What Falls Apart

I rushed to the receptionist’s desk, my heart pounding and drumming as I tried to push all thoughts of Oliver Steele away from my mind.

My thoughts were brought to a halt at the unfamiliar face sitting behind the sleek white desk.

This wasn’t Lori, who was Richard’s secretary the last time I was here.

And this one had an even more striking beauty compared to Lori. She was slim with platinum blonde hair and full lips.

I sucked in a breath walked toward the desk with Richard's lunch container. "Hi, I'm here to see Richard Williamson. I'm his-"

"Do you have an appointment?" She didn't look up from her screen.

"I'm his wife." I kept my voice pleasant. "I'm just dropping off his lunch, I won't be long."

She looked up then. Her eyes did the same thing Betty's did, mocking and insulting.

"His wife," she repeated.

"Yes." I held up the container. "His lunch. I'll leave it with you if you'd prefer, but I'd like to see him myself."

"Mr. Williamson is in busy and isn't accepting walk-ins." She turned back to her screen. "You can leave whatever that is with me."

Whatever that is? I ignored the comment.

"I'd like to drop it off myself," I said, still smiling. "It'll take two minutes."

She glared at me. "Ma'am, I said he's in a meeting."

"And I said I'm his wife." I stepped to the side, toward the frosted glass door. "I'll be quick."

"Ma'am." She walked towards me. "You cannot go through that door. And I don't know who you are but claiming to be Mr. Williamson’s wife is laughable.”

She eyed me with digust again and humiliation climbed up the back of my neck. “I’m going to see him.”

Before I could take a step forward, she pushed me and my heel caught the edge of the mat.

I went backward, the lunch container leaving my hands, and then I was on the floor with Richard's rice and chicken spread across my blouse and the carpet.

Her eyes went wide in horror while I stayed there. Then the frosted glass door opened and Richard stepped out.

“What the hell is-“ He paused when he took in the scene.

I suddenly felt like crying.

He walked towards me. "Elaine! What happened?”

"I'm fine," I said automatically, which was not true at all.

The receptionist was trembling now. "Sir, I'm so sorry, she was trying to push past me and I-"

"You pushed her?" He growled. "You put your hands on my wife?"

Her eyes were widened again. "I didn't know… I mean, she wouldn't listen and I thought-"

"Clear your desk by the end of day." He turned away from her, helped me to the floor and guided me to his office.

The space was cool and quiet and smelled like his cologne.

He sat me on the small leather sofa near the window and crouched in front of me, pulling tissues from the box on his coffee table and dabbing at my blouse.

My heart melted at the gesture and I reached up and touched his face.

He caught my wrist then moved my hand away from his face and set it back in my lap.

"Why did you come here?" He asked.

I swallowed. "You forgot your lunch, and I wanted to bring it.”

"Elaine." He stood up and stepped back. "Why would you show up at my office without calling?”

My brows furrowed. "I'm your wife, Richard. Do I need to call before coming to see you?"

"That's not what I asked." He snapped.

I pressed my lips together and looked at the window.. "I wanted to see you. We haven't really spoken since you got back.”

"And look what happened." He gestured at me.

"You're a mess.”

How was this my fault? What did I do wrong?

My throat tightened and I was crying before I could stop it. Richard watched me for a moment then he sighed.

And then, slowly, he sat beside me and took my face in both hands.

"Hey," he said quietly. "Hey. I'm sorry."

I blinked through the blur of him.

"Last night too." His thumb moved across my cheekbone. "I was exhausted and I was rough and I said something I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

He pressed his forehead briefly to mine. "You know I don't mean things when I'm like that."

Something in me chose to believe him. Richard always had an explanation for his actions, he would never do anything to intentionally hurt me.

"I think you should stay home for a bit," he said, pulling back but keeping one hand on mine. "Take a break from work. Focus on yourself first, you said you registered for the gym?”

I shook my head quickly. "Richard, I can't just take a break.”

"I'm not saying forever. I'm saying take a breath." He squeezed my hand. "For me. Okay?"

I nodded and he helped me clean up as much as was possible, then walked me to the back elevator.

He kissed my forehead at the door. "Thank you for thinking about the lunch," he said. "I mean that."

I almost didn't bring it up but I did.

"You haven't been eating outside," I said. "Because of your allergies. What do you do for lunch when you're here?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's fine. I figure it out."

"I could have something sent every day. Or…" I paused and thought about it. "Cassandra's office isn't far. I could ask her to drop it off."

He nodded quickly, a small smile crossing his face "Actually, that's a good idea. Cass wouldn't mind."

"I'll ask her." I said and he kissed me once more and let me go.

When I entered into my car and Stanley pulled into traffic, I texted Cassandra.

‘Hey. Any chance you could drop Richard's lunch to his office a few days a week?’

Her reply came in under a minute.

‘Omg yes of course!! You know I'm literally three blocks away!! This is so easy, I'll start tomorrow!!’

I stared at the screen for a moment.

Thank you, I typed back, pressed send and put the phone face-down on my knee.

"Madam?" Stanley's eyes found mine in the mirror.

"You alright?"

I opened my mouth to say yes but then he word didn't come. I looked out the window instead.

My phone buzzed again and I opened it thinking it was Cassandra but it was that unknown number again.

‘You really trust too easily, sweetie. Must be lonely, being the last to know everything.’

There was another photo attached and this one was much clearer.

The back of a man's head but I knew that head. I knew the particular shape of Richard's hair and the slight wave at the crown.

And a woman had her arm was around him, her hand curved at the back of his neck. My eyes narrowed at the sight of her french-tipped nails with a thin line of blush pink at the edge.

I stared at them, turning my phone slightly as it pricked at me.

I knew those nails but I just couldn't place where I had seen them before.