The Affairs

PABLO arrived at his office. He worked at the Mayor's building, meaning he got to see Carter Winter almost every day. He worked along with the secretary, Paula. His desk was just opposite hers.

He came in and greeted her and she replied, though a bit stiffly. He noticed this but cast it aside with the thought that she must be been having a bad morning.

They both worked in silence. Not long Gwendolyn came in. She only spoke to the secretary and didn't even cast Pablo a side glance, but he was too busy to regard that.

As the door to the mayor's office closed, Paula made a call and Pablo was within earshot.

"Ma'am, she just arrived.... Yes ma'am.... I.... Okay ma'am.", Paula said and hung up with a more worried look.

"What's wrong? Who was that?", Pablo asked. He wasn't the type to butt into people's affairs or listen in on their calls. But she seemed so worried he just had to ask.

"Well, it's Mrs Winter. You know, lately, Miss Martins has been dropping by the office often.", Paula started and Pablo paused to think.

She really had been dropping by every week, he thought.

"So Mrs Winter got suspicious of Mr Winter and Miss Martins.", she paused. "And now she thinks something is going on between them and she wants me to find out, or listen in on their conversation.", she explained.

Pablo then understood why she was worried. Paula did not like awkward situations. And if Mrs Winter's suspicions were right then it would be an awkward situation for Paula.

"Fine, I'll check what they're up to and I'll let you know. Then you can tell Mrs Winter whatever it is.", he said and stood up.

"Really? Oh, how kind. Thank you.", she said and then muttered. "I really hope it's not what she thinks."

Pablo headed towards the office. He stopped at the door to hear for any voices or sounds, to know what he would be walking into, but there were none.

He knocked lightly and immediately opened the door to see Gwendolyn on Carter's lap in a heated make-out session with him. He cleared his throat to get their attention and Gwendolyn scrambled out of his lap and tried fixing her hair, while Carter stared at Pablo.

There was silence at first before Pablo spoke.

"I'm sorry for... uh... interrupting. I'll come back later.", he said and made to leave but Carter called him back.

"Gwendolyn, you can go. I'll take care of this.", Carter said and she fixed herself before leaving, but not after giving Pablo a pleading look.

That's a first, he thought.

"Pablo come in, and do shut the door.", Carter said and Pablo did so, but he didn't sit.

"I would ask of you to please keep what you saw between three of us, that's including Gwendolyn. My wife can't know about this."

"Then why do it?", Pablo asked.

"'Cause I love Gwendolyn.", he said and Pablo gave him a confused look.

"If you love her then why are you married to your wife? Can't you divorce her instead of cheating on her.", he said.

"It's not that easy you know. There's something called acrimony."

"Acrimony or not, that's no reason to cheat on her. You're married. If she finds out how...",

"And that's why I'm asking you not to tell her. Look I'll give you a raise..."

"No, no need for that, sir. I'm comfortable thank you and if I would want a raise, I would want it to be because of my hard work and not some marital secret.", Pablo said and there was silence.

Carter on the other hand was trying to keep his anger and irritation in check in order to coerce Pablo to keep their secret.

"Fine, but you need to get your act together, matter of fact, you should get your act together.", Pablo said and Carter gave a ghost of a smile.

"Thank you.", Carter said and Pablo nodded. That was one conversation he never dreamed of having with the mayor of his town.

He came back and saw Paula looking at him expectantly.

"Oh. It's all good. They were finalising one paper stuff or something.", Pablo said vaguely and settled on his chair, trying not to look uncomfortable.

"Oh thank goodness. What was it about?", she asked.

"Uh... about the register. Something about funds or stuff, they've been having problems settling some uh... budget issues so....", he lied.

Paula seemed okay with the answer and made a call to Maria to tell her everything. She also told Maria that she was the one who checked.

Pablo just hoped Maria would never find out and that Carter, if he continues with this, would be more discreet. His mind also wondered and he thought of telling Lisa. She wouldn't go ranting it to other people.

》》》》》

Josh was on his phone in the diner when the bell dinged. He looked up to see the redhead he had met yesterday, Madisyn. She seemed nice and they had immediately hit things off. So he decided to ask her out on a tour, which she agreed to.

Though, he was mindful of her work buddy, Ian, who seemed protective like she was his sister or girlfriend. But Maddie didn't look or say anything about being in a relationship with him.

When she turned to meet him, she smiled and so did he.

"Hi.", she said, sitting.

"Hey sunshine.", he said and flashed her his charming smile, but the smile faltered when he glanced behind her and saw who was approaching, Ian.

"I thought it was going to be just the both of us?", he asked and she sighed.

"I told he to go the station, but he offered to drive instead.", she said as he neared.

"Hey. Jameson right.", Ian said smiling and Madisyn stiffened a chuckle.

"It's Josh.", he said as his lips were set in a thin line.

"Oh yeah right. I don't mean to bother but I decided that since you're taking her on a tour, I should butt in. After all, I'm also new here. Plus, I brought my car so to save you the cost.", he said settling in his chair beside Madisyn.

"I brought my own car.", Josh said.

"Great! So we'll all go in yours then.", Ian said, enthusiastically clasping his hands.

"Okay Maddie let's go then.", he said and they all left. Once Josh unlocked the car, Ian bounced into the back seat.

Josh stayed to open the passenger door for Madisyn.

"I hope you don't mind. He easily gets comfortable.", she said.

"Of course he does.", he muttered and closed her door, before heading over to his.

"So. Where to first?", Ian asked.

》》》》》

Lisa sat in her new office. Some days ago she had been promoted and was now head of personnel affairs. Some of the men who worked on-site hated this because now they had to come here to meet her for any issues, so she would take it to the manager, if she wanted.

Though she had already made it clear that she had gone past what had happened in the past, some still thought she was taunting them. And now they needed to have respect for her, 'cause she was in the position of firing anyone.

She was working on some paperwork when she heard the distant arguments and raised voices. She checked and saw two guys arguing and one launched a blow, she realised that person was Miles.

Miles?

He hardly ever got into fights. She rushed over to them. How she wished Hugh was here, she wouldn't have to go alone. Even though she was the personnel manager, she didn't want to get into any arguments with them.

But she had to muster the courage.

"Hey! That's enough break it up now.", she said.

"And why are you butting into it.", said the guy who was punched. She recognised him as Henry, a bitter worker.

"In case you didn't know, or you've forgotten, I'm your personnel manager. I'm meant to butt in.", she said staring hard at him.

"Oh shut up.", he said.

"Hey! Don't talk to her like that.", Miles said and wanted to punch him again. As nice as that would have been for her to watch, she had to stop them.

"Okay, that's enough Miles. C'mon, let's go. Henry doesn't realise that I'm saving his stinky ass from your whopping which it deserves.", she said and some men oohed.

She turned away with Miles and led him to her office. That's when she noticed blood trickling a bit from beneath his eyebrow, but his right eye was already bruised.

She managed to keep herself in check at the sight of blood. She got what she needed and cleaned it up, before putting a bandage on it.

"That bruise, was that because of Henry, did he....", she asked referring to the swelling just above his brow.

"No, no. That's from my uncle.", he blurted but immediately regretted it because he knew she would ask questions. Questions he wouldn't want to answer.

"Your uncle, why what happened?", she asked.

"He walked in on me in a situation.", he said.

"What situa... No, I hope he didn't find you in a compromising situation with another man. If that, then he must've thought you were gay.", she said remembering how Eugene had flipped when there was news like that about Miles in the papers.

"No, no. It was the opposite actually.", he said.

"Opposite? Did you walk in on him..."

"No opposite of the... oh fuck it... he saw me with Irene.", Miles said and Lisa looked like her eyes would pop out from their sockets.

"Irene! His wife!! Your aunt!!!", she said.

"She's not really my aunt though.", he said, thinking about it.

"She's not your aunt! She's married to your uncle!", she said.

"Oh would you stop talking like you are putting exclamation at the end of every sentence.", he said.

"Sorry, it's just... Wow. But she's way older than you. I mean, if you were still in high school, you would be a minor when she's an older major.", she's said.

"Well I'm not in high school am I?", he said nonchalantly.

"So he beat you up and then what?", she asked.

"He told me never to see her.", he said but with his attitude, Lisa knew...

"But you're still gonna see her.", she said and he looked away. Did he really have genuine feelings for his aunt or was this just some fling?, she wondered. Then after a long silence.

"They're married you know.", she said and he gave her a 'you think I don't know that' look.

Knowing she had nothing else to say again. She offered him some aspirin and water.

"Do you have a headache?", she asked.

"Yeah, thanks. I need to clear my head.", he said and took it.

"You sure need to.", she said.

》》》》》

Sidney was looking at Eugene pacing back and forth in her living room with a worried expression. She stood up and got him some water.

"Drink. Then you can sit down and tell me what's wrong.", she said. He looked at her before doing what she said and then thanking her.

"I saw Miles with Irene.", he said vaguely.

"So....", she trailed.

"So. They were together, kissing or whatever.", he said feeling uncomfortable.

Sidney wanted to laugh but held it back due to Eugene's seriousness.

"Well it's not the first time she's in a relationship.", she said.

"With my nephew! Come on. I can't believe this. I....", he took a deep breath.

"Is that why you're worried or is it because she's in a relationship again?", Sidney asked and his head shot to look at her.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, it's just that, anytime she starts seeing another man, you get all angry and...."

"You think I'm jealous? She might've been fucking my nephew and you think I'm jealous!", he said feeling outraged.

"Yes. She's out there kissing in public when they all know she has a husband. And you're hiding me off.", she said.

"Hiding you off!", he yelled.

"Yes!! You didn't park your car outside, you parked it a street away. You always do that so no one thinks we're seeing each other. Why? You don't want anyone knowing about me, about us! But Irene can...."

"Okay, I can't deal with this right now.", he said picking up his jacket.

"Where are you going?", she asked.

"Home.",

"But....",

"Bye.", he said. And without even a backward glance he left.

Wow. So many things in this chapter. I also wouldn't think of having the conversation Pablo had with Carter with my boss. Hey, I wonder how Madisyn's tour will go now that Ian invited himself(I wonder why). And yeah, nephew and aunt huh! Who would have thought?

Vote, Comment, Share
SJ💝