Living Alone Together - Chapter Three
Two separate lives are lived side by side.
William wandered through the city trying to figure out what to do. A blind date definitely would have filled up his hours but he'd be dead tired from trying to keep up pretenses. Driving around the city didn't help. It just tired him out and made him more restless.
Driving along his old neighborhood, he was stopped at a red light. He took a moment to look around at the things that had changed, the new developments and then finally at the people crossing before him. He locked onto a familiar face. Her smile made his head fuzzy. His eyes roamed from head to toe, and noted she was holding onto a little boy's hand. Oh.
The happy oblivious little boy looked about five years old. It would figure, she started out a bit on the pudgy side. Not liking where his thoughts drifted, he sped away before the car behind him had the chance to honk at his delay.
He really didn't know much about his assistant of four years.
Should he?
He didn't really think she lived a life of a hermit, did he?
She wasn't exactly the mouse-like girl. But she wasn't exactly the party-girl.
Maybe it was wrong to put labels on women or even categorize them. But heck, he thought, it seemed easier to figure them out that way.
For a year after Trisha resigned, he had gone through many temps before Human Resources stepped in and hired Aislinn. The somewhat pudgy cheeked woman who took over, minded her own business and did only what she was told.
A few months later, he heard through the gossip mill that Trisha married one of the chairmen from a prestigious Law Firm. It broke his heart, but instead of wasting away, he poured all his energy into work and strove to make a name for himself and his advertising agency.
He drove not only himself but Aislinn pretty hard with the amounts of proposals, presentations and meetings. Careful to keep her and any other woman out of his personal reach, he insisted no one was permitted to work over time hours. All work was to be done within business hours.
Now, four years later, his strict rules had worn down to dust. But even so, Aislinn rarely had to work overtime because of how efficiently she managed her time during office hours.
They had their moments when they'd play on each others nerves, and it made him fond of her. She learned to dress in prettier clothes, her pudginess and puffy cheeks toned down and she learned to laugh at his stupidity.
All these years, and no hint that she had a little boy, or even a life outside work. Some stupid side of him hoped that may be the child wasn't hers.
He should have to ask, come Monday. It was time he came out from behind the glass door.
Pressing the button to open his gated drive way, he drove his sleek black luxury car before his front door.
His home was too big for one person, he often told himself. He owned it for business purposes, but one day hoped to fill it up with a family; if he ever found the woman he wanted to marry.
Maybe he should give into his sister's blind date match ups. One day, she should get it right, right?
I have seriously come full circle. I must be getting desperate, he thought to himself.
Padding to his living room sofa, he lounged until he heard the shrill of his phone.
"William here."
"Will! I have one of each!" His baby sister screeched.
He smiled, "Congrats to you and Warren, Lace! Did you call mom and dad? I'll be on my way. I just have to get ready."
"Take your time, I look horrible."
"I'm sure."
"You try delivering two-"
He chuckled, "I'll leave that to you. See you soon, Lace."
"See you soon!"
Just before he hung up he heard the cries of the two newborns.
Wow, was all he thought.
Getting James ready for bed was no easy task. Only with the promise that they'd try to do the activities he wanted the next day, did he give into sleep.
With a kiss on this little boy's forehead, Aislinn padded toward the kitchen. The back door rattled with a key and jangling sound of her twin's favorite bracelet.
"Hey, Aze," Cora greeted as Aislinn served her sister a late dinner.
Driving along his old neighborhood, he was stopped at a red light. He took a moment to look around at the things that had changed, the new developments and then finally at the people crossing before him. He locked onto a familiar face. Her smile made his head fuzzy. His eyes roamed from head to toe, and noted she was holding onto a little boy's hand. Oh.
The happy oblivious little boy looked about five years old. It would figure, she started out a bit on the pudgy side. Not liking where his thoughts drifted, he sped away before the car behind him had the chance to honk at his delay.
He really didn't know much about his assistant of four years.
Should he?
He didn't really think she lived a life of a hermit, did he?
She wasn't exactly the mouse-like girl. But she wasn't exactly the party-girl.
Maybe it was wrong to put labels on women or even categorize them. But heck, he thought, it seemed easier to figure them out that way.
For a year after Trisha resigned, he had gone through many temps before Human Resources stepped in and hired Aislinn. The somewhat pudgy cheeked woman who took over, minded her own business and did only what she was told.
A few months later, he heard through the gossip mill that Trisha married one of the chairmen from a prestigious Law Firm. It broke his heart, but instead of wasting away, he poured all his energy into work and strove to make a name for himself and his advertising agency.
He drove not only himself but Aislinn pretty hard with the amounts of proposals, presentations and meetings. Careful to keep her and any other woman out of his personal reach, he insisted no one was permitted to work over time hours. All work was to be done within business hours.
Now, four years later, his strict rules had worn down to dust. But even so, Aislinn rarely had to work overtime because of how efficiently she managed her time during office hours.
They had their moments when they'd play on each others nerves, and it made him fond of her. She learned to dress in prettier clothes, her pudginess and puffy cheeks toned down and she learned to laugh at his stupidity.
All these years, and no hint that she had a little boy, or even a life outside work. Some stupid side of him hoped that may be the child wasn't hers.
He should have to ask, come Monday. It was time he came out from behind the glass door.
Pressing the button to open his gated drive way, he drove his sleek black luxury car before his front door.
His home was too big for one person, he often told himself. He owned it for business purposes, but one day hoped to fill it up with a family; if he ever found the woman he wanted to marry.
Maybe he should give into his sister's blind date match ups. One day, she should get it right, right?
I have seriously come full circle. I must be getting desperate, he thought to himself.
Padding to his living room sofa, he lounged until he heard the shrill of his phone.
"William here."
"Will! I have one of each!" His baby sister screeched.
He smiled, "Congrats to you and Warren, Lace! Did you call mom and dad? I'll be on my way. I just have to get ready."
"Take your time, I look horrible."
"I'm sure."
"You try delivering two-"
He chuckled, "I'll leave that to you. See you soon, Lace."
"See you soon!"
Just before he hung up he heard the cries of the two newborns.
Wow, was all he thought.
Getting James ready for bed was no easy task. Only with the promise that they'd try to do the activities he wanted the next day, did he give into sleep.
With a kiss on this little boy's forehead, Aislinn padded toward the kitchen. The back door rattled with a key and jangling sound of her twin's favorite bracelet.
"Hey, Aze," Cora greeted as Aislinn served her sister a late dinner.
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