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Standing outside her office door felt like a fever dream. When he got on that plane to Kansas 14 months and 6 days ago, he never expected to be back in Richmond so soon. Everyone at the club who spotted him was quick to stop him, exchange pleasantries, tell him how missed he was etc…but there was one person who it would mean the most to hear that from. That was also the person he was most frightened to face.
He softly knocked on her door, the complete opposite to the way he would usually just barge in when it was time for Biscuits with the Boss. For old times sake, he was holding a little pink box in his hand that he knew tasted like home to her.
The unforgettable voice shouted a warm “Come in!” He took a breath and did exactly that…
And there she was, suddenly sitting right in front of him like no time had passed. She hadn’t looked up yet, too busy typing away on her MacBook.
She was exactly the way he’d remembered but also somehow different. Her hair was as blonde as always but longer, held in soft waves. Her cheekbones were more prominent, from what he could see her figure was more fragile, more gaunt.
Of course, she was still the most gorgeous woman he had laid his eyes on but this was a different woman to the one he left at the airport that day. He left her. Abandoned her like everyone else in her life, the same loss he had experienced and he knew was agonizing. Yet he still did it.
“Hey there, Boss.”
Her blood ran cold, her eyes didn’t shoot up like he expected but rather scanned slowly as if she was coming face to face with her worst nightmare.
When she finally looked him in the eyes, she just stared. A poker face giving nothing away, her fences well and truly secured up in place.
“I am no longer your boss, Ted. Remember? You’re free to call me Rebecca.” The ice in her tone was palpable.
“Sure, sorry. Force of habit, I guess.” He closed the door behind him and walked towards her desk, opting to stand in front of her rather than sit. He placed the biscuits on the desk as a peace offering. “Brought these for you.”
“I’ll respectfully pass.” Noticing how awkward he looked hovering, she offered him a seat which he accepted. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to meet Teddy, Beard and Jane’s little guy.”
“Yet you didn’t attend their wedding?”
Oh, they were doing this.
“I, um, couldn’t. Henry had a soccer match and I’m coaching his team now so…”
“That’s a stupid fucking excuse.” He let out a humorless laugh knowing she was right. “How is he? Henry?”
“Oh, he’s great. Best goal scorer on the team, even wears a number 9 so he can be ‘just like Jamie.’”
Her expression was still unreadable. “That’s wonderful. And Michelle? She’s okay?”
“Yeah, she’s great too. We, um, we’re great.” It was at that moment her eyes caught a glimmer of gold on his ring finger, her world felt like it stood still. “We got remarried or renewed our vows, however you wanna look at it.”
That was it. Her mask slipped. “You’re not serious? Michelle?!”
“What?”
“The same Michelle who convinced you that you were too much? The same Michelle who made you take a job halfway across the world that clearly made you miserable? The same Michelle who was fucking your MARRIAGE THERAPIST?!”
“Hey, Rebecca, you’ve met her, what? Thrice? You have no authority to speak about her.”
Another humorless scoff. “‘I have no right?’” She asked while mocking his accent. “Ted, I saw firsthand what a mess you were. I have every goddamn right.”
He was getting more and more frustrated, rubbing his fingers against his temples. “I didn’t come here to argue with you, Rebecca.”
“Then why did you come here?!”
This was it. This was the moment he had been building up the courage to say. It’s what he should have said 14 months and 6 days ago if he hadn’t been such a coward. “I came here because I finally need to tell you that…”
“Surpri-i-ise!” It was at that moment her office door opened and a familiar voice entered. Taking note of the room, a smug smile crept on the man’s face. “What the fuck? Yankee Doodle, what are you doing here?”
Rebecca stood and moved over to Rupert, Ted watched in anticipation expecting her to kick his ass out of her office but his jaw dropped when she played a gentle hand on his chest. “Rupert, would you mind giving us a moment? We’re almost done here.”
“Of course, darling.” He leant in to kiss her on the cheek but when he realized Ted was holding his gaze, he veered off course. Cupping her face, he placed a kiss on her lips that was held too long and too firm to be described as ‘chaste.’ “I’ll be right outside when you’re ready.”
He left and Rebecca stood in place, too frightened to turn around until she heard Ted’s voice. “You are such a fucking hypocrite, Rebecca.” She spun around, wide eyed. “You can give me that look all you want but I am just seeing red right now. Rupert? RUPERT?! You could have any man you want and you’re settling for that…that…that abusive monster?!”
“Well, I clearly can’t have any man I want, can I?!”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”
An eerie calmness overtook her. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. Rupert was at his lowest after that final match and coincidentally so was I, we just found our way back to each other.”
“Are you happy, Rebecca?”
She didn’t answer and held his gaze which told him everything he needed to know.
“Are you happy, Ted?”
He didn’t answer and held his gaze which told her everything she needed to know.
He never should have gotten on that airplane.