"Are you making your presentation before the board tonight?" I glanced up at Peter Riley, who worked in the same department as I, and sighed tossing my long blonde hair over one shoulder. "I suppose I have to." I said tucking my files into my briefcase. "Don't you ever get tired of these meetings? All drone and no fire…they're a total drain of two hours when I could be spending time with Connelly." I complained, referring of course, to my four-year-old son who was waiting at home for me having been promised pizza and cartoons. That is, until my boss sprung a surprise meeting on me for that night. Peter grinned mischievously tapping my head with his pencil. "Don't let old man Rogers hear you talk like that." I made a face. "Mr. Rogers," I said in disgust. "He is not." Peter chuckled shrugging into his suit jacket. "I agree whole heartedly, but he does, with however much disdain cut our paychecks, so if I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut. The wall have ears you know." He winked slapping my rear with his files before heading out the door. Dreading what I had to do I picked up the phone and dialed my home. Christine, the babysitter I employed answered on the first ring which alerted me to the fact that she was probably already on the phone, undoubtedly talking to her boyfriend.
"Hello, Valance residence." She greeted in her usual, nasal tone that drove me batty. Unfortunately, I didn't have much choice when it came to childcare. Daycare was simply too expensive and there seemed to be a shortage of annoying teenage girls in my neighborhood which left me with Christine who had successfully killed my faith in the next generation. "Chris, it's Helena. Would you put Connelly on the phone please?" Christine hesitated, clearly debating whether to click over first and hang up on her boyfriend, thereby incriminating herself, or leave him hanging for however long until I hung up with my son. "Uh…sure thing Mrs. Val, hold on a second." She set down the phone and I waited for a long minute before Connelly came on the line, wondering for the thousandth time if I should accept the transfer to Austin, Texas for a sizable pay increase. The only thing holding me back was that moving to Austin would mean leaving my family behind and uprooting Connelly from his school.
"Mommy?" I smiled hearing Connelly's voice, but his next question crushed my spirit. "I want pepperoni on my pizza, okay?" I hesitated, then sighed slinking into my office chair. "I'm sorry baby, I've got to work. But I'll have Christine order you a pizza, okay?" His telling silence depressed me considerably. "With extra pepperoni." I offered. "Mommy, you promised." I swallowed, closing my eyes and pressing my finger to the space between my eyes. "I know honey, and I'm really sorry, but I just can't make it home. I'll make it up to you tomorrow. I promise." Connelly whined. "But you promised last night!" Knowing he was about to cry, I felt close to tears myself. "You're right, and I feel just awful, but how about I make you a deal? You can stay up till I get home and we'll have some pizza together." Connelly brightened a little. "Really?" He asked. I smiled weakly. "Yes, really." After we had hung up I walked across my office to the little mirror hanging on the wall and pinned my long pale blonde hair up to look professional for the meeting. I normally made it home by six or seven, but I wouldn't get home tonight until nine or later. Connelly's bedtime was eight thirty and I wondered if he would be able to stay awake that long. Being a single mother was never easy, but if I wanted to keep food on the table, work had to come first.
The meeting was as I suspected, a complete waste of two hours. When Mr. Rogers finally adjourned the gathering I fled for the door checking my watch, dismayed to see it was past nine already. I had scarcely made it to the door when Mr. Rogers called me back. "Ms. Valance, kindly wait." I sighed stopping and waiting till everyone had left. Mr. Rogers moved slightly past me and shut the door, leaning across me to do so. "Ms. Valance, it has come to my attention that you've been less than attentive at your duties lately." I chewed my lip nervously as Mr. Rogers moved across the room, removing his jacket. I had worked for the man for nearly six years but rarely spent time alone with him. He made me exceptionally nervous. "Yes, I'm terribly sorry Mr. Rogers, since my divorce-" He cut me off. "Ms. Valance, when you come into this building I expect you leave your personal life at the door, is that understood?" His hard blue eyes seemed to pierce right through me and I swallowed, averting my eyes. "Yes sir." I mumbled. "I'll try harder." There was a long silence. "Helena, is it?" I looked up and slowly nodded. "My superiors are pressuring me to fire you. One of them has a nephew who would love to step into your shoes. He's even willing to go to Austin." Horror washed over me. If I lost my job I had no way to provide for my son. "Oh Mr. Rogers, please don't, I'll try harder, I promise I will!" He held up his hand. "I said they were pressuring me, I didn't say I was doing it." Relief flooded me. "Whether or not you stay here is strictly up to you." I nodded. "Yes sir, I understand."
"I don't think you do." I looked up slowly, confused, and my eyes widened as Mr. Rogers began unfastening his slacks. "The way I see it Helena, you have two choices. You can walk out that door, and I don't expect to see you tomorrow, or you can stay…and show me just how much you want to keep this job." I gasped backing against the door. Mr. Rogers, or Kevin, as I was beginning to think of him, pulled off his belt and laid it neatly across his desk. "It's your choice." He said. "The door isn't locked." I immediately turned and groped for the door handle, but his voice stopped me cold. "I urge you to think of your son before you do anything hasty. I've been taking a look at your personal file and judging on what your ex-husband is giving you in child support I suspect you'll be on the street within a month and a jobless, homeless woman isn't likely to impress a custody judge." My blood ran cold. He knew I had a custody hearing in three months, and my good job was the only thing that kept Connelly in my care in the first place. Without recommendations, I knew I couldn't find another job worth anything if I walked out now and the judge would surely give Connelly to Spencer. "Please," I whispered. "Don't do this." Kevin came up behind me and ran his hands down my back, squeezing my ass through my skirt. "I'm not forcing you into anything Helena, it's your choice. You are a beautiful woman, did you know that?" Feeling trapped I turned toward him to plead with him and he crushed his mouth against mine, forcing his tongue into his mouth as his hands came up to grope my breasts through my blouse. I struggled and he immediately released me. "I see I'm wasting my time, kindly clean out your desk before you leave." He said. I felt tears gather in my eyes. "Please, Mr. Rogers…" I pleaded weakly but he turned and started toward his desk. "Good night Ms. Valance." He replied. Closing my eyes I steeled myself up and my voice cracked as I spoke. "Wait…" He turned toward me. "I want to keep my job." I whispered. Kevin smiled. "Ah, a smart woman then. I was beginning to wonder. Kindly remove your blouse Ms. Valance."
