs is by talking to Ms. Bechmann and not making out."

  He peers into my eyes as if searching for something. A moment passes before he lets go of my hand and walks over to the door to open it.

  "After you Ms. Drake." Henrik waves his arm and I make my way to the hall.

  As we enter Evaleen's office I see her eyes pop up to meet mine, widen and then her head drops as if trying to hide.

  "I can see you Bechmann. There's no point in hiding."

  I take a seat on the other side of her desk as Mr. Payne sits in the one beside me. Evaleen gets up pointing to the door and walks toward it.

  "I'll just shut the door then."

  As she returns to her chair there is a long minute of silence. She flickers her gaze between me and Mr. Payne. Then more silence.

  "Ms. Bechmann, I would just like to say it was-"

  Evaleen holds up her hand stopping Mr. Payne instantly.

  "No. Don't try to tell me it wasn't what it looked like because that's a load of bull and you know it. It was very much what it looked like Payne. You had your hand down her shirt and your tongue on her neck. Was she choking and that is some new maneuver that I don't know about?"

  Evaleen squints and tilts her head to him as Mr. Payne starts running his fingers through his hair in frustration. The Spanish have the running of the bulls, Mr. Payne has the running of the fingers.

  "Fine. It was what you saw. It was completely my fault. I took advantage of my position so if you are going to fire anyone, fire me."

  I turn to stare at Henrik in amazement that he would so easily walk away from a job I know he loves as much as I would love to have his job. The old me would hop at this chance and make a beeline for his position. I'm no dummy, I understand an opportunity when I see one, but I know him now. In this moment my heart bleeds a little trying to grow to fit him inside. As much as I hate the hot/cold action he has been giving me lately, I can't stop how I feel for him.

  Oh no it's happened. I have become one of those douche people who stay on the telephone with someone and they go back and forth with "You hang up first. ... No you ... No you ... No ...Hello?" I will now do something that I never thought I would do in my life ... give up a job for someone else. I think I might need smelling salts after. "Morgana. Let's talk about this for a second. Don't do anything rash here." My Brain looks at me nervously.

  "It's okay Brain. I have always loved you despite our differences. Give my love to my heart and even my mouth, though I know she will be happy with my career suicide."

  "Mr. Payne didn't force me to do anything. You know I have wanted his job for a long time. I knew you would walk in looking for me Bechmann. I used my physical power of persuasion to get him in that situation. It's my fault. If you are going to fire anyone, ffff ... ffff ... fire me."

  I can't bring myself to look at Mr. Payne though I can feel his penetrating stare. Evaleen's mouth has dropped open and she has caught my blinking problem, apparently it's contagious.

  "Well, um ... okay. If that is true Drake then I need a minute alone with Payne and then I will see you. Just wait outside for a moment."

  I get up and I feel all the blood draining from me. Where it has gone, I don't know. I feel sick like I want to throw up, my ears are vibrating and my hands feel clammy. Time passes as I wait outside her office, how much time I couldn't tell you. Everything is a blur.

  I see Mr. Payne emerge and he looks pissed. He is so angry he isn't even squinting. His eyes bore into mine and I back up against the wall as he comes at me. Henrik grabs my arms a little too tightly as he places his face only inches from mine.

  "So you used me is that it? Just wanted my job. I should have known better. Everyone always wants something and they don't care who they step on along the way. Well, I hope you get exactly what you want and you are very happy all alone at the top because no one wants to be friends with a heartless bitch!"

  He lets go and walks away. I watch as he saunters off, unable to pry my eyes away from his body shrinking from distance. I slide down the wall until my ass hits the carpet. My eyes are burning and I feel the first warm tear drift slowly down my cheek. I bury my head in my hands to hide the tears, but more importantly, my pain from someone who might walk by.

  "You ready?" I hear Evaleen's voice come from beside me.

  Looking up I see the same sad smile she gave the first day I met her outside of Mr. Payne's office. Sighing I nod my head and she helps me to my feet. I follow her through the door to meet my fate.

  Chapter 20 - THE Leave...

  "I seduced him." I sit with my back straight, hands placed neatly on my knees staring straight into Evaleen's eyes. She smiles and shakes her head letting out a little laugh.

  "I don't believe you."

  "I did. I ... uh ... I knew you would be looking for me to go out for lunch and I did my sexy thing and you know how it goes. So there you are. Fire me." My explanation
is not going over well with Evaleen despite the complete logic of it. I sense my Brain pacing back and forth, screaming "NO" at me.

  "Sounds good Drake, but the thing is I know you and you like Payne. I don't understand WHY you like him, but you do. You aren't some money grubbing woman or cutthroat she-beast who will do anything to get to the top. I like you Drake because you are a hard worker and an honest person. The only thing I can't understand is why you are lying right now?"

  "I'm not lying."

  I'm lying. I'm crazy-tell-everyone-your-kid-is-stuck-in-a-weather-balloon-for-fame lying. I didn't know Evaleen would walk in on us. Actually I had totally forgotten about our lunch date. I wasn't exactly thinking of food at that moment.

  But watching Henrik throw everything he has worked over a decade for away, and knowing how truly valuable he is to this company I just couldn't have him losing his job over this. Oh, and also my stupid heart thought it was romantic or something. "Books are written about such things Morgana," my Heart moans, looking starry eyed out the window. "Yeah, but I haven't written a book, Heart, so where are the royalties to support me through this?" She shrugs her shoulder, "I don't know. Personal finance isn't my problem." Figures.

  Evaleen mumbles something under her breath and turns to her computer to start typing. After a minute I hear the printer perk up behind her and she walks over to grab the paper coming out. Finally she places the print out in front of me.

  "This is a statement of what you and Payne have told me about the incident. Please sign the bottom if you agree that it is accurate and true. Upon signing you as well as Payne will be put on leave without pay until an investigation can prove what you say is true."

  She is holding a pen out in front of me and my hands shake as I grab it. My eyes glance over the type on the page but I can't make out the words as my eyes blur from unshed tears and my head begins to throb. Nervously I sign and hand everything back to Evaleen.

  "Well, I guess this means no lunch then." I try to joke but my voice is shaky.

  "No, I have too much work to do now and I have to talk to the Mimir brothers about this. Mr. Payne has already left the building, so you can go and grab your things. Unfortunately you will need to leave immediately. Do you want me to walk out with you, Morgana?"

  Oh god she used my first name ... this is bad. Evaleen must really feel sorry for me.

  "No. I'm okay. I'll just grab the few things I have. My picture of my family, my porcelain cake statues and assorted dessert sprinkles. I think that's it."

  I rise, not as a twenty-nine-year-old woman who takes the challenges of life and seeks to conquer them, but as a defeated female slowly crashing and burning while feeling like she is living in a ninety-year-old body. Tottering out of her office, I make my way down the hall and notice Mr. Payne's door is open. Gathering my courage, what minuscule crumbs are left of it, I peek inside. It's like stepping back in time to that Friday over a week ago. The chairs are overturned and that poor plant, who never asked to be in Mr. Payne's office, is lying on its side, gasping its last ... whatever the opposite of "breath" is in photosynthesis.

  Walking over I lovingly try to put it straight. Regrettably it has taken so much abuse, the leaves are bent or broken off. The plant is a shell of its former self, so I sit beside it and hold its palm as it passes from this world.

  "Shh, little Planty. No need to cry, I'm here. I won't hurt you."

  My eyes begin to burn again as my cheeks prickle and before I know it a long sob takes over. By sob I mean ugly, snotty, wet cry. The word moist grosses me out, but it's in the English language for a reason. To describe my face at this moment; it is moist, red and puffy. I'm sure my mascara has added to the facial fail.

  I don't stop crying for quite a long time and I'm surprised security hasn't shown up to have me removed.

  "Morgana, what did you do now?" I hear Aria's voice coming from the door as I look up to see her moving toward me. She comes to sit beside me at my impromptu wake honoring the passing of both Planty and my career.

  "I fucked up Aria. Like stupid fucked up. I'm on leave without pay and will most likely be fired after the investigation. Also, Mr. Payne hates me. Hates me!"

  She is shaking her head in disbelief.

  "Wait? What? Investigation? Oh my God Morgana what happened? Evaleen called me to come get you, but she didn't say why."

  I sigh and tell her the whole story, even the spanking. She giggles at that and crinkles her nose. Methinks the lady hath not been spanked before. By the end she gives me a lopsided smile and shakes her head.

  "Oh Morgana ... do you know what the record is for most orgasms in an hour?"

  I shake my head, feeling my voice go hoarse after the day's events.

  "One hundred thirty-four orgasms in an hour by a woman. I think for a man it was sixteen."

  I keep staring off into the distance giving her no reaction to her data. Aria sighs and gets up, holding her hand out to me.

  "Come on let's go get some lunch, head home, and have a Coen Brother movie marathon."

  She helps me to my feet and we make our way to the door.

  "We can't forget the cake Aria. I need it to be dark like my mood, maybe chocolate ganache frosting."

  After gathering my things and heading out, we stop to get Chinese food -- and of course, cake -- on the way home. Once in our apartment I sit at the black granite breakfast bar, grab a fork and dig into the confection. No slices, just straight eat out of the box because emotionally that's where I am right now. I don't even want to think about how tomorrow I have to look for a job.

  Aria is sitting beside me observing me consume the chocolate frosted cake that says "Hippy Birthday Carl." in red icing. She opens her Chinese food container and digs her chopsticks inside, pulling out some lo mein.

  "You know what might help you, Morgana? Dating a guy."

  I stop with my fork in the air while chocolate crumbs fall off and turn to look at her.

  "I'm done with men, Aria. I just want to get some low level job where no one has to interact with me and I can start my life as a hermit."

  "I think in a few days or a few weeks you might like to go out with a guy who isn't your boss. Have a one-night stand to get over him."

  Ugg! I have no desire to sleep with some player just to get some.

  "No thanks, Aria. That's you, not me."

  Aria is fiddling with her cell phone while eating out of her carton. She pushes the phone toward me.

  "What about him? You may not want to fuck him but maybe we could all hang out, you see if you like him. How about it?"

  I grab her phone and take a better look at the picture. Holy crap the man is gorgeous. I can't quite tell from the photo how tall he is but he does have a lean athletic body as if he runs a lot. He is smiling in the photograph and his light brown hair shines while his slight beard gives him an edge. Wow, that man has a stunning smile.

  "Is he real?" I ask her wondering if she took a picture of an advertisement in a catalog.

  Aria laughs and nods, grabbing the phone she swipes at it before placing it back on the counter.

  "Of course he is. Look this is us at work. He's the owner of the club. I would have hooked up with him but he's my boss so you know." She cringes right after she speaks, realizing what has come out of her mouth.

  "Yeah, I am all too aware of how bad it is to hook up with a boss."

  "Sorry, I didn't mean you or what happened. I, just ... oh well, you know how I am, Morgana. I never want to see the guy again so it would be weird if I had to work with him every day. Ahh, this isn't coming out right. I'll just go back to eating." She shoves some noodles in her mouth staring at the carton.

  "It's fine, Aria. Even if I would be up for a date with him, who's to say he would be interested in me?"

  Shoving her hand into the air and pointing up she mumbles with the food still in her mouth.

  "One, he is single. Two, he is straight. Three, he's not blind. Look I'm working Friday night; stop on by for a few drinks.
You can meet him. If you don't hit it off then no big deal, all right?"

  I shrug my shoulders and take a few more bites of cake to ease my nerves about possibly meeting another man so soon after the Payne incident. No, you know what? I am not calling anything "incidents" anymore. I have far too many of them. Maybe if I trick my brain with a different word I will be less likely to have them. From here on out it will be known as the Payne Munting or the YouTube Munting or the Lap Face Plant Munting. If you don't know what munting is, I suggest you look it up, but be warned it isn't pretty. In fact you might vomit in your mouth, so maybe don't look it up.

  "Sure there is no harm in meeting your boss. I'll do it! Screw Mr. Payne and all the craziness that comes along with him. I deserve a hot guy who owns a bar or someone equally as good."

  And with that, my Brain quits her pacing and gets to work thinking about outfits. Heart limps back to the window and sighs, staring out into an inky and starless night, wordlessly mumbling that nothing could be worse, not even Tiffany.

  Chapter 21 - THE Club...

  It is Friday night and I don't feel that much better than I did three days ago when the Payne Munting occurred. The loud thumping techno music and flashing lights in the dark room add to my apprehension. Never having been to this club where Aria has worked for a year I look around nervously until I spot her waving at me from behind the bar.

  I saddle up to a stool. Oh, I always wanted to write that. Like I live in nineteenth century Oklahoma and it's a dusty hot day. When the barkeep yells, "What's your poison?" I give my worn cowboy hat a flick, wiping my brow with my kerchief (old school) and in a raspy but firm voice call out, "Sarsaparilla.".

  Of course this place is the exact opposite of an old western bar but I choose to walk with a wide gate and hook my thumbs in my belt loops anyway. I ease onto the stool and give Aria a knowing nod. She creases her brow while wiping down a glass.